Political Cab

I'm not particularly well-informed but I am still confused about world peace and who really wants it, other than the very passive, the only folks who actually practice it.    

My son and I took a ride from a very kind, but very angry International Cab Driver the other day.  He is disgusted by this country and it's failure to educate, as well as the disrespectful young Americans who are the products of such lousy education.  He hates the President, puts him in bed with Bush and blames them both for lies and failure.  He angrily mentioned that Singapore is doing the most progressive math and that every other country is far ahead of the U.S. when it comes to education.  He wasn't happy about China or India either, so he obviously came from neither of those countries! 
He stopped intermittently to shake his fist and honk his horn at passing cars not doing what they should.  It was funny, I actually burst out laughing a couple of times and though it wasn't my intention at all, I think it might have embarrassed him.  He was a wonderful character, right out of a movie!

First, I was heated and interested in the conversation.  I agreed about our schools, anyway. What a travesty!  This driver was going way over the conversational speed limit and I was right there, along for the ride...until it went past good points that made sense and crashed into downright hatred of my country, OUR country.  I was on the brink of another, "Yea, that's true!", but I felt my gut sink.  I didn't agree anymore. 
I felt what he was feeling but it became too much when I felt his war and inadvertant hatred towards me, my neighbors, as well as`others he might not know.  I detected a desire for revenge which is a cycle I adamantly disagree with, whatever the story.  We aren't countries, we are people.  This cycle of hate, this cycle of revenge is the real travesty, not prehistoric math. 

I happen to be an American.  As an individual, I practice positive ideals.  I am tolerant.  I am hopeful.  I value me conscience and I am grateful for freedom, especially as it evolves away from a sad history or war and slavery but when I think about it, if we end war and slavery everywhere in the world, anyone from anywhere can make the same claim and move forward, fully equipped for success without the need to become an overly-knowledged cruise missle on it's way to the next battle.  What is it they say about excess?   
   
 There is no ONE evil empire.  Our planet is so small that if there IS an evil empire, such a horrible cancer would have already made it around the globe by now...so please...enough with the U.S. is THIS, the U.S. is THAT.  Everywhere is this or that and if we are honest, the U.S. is where everyone has always wanted to be so it can't be THAT bad. 

To some, evil is not educating as rapidly or defensively as other countries.  To others, evil is taking advantage of that.

Knowledge is something we are not equipped with at birth but wisdom (some would argue), is.  It amazes me that regardless of any religion, God-given wisdom is tossed aside for a knowledge of war and a war of knowledge, the new arms race. 
If world peace is really the goal, then maybe we should consider that we are all born with the wisdom to achieve this but now, as we enter a new age of mind exploration, even the God-given wisdom we were born with is being manipulated and smothered by facts for the benefit of modern-day war and slavery.  If you believe in God, how can you rationalize disrespecting Him this way?
I proudly do not consider myself a contender in any race for knowledge and I respect the direction that was embedded within me, though I try to avoid rampant manipulation of my mind along the way. 

If peace and healthy prosperity are the true goals, then a useful education is always available and inevitable, no matter the age or the country you live in...But just remember this, I don't know much and I could be wrong!