We Don't Wanna War No More

There has been a hidden war going on. Yes, we've been hearing about the "war on terror," in the media, the wars in Iraq and now Afghanistan, and the potential for war with Iran. I would argue that we are in fact in war with the entire middle east as a region, which Wyclef reflects on in his playful yet extremely powerful "War No More." Not only are we at war with the "middle east," but the middle east is at war with its members. Hostile rivalries such as the one between Iran and Saudi Arabia add to the tension, as well as the Palestine issue, and Pakistan's issues with India and neighboring Afghanistan certainly add fuel to the fire.

Wyclef is begging for peace in this region, "The streets packed for heat in the Middle East. . When will the violence cease?" he questions. The song later calls the U.S. to political action when he urges, "let me hear the USA say peace." This is another issue of how now more than ever it is important to take on all sorts of causes, and cross cultures in order to promote what is right. Instead of just tackling racism, for instance, Wyclef takes on Arab issues. All of us should take a lesson from this: those who are not black should fight racism with just as much force, those who are straight should fight against LGBT discrimination with a vengeance, and men should fight for women's rights. Imagine how much further we would get with these issues if we started to stop acting as small fringe grassroots activist-style groups and actually worked to promote the common good, with peace and equal treatment (not just rights) being the common goal.