
<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Taking Sides<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">Today I am taking sides.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I am <span style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class=""><a tabindex="-1" style="color: rgb(56, 88, 152); cursor: pointer; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class=""></a></span>taking the side of Peace.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">Peace, which I will not abandon</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">even when its voice is drowned out</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">by hurt and hatred,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">bitterness of loss,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">cries of right and wrong.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I am taking the side of Peace</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">whose name has barely been spoken</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">in this winnerless war.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will hold Peace in my arms,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">and share my body’s breath,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">lest Peace be added</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">to the body count.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will call for de-escalation</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">even when I want nothing more </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">than to get even.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will do it</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">in the service of Peace.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will make a clearing</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">in the overgrown </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">thicket of cause and effect</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">so Peace can breathe </div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">for a minute</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">and reach for the sky.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will do what I must</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">to save the life of Peace.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will breathe through tears.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will swallow pride.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will bite my tongue.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">I will offer love</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">without testing for deservingness.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">So don’t ask me to wave a flag today</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">unless it is the flag of Peace.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">Don’t ask me to sing an anthem</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">unless it is a song of Peace.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">Don’t ask me to take sides</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class="">unless it is the side of Peace.</div></div><div class="x126k92a x11i5rnm xat24cr xtlvy1s x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class=""><br class=""></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; transition-property: none !important;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Irwin Keller</div></div></div></div></body></html>