Mar 14 post

On board we have this wonderfully wise man, The Arch, who has seen so much struggle against apartheid in his own country, South Africa. That was when the whites—10% of the population—made all the decisions for the country of 90% blacks and gave them no rights. You've seen my picture taken with The Arch—what an honor. Today he spoke in a class about his ideas about what should happen where there are struggles in the world now. He spoke about the country of Israel—the homeland of the Jewish people—who want not to be threatened by the Palestinian people who also live there. (Find Egypt in the northeast corner of Africa, then look further east) The Arch says there must be a two state solution—where both peoples can live next to each other with their own customs and religions and in a peaceful space.

The Arch said the world needs to keep assuring Israel that they are a sovereign state, but that what Israel is doing now to keep their state is unacceptable. The wall that is built causes hardship for the Palestinian children to walk to school. The fact that there are roads on which Palestinians cannot travel to their own property is an example of how unkind we can be toward one another. The Arch asks, “What about forgiveness?”

The Arch thinks that we don't need to amass so much wealth and not think of the downtrodden. We are brothers and sisters and must take care of each other in our family. He thinks that the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark) are bringing out the best in people and showing compassion for one another. The Arch says that the inequality between the industrialized countries (North America, Europe) and the developing countries cannot go on. It is up to the young people like those on the ship to work to make more compassionate world.

The Arch thinks the new pope of the Catholic Church should recognize that priests should be allowed to marry and that women can also be priests. Maybe The Arch will talk with the new pope!