White flags for peace?
Guest post by Martin Ruthenberg
For some time now, a number of politicians and media outlets in Germany have been talking about making citizens "fit for war". Voices calling for peace and peace negotiations seem to be in the minority. Or are they “only” barely visible to the public?
By Martin Ruthenberg1
Three years ago in the fall, I left public broadcasting. I was fed up2 with contributing to reporting that marginalized me as part of a minority. Finding myself in this position is an experience that I share with around a third of people in our society - and which has since been repeated under different circumstances, and covers my life like mildew. Mine and that of the people I feel connected to.
Ever since I emerged as a nest-desecrator3, I have been driven by the same question: How can minorities regain their place in the public sphere from which they have been banished by the dominant compliant media?
I have come to the conclusion that the internet and digitization alone are not enough. Anyone who has taken a closer look at the pitfalls and current structures of this artificial world will hardly be surprised. I say: the solution is on the street. I'm not thinking so much about demonstrations and loud rallies. So far, they have hardly achieved anything. That is well known and the reasons for this are also well known.
By the street, I mean the place with the people we meet every day. We need to get in touch with them and perhaps start a conversation. But is that enough in the face of some influential people who want to conjure up a third world war with their words and deeds? You don't have to be a pacifist or a conscientious objector like me to realize that Germany will by no means emerge victorious. Instead, there is a threat of destruction and immeasurable suffering. Even recognized military leaders and diplomats hold this view.
Those who are now calling for peace negotiations are also being pushed to the public sidelines. Are they “only” a minority? Most people want peace. That is my impression - and there is every indication that this perception is true. But the warmongers don't seem to care. Why? The answer is obvious to me: the solidarity of peace-loving people has hardly been visible to the public so far. The responsibility for changing this lies with each individual. Actually, that has long been clear. But how can this be done - quickly and easily?
I was still pondering this question when a friend sent me a photo of himself: A white flag in his hand, he has planted himself in military gear in front of his father's grave. I see this and have a flash of inspiration: that's it: a white flag! Anyone can do it, it costs (almost) nothing and it's quick. No sooner said than done.
Two days later, I have one flag hanging outside my kitchen window. I write a short post about it on my blog and share it with my network. If it goes well, I think it will become a self-runner - and want to take care of other, quite vital things.
The response amazes me. Most people think it's a good idea and spread the word. But there are also critical voices. They are the ones calling for an answer. That's why I'm writing this. I didn't expect white to be something of a red rag. The blue flag with the white dove on it has been around for a long time. To change the brand now would be tantamount to a split, some say.
I was already on the streets in the 1980s because the Americans wanted to station their Pershing missiles in Germany. Nevertheless, this peace flag had never crossed my mind, for whatever reason. Anyone who wants to hang it out is welcome to do so. White goes wonderfully with blue. White is not really a color and for me it is the more powerful symbol. It stands for the white light in which all colors merge.
White flags stand for surrender, remind many people of the horrors of the Second World War and traumatize them again, others say. I mean, traumas lose their power when we give those affected the opportunity to talk about their experiences and listen to them attentively. To leave this to the therapists alone is to shirk responsibility.
And what's so bad about surrendering? Anyone who raises the white flag in a war wants to stop fighting. We are at war. Living means fighting, is the belief that still dominates this planet today. Every belief is based on a decision, consciously or unconsciously. It is the unconscious beliefs that cause us problems, even for those who are in favor of peace. Many of them go through life as fighters, even setting a questionable example. That's why it's so important to get to grips with yourself. Day after day, if need be.
For me, showing the flag in the form of a white flag means first and foremost: I want to stop fighting in a country that has declared war on another. May many share this message.
This text was first published in German on the author’s homepage. Rebecca Hillauer translated the text into English and set the footmarks.
Guest posts do not automatically reflect the opinion of the blog owner.
Martin Ruthenberg had been working as a presenter and speaker for German public broadcaster SWR since the 1990s. He left broadcasting in 2021 due to dissatisfaction with what he saw as one-sided reporting on the German government's coronavirus policy. Together with like-minded people, he launched the free online medium wirsindmedien.de.
The author wrote an “internal open letter” to the SWR management. In it, he demanded that the termination without notice of a freelancer who had openly criticized the broadcaster's coronavirus reporting as one-sided be revoked.
In 2022, the author expressed his dissatisfaction with SWR's coronavirus reporting in a “rage speech” on the free radio station “Radio München” (Radio Munich).