Hear ”A Peaceful Solution” by Markchelle Eva Teresa Johansson, Josheph Myr, Dennis Vinas

Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute has the great honor to bring you the mp3 version of A Peaceful Solution performed by Markchelle Eva Teresa Johansson, Josheph Myr and Dennis Vinas. This version of A Peaceful Solution has its own unique history. Please take a moment to read the article about this international collaboration for peace.

In the picture above up front you see Markchelle on your left with Josh on your right from Oslo, Norway. They share the stage with Dennis Vinas on your right with his son Arthur Vinas on your left from Waukegan, Illinois. Arthur and the magic of Photoshop created this composite image.

From beginning to end this song has shown the peaceful power of collaboration using contemporary technology. It wasn’t too long ago that such work would be accomplished by mailing cassette tapes back and forth while accepting the generational loss of quality with every dub.

The people of the world have so much technology at their fingertips that we truly live on the threshold of a new age. But the people must claim this new age. Otherwise its ownership will default into the hands of those who have driven the world to its current state of affairs.

If you wish for a peaceful resolution then you must stand up and do something about the current state of affairs. You must leverage technology to demand a peaceful world. Otherwise technology will leverage you to extend the madness.

Here we have evidence of a small group of people working together virtually. Technology enabled their music. Powerful desktop computers and international networks not only brought them together but also permitted them to reach out to the world.

Indeed, everyday each of us gains new capacity for spreading peace through advances in technology. Too often only the anti-peace uses of technology dominate our attention. It is our choice how to employ technology.

Technology can only amplify our intentions. Peaceful intentions may be amplified as well as the other kind. The choice is yours. You may choose to follow the lead of those who would use technology for world domination.

But technology may also be used for universal liberation. Technology has become famous for being personally empowering. And this gain in personal empowerment will let the world see in no uncertain terms the quality of your personality.

So how will you use technology? Will you go along with the current death and destruction scenarios? Or will you find a way to use technology to amplify all that is good in you?

We would like to thank Markchelle Eva Teresa Johansson, Josheph Myr and Dennis Vinas along with Reg and Caley Campbell for demonstrating the power of collaboration as a realistic model for peaceful international relations through the arts.

* * * * * Artist’s Statement * * * * *

by Dennis Vinas

One of the qualities of free societies is people minding their own business. It is now a civil plague. People have been minding their own business in excess. It is now more fitting to call it apathy. An urban zoo filled with individuals who would not think twice to step over their fellowmen who might stand in their way toward a self-serving goal.

This is mirrored in the way world leaders are now running their country’s affairs. The idea of peace and co-existence has diminished tremendously. Sadly, the state of the world, including the indiscriminate trampling of nature, as we know it, is now in the hands of the indiscriminate few.

So we question ourselves.

Why are we waging war against each other?

Is there anything we can do to help prevent human induced disasters?

Do we really want to sacrifice our love ones so that the selfish goals of the few others are achieved despite the toll?

It pains me deeply that some out there would imperil others to satisfy a “departmental agenda”. The saddest part of it all is, we the people, voted these few into office. An office inefficiently won because we were too busy minding our own business.

“I don’t have to vote because it won’t make a difference…the politicians will do whatever they want anyway”. I hear this statement from those who complain about the most. The exercise of the basic right to vote can weed out the undesirables.

Inefficient election of government officials is like shooting ourselves on the foot and it gives our country a limp that makes our beloved United States appear weak, resolve domestic and global conflicts longer than she really can., and more often in recent history, has worsened the problem.

This quagmire we call war can be stopped, future wars can be prevented if more of us speak out from our sympathetic heart.

Let’s start embracing the serenity our human heart is perfectly capable of.

Sing the song of love and the rhythm of peace will naturally follow.

When each and every one of us hums a peaceful hymn toward our fellowmen, peace will govern mankind, and evil that is war will end.

PEACE STARTS FROM EVERYONE’S HEART.

Hear ”A Peaceful Solution” by Markchelle Eva Teresa Johansson, Josheph Myr, Dennis Vinas