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Secret to world peace? Maybe we need some ‘Shut Up Zones’ in real life

I love to read the comics faithfully every day. Okay, I don't always get the chance to do it, but I usually find a way to read my favorites. And one of my all-time favorites, "Non-Sequitur," led to this blog post.

In today's "Non-Sequitur," the mischievous little girl character, Danae, runs into the living room, plots down a big sign, and settles on the couch. The sign says, "Shut Up Zone." Her father watches her do this and asks what's going on. "I'm promoting world peace," Danae explains. As her father walks away he mutters: "I've GOT to get one of those for my desk at the office."

Obviously, I'm not so naive as to think "Shut Up Zone" signs would promote world peace. In fact, standard wisdom holds that peace only comes about as enemies talk to each other, air their grievances, negotiate agreements, etc.

Yeah, that's worked well, hasn't it?

Perhaps there are times and places where "peace" or something resembling it might begin if the parties involved all took a step back from the fray and just "shut up," at least for awhile, to really reflect on their situations. Perhaps after some of the nations and people leading them find a measure of stillness, they can renew their efforts toward peacefully resolving their differences.

Ah, well, what do I know? I'm just a guy who reads the papers.
[tags]comics page wisdom, "Non-Sequitur," world peace, "Shut Up Zones," just a guy who reads the papers[/tags]