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UWIRE: Social networking may stave off Israel-Iran conflict

The Israeli and Iranian governments have both exchanged quite a lot of threats that entail large-scale bombing runs on each other. President Barack Obama recently stated the United States would defend Israel, especially if that required the use of military force, inching us closer and closer to all-out war.

Yet, maybe there exists the assertion that these threats are merely political figures flexing their military muscles.

Under such politicking, one must ask, do these political figures truly reperesent their citizens’ intentions?

To place the domestic environment in perspective, U.S., Israeli and Iranian citizens almost never talk to each other. The only contact that really occurs is among our elected officials and ambassadors.

There are some Israeli citizens who disagree with their elected officials and their statements, instead seeking out the Iranian citizens directly, conveying passive messages of peace and love.

Writers, teachers and graphic designers Ronny Edri and Michal Tamir are leading a campaign on “IsraelLovesIran.com,” encouraging fellow Israelis to join in on the positive conversation surrounding the similarities between the people of Jewish and Islamic states.

The website makes a strong effort to address all “fathers, mothers, children, brothers and sisters” of Iran. The campaign’s leader, Edri, wants them to know that “war is not on his radar.” His artistic creations, containing images of Israeli citizens advocating for cooperation, certainly reiterate constructivist art, aiming to effect social change.

The campaign has received support from thousands of citizens, a majority coming from Israel.

This demonstrates another effective use of social networking to create change that could very well radiate to a global stage. Through social networking, the citizens are talking among themselves, circumventing their elected officials and delving straight into the domestic heart of each other. This certainly shows the world there is a shining niche of people who believe in peace and cooperation in stark contrast to their warmongering administrations.

As students and social network users, we too have the opportunity to effect real change in our political and domestic environment. This represents a changing world, where we can exercise our citizenship electronically from our bedroom, where we can reach out to thousands of people.

We should commend Edri for his efforts and mirror his constructivism into our own lives. We each have a unique way in which we can participate in such overarching matters. Whether you are a writer, musician, painter or whatever, change can still come from your creative mind. The Israeli citizens are certainly beginning to realize this, and are reintegrating constructivist art to convey their message.

Who knows, given the political instability in Iran, maybe this movement will prevent war with them.

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