A Coke Ad and Real Life

I haven’t read anything about that Coca Cola commercial that has been popping up on TV recently. But I think it’s worth discussing.

You may have seen the ad. Someone is singing “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” and various folks are sharing a Coke while missiles explode all around them, taking out such benign targets as a beachside bar (at least I think that’s what it is – or was).

The ad reminded me of those United Colors of Benetton commercials. Remember them?

But I think this one is even more illustrative of what’s going on in the world today.

It’s crazy when you stop and think about it. As  I look out the den window at the lake, calm and silver in the sunlight, I try to put myself in the place of those unfortunate people around the world – ordinary people like you and me. They’re trying to earn a living, pay the mortgage, send their kids to school and so on, the vast mnajority not aspiring to any political goal… And out of nowhere a missile takes out their home or the house next door.

And I wonder what all of this mindless violence is expected to achieve.

Does someone somewhere think these people will be persuaded to support some political cause? That losing their homes and their loved ones will somehow convert them to this way of thinking or that?

What political party do those refugees from Syria hold dear as they struggle for survival, I wonder.

I have to believe that the folks who blow up homes and towns and even remote villages do it just because they can. There is no rational motive as far as I can see. It doesn’t seem to be doing anybody any good.

The Russians are bombing Syria, the US is bombing Syria, the rebels are bombing Syria, the Syrian government is bombing Syria. And the bombing has been going on for years with no discernible results – except the massacre of thousands of innocent Syrians and the displacement of thousands upon thousands of others.

And what do I hear the Republican politicians complaining about? Why, there’s just not enough bombing going on. They even want to send more American troops into the fray to get killed and maimed.

At least President Obama tries to find diplomatic solutions before resorting to bombs and troops.

After all, the only real winners in the current conflagrations are the arms manufacturers. Every time a bomb goes off, they get richer.

Is this what Americans want? Is this what the world wants?

I find that hard to believe. I would expect most of us would prefer to put a little love in our hearts.

Click for the Coke commercial.

Click for more on Syria.