The Native Iowan

At the turn of the century I found my life embroiled in what can only be termed as “armed conflict”. We called it “Ethnic Tension”… https://www.peaceagreements.org/conflict/62/#:~:text=The%20ethnic%20conflict%20in%20the,force%2C%20maintaining%20law%20and%20order.

Ethnic tensions in the Solomon Islands, particularly between Malaita settlers and indigenous Guadalcanal residents, escalated into a violent conflict from 1998 to 2003, causing displacement and death. Rooted in land disputes, rising unemployment, and a perceived lack of government support for indigenous Guale people, the conflict saw the emergence of militant groups like the Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM) and Malaita Eagle Force (MEF). The situation was worsened by weak governance, corruption, and widespread possession of leftover WWII armaments. Peace was eventually restored with the assistance of the Australian-led multinational Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) peacekeeping force in 2003

The info herein states 1998 to 2003 but that not correct. Much of what is written about this topic is jaded, skewed, simply wrong.

Nonetheless, In those years I lived daily in a minor state of “apprehension”. Not fear, but a state of heightened awareness. I lived armed. I am not a gun toting kinda guy, but I refuse to be exposed to the point where I can be kicked to near-death (It happened to others), thus I always and all ways was armed… A couple knives, my steel toed boots, and ax handle behind my car seat. I am a dog-guy and my amazing Rottweiler, Asia, was often by my side.

At different times all came into play.

Here’s a tale from those “old days”… https://nativeiowan.com/2009/04/11/shootout-at-the-gizo-hotel/

The reason I reminisce is I learned a couple interesting and important lessons in those days…
1) Speak softly
2) Listen intently
3) Act purposfully

When we are all yelling and pounding our chests and baying like hounds, no one can understand what we are saying

And if I do not listen to you, intent-fully hear what you say, I have no clue what you are saying. I can’t understand you by only hearing every other word. Nope, don’t work that way. It’s not communication, it’s confusion.

To become frightened or confused means to lose cool, to lose poise and balance. To become reactive, not proactive. Reactive is not as good as proactive.

And when the words stop, when dialogue ceases, when listening become too hard…

Thats when the bullets start flying.

I do speak from experience.