As the end of the millennium approaches the doomsayers and pessimists have come out in force telling us how the world is going to end or how abominable this century was regardless. These people quickly point to the recent nuclear tensions between India and Pakistan as an example. I don't share these dark opinions.
     Starting off poorly, with two world wars and related atrocities, the first half of the century looked bleak as it moved into the cold war period, during which everyone was afraid of another world-ending war, but then things started to improve. I was born during the worst of the cold war. The US and the Soviet Union were boosting about their strengths, throwing their military muscle against lesser powers. The Berlin Wall seemed an overwhelming barrier between 'us' and 'them'. Freedoms were only available for white South Africans and religious tensions in Ireland seemed unending. If the doomsayers had their way, that is how the century would have ended, if not worse. Fortunately, conditions in the world have slowly improved and continue to do so since there are still people who believe in peace and freedom for all. Mine is one of the last generations to really understand what a psychological barrier the Berlin Wall was, to understand

the meaning of apartheid in South Africa, and, if the recent signing of the peace agreement in Ireland is any sign, what unrest in Ireland really meant.
     The world is far from perfect, but I believe we are leaving this century in a far better condition than we did entering it. As long as there is even a single voice rallying against evil, things are bound to get better. Someone once said that with life there is hope and with hope anything is possible... even a world without conflict. Naive optimism perhaps, but that is all 'hope' really is.

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