It's the same old story. Israel is fighting with Palestine. Palestine is fighting with Israel. Arafat meets with Barak. Barak meets with Arafat. They talk about peace while vowing not to give up any concessions. Nothing gets accomplished, and more Palestinians and Israelis die.

What's the reason for all this bloodshed--religion. Jerusalem is holy city for the Jews. Jerusalem is a holy city for Muslims. Jerusalem is a holy city for Christians. Like the Crusades several centuries before, people think the place is worth fighting for and dying. I honestly don't see the point. The weather looks nice in Jerusalem. Some nice architecture. Many historic sites. But it's just one city in this big old world. Is it that big a deal that Jesus used to hang out there? Or Mohammed? John Elway performed more miracles than both of them put together in Mile High Stadium, but they are still going to tear down that historic structure next year.

"But Chris, that's anti-Semitic! That's anti-Islamic! It's much more complicated than that. You can't compare football to thousands of years of tradition."

All right, let's look at it this way. I live a city block away from an area affectionately called "The War Zone." There are a string of low rent apartment complexes, and some seedy characters wander around the area at all times of the day. Once every month or two, I hear gun shots in the middle of the night for a few seconds. I am constantly told by suburbanites how they would never live in my part of town. I tell them that if you cause no trouble, no trouble comes to you. Everyone in the area can walk to the DQ, or the 7-11, or Acapulco Burrito joint without any fear. In Jerusalem, fighting breaks out on a regular basis. Churches get bombed. Cars get highjacked. People are kidnapped. Kids throw rocks. Police wear riot gear on a regular basis. If you want to talk about a War Zone and a place not worth living, Jerusalem readily comes to mind.

"You simplistic bastard. You're going to hell, Chris! You blasphemer! You heretic! How can you talk that way about the most religiously relevant city in the world?"

Because it's not worth it. It's not worth all of the fighting. And that's all I see. All of you fighting. The Palestinians are retaliating for injustices done to their people. The Israelis are retaliating to the retaliation. Arafat says it will all stop when Barak calls off his people. Barak says it will all stop when Arafat calls of his people. It's a playground argument with grave results. The United States sides with Israel for the same reason we still have sanctions against Cuba. We've been doing it that way for so long, we feel we would look stupid if we changed.

Well, it is stupid. It's all stupid. I agree with Pope John Paul on his solution for Jerusalem (and I'm far from Catholic). Make Jerusalem an international city. If it's such a blessed place for multiple religions and cultures, let's give it to all of them. We all should own Jerusalem, and none of us should own it. The only way we can truly make this city beautiful again is if everyone can claim it as their own.

During the last peace talks, both sides admitted that the major sticking point was Jerusalem. Both sides wanted it. Of course they do! Everybody wants it. Let everybody own it.

But nooooooo. Let's keep them out. Let's fight. Let's die. Let's talk about peace for a little while. And then we'll fight again. Because this is about our people. This is about our religion. This is about God! And God understands that we have to fight to for his special place. God wants us to win! God wants violence.

Does He? Does He really?

Chris Jungle will leave Albuquerque if fighting ever breaks out over who should control Old Town.