...'cause I'm still unclear.
And I mean that in a serious way, not a "damn all war to heck" kind of way but more a serious "does war actually help things" kind of way.
And I'm unclear.
Based on a great deal of thought, consideration, reading, and questioning brought on by my own nature, my major, and probably a mix of my season of life and the political climate we live in, I became a complete pacifist in college. "Complete" here is less a descriptive term and more a definition of the type of pacifist I am. I am pro-life in a universal sense. I think abortion is a tragedy, but I think that the death penalty is just as great a tragedy. I think any time we kill another human being it is a profoundly serious thing that we should never take lightly and never look at with anything other than sorrow. And I also think it is wrong, morally wrong, to kill another human being.
I believe that war falls under this category. I believe it is wrong to kill even our enemies. They are human beings as well.
However, there is a problem here.
What happens when one wrong, like intentionally killing another human being, comes up against another wrong, like trying to wipe out a culture? How can I say it is wrong to use force to stop a genocide? How can I say it is wrong to use force to defend a country or people who are being taken over? How can it be wrong to kill in order to keep your family alive?
Much as I hate it, this isn't exactly black and white.
This recent bout of reflections on the practicality of pacifism was brought about because Tyler and I have been watching Band of Brothers. I have never seen the show before and I find myself impressed with their portrayal of the humanity of the soldiers, the horror of battle, the shock and devastation of watching your friends die around you, and the painful mix of pride and shame, duty and horror that come whenever forced to kill an enemy. I understand the need to dehumanize, to think in simple terms, stark definitions: ally and enemy, friend and foe. A soldier would go mad without this distinction.
I also recognize the incredible sacrifice made by each serviceman. The willingness to die to defend one's country, the conflict and trauma that they suffer through should they survive, and the deep sense of honour and duty that each possess is admirable and deserving of respect. We should be grateful and proud of those who serve. And I am.
But seeing these horrible things enforces even more in my mind the idea that the ultimate goal should be the end of all wars. I think after seeing the horror of death all around, servicemen would say that they wish there was no more war.
My particular form of pacifism does not advocate peace and lack of conflict because I am weak or too soft to stomach the fact that sometimes negotiation and diplomacy will not work. I know that Rwanda required intervention. I agree that ending the Holocaust required action. But being aware that diplomacy and peaceful protests do not always work does not mean they shouldn't be tried. If there is any way to solve a conflict without bloodshed, shouldn't we try that first?
I know, I know. I sound stupidly naive. "The end of all wars" does not seem like a realistic option. And maybe it's not. But peaceful change is not impossible. Martin Luther King Jr. made huge steps towards equality and justice through non-violent actions. Ghandi helped to liberate a country through non-violence. OTPOR sent a murderous dictator out of office using peaceful protests. Good things can happen and, I hope, will continue to happen through non-violence.
I am not saying wars have never been necessary. And I also do not agree with St. Augustine that there is the possibility of a "holy war" that can be performed in a completely justified, God-sanctioned way. I think his criteria for a "holy war" is impossible.
What I am saying is that we should look at war as a bad thing. Occasionally, maybe it is a necessary evil, but we should not lightly consider war or propose it as a first solution to conflict. We should never look at it as an easy way to get what we want or use it in aggression. We should respect all those who go to war and pray that there will come a time when their sacrifice is no longer necessary. We should hope that someday we will no longer have to face the pain of sending those we love off to die far from home. We should remember that those we send and those we fight are all people with hopes, fears, dreams, and families.
Here's to a better future.
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