Where have all the Pacifists gone — Long time passing?
Growing up in a turbulent time, as a “baby-b00mer,” we had many air-raid drills in school. We lived in a tenuous era when nuclear bombs were a REAL possibility. There were lots of “duck and cover” exercises — as if crouching under a desk would protect us from a nuclear bomb.
At night, during the 60’s, our TV screens were filled with images of the Vietnam War. Wounded young men, barely older than we, were carted out of fields and loaded onto helicopters. We listened with rapt attention as our war correspondents gave daily counts of those killed, wounded and Missing in Action. It was a time of dissension in our Nation. The news covered protests across the Country, on college campuses and in streets, where students marched against the war. Every night we watched protestors and their encounters with the police. Many people didn’t under-stand the protesters. They felt it was our “duty” to fight.
The word pacifist isn’t a popular one with many in the U.S., especially in my generation, but here is the definition of pacifist: a person who is opposed to war or violence. What’s wrong with that? Pacifists are “promoters of peace.” Shouldn’t we all want peace? Of course, if we are attacked it’s different; however, war should always be the last resort because, “war is the death-rattle of reason in the throat.”
In the 60s Pacifists, Priests and Pastors marched with anti-war protestors. Singers wrote songs about war — Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Beatles — even Marvin Gaye sang about the wrongness of war. This past week London, Barcelona, and Dublin, all saw Tens of Thousands of pro-testors demand an Israeli ceasefire, while our warmonger-ing politicians continue to promote and fund foreign wars.
In the U.S. it’s been “crickets,” with very few anti-war protests until recently. In San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge was shut-down by anti-war protestors holding a huge sign: STOP ARMING ISRAEL. I don’t support block-ing ambulances, fire trucks, commerce or travelers, yet it was heartening to see people out marching for PEACE.
The U.S funds the war in Ukraine and provides war machines, while financing Israel’s slaughter in Gaza. Due to foreign entanglements, the U.S. has blood on its hands.
We need more Pacifists and Anti-War protestors to touch the conscience of all Americans, causing them to push our Congress to do the right thing. Stop funding wars!
One song in the 60s asked, “When will we ever learn?” Maybe that time has NOW come.
~ Carolyn Kiesz