Let's all send out a prayer today for American veterans of foreign wars. The wounds of war are often etched deeply, and thus require deep healing, healing which may never be completed in this life, with the wounds festering "to the third and fourth generation." May the Holy Spirit empower the church to engage its calling to help heal these wounds and prevent new ones from being torn open. And may the veterans of the Persian Gulf and Vietnam recognize and embrace their "sons and daughters" coming back from Iraq/Afghanistan with similar yet unique scars, in ways that WW 2 and Korean War vets were rarely able to do for Vietnam-era GIs, with tragic results for our whole society.
By way of a historical note, you may know that Veteran's Day was originally called "Armistice Day" and marked the end of hostilities in World War 1 (Nov. 11, 1918), a lethal conflict among European and North American Christians that claimed the lives of 9 million young men. (That was the last modern war in which the majority of casualties were actually soldiers, not civilians.) World War 1 was then known as the "Great War" (WW 2 being but a gleam in the the devil/divider's eye).
The (liberal Democrat and theologically trained/devout Presbyterian) President Woodrow Wilson sold the "Great War" to the American public as "the war to end all wars" and "the war to make the world safe for democracy." Would that both claims had been true and the 90 years since the trenches of France were abandoned (and the first chemical and aerial warfare perpetuated upon humanity).
Wilson's patriotism-draped war campaign was also punctuated by significant violations of the civil rights of American citizens, like the notorious "Alien and Sedition Acts" and the original "Red scare" of
1917-18, not to mention the largest mass conscription in American history up to that time, with no provision for conscientious objection.
Today we are also threatened by civil rights violations and fear-mongering from the state (not to mention massive war-profiteering). Perhaps the return of mass conscription would helpfully wake up America to the reality of its permanent/perpetual war footing and an imperial Presidency -- a reality, if unchecked, that threatens the continued function of even minimal republican democracy in our country.
Strengthening the progressive Christian network for justice, compassion, & peace
LOGIN | PRIVACY | SITE CREDITS | CONTACT
© Copyright 2006. Some Rights reserved.
