To the Editor,
Recent letters have commented on the Walpole Peace and Justice Group – pro and con. Reciting again the litany of opposition to the war in Iraq, the suffering and deaths of thousands of innocent civilians, the human rights abuses, and the results that are the present reality in Iraq and the wider Middle East -- well, that is fine and good; however Mr. Lynch’s criticisms of the Group’s members and activities demand a response that is more basic.
The Walpole Peace and Justice Group is certainly an “anti-war group”, however it is not simply that. It promotes peace and justice. I believe it is aptly named, for peace will never exist without justice. In the interest of enlightenment, we have sponsored a speaker and film series, where the public is invited to attend and hear alternative views on current events, ask questions and discuss. We have recently had presentations on the states of affairs in Cambodia, Cuba, Venezuela, and Taiwan – as well as Iraq and Islam. If we wish to learn and consider the views of those who might know best, would we not listen to those with first-hand experience? There is plenty of “party-line” information in our news outlets and mass media. So, if we hear from “America haters”, is there a chance we may understand just why it is that so much of the world does indeed hate America? This is a fact, and it is not going away; and it is at the root of much that threatens the world today. And might not that understanding be helpful? Will our present policies be successful? Have we seen the result? What are the roots of the longstanding unrest in the Middle East, which has spread throughout the expanding Muslim world? It has been said that those that do not understand history are doomed to repeat it. Injustice breeds resentment and contempt, and we are certain to reap what we sow.
Ask yourself this: if the U.S. is munificent and just, and it was these motives that led to our toppling of the repressive regime of Saddam Hussein, as the writer implied, then why have we not been acting with all our force to check the ongoing genocide in Darfur? It continues to kill many, many more helpless people than Saddam Hussein could ever dream of. Could it have something to do with so-called geo-politics (insert your favorite resource here)? There may be a variety of other explanations. Let’s hear them – we are not afraid of ideas. This is what democracy is about.
Yes, the leveling of charges of war crimes is a serious thing. It is not inconceivable that war crimes may be committed in the name of our United States. It has happened before, at My Lai during the war in Vietnam. And -- make no mistake about it -- if the secret and illegal bombing of innocent civilians in Cambodia and Laos during that same war -- on orders directly from the White House -- was NOT a war crime, then surely there is no such thing. I refer to this to draw an obvious parallel to the political instability that resulted from that bombing and the genocide at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, a generation of civil wars and crushing poverty that Cambodia has suffered; and an understanding that our actions have consequences. At this time, a consequence of our actions in Iraq are thousands of dead each month: -- a handful of American servicemen, perhaps scores of insurgents, and the rest innocent people trying to live and make the best of difficult circumstances. And no progress in reducing terrorism. Should we look the other way?
Back to the matter at hand: democracy is a matter of tolerance, open-mindedness and debate. We are blessed to live in a country where our Constitution guarantees our rights to speak and hear, and make up our own minds (that includes the right of an elected local Representative to refer to us as “unpatriotic” -- at Town Meeting, of all places). We write letters to the local newspaper, and if any “waste of ink” is more problematic than a horrendous waste of human life, then I guess you can call our demonstrations and vigils “pathetic”, and I‘ll just have to agree with you – the attendance and participation IS pathetic. I hope that more people will choose to question the status quo, and make up their own minds. Democracy is best served by facts and reason. Increasingly, ours seems to be running on myth and passion. Students of history know the result of thoughtlessness in the name of patriotism, and there is no justice for anyone in that.
David Wildnauer
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