What If War Was Declared

and no one showed up? Would be the only way we could create real peace? But the likelihood of citizens rejecting the orders to go to war is pretty slim because they have been convinced war is necessary to protect their country. War has become patriotic.

But is refusal to fight the ONLY way to peace? What if instead we addressed the needs of those that are so discontented that they are willing to fight and die? What if we address unrealistic fears? What if we conversed non-violently to resolve differences, anger?

I admit, it is hard to imagine a world like that, a world where people reasoned together and worked together to meet everyone's needs. And without the faith in that possibility it is just so easy to throw up our hands and not even try to make our own neighborhoods and communities like that.

We should think about ending war anywhere in the world, of course. But without beginning where we are we cannot develop faith that peace is possible.

War does not bring security, as is often the reason for war. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan and beyond has been an utter failure to create security for the people in that area. Instead it has spread destruction and death to millions. Cities are destroyed and civilians slain by war. What has that war done to the security of the U.S.?

It has spawned terrorism and continues to fuel the fear and hatred that motivates acts of terrorism. The hateful rhetoric about America is used to recruit young fighters for terrorist organizations.

The Israeli invasion and bombing of Lebanon has not brought security to Israel. It has increased the number of its enemies in Hezbollah and Hamas, among Arabs in these groups. The struggle continues.

War is terrorism because it is a hundred times more deadly for innocent people that the attacks by terrorists, vicious as they are. The killing of innocents during a "war" by bombs dropped on areas where people live is considered accidental or collateral damage. The people are just as dead or injured or traumatized as those caused by terrorists on 9/11 or other attacks. And neither really solve the problems used as excuse for the violence.

While dropping bombs on places that women and children are gathered, where "suspected terrorists" are said to be, inevitably kill innocent people. If such an act will inevitably kill innocent people is that not as immoral as the attacks by terrorists? War, defined as the indiscriminate killing of large numbers of people, must be resisted.

It is necessary that the brutality of war be exposed in the media. We must not be protected from violence and dishonor in places like Turkey and Syria and Iraq and Afghanistan and . . . For when the general population understands that war's death and disgrace is so intense then the people of the U.S. will be able to listen to a message that the rest of world, sobered by the wars without end, can also understand that war itself is the enemy of the human race.

And we must remember that the power of the government is dependent on the obedience of the citizenry. When we withdraw our obedience, the government is helpless. If we refuse to partake of war, the planet may be saved.

What do you think?