Perspective: War is nothing short of insanity
Perspective From The Olympian March 27, 2010
By Douglas Mackey
Seven years ago, America woke up to news that the bombs and missiles had been unleashed on Baghdad. Just 32 days before, 15 million to 20 million people the world over had taken to the streets demonstrating against the rising political voices that war was inevitable. These millions sincerely hoped that the powerful United States would choose the path of peace.
To this day, I find myself incredulous. The echoing, “How can this be happening?” is still a question for me. I believe that somewhere in all of us is the yearning for peace – the belief in the golden rule; that we ought to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Many likely think I’m nave, I know. But there is something right about it. There is something about this ethic of reciprocity; it is the right way to live. Why is it so hard to live this way?
If, by the golden rule is the right way to live, then why – just weeks ago – did our own government vote against treating other people as we ourselves would like to be treated? A longtime peace advocate in Congress brought a resolution before the House of Representatives to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by the end of this year at the latest. The measure failed with by a lopsided vote, 65 to 356.
From the Dalai Lama: “Every religion emphasizes human improvement, love, respect for others, sharing other people’s suffering. On these lines, every religion has more or less the same viewpoint and the same goal.” More than 20 of the world’s major religions espouse some version of the golden rule; it is ubiquitous. Find the time to look it up on the Internet some day.
My faith in the intrinsic nature of the reciprocity ethic is particularly shaken now that this is the seventh full year. In our American culture seven years means “it’s OK get to forget.”
The statute of limitations for a debt owed; seven years; in the most cherished of relationships – marriage – it’s at least understood, if the relationship falls prey to the seven-year-itch; and for biblical scholars; remember the Seventh Seal (not restricted to American interpretation) it brings the silence of god.
Forgive me if I’ve already fallen into proselytizing. I would like to personally face the role that I have played by being complacent as a citizen, and not put it on to anyone else. I want to be able to look at the names of the innocent civilians that my country has killed in the last seven years, and do whatever I can do to tell my country to stop it.
More than 250 civilians still are being killed each month because of the U.S.-led invasion of March 20, 2003. It is insanity. To many around the world we’ve become detestable. And to the extent that we continue to do this I am growing more ashamed of myself.
Help me answer these questions: How we will stand for our belief in the worth and dignity of each human being? How will we make sure that all people on Earth have an equal claim on life, liberty, and justice? What will I do to assure that no idea, ideal or philosophy is superior to a single human life?
Douglas Mackey co-chairs social justice programs and projects of the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Douglas coordinates the Iraq Memorial to Life, a Fellowship of Reconciliation-USA project installed recently in Central Park, NY, and on the National Mall in Washington D.C. For more information: www.iraqmemorialtolife.org.
Perspective is coordinated by Interfaith Works in cooperation with The Olympian. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by Interfaith Works or The Olympian.