Some Reasons We Participate in Peace Rallies

We have been holding weekly peace rallies for over four and a half years. Why do we meet at busy intersections every week to hold peace and anti-war signs? Below are some of the reasons that motivate our activists.

“I cannot remain silent any longer.” The government administrations of Bush and Obama did not and are not listening. The wars must be stopped now; and torture is unacceptable. It is un-American.

We must build a world beyond war. War is obsolete. It is so destructive and expensive that we humans can no longer afford to continue on this path. The weapons and other technological military developments have made it possible to destroy human and other life on Earth. We must change the way we think about conflict resolution and fundamentally act in a way to prevent and avoid war. I must give this message to my fellow Americans.

“We should go to war only as a last resort.” The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq did not meet this criterion. They should not have been started; and we should bring our troops home now.

“Blessed are the peacemakers.” We should promote peace in the world, not initiate wars. Making peace is not just morally sound; it is practical and a heck of a lot cheaper—in lives and in dollars. This is a meme that needs to be spread.

I am appalled at our country’s war-mongering behavior. Launching the war in Afghanistan after 9/11 was ill conceived and naive. Did our preeminent thinkers really believe a war was the best approach to dealing with terrorists, who fight using guerrilla tactics and win converts by preaching radically conservative religious principles?

Holding signs each week feels like going to church. I am standing up for my deeply held beliefs. I want to help others feel empowered to talk about peace. Children riding in cars passing through our intersections ask their parents about our signs. I love that they are talking together about peace.

“The war is bankrupting our nation.” We have spent over $997B (http://costofwar.com/) to date. Our debt is directly linked to the funds wasted on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Our priorities are all wrong. We could have easily paid for universal health care and other domestic programs if we brought our troops home and stopped funding the ridiculously huge military industrial complex. We should invest in job growth, deploying renewable energy products, educating our youth and providing health and social services to our people.

Even today, do any of us really know the reason our country, while barely under way in Afghanistan, invaded Iraq? It could have been to gain control of the oil fields, and/or establish military bases from which to initiate future military actions in Central Asia. Perhaps Bush was hoping his presidency in history would be known as an administration that won wars. Instead it destabilized the region. I can’t sit back and watch this anymore. I must do something.

What is your reason for opposing war in general and the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars in particular?

Submitted by Marta Turnbull 6/5/2010