Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day.  While many are honoring the deeds of those men and women who served as part of the military of this country (the United States), others criticize this day for celebrating the killing of others.  As a Christian I am of two minds on this:

On the one hand I find the killing of others to be abhorrent.  I want to live in a world where we do not resort to violence - where groups such as the United Nations can mediate fruitful conversation between different groups, countries, etc.  I would give anything to live in a world where no country had a military because there was no need for one. 

The issue is that this is my utopia, not reality.  The United Nations often will send in peacekeeping forces when necessary.  The problem with this is that there is a lack of resources but more importantly, these forces cannot use force.  When a peaceful group comes in to try and get a violent one to cease hostilities, it is exceedingly difficult (if not impossible) to achieve peace.  I mention this because I have seen a few of my friends posting how they congratulate those who have been conscientious objectors.  A conscientious objector is someone who does not want to be involved in a war on grounds of freedom of thought, conscience or religion.  In the United States, a conscientious objector needs to object to war in any form and must also be sincere in his or her belief. 

While I commend those who are conscientious objectors for following their hearts, I do not believe that they are the only ones who should be recognized.  Veterans at some point or other have put their lives on the line.  What they do gives me and millions of Americans benefits which we enjoy on a daily basis.  I get to wake up every morning in a country not ruled by terror and war.  I can go hiking and get a pancake breakfast and then go and protest against my military (if I chose to do so) without fear of getting my head cut off.  To think that part of that is not due to the US's military presence is naive.  Please do not mistake me - at the end of the day I believe in the commandment: thou shalt not kill.  I think human life is precious and I think it is truly sad that the way we counter violence is with more violence.  I do not adhere to the Exodus eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  I believe in the saying that such leaves the world blind and toothless.  Yet this is the world in which we  live.  Would you have had the United States sit out of World War II and allow the Nazis to continue their war and their atrocities?  As much as I hate to write this, I think that military power can accomplish much when it comes to international diplomacy.  I do not think this speaks well of the human race, but it is the state of the world.  What incentive do violent people committing genocide have to peacefully negotiate if they can just take everything that they want?  A little show of strength can go a long way.  This is one of the reason that the United States is such a powerful country and has such clout in the international community.  I hope that one day this will not be the case - that the world will not be one big playground where the bullies push the smaller kids around while the larger children try to put a stop to this.

Believe me when I say I am aware of the negatives that can come with the military.  Several years ago I protested against the School of the Americas because this use of the military I feel is truly awful.  I hate that our politicians determine which conflicts we enter into and they often choose it based on our own selfish interests, rather than for the good of our fellow men and women suffering from the brutal acts of others.  I hate that there are those who join the military and take advantage of their position and inflict suffering of their own and feel no remorse over it - but these are the exception, not the rule.  I think of the people I have known who joined the military: those who did it out of pride and love for their country, those who felt they could make a difference by being part of the military, those who were trying to gain citizenship by enlisting, those trying to get scholarships...I have known husbands who missed the birth of a child because they were serving abroad.  We all have heard the stories about the post traumatic stress disorder which afflicts so many veterans.  We know that homelessness is also an issue that some veterans deal with. Veterans who return from war, often do not get the assistance they need.  It makes me think of the Doctor Who episode: A Town Called Mercy in which a Gunslinger travels through space to find the alien who enhanced him and made him into the perfect killing machine.  He did not have a home to come back to after the war, so alone and outraged, the Gunslinger chases the alien, seeking revenge.  In the end, he obtains said revenge but feels empty.  He tells the doctor, "I am a creature of war.  I have no role to play during peace" - to which the doctor replies, "except maybe to protect it."  The Gunslinger ends up becoming the marshal of the town, protecting its people.

To conclude, on this Veteran's Day I say: I am not celebrating war, the killing of others or violence but am rather honoring those who have given so much.  It is important not to forget at what price war comes and to value each life.  Perhaps in doing so, war will eventually become a thing of the past and we can all just live our lives in peace.