Talking to the Family... War is a Failure

Talking with some family members who are the Rush-spouting, Hannity-quoting, Coulter-loving wing nuts... left me with an inescapable conclusion: It is not enough to be for peace. We have to be against war, without any trace of ambivalence.

These wing nut folks (and remember you can not choose family) were complaining about how lacking of gratitude Iraqis and Muslims are for the faux pax Americana that has been created in Iraq and by spill over effect from the war and the recent fighting in and around Israel.

And one of my family, noted with disgust that some Muslims are even "pretending to be for peace." This led me into a tirade although I was always friendly and holding back. But it occured to me afterwards that peace efforts are often chaotic and lacking in the fervor (not to mention the support for) of the pro-war factions.

A few Muslims have been marching here and there for peace. A few Americans and Europeans have been doing the same. But an anti-war movement that opposes some wars but not others -- or opposes certain wars to a lesser degree -- has no credibility whatsoever. Because then it is subservient to an instrument of some interests (real or perceived does not matter here), and I don't care which ones.

In this day and age, all wars are nothing less than the grossest possible failures of all of diplomacy, flexibility, and most importantly of humanity. And to look at them any other way, just gives the green light to more war.

Now some may disagree with me but how can we claim any moral high ground on the basis of some war is ok because we say so?

I realize that questions such as 'where is the anti-war movement?' feel a little intellectually lazy and contemptuous for those who helped organize more rallies before troops hit the ground than the rallies during the peak of the Vietnam years, including the largest day of protest in world history, Febuary 15, 2003, with rallies in world cities around the world.

A lot of work has to take place to shift public opionion about the war. Historians may tell us later that the anti-war movement shifted the way we understood the war. While we have not stopped anything, the chorus of voices against this action has been heard but obviously not loud enough. And that is a problem.

Many who are involved in the anti-war movement are living lives while we do a rope a dope with history. It is increasingly painful for me to watch the world step backwards. Kindness and care and friendship and tolerance are things which keep many of us going. Even if our families don't get it.