Debra wrote, >>>>I've seen a few mentions on this list of the Vietnam War. In my opinion, comparing this situation with the Vietnam War is completely off-base. Other than the guerilla warfare tactics of the enemy, there are no similarities. Peace demonstrations? That idea obviously comes from people who have not sucked in some of the "dust" everyone here has been breathing, and who have no true conception of the amount of the destruction here.<<<
Debra, Try as I might, I can't really imagine what you have been through & are still experiencing & I thank you & everyone for taking the time to write your experiences & share them with all of us. I believe the mentions of the VN War you refer to were related to questions regarding an effective anti-war movement rather than anyone suggesting there are similarities between Vietnam & our present situation. I agree with you that the only similarity is the extremely valuable lesson we learned there about guerilla warefare. Peace demonstrations- I have been to several peace vigils. To be with other people who are in mourning but also to be with those who are using all their prayers & voices & visionary abilities to support & influence a solution to this awful situation that will be wise & long reaching. >>>>In my opinion, to proclaim "peacefulness" is trying to wish away the evil that's already shown itself, and that we've been promised will continue to show itself, and to not do what must be done to stop it is immoral.<<<< That is not what I believe. When I speak of peace or pacifism it does not mean that I am wishing away what has happened or that I just accept what has happened or that I believe that we should do nothing. Being a pacifict is a lot of fecking hard work, especially now. Not the kind of hard work that it takes to sort through the rubble of the WTC ruins or to go back to work on a subway that takes you close to where this horrible thing happened. But on another level, on an emotional & soul searching deep level it is work. I think we all want the same thing in the end. Peace, prosperity (for all), joyful lives. Some of us just disagree on how to achieve this. The post Marian sent earlier said it far more eloquently than I can. So I will just requote a few of the most profound statements I read there: "our response to the immediate events have everything to do with whether we reinforce and provide the soil, seeds, and nutrients for future cycles of revenge and violence. Or whether it changes" "What we need to destroy is their myth not their people" "this is not a struggle to be conceived of in geographic terms, in terms of physical spaces and places, that if located can be destroyed, thereby ridding us of the problem" "political leaders wishing to end the violence believed they could achieve it by overpowering and getting rid of the perpetrator of the violence. That may have been the lesson of multiple centuries that preceded us. But it is not the lesson from that past 30 years." "If we would bring the same energy to building an international coalition for peace in this conflict that we have pursued in building international coalitions for war...I believe the moment is right and the stage is set to take a new and qualitative step forward." "I believe that monumental times like these create conditions for monumental change." "Let's do the unexpected. Let's create a new set of strategic alliances never before thought possible." "Our challenge, as I see it, is not that of convincing others that our way of life, our religion, or our structure of governance is better or closer to Truth and human dignity. It is to be honest about the sources of violence in our own house and invite others to do the same." "Such a web of ethics, political and religious, will have an impact on the roots of terror far greater in the generation of our children's children than any amount of military action can possibly muster." ******************************************** Kate Bennett www.katebennett.com sponsored by Polysonics www.polysonics.com Discover the Indies at Taylor Guitars: http://www.taylorguitars.com/artists/awp/indies/bennett.html ********************************************
