Memorial Day Is A Day For Peace
Today the United States observes Memorial Day. The last Monday in May was set aside to be a day for honouring and commemorating those who had lost their lives in America’s wars. For many though, it has become a day to enjoy sunshine, the outdoors, and grilling with family and friends without much thought about the original reason for the day. One of the things Memorial Day should do for us is remind us of the loss and tragedy of war, and motivate us towards building a world without war, a world of peace
Depending on the list, with rounding, the total number of American dead in US wars is between 1.1 and 1.4 million. As most Americans know, the US Civil War was the largest killer, accounting for between one-third and one-half of these deaths. These numbers are staggering. We should be mourning those we have lost, much more than we do.
War Is Hell
My Grandfathers were both Veterans of World War Two. Once for a school project I interviewed one of them about his experiences during the war. He was stationed at a base in Alaska where he was far from the fighting. Even still, he had many horrific stories about his fellow soldiers wounding and even mutilating themselves to escape the war. Many took another escape route and never made it home.
The famous Union General of the Civil War, General William Tecumseh Sherman said simply, “War is hell.” Indeed, war is a hellish experience while it is happening, especially for those who experience it directly. Sadly, for those who experience war, it often continues to be hell for the rest of their lives. Physical injuries and mental and emotional trauma can last a lifetime. Many of these veterans end up dying from issues related to their injuries years later, many by suicide. These deaths are unlikely to be included in the official accounting of the casualties of war.
For Veterans struggling with suicidal thoughts, the Veteran’s Administration (VA) has set up crisis hotlines for phone calls at 1-800-273-8255 and 838255 via text. More information is available on the VA’s website.
A World Without War
For those who want a better world, a world of peace, freedom, and happiness, we must seek an end to war. War is a forcible and aggressive means to obtain goals. If individuals do what nations at war do, they are guilty of theft, assault, and murder. When nations do it somehow, despite the much larger scale, it’s more acceptable. This double standard must end. No matter the scale, initiating violence should not be an acceptable means of reaching goals.
There are many organisations that work towards a peaceful world without war. Each major war seems to generate the creation of new organisations. The Vietnam War led to many, and this century’s War in Iraq, War in Afghanistan, and War on Terror amalgamation has spawned many more.
If you’re interested in working towards peace with an anti-war organisation, a list of anti-war organizations can be found here on Wikipedia, but two that you may want to check out are Antiwar.com and World Beyond War. Antiwar.com is more informational. World Beyond War is more about education and advocacy.
Individual Action On Memorial Day Or Any Day
Change begins with individuals and individual action. What can you do to support peace? Some ideas for things you might do are:
- Sign World Without War’s Declaration of Peace
- Educate yourself about the issues and current events using fact based, unbiased sources, or if you can’t find unbiased sources, use a variety of sources
- Call and email your elected representatives
- Sign and share anti-war petitions
- Donate to anti-war causes and organisations
- Organise and participate in non-violent acts of protest and resistance
- Participate in cultural outreach and education activities
- Use non-violent communication
- Learn non-violent crisis intervention and mediation principles and techniques
In other words, be the change you want to see in the world. Memorial Day is a good way to recognise those who have perished in war. Making a peaceful world and ending war is the best possible way to honour them and their sacrifice.
What are some things you can do personally to work towards a world at peace? What will you do today?
How many more deaths do we need to have a world without war, and beyond that, a world at peace?
How many more deaths do we need before we no longer add to the list of names we commemorate on Memorial Day?
Garrett Leeds is the founder of the Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness Project
If you would like to support the Life, Liberty, And Pursuit Of Happiness Project, please consider contributing to LLPHP via GoFundMe