"War, huh (good God y'all)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it again" *
Another Memorial Day when we remember those who died in the service of our country. But we also remember those who came back from a war with something that had died inside of them. We remember the women and children, the elderly, the infirm who were also casualties of wars. War, what is it good for?
Russia has invaded Ukraine. My friends and relatives in Europe are concerned. If the Russians are successful, which country will Putin invade next? Which country's schools, churches, and hospitals will be bombed? Poland which has taken in so many Ukrainian refugees? The pianist at my church, New Pilgrims United Church of Christ in Anacortes, is from Ukraine. Every week, she tells us about more friends and family members who have been killed. Her sister left for Poland early in the war, bringing with her just what she could carry. She is staying with a friend, but isn't well. She will soon run out of her medications. War, what is it good for?
Why can't countries be happy with what they have? Why can't they solve their differences through diplomacy? Why is that so hard? Why does the war to end all wars keep coming back? War, what is it good for?
John Lennon sang:
"Imagine all the people
Livin' life in peace
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one"
Wouldn't that be nice? Am I a pessimist or a realist? I can't see that ever happening. But war - what is it really good for?
Books on the nature of war - and peace:
What it is like to go to war / Marlantes, Karl. 959.70434 MAR
Why we fight DVD 956 WHY
War is a force that gives us meaning / Hedges, Chris. 355.02 HED
The evolution of war; a study of its role in early societies/ Davie, Maurice R. 355.02 DAV
Choices under fire : moral dimensions of World War II / Bess, Michael. 172.42 BES
Just and unjust wars : a moral argument with historical illustrations / Walzer, Michael. 355.02 WAL
The strength not to fight : an oral history of conscientious objectors of the Vietnam War / Tollefson, James W. 355.2 TOL
Our bodies, their battlefield : what war does to women / Lamb, Christina, 363.349 LAM
War's dirty secret : rape, prostitution, and other crimes against women / 362.87 BAR
Standard operating procedure / Gourevitch, Philip, 956.7044 GOU
Cry out : poets protest the war / 811 CRY
Soul repair : recovering from moral injury after war / Brock, Rita Nakashima, 174 BRO
The sunflower : on the possibilities and limits of forgiveness / Wiesenthal, Simon 179.7 WIE
Sea Prayer / Hosseini, Khaled, F HOS
It's what I do : a photographer's life of love and war / Addario, Lynsey, B ADD
Children growing up with war / Matthews, Jenny, J 303.6 MAT
The enemy : a book about peace / Cali, Davide. E CAL
Why war is never a good idea / Walker, Alice, E WAL
* War by Edwin Starr: https://youtu.be/dQHUAJTZqF0