We will remember…

I wear a poppy.

I hold the silence.

I remember those who died because of war.

I support non-violence and don’t condone conflict.

I am a pacifist.

 

The above statements are true for me. They are true for many, and I want to write a post about remembering the sacrifice of others whilst holding a stance that we should beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks like so many have said and done. However the above statements increasingly come with a ‘but’.

 

I am a supporter of non-violence and I look forward to the days when we no longer need violence to settle our scores. But I am beginning to think that currently, at the stage humanity is at, war might still be a necessity. Necessity might be a strong word and a necessity is only very extreme cases.

 

I think the Second World War is the greatest example of this. We remember the sacrifice because they fought, not just to win or against ‘the enemy’, but for democracy, freedom of speak, freedom of religion, culture, ethnicity. There may have been opportunities which if taken would have resulted in peaceful solutions to the political situation in Europe in the 30′s but given the situation in 1939 I think the Allies were right to declare war. Whether I myself would pick up a rifle is perhaps another matter but having read a little about the atrocities of the Holocaust I think I would be willing to fight to end that annihilation.

 

On a much more local level, a wise friend once said to me ‘I’m not a violent man, but if someone came into my home and was harming my family I don’t know what I would do’. Is there a non-violent response in this situation?

 

I think as humanity we are progressing towards a peaceful world. War has change dramatically over the centuries, each movement a helpful stepping stone. Just war theory, Political negotiations and sanctions, diplomatic collaboration, treaties, Geneva Convention and modern laws of war. These things are by no means perfect but they are a step forward from the days of the Persians and Romans. I think as a pacifist I should seek peaceful alternatives and always be questioning a decision to go to war. I think as a realist I should understand that sometimes engaging in violence might be a necessary solution to a much greater evil.

 

I am not saying that all wars can be justified. I would march against some from recent years and I am severely against the you-bomb-us-so-we’ll-kill-your-leader ‘justice’ but I feel some conflicts can be justified.

 

And even if we can’t justify some wars we must pay respect to those who gave everything so we could have our freedoms.