Peace is patriotic

I am so grateful for Mr. Richeson’s May 10th comment that although, “The concept of leadership is fairly simple…its practice seems to elude everyone who manages to become an elected official.” I too can see that world events are bringing the U.S. to a “crucial juncture in her history,” and I also am appalled by the tragic hilarity of our country’s wannabe orators.

However, I find myself with a totally different opinion as to what our great nation’s leaders need to do. The answer to world security and the war on terrorism isn’t more military might led by more eloquent politicians. As much as I may admire General Patton, Winston Churchill, and Woodrow Wilson, they were leaders of the past, in a world that was very, very different from the world today.

We cannot pretend to be saving the world for the good of democracy anymore or even fighting a war on terrorism. Let’s be honest: we are fighting for oil and allies. But we are gaining neither. The world hates us, as evidenced by a recent study cited by TIME magazine, and gas prices are not going down, as anyone who drives a car can attest (and oil is a limited resource, anyway, but that’s the subject of a whole other commentary).

As I see it, we need leaders who will lead us away from war and towards security, both here in our nation and around the globe. Military might will not address the root causes of violence anywhere. It simply doesn’t work. We need to address the root causes of violence: poverty, lack of education, and a feeling of powerlessness and hopelessness. These are the three most obvious indicators of ensuing violent conflict, according to a CIA study.

Look at it this way: The ranks of Al-Qaida swell each day as the number of war orphans increase. Why? Because these children’s only hope of survival are the radical jihadists who take them in and feed them. The kids absorb the lessons of hate and learn to emulate the Al-Qaida terrorists because these are the only people who care for them and provide the only education they ever receive: the jihadist’s twisted, hateful version of the Koran.

Conversely, if children are taken in by compassionate people, are fed, clothed, given safe shelter, and taught to read and write, the same holds true: they learn to emulate compassion and to make their own decisions. What do you think is happening right now in Iraq, Sudan, and other poverty-stricken parts of our world?

And if you think me na•ve, please take the time to read Greg Mortenson’s “Three Cups of Tea — One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time.” Therein you will see how simple it could be to begin to end terrorism once and for all. This Bozeman man, who started out with nothing, has created - both pre- and post- 9/11 — a powerful network of girls’ schools throughout the roughest parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan by working with the local peoples and through taking the time to understand their cultures. He has touched the lives of and done more for these people than anyone has ever done through military might or “diplomatic channels.” Imagine what a team of people like Mortenson could do! It’s also, by the way, what a U.S. Department of Peace would do.

As for me, Mr. Richeson, I’d like to see a leader who would deliver Churchill’s speech, substituting “peace” for “war”:

“…What is our policy? I say it is to wage peace by land, air, and sea. Peace with all our might…What is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory! Victory at all costs! Victory in spite of all terrors! Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory, there is no survival.”

On the day that a speech like this is delivered by a U.S. President, world peace will truly be on its way. We used to be a nation capable of creating world change for the good. We could do it again. Why not truly lead the world toward its survival? After all, peace is patriotic too and a whole lot healthier than war.

Debi Strong

Bigfork

Montana State Coordinator for The Peace Alliance

Thanks to Bigfork

I am just writing to let the citizens and businesses of Bigfork know just how proud I am of the support that was evident on Saturday April 28th. Bigfork held it’s annual “Clean the Fork” and I was appropriately amazed at the turnout to help beautify our town. We will from this year forward refer to the event as “Clean Your Fork” due to the pride in our community and the volunteerism that was demonstrated. It is not a lot of work when there are many hands to help and the end result was clean and pristine roadways and streets. I think that we like to do this in preparation for our visitors that are soon to come but I also feel that we do it because we are good people who truly love our quaint and clean community. I would love to thank all the volunteers individually but you know who you are and the good work that you did. I do want to thank Flathead Bank for serving a wonderful breakfast to get us all started. I also want to thank Sliters Ace Hardware for donating the trash bags, Lake Hills IGA for the bottled water, BFI for providing the dumpster and of course the Bigfork Volunteer Fire Department for the use of their equipment in washing down the Village streets. I feel very honored to be a Bigfork resident and to have neighbors who are willing to volunteer their time to keep Bigfork beautiful.

Sincerely with much gratitude,

Bill McGuffie