Another Way

For me, patriotism died within minutes of landing in Vietnam in 1967. It was a totally unexpected death since I'd volunteered to be there and actually believed that me and my buddies were there to protect freedom and democracy. Within minutes I realized what countless soldiers before me had discovered- war isn't about protecting anything, it's about powering economies, strengthening politicians, and validating religions.

Once you convince the people that their freedom is being threatened it is easy to go to war. Just tell them that godless hordes will take over the world if we don't fight - or more aptly, continue to fight, since the history of this country is war - continous, senseless war - in fact, the history of man is war - no more, no less.

It has been said that war is the failure of politics and for a long time I believed that was true but I've come to realize that war isn't the failure of politics, it is simply a product of politics; a natural outgrowth of the idea that in order to maintain political power it is imperative that threats to ones way of life are manufactured and overcome.

If there were no countries and no religions there would be little left to motivate the people to fight to defend. Then we could get on about living in harmony, peace, and joy. I'm the eternal optimist but I sometimes wonder if we have gone too far down the path of war to ever find another way.... but still, the possibility is a beautiful thought to contemplate.

By the way - the Buddha in the photo now stands where in 1967 there was a small hamlet - a hamlet that we decimated by day and the Viet Cong by night - It's now a quiet place - a place where the voice of God is easily heard by those who choose to listen.