Next weekend I am leading our annual Women’s Retreat on the theme “Go Out Into the World In Peace.” For weeks I have been pondering, cogitating, germinating and chewing on various aspects of peace. What exactly do I know about peace or what has my experience been of peace? What do you know or what have you experienced of peace? What I have realized in my pondering is that we seem to be under the impression that war and peace are polar opposites and that they are either/or propositions. In fact, I wonder how many people would define peace as the absence of war and define war as the absence of peace? Instead, I think both are much more nuanced and to some extent complicated than we imagine.
Do you remember when Sarah Palin made the comment about Russia during the last election? After her comment, reporters went out and interviewed Americans about geography. Those interviews were then posted on the internet. Watching them was deeply disturbing though I am sure many people also laughed heartily as they listened to answers that were beyond ignorant. Sometimes I envision similar interviews being done about war. The questions could be about America and war. My guess is the answers would be as disturbing in their ignorance as were the answers about geography. During the first Presidential Debate two weeks ago I was reminded about how bizarre the United States is when it comes to the defense budget. Republicans tend to run on a platform that includes increases in an already inflated and overblown defense budget. As a result, the Republican candidate can usually claim to be “tougher” on terrorism or evil or whatever the enemy is named and therefore willing to engage in whatever war is necessary. The Democratic candidate, on the other hand, tends to run on a platform that includes a decrease in defense spending, a withdrawal or reduction in troops around the world and a more efficient armed forces. The Democratic candidate or incumbent as is the case this year, can claim to be tough while at the same time attempting to achieve peace. The conversation itself is so misleading because it assumes that war is about armed combat and peace is ending or refraining from armed combat. If only it were that simple.
What do you know about the US military presence and action in Honduras, for example? Do you know that we are increasing troops in Honduras and that the DEA is also involved in armed action in Honduras? Are we at war with Honduras? Absolutely not and in fact, most US officials would tell you that the US military presence is all about protecting Honduran interests and peace. How exactly does that work when the US is the largest importer to Honduras and exporter from Honduras? The concepts of war and peace are far more nuanced that we have allowed in conversation for some time.
I am not sure yet what I will have to say about peace at the retreat I am leading this weekend. One thing I will not say, however, is that peace is the absence of all conflict. We want to believe that idea and we hope against all hope for a time and a day and a life that would be absent conflict. Whatever peace is, I know it does not simply appear or fall from the sky or come wrapped as a gift. Peace is something for which you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and get your knees and hands dirty. It requires work that is exhausting in every way and leaves one feeling spent. Peace is not for the fainthearted. We need to find a different way to portray it so that we can do away with the misconception that peace is about blue skies and sunflower filled fields and flute music playing the background. Maybe at the retreat this weekend we will craft a new definition for a word that has lost some of its meaning.