War is Hell!

The announcement that U.S. armed forces have fired 110 cruise missiles at targets inside Libya leaves me frustrated.

Why should I bother to say that I am opposed to war? Why bother writing another essay? Why call my representative in congress? Why vote? Why bother?

Those who will be persuaded that war is a perverse evil (no matter its good intentions or its noble disguise) have been persuaded and don’t need me to remind them. And those that won’t be persuaded will continue to beat the drums of war.

And yet I find myself banging away at the keyboard again – as if to pound out my frustration on the helpless QWERTY at my fingertips.

William Tecumseh Sherman, an early advocate of total war – a war in which there is little to no differentiation between combatant and civilian – in addressing the graduating class of the Michigan Military Academy of 1879 said:

I’ve been where you are now and I know just how you feel. It’s entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you a hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here. Suppress it! You don’t know the horrible aspects of war. I’ve been through two wars and I know. I’ve seen cities and homes in ashes. I’ve seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, war is Hell!

War is Hell! No matter your politics. No matter your religion. We can all agree that war is Hell! and nothing less.There is no beauty. There is no glory. There is no honor. And The Prince of Peace will have nothing to do with our wars. War is Hell! And as such is forever outside the kingdom of God.

Those who fight know nothing of that kingdom.

Those who will hear such a statement will believe. And those that won’t will continue beating the drums and firing the missiles.