At this special time of the year when we’ve taken a truce from fighting out of respect for our various religions, I would like to talk with you about peace. It is something we long for. But human frailty being what it is, the world always seems to be at war.
Wars are not always just or sensible. We Americans have certainly waged war for the wrong reasons, and should have helped rebellions against regimes we claimed to have been a threat to us, the world or a region.
While we wish for peace, we must face the fact that as long as there are people and large populations, war is going to be a reality. We can only hope that a war is not fought here, and that America from now on only fights a just war.
We must maintain a strong defense. This does not mean that we should continue to spend as much on the military as we do.
I am trying to persuade Congress to reduce the military budget by half. With our money, our scientific and technological knowledge and our business skill we can rise to the occasion if we need to.
By reducing our military spending we will tell the world that we are not as agressive as we used to be. We will also tell the world that the United States cannot protect every nation, that they must build up as we are backing down.
When we back down we will not be cowards but realists. We will be acknowledging that we should not be lusting for war and instilling fear and suspicion in our citizens like we have been.
Peace though, is something we can only hope for. We must be ready to fight as military personnel, but also as citizens. We have to have the skill and confidence to kill if we have to, but this skill and confidence will be tempered by good will, self-restraint and constant self-examination which as you well know, have not been American characteristics for some time.
We can learn from the Indians we conquered. Though they were violent they had sane and peaceful societies. They could be officers and they could be gentlemen. There is an inner peace in being able to do both.
We have no such balance. Those who are violent are not interested in inner peace. Those who seek inner peace are offended by the thought of beating up somebody who assaults them.
Many people have contacted me. They have begged for a department of peace, saying a department of peace will show America’s good will and set a good example for children.
Such a belief is dangerous and naive. It is dangerous because the argument assumes children have no awareness of good and evil, that somehow evil is put in the minds of children. But good can only exist if evil exists or an awareness of the potential for evil exists.
If we develop a department of peace it will be taken over by people who do not allow boys to swear, fist fight or play football.Our society will become even more insane than it is now.
All the people who want to protect us from violence will be creating a nation of psychopaths. The nation of psychopaths will need to be policed by a greater number of officers with greater power to impose themselves on people. This will add another layer of restraint to an already insane society and remove us further from peace.
The argument for a department of peace is also naive. Allow me to explain.
In the middle of the last century America had a Department of War. Following our victories against tyranny the nation realized it had immense power. We lusted for more control of the world. The war department changed its name to the Department of Defense.
Along with the name change came an increase in fear that the federal government and the media instilled in people. By talking fearfully and talking about defense while we really were on offense, the name defense department did not ring any alarms to the public.
For fifty years we have been making war and instilling fear without calling the war department a Department of War. At the beginning of this century the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself to those who love to talk fearfully about defense.
A new department was created. The Department of Homeland Security. Can you imagine the secrecy and ineptitude a Department of Peace will exemplify?
One of the most important things to do to pursue peace is to use accurate language. I have proposed to Congress to rename the defense department to the Department of War. That way we will be honest with ourselves. Whether a war is offensive or defensive it will not have a euphemistic name.
People who call themselves peace activists hardly exemplify the diplomacy and good will implied by peace. What so called peace activists must do is to change their name to anti-war activists. They should not mention peace until they attempt to make peace with themselves and their opponents.
So in closing, the nation has great work to do. The American government must stop imposing itself upon the world.
The American public must stop being selfish and greedy. Until then, our prayers to the Prince of Peace will remain unanswered.
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