War is terrorism

I've been listening to a recorded lecture of the late and great historian Howard Zinn talking about the role of artists during times of war (name of the CD is Artists in a time of war). For a person who grew up in the shadow of the Vietnam war and have reflected a great deal about violence and non-violence, hearing his thinking about war and the role of the artist echos my own thinking.

As he puts it plainly, war is terrorism, sanctioned by the state. I have struggled mightily that the US invades countries far weaker in power and resources, killing millions, and justifies in with all sorts of pretexts (stopping Communism, terrorism, whatever ism might justify the ends). When I think of the enormity of the loss that Vietnam suffered...millions dead, it fills me with remorse and shame. I have Vietnamese friends (refugees from that very war), whom I long to ask for their forgiveness. We owe that country an apology....and while I cannot imagine our government offering that to the Vietnamese people, I wonder if I simply offered it to my dear friends, who have personally suffered.

As a believer in non-violence, I cannot find any justification to kill another.....I really cannot. That my tax dollars go towards invasions, occupations, the making of armaments....it is something I will forever struggle with and against. How do I come to terms with the huge gap between my own values and those of the government that carries out this violence?

During this sacred time of Easter, our Lord spoke about those who live by the sword die by it, and that he implored that his followers let him be taken by Roman soldiers and not resist. That courage and that love....to me, that is the very essence of our faith.