War is considered by many to be an inevitable part of life. Whereas racism, superstition, and other primitive practices are widely considered to be darker aspects of human nature that should be eliminated, the concept of war as a viable option is still accepted by many otherwise ‘civilized’ people. History is often referenced in terms of its wars, and wars are often glorified in books and movies. Huge acts of devastation are even referred to as ‘great’ wars. I contend that this way of thinking is in error. The very concept of war should be viewed with disgust, and filed away in the annals of time under the same heading as slavery.</p>
<p>I believe that war is barbaric and obsolete. There is always an alternative to war; we just need to be willing to persist in our determination to find it. There is absolutely no excuse to engage in warfare in this modern age.</p>
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<p>…there may have been times in the past when war might have been justified, when people lived in fear and relative isolation. In times past, there was a lack of understanding about other cultures, so it was easy to brand them as ‘different’ or even ‘evil.’ However, in modern times, with mass communication, all of that has changed. The world is essentially a smaller place. People are accustomed to traveling across the country, and even around the world. There is no longer a mystique about other cultures. We now have interpreters who have removed the language barrier, thus removing a major factor in conflict: poor communication. </p>
<p>The repercussions of war are far greater now than in times past. Now, war affects the entire planet, not just a localized area. Even if seemingly kept localized, war has global repercussions on many levels:
economic, environmental, and social. With so much at stake, like the future of the planet itself, there is simply no justification for war. It is primitive and should have no place in modern, civilized society.</p>
<p>War does not solve problems; it only exacerbates an already volatile situation. Each act of violence creates new problems which then ripple out and create yet more problems to be addressed. Responding to violence with more violence is like pouring gasoline on a fire – it just feeds the flames for more violence. The very concept of violence solving problems is ludicrous, because never does it get to the root of the problem; rather, it just reinforces the notion that the person (or nation) with the bigger stick wins the prize, whatever the prize happens to be.</p>
<p>Bizarrely, one of the most common catalysts for violent conflict is religion. For example, the teachings of the Old Testament have been used to justify war many times over the centuries, even to this day. I find this reprehensible, as I do not believe that is what Jesus intended at all. His teachings were very peaceful. </p>
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<p>Understandably, even if one attains inner peace, this does not necessarily mean that the outer circumstances will be peaceful. Granted, it is not possible to control others. Therefore, I do believe that each person has a right to defend oneself and one’s family against someone threatening harm. However, personal protection is not the same as a nation forcing its citizens to fight another nation’s citizens. There is a huge difference between nations solving problems via isolated armed conflict and pragmatic personal self-defense.</p>
<p>My dad, a martial arts instructor, taught me that the highest form of martial art is to not ever have to fight at all. I understand this concept – it means that one should be wise enough to avoid fighting. I think this concept can be extended to apply to nations as well. Especially to nations, since when a nation goes to war, it affects not only one person but thousands, maybe even millions. A government has no right to impose war on its citizens or upon the citizens of the ‘opposing’ nation. The civilians of a nation never want war; war is usually a political maneuver by the governments. Great leaders like Gandhi have proven that there is always a better way. There is always a non-violent solution. If we refuse to engage in war, and remain determined to find that solution, then we will. If war is not considered an option, nations will be forced to become more creative and find alternate solutions to conflict. There are no winners in war. War is always a tragedy.</p>
<p>I do appreciate the freedoms that my country offers. But, I believe that there is much room for improvement. The U.S. can improve in its attitude towards war. The U.S. needs to be a leader in promoting peace, not stooping so low as to start wars. War is primitive and obsolete. The U.S. should realize this and find a better way to resolve conflicts. War is an inherently flawed and thoroughly unacceptable way of solving disputes. If we can accept this premise, then we will find alternatives.