KURTENBACH: About patriotism and war.
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:52 pmKURTENBACH: About patriotism and war.
Sent for publishing on January 18, 2012
To the Editor,
As your readers may have noted, my letters often contain details of the astronomical costs, the horror of the maiming and death of soldiers and civilians, including children, and the general uselessness of war.
When many Canadians worry that our federal government is increasing military expenditures, and aligning Canada with America's military/industrial complex, does that mean that we simply are less patriotic?
There is hope. Millions of people and thousands of organizations are struggling for a more peaceful world. But first we need to debunk the myth of the glory of war, and eliminate misinformation and curtail the propaganda of warmongers and the manufacturers of the weapons of war.
I beg the indulgence of your readers to read on about what wise people in our history had to say about war:
"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?--Abraham Lincoln
"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable
war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder".--Albert Einstein.
"Five enemies of peace inhabit with us--avarice, ambition, envy, anger,and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace".--Petrarch.
For it isn't enough to talk about peace.One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.--Eleanor Roosevelt.
War on the other hand is such a terrible thing, that no man, especially a Christian man, has the right to assume the responsibility of starting it.--Leo Tolstoy.
Leo Kurtenbach,
Phone (306) 652-5129.
319 - 915 Saskatchewan Cres, W.,
Saskatoon, Sask., S7M 0M7.
Sent for publishing on January 18, 2012
To the Editor,
As your readers may have noted, my letters often contain details of the astronomical costs, the horror of the maiming and death of soldiers and civilians, including children, and the general uselessness of war.
When many Canadians worry that our federal government is increasing military expenditures, and aligning Canada with America's military/industrial complex, does that mean that we simply are less patriotic?
There is hope. Millions of people and thousands of organizations are struggling for a more peaceful world. But first we need to debunk the myth of the glory of war, and eliminate misinformation and curtail the propaganda of warmongers and the manufacturers of the weapons of war.
I beg the indulgence of your readers to read on about what wise people in our history had to say about war:
"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?--Abraham Lincoln
"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable
war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder".--Albert Einstein.
"Five enemies of peace inhabit with us--avarice, ambition, envy, anger,and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace".--Petrarch.
For it isn't enough to talk about peace.One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.--Eleanor Roosevelt.
War on the other hand is such a terrible thing, that no man, especially a Christian man, has the right to assume the responsibility of starting it.--Leo Tolstoy.
Leo Kurtenbach,
Phone (306) 652-5129.
319 - 915 Saskatchewan Cres, W.,
Saskatoon, Sask., S7M 0M7.