Peace is the Answer... or is it?

I was raised during the 60's and 70's, a time when changes were coming... and not all of them good. There was a lot of unrest with young people born in the 40's and 50's that were disenchanted with a war they didn't understand and the politicians that were trying hard to lose it. For the first time ever television was showing the horrors of war to the public and they didn't like it. Suddenly peace was the answer to all our problems. If we could just leave the rest of the world, and mankind as a whole, to do whatever makes them happy all would be better off. We just needed to talk, listen and understand each other and everyone would act reasonably and avoid war.

If you believe that man is basically good and desires nothing but the best for everyone, I guess the peace movement all makes sense. After all, if our enemies are basically just good people then there must be a reason why they are behaving in a violent or threatening manner. That reason must be America. Our system of capitalism, freedom, religion and foreign policy must force our enemies to action. We must be the catalyst that makes them behave in such a manner and hate, attack and kill others.

Of course the only problem with this logic is the premise that man is good. The truth is that man is inherently evil and selfish. We are all born with a rebellious nature that is concerned only about ourselves and our pleasure. Unfortunately history is full of people that demonstrated this time and time again. How can we believe that other governments will always be peaceful and benevolent when we see hate and crime everyday? No amount of rationalization will convince a leader bent on destruction of peoples of another class, race or religious belief to behave in a civilized manner. Sometimes nations must be disciplined and punished just as individuals are in most societies.

Peace is certainly an admirable goal and one we strive toward constantly, however, peace at all costs is not worth the price that must be paid. Peace is valuable, but not more valuable than justice. Life is valuable, but not more valuable than principle. I would suggest that without justice and principle, peace is not worth anything except to those that fear death more than their loss of freedom or basic human rights. No, peace is not necessarily the answer. The answer is found in a people that pursue righteousness and are willing to stand up for the rights of others regardless of the price that must be paid. If it means trading our lives for the lives and rights of those less fortunate, then so be it.