Readers Write

Greenfield Recorder, December 7, 2021

Each year on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, peace groups across the country, none more so than Veterans for Peace, reclaim the original intent of Armistice Day — peace among nations.

Far from dishonoring Veterans Day, they serve fellow veterans by insisting that the best way to honor veterans is to stop creating more of them. At our Nov. 13th event on the Greenfield Common, three eloquent Veterans for Peace members — two Vietnam veterans and one from the first Gulf War — spoke of the futility of war as a lasting way to resolve conflicts.

In a Nov. 21 letter critical of our event, Rev. Phillip Grant writes “veterans made peace possible after the failures of many diplomats.” History, however, reveals quite the opposite. Over the last 70 years, war did not result in peace, not in Korea, Vietnam, nor any of the wars in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. Further, no diplomacy of substance was used to resolve conflicts before resorting to war.

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month. May is Military Appreciation Month with six honorific days culminating in Memorial Day. There is no National Peace Day, the intent of the original Nov. 11 Armistice Day — peace among nations.

PAT HYNES

On behalf of Traprock Center for Peace and Justice

MARTY SCHOTZ

On behalf Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution Peace Task Force