What a Life! (Nov. 15, 2006)

During the midterm election campaign, I heard part of a debate between two Florida politicians disputing the merits of the war in Iraq. The man’s point of view was that we had to have some plan for withdrawing from Iraq because we were creating more division and terrorists. His opponent, a woman, said that we had to stay in Iraq because if we withdrew, all the Americans killed in the war would have died in vain.

Later I was looking for a quotation on the internet when I came across the following: “I believe it will be a quick war. There will be few losses. But if losses happen, then let us remember the Latin phrase that was on the lips of many a Roman soldier when he stood in battle in a foreign land: ‘It is fitting to die for our nation.’ Now our country calls. Personal ambition must be put aside as a great sacrifice for our country. The field of honor calls you.”

Who said that n President Bush, Dick Cheney, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld? None of the above. It comes from a speech by a nationalistic teacher, Professor Kantorek, to a class of young German boys from the 1930 movie All Quiet on the Western Front. This movie set during World War I is ranked among the top 100 movies of all time. It examines the purpose and reasons for war.

At one point in the movie the soldiers are discussing why they are fighting. One soldier says: “I think maybe the Kaiser wanted a war. Every full-grown Emperor needs one war to make him famous. Why, that’s history.”

Paul: “Yeah, Generals too. They need war.”

A Third Soldier: “And manufacturers. They get rich.”

Later a soldier says: “I’ll tell ya how it should all be done. Whenever there’s a big war comin’ on, you should rope off a big field (and sell tickets). Yeah, and on the big day, you should take all the kings, their cabinets and their generals, put them in the center dressed in their underpants and let ’em fight it out with clubs. The best country wins.”

His point is quite clear. If the leaders of the various countries had to “fight it out” among themselves, they would find a way to solve the world’s problems.

At another point in the movie, the soldier Paul delivers an impassioned speech to a soldier he has just killed. He asks for forgiveness from the corpse knowing that in other circumstances, the Frenchman could have been a friend instead of the enemy: “You see, when you jumped in here, you were my enemy, and I was afraid of you. But you’re just a man like me, and I killed you. Forgive me, comrade. Say that for me. Say you forgive me! Oh, no, you’re dead! Only you’re better off than I am. You’re through. They can’t do any more to you now. Oh, God! why did they do this to us? We only wanted to live, you and I. Why should they send us out to fight each other? If they threw away these rifles and these uniforms, you could be my brother. You’ll have to forgive me, comrade.”

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and “Pray for your enemies.” How many Christians express concern for all of the thousands of innocent civilians who suffer and die as results of the war? I have one parishioner who always prays for the conversion of terrorists. Let us recommit ourselves to the fundamental principles of justice and human rights that have been hallmarks of our faith and our nation n no more secret prisons, no more torture, fair trials for everyone. We are supposed to be followers of Christ, the peacemaker. Let us live that way.