A Journey of Peace, Justice, Culture, and Environment
Memorial Day is an annual federal holiday, observed on the last Monday in May, to honor and mourn those who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It was first observed as “Decoration Day” on May 30, 1868 to honor the Union soldiers who died during the Civil War, when more than 600,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed or died of diseases. As a result of the many Americans who died during subsequent world wars (over 116,000 in WWI and over 400,000 in WWII), the holiday is now observed as a day of remembrance of all members of the U.S. military who fought and died in service. During the Vietnam War, when more than 58,000 service men and women were killed and nearly as many have committed suicide, the name and date of the holiday and observance were standardized nationally.
We and other nations of the world have paid a heavy price for fighting pointless wars over many centuries and millennia. However, it has been demonstrated time and again that war is never the answer¾enduring peace must be achieved through negotiation with a compassionate understanding of our differences and grievances. Violence only leads to more violence. One solution to this cycle and tragic loss of life is to consider the role of the universal soldier. The soldier, no matter the country or the cause, fights these wars at the command of others. If no one gave the commends, or no one responded, whether on the ground, in the air, over the sea, or in space, there would be no wars.
We all have the ability to stand up and say no to war! I was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, when I served two years of alternative civilian service. I refused to fight in that war or any other war. I wrote about the universal soldier in my memoir, Conscientious Objector¾A Journey of Peace, Justice, Culture, and Environment.
“The issue is not we versus they,
Not allies versus foes.
The issue is War versus Peace.
Soldier or Civilian.
The choice is Individual.
The choice is Universal.
If we choose Peace
And there is no one left to fight,
There is no way to War,
There is only path to Peace.
The choice is Individual.
The choice is Universal.”
American poet Carl Sandburg addressed the issue of showing up to fight wars in his epic poem, The People, Yes, published in 1936.
The little girl saw her first troop parade and asked,
“What are those?”
“Soldiers.”
“What are soldiers for?”
“They are for war. They fight and each tries to kill as many of the other side as he can.”
The girl held still and studied.
“Do you know…I know something?”
“Yes, what do you know?”
“Sometime they’ll give a war and nobody will come.”
Clarity of the child’s mind reveals the senselessness of war and provides a solution. There is no reason to follow blind militarism and the warrior mentality. Each of us has the individual capacity to say no to war. On Memorial Day we remember those who were sent them off to be slaughtered and were killed as a result of war. Such barbarism is not tolerable nor sustainable if mankind is to have a sane and hopeful future. Furthermore, in today’s world of nuclear weapons, drones, and other advanced technologies, annihilation of vast numbers of innocent people, if not the entire world, not just military personnel, is more threatening than ever. We witness in horror the ongoing destruction and loss of life in Ukraine and Palestine!
President Jimmy Carter made the plea for young people used as pawns in war games during his passionate Nobel Peace Prize lecture in 2002: “We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.” This statement is more important than ever given the increasing militarism and confrontational attitudes expressed by our government and by other leaders throughout the world. Enlisting young people, training them how to kill, sending them to other countries and cultures to represent the United States, and in some cases to kill or be killed purposely by other young people, is not the answer to peaceful coexistence. We must train and practice peace, not confrontation.
This Memorial Day let us remember the countless dead killed in numerous wars, both military and civilian, young and old. We are all someone’s children, and we deserve more respect and dignity. Let us promise we will end the mindless violence perpetuated through militarism and wars, and commit instead to enduring peace. War is never the answer, and the tragic killing of vast numbers of our fellow human beings in the process won’t solve anything, but only perpetuate hatred and diminish love and understanding.
Wayne R. Ferren Jr.
May 26, 2025
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/civil-war-casualties
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_People,_Yes
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/carl-sandburg-the-people-yes.htm
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2002/carter/lecture/
