I sympathize with Susan Crane’s frustration (CR, Dec. 2 and 16) with the U.S. Navy Nuclear weapons storage depot in Bangor, Wash. Nuclear weapons of any kind destroy entire cities, devastate the civilian population and destroy the infrastructure of a locality. All countries should welcome President Obama’s call for a test ban halt to the spread of nuclear weapons around the world.There is money made in the building of devastating weapons. There is very little money made in the art of diplomacy or the art of containment. There are no medals, Purple Hearts, and no ribbons shared on our patriotic diplomats who try so hard to avoid the horror and tragedy of unnecessary wars.The militarists will say diplomacy doesn’t work. I say, war doesn’t work. We have been in Afghanistan for nine years. When will countries learn that war doesn’t make peace?
As we meditate on this Advent Season, let us go back and re-read Isaiah 2: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, Nor shall they train for war again. … “