Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Some thoughts on war, in a voice from the past:
"Freeing the slaves was not a war aim when it started out, but war changes things, it sorts things out. Come outside; I want to show you something.
"All these thousands of men...each one of them a whole person, loved and cherished in some home far away. Many will never return.
"An army is power. Its entire purpose is to coerce others. Such power cannot be used recklessly or carelessly; such power can do great harm. We have seen more suffering than any man alive should ever see, and if there is to be an end to it, it must be an end that justifies the cost. Now, somewhere out there is the Confederate Army--they claim they are fighting for their independence, for their freedom, and I cannot question their integrity. What I do question is a system that fights for its own freedom while denying it to others, to a whole race of people. I will admit it, Tom: War is a scourge, but so is slavery. It is the systematic coercion of one group of men over another. It has been around since the Book of Genesis, but that is no excuse for us to tolerate it here. As God is my witness, no man alive is dearer to my heart than you, but if your life or mine, is part of the price to pay to win this war and end this terrible evil, then let God's will be done."
--Joshua Chamberlain, from "Gods and Generals."
"Freeing the slaves was not a war aim when it started out, but war changes things, it sorts things out. Come outside; I want to show you something.
"All these thousands of men...each one of them a whole person, loved and cherished in some home far away. Many will never return.
"An army is power. Its entire purpose is to coerce others. Such power cannot be used recklessly or carelessly; such power can do great harm. We have seen more suffering than any man alive should ever see, and if there is to be an end to it, it must be an end that justifies the cost. Now, somewhere out there is the Confederate Army--they claim they are fighting for their independence, for their freedom, and I cannot question their integrity. What I do question is a system that fights for its own freedom while denying it to others, to a whole race of people. I will admit it, Tom: War is a scourge, but so is slavery. It is the systematic coercion of one group of men over another. It has been around since the Book of Genesis, but that is no excuse for us to tolerate it here. As God is my witness, no man alive is dearer to my heart than you, but if your life or mine, is part of the price to pay to win this war and end this terrible evil, then let God's will be done."
--Joshua Chamberlain, from "Gods and Generals."
// posted by The Pendragon @ 6:42 PM 
