PEACE LETTERS FROM THE WAR defeats "CATCH 22" . . . . latest! (11/10/6)
somebody or other | 10.10.2006 18:55 | Education | Free Spaces | Globalisation | London | World
communication from squaddies in iraq to peace protesters in lincoln - reprinted in "peace matters" - the "absolutist" pacifist magazine of the P.P.U (set up after WW1) shows that - despite the flak - people aint getting "played off against each other" this time . . . . we all lose if we forget, but to Remember in a good way - to open different futures - we neednt fear rethinking, listening,or doing new things
After a new plaque in Lincoln cathedral to remember the people that died in the "catch 22" scenes of WW2s bombing campaigns, several people wrote to "disagree yet agree" from what might in the past have seemed unusual quarters :
" . . . i have completed several tours in the middle east, conducting operation that, with most of my colleagues, i oppose. However i joined the armed forces so that i might defend my country - if the "powers above" decide that what we are doing is good, i am not in a position to Question it. I am _ no more _responsible for _what is going on_ in iraq than the young men of Bomber Wings were responsible for the tactics that led to the saturation bombing of Germany . . ."
The magazine itself seems to have forgotten some of the things that have come out about the role of other strategists in the "dehousing" campaign, "morale ops", in hindsight, excuse rather than reason ( the reaction to this sort of bombing of london increased the hate of the "enemy", strengthening the resolve to fight back, even encouraged peole to have a completely different attitude to war leaders they might have otherwise associated with the clampdown of the Big Strike. Shock, awe. . . . or what? But the fact that corporations were involved in the targetting that had actually insured some of the german factories - that werent bombed - yet few of the homes of the workers - that were - came out a couple of years ago.
ago. . . . but quietly.
If to Remember is also to teach warnings to stop THIS sort of thing from happening , then this might, again, stop dictators of all varieties from interference in even the typing of people in nations "faraway" . This is 2006 . "Faraway" doesnt exist. Its ALL "the front", but some of us havent woken up to that yet. . . . or, when we do, somebody tries to "stun us back to sleep again" - distractions, skewing news priorities, or trying to twist us all into cartoons, to play us off against each other. But, the fact that people are trying to talk to each other despite the "THEM" images, to disagree - or agree - with respect - means we are much strengthened in the times we all - all - need to work with each other.
Also supporting the "Remember the eleventh of EVERY month" campaign, precis in comments - the weeks of action, reflection, around the 11th, to mean that we Remember further - to prevent new wars.
". . . . to remember : does that help ? " is a piece that is also in these newswires - that reminds people of the "other" bits of the commemorations at 11 a.m of the 11th , of the eleventh month - every year . . . . the way the pressure for it grew, the way certain administrators in whitehall ("powers above" - amongst others) tried to block it, extinguish it, or diminish it - - - -
(but we didnt give up)
" . . . i have completed several tours in the middle east, conducting operation that, with most of my colleagues, i oppose. However i joined the armed forces so that i might defend my country - if the "powers above" decide that what we are doing is good, i am not in a position to Question it. I am _ no more _responsible for _what is going on_ in iraq than the young men of Bomber Wings were responsible for the tactics that led to the saturation bombing of Germany . . ."
The magazine itself seems to have forgotten some of the things that have come out about the role of other strategists in the "dehousing" campaign, "morale ops", in hindsight, excuse rather than reason ( the reaction to this sort of bombing of london increased the hate of the "enemy", strengthening the resolve to fight back, even encouraged peole to have a completely different attitude to war leaders they might have otherwise associated with the clampdown of the Big Strike. Shock, awe. . . . or what? But the fact that corporations were involved in the targetting that had actually insured some of the german factories - that werent bombed - yet few of the homes of the workers - that were - came out a couple of years ago.
ago. . . . but quietly.
If to Remember is also to teach warnings to stop THIS sort of thing from happening , then this might, again, stop dictators of all varieties from interference in even the typing of people in nations "faraway" . This is 2006 . "Faraway" doesnt exist. Its ALL "the front", but some of us havent woken up to that yet. . . . or, when we do, somebody tries to "stun us back to sleep again" - distractions, skewing news priorities, or trying to twist us all into cartoons, to play us off against each other. But, the fact that people are trying to talk to each other despite the "THEM" images, to disagree - or agree - with respect - means we are much strengthened in the times we all - all - need to work with each other.
Also supporting the "Remember the eleventh of EVERY month" campaign, precis in comments - the weeks of action, reflection, around the 11th, to mean that we Remember further - to prevent new wars.
". . . . to remember : does that help ? " is a piece that is also in these newswires - that reminds people of the "other" bits of the commemorations at 11 a.m of the 11th , of the eleventh month - every year . . . . the way the pressure for it grew, the way certain administrators in whitehall ("powers above" - amongst others) tried to block it, extinguish it, or diminish it - - - -
(but we didnt give up)
somebody or other