Poison
A poison flows through the veins of the United States. It is growing in potency and force, like waves signaling the approach of a ruinous storm. Its purveyors dispense it in a variety of formulations via internet and TV, all packaged with the blithe promise of curing a sick society. Maybe you’ve had a dose of one of these:
“White people are targets of a political conspiracy that would replace them with people of color.”
“Immigration policies and immigrants are the main drivers of drugs, crime, and disease.”
“The answer to gun violence is to arm more people with guns.”
The carnage in Buffalo, New York, was planned and executed under the influence of a poisoned mind. Now, we see another insane gun massacre in Texas. In this horrible moment, Veterans For Peace reasserts an utter rejection of the poison—and all its carefully concocted, carelessly dispensed forms—that feed fear and division to unleash the monsters of hatred and violence.
In August 2014, an unarmed, 18-year old black man was shot and killed by a 29-year old white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, part of the St. Louis metro area. The incident sparked outrage and pushed the city to the brink of mass violence. With national headquarters located in St. Louis, Veterans For Peace found itself in the eye of a sudden storm. Our executive director at the time, Michael McPhearson, himself a black combat veteran, was tapped to co-chair an ad hoc coalition for furthering a dialogue to prevent the community’s descent into violence.
The Ferguson incident and its aftermath shed new light on the importance of our work as a veteran-led peace organization. We saw the need to widen our perspective in naming the obstacles to peace. Our executive board introduced, and our membership ratified, a corollary to VFP’s purpose. We refer to this as Peace at Home, Peace Abroad.
We recognize that our vision for world peace is impossible if the communities where we live are at war within. So we speak to people about how domestic and foreign issues are connected, and how their interaction plays into a culture of violence and militarism. This organizing strategy is essential to our mission for ending war on a global scale.
Among the poisons that drive hatred and violence, fear of “the other” stands at the top. This poison is not innate; it is fed with the intent that people be harnessed to fight and kill. This poison represents the epic tragedy of a nation founded on land seized from indigenous peoples and developed by the sweat of slaves, a nation where the rhetoric of white supremacy still pollutes the thinking of its citizens. The very same poison is used in military adventures; the dehumanization of foes is central to war fighting.
While VFP does not lead in the struggle against racism, we share a responsibility to confront it, as does every organization that works to uphold humanity. Such responsibility extends to all forms of prejudice, which is why our members take part in Pride events. It’s why we speak out against anti-immigrant laws and stand in solidarity with oppressed people on a host of issues.
Our mission to end war demands that we confront all who spoon poisons to divide our fellow citizens. We denounce the lies that drive wedges based on race, religion, or gender. They are rotting the very foundation of the country for which we and countless others have given limbs and lives to defend. They are pushing people to the precipice of despair and violence. And if clear minds do not call them out for what they are, they will lead inevitably to more violence, militarization, and war.
Gary May, President, VFP 104