Let the Sunshine In!

Veterans For Peace Serves As Community Partner For Hair.

Veterans For Peace Chapter 104 was honored to serve as the community partner for STAGEtwo’s production of Hair, the acclaimed, anti-war musical by Gerome Ragni, James Rado, and Galt MacDermot. The show delighted audiences in six performances during the last weekend in April and first weekend in May. Members of Veterans For Peace attended each showing and shared their personal perspectives on the social and political issues that fueled the Vietnam War — and still haunt us today in our nation’s disastrous war on Iran.

Speaking to the audience at the last showing, Associate Member Margee Stone said this:

“Greetings from Evansville's Veterans For Peace, a local chapter of the National VFP based in St Louis. I’m Margee Stone, an Associate Member, not a veteran. One does not have to be a veteran to understand and to grieve the costs of war. War is violence against humanity and the earth. The media discusses war like a sports event, game strategy and score. The reality of war is tragic loss of life and devastating long-term destruction of homes and communities. Why are we not hearing about these real costs of war?

I think our political discourse is numbed by myths about war. Myths that say that war is inevitable, justified, necessary, or beneficial. But research shows that war is none of these myths. Please check out our table for more info from World Beyond War, a national group that has done excellent work that disproves these myths.

I also think that we are becoming immune to real violence. I heard the other day on NPR about how, during the Vietnam war, it was when the media started showing graphic images of the victims of the violence that the American public became horrified by the realities of the war. This was instrumental in turning the tide of public opinion against the war. Today, we see few images of the violent realities of all the warring going on. We see/hear news clips along with pictures of tRump and his violent cadre, which I can barely stand to read for hardly any truth.

So what can we do? As individuals?

One thing that I’m planning to do is to try and find images of the victims (however graphic) and get them out onto social media or wherever. And I will continue to speak out whenever, wherever I can. At public events like this, in the grocery line, in the doctor’s office, in our neighborhoods, anywhere it “might” be appropriate. I sometimes start with the weather, that’s easy, and go from there. “A real raining day we’re having today… I’m sure glad that I’m not living in a tent in a war refuge camp, huh?”

Let’s please promote discussion of the real costs of war, each of us in our own way.If I do nothing about the violence and many wars going on BY OUR GOVERNMENT, I feel complicit. But I am NOT complicit and so I MUST SPEAK OUT! Please join with Veterans For Peace and other peace-loving individuals in speaking out to reach the hearts and minds of Americans. We must STOP THE VIOLENCE our government is inflicting here at home and around the world.”