MeghanIsMe

It feels very uncomfortable to unfriend someone on Facebook who I've known longer than there's been a Facebook. They wrote in favor of "letting America burn." I expressed my concern for people who, for instance, need ongoing medical care and rely on certain existing systems that are part of America and that I'd like to see continue. I expressed that the violence in Minneapolis right now makes sense as a reaction to inescapable institutional violence and I support the Black community, but I don't want to see all of America burn without an existing replacement plan. They feel that too many people are dying due to systemic violence every day already and that, to closely paraphrase, if Black people want to burn down the system they were forced to build as enslaved people, they (former FB friend) would not speak against it.

I thought about this for hours last night and I just can't with that line of thought. I accept that I may even be wrong and that large scale resolution, with it's commensurate large-scale body count, may be the only thing that makes long term change. But I don't want to be wrong on this topic, will not act as though I am, (otherwise how could I even consider applying to grad school?) and trying to process that kind of talk from friends isn't something I have the spoons for.

And beyond that, Miriam pointed out that the US has lots of nuclear weapons. Like, *lots.* What happens to those in a large scale revolution? I think other states would essentially be forced to step in and take power if the US devolves into factions, some with nuclear arms.

Maybe that will all happen. I'm going to act as though it will not. Otherwise why not just give up now and do nothing forward-looking? It's hard enough not to do that already.

I found myself listening to "We've Never Been the Same: a War Story" on NPR on the way to Posi's place this morning. I wasn't sure how interesting it would be to me, but when I got to my destination I sat in the car for that last fifteen minutes of the show, listening to the end.

Stories like this of war are a strong reminder of why war is evil. Sometimes it is a necessary evil, but often it is not. War is always a result of the failure of people in power. People in power have a responsibility to find non-violent means to resolve conflict. When violence happens, it means someone has betrayed their responsibility to a vast range of people whose welfare their power should serve to promote and defend.

Thinking of war and conflict and the military always reminds me of my visit to Arlington National Cemetery. The unending rows of small, white gravestones are a testimony to the havoc caused by violence on a national scale. Let us ever work toward peace whenever possible. It is a responsibility we have to our fellow human beings.