For over a decade I’ve been wearing a big, conspicuous peace symbol medallion. It is 2¾ inches across. It weighs a bit, so I take it off at home, but I put it on whenever I go out anywhere in public – to political meetings and rallies, obviously, but also to the library, the grocery store, etc.

Around once a week, someone comments on it. One frequent comment is:

“I haven’t seen one of those in a long time.”

In response generally I smile and say,

“yes, I’m trying to bring them back.”

Which is true. I’d like nothing better than for more people to start wearing peace symbols, thinking about peace, talking about peace. Another frequent comment is:

“I like your peace symbol.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that besides a murmur of thanks – but then it occurred to me to make these cards and this essay. When people compliment my medallion, I can hand them a card, and hope that they’ll find and read this essay.

Don’t be fooled by the movies that the Pentagon subsidizes, glorifying people in uniform. War is a terrible, monstrous thing, but someone profits from it.

After a few years the lies are revealed, at least to anyone who is paying attention. By now most people are aware that there was no good reason for the million deaths that have resulted from the Iraq invasion of 2003. And Libya is far, far worse now than it was before its “liberation” in 2011. Yet no one has been prosecuted for these war crimes.

The USA has been on the wrong side in all of its many, many wars at least since the end of World War 2. All the wars have had nearly unanimous support from both major parties in congress. And the hawks in congress get big campaign donations from the weapons companies.

National borders are lines drawn on maps by politicians, who tell us the people on the other side are different. Actually, the people on the other side are our cousins; it’s the politicians who are different.

We need to stop this. A better world is possible. Peace be with you.

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2019 Dec 23, version 1.01.