Does America Need a Peace President?
Posted on October 18, 2007 - Filed Under Deep Thoughts, Peace News, Politics |
I feel like the word peace gets tossed around so much by those that appear oblivious to what this word really means. It is definitely difficult to have a political conversation without sides being taken, but what if we could focus on one topic, such as peace, and then evaluate the stance of the presidential candidates individually on said topic?
Choosing a topic such as peace seems to have an inherent context that being peaceful is synonymous with being “weak.” Granted most would say that the Dalia Lama is weak physically, but I would say that intellect and spiritual awareness are strengths that can be used to avoid getting into violent situations in the first place. How many of these “strong” presidents ever really needed to use their strength to do something in office? Yes, I know that when America elects a strong president, what we are really saying is that they have a strong character. Yet, we seem to base this character off of physical attributes like military service and monetary wealth or success. Why not consider someone truly based on their character, and not the typical wealth = power = presidential.
Take Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich for example. His life story is filled with examples of how he chose to do the right thing. In a live chat today on the Washington Post, Kucinich states that:
“If you want peace in the world, consider that I’m the only candidate who rejects war as an instrument of foreign policy. This isn’t just about Iraq or Iran, this is about a president wise enough to work with leaders in the world to avoid conflict. While I wouldn’t hesitate to defend our country, I’ve shown more than any other candidate that I understand the difference between defense and offense.”
I really like what this candidate has to say about our country and the balance of peace and justice that he would restore. His values aren’t simply, I am a Christian, therefore I am good, he has actually demonstrated this by not voting for and not wanting to fund the war. Kucinich actually votes his beliefs and and I am definitely considering him as someone I would support wholeheartedly. Now if we could only make sure the good guy/gal wins…
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