Veterans Memorial Park, Grand Rapids. Photo courtesy of Clint Lang
It’s affecting to walk through Grand Rapids’ Veteran’s Memorial Park and read the inscriptions on each of the monuments. It got me to thinking of how little I know about all the wars our country has fought in. With a stretch of Quaker schools behind me, I thought when I was younger that if people had all they needed, there would be no war. Over time, I’ve changed my thoughts about that. General George Patton is quoted as having said, “Compared to war, all other forms of human endeavor shrink to insignificance. God help me, I do love it so.” The library has books, databases, and videos on every aspect of war. I was looking for information on the Korean War and our “History in Context” database was very useful, as were our DVD‘s on that conflict. War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning, by Chris Hedges, is a more philosophical book, as to why war is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
This library is a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents.
"…I thought when I was younger
that if people had all they needed, there would be no war." War will end when everyone gets what they want. Guess what, those wants always overlap and impinge on others.
"A bad peace is even worse than war." Tacitus. Example: would living under slavery in a time of peace be better than living free at a time of war?
“…I thought when I was younger
that if people had all they needed, there would be no war.” War will end when everyone gets what they want. Guess what, those wants always overlap and impinge on others.
“A bad peace is even worse than war.” Tacitus. Example: would living under slavery in a time of peace be better than living free at a time of war?