The Unwanted Tagalong

We are facing a social problem of massive proportions, as our already-grim experience with returning veterans from Vietnam should have warned us. Psychologist Rachel McNair developed the concept of Perpetration Induced Traumatic Stress (PITS) to bring home to us the fact — now dramatically supported by neuroscientists — that you cannot send people out to kill and maim without expecting them to suffer enduring torments themselves, no matter how thoroughly you try to desensitize them beforehand. Thank God! Where would we be if this capacity to respond to the joys and sufferings of others could really be squelched?

There have been admirable attempts to get needed help to these spiritually wounded men and women; but the real answer, the only sane and compassionate answer, is prevention. And that means only one thing: to stop glorifying violence in our social culture and national policy — in other words, renounce war.
~ from Coming Home From Killing by Michael Nagler ~

As a devout pacifist who has NEVER been anywhere near a "war" situation, I cannot fathom the ghosts that must follow every soldier home. The things these people have done and seen would probably curl my hair!!

Unless a person likes to blow others up and see body parts spurt with blood, I have often wondered how ANY soldier can return to the routine humdrum of everyday life unscathed. The very fact that some soldiers can hold it together for a lifetime by returning to be supportive spouses, caring parents, trusted workers and devoted friends truly amazes me.

Maybe those who find success in relationships and business simply are better at battling their demons than some of their mates. Maybe they are better at masking their personal torment. Maybe they are more proficient at compartmentalizing different aspects of themselves. I don't know.

What I do know is that war is a cancer. It gobbles up good people and spits them out.

A lot of people believe that patriotism is all about saluting flags and supporting the nation's military efforts. In my book, that's not true patriotism -- that's allowing the cancer to spread unabated. If a person truly loves their country and the people in it, then they should do whatever they can to insure that the cancer is stopped in its tracks and is one day no more.

If you genuinely love your fellow men and women, why would you want them placed in harm's way? Why would you support policies that are guaranteed to produce torment, ghosts and demons?