Hinckley Denounces War

The SL Trib report of President Hinckley's "personal and poignant address" led with his comments against war: "What a fruitless thing it so often is, and what a terrible price it exacts." Articles also ran in the Deseret News and BYU NewsNet.

President Hinckley's counsel reminds me of FDR's famous "I Hate War" speech, delivered in August 1936. It was captured on film, and I recall seeing a documentary with a clip showing FDR deliver the key lines with truly impressive gravity:

I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded. I have seen men coughing out their gassed lungs. I have seen the dead in the mud. I have seen cities destroyed. I have seen two hundred limping exhausted men come out of line — the survivors of a regiment of one thousand that went forward forty-eight hours before. I have seen children starving. I have seen the agony of mothers and wives. I hate war.

In the final blunt phrase, each word was a sentence. I. Hate. War. Not that FDR was a pacifist. He followed his declaration against war with the following: "I wish I could keep war from all Nations; but that is beyond my power. I can at least make certain that no act of the United States helps to produce or to promote war."

Well, I'm not trying to make analogies to current events, just pulling up an old quote that expresses with conviction and eloquence the thought sketched out yesterday by President Hinckley. War does exact a terrible price and is often fruitless. I wish there were a box on my ballot for peace on earth and good will toward all.

Comments

[Guy Murray]

Well, I'm not trying to make analogies to current events, just pulling up an old quote that expresses with conviction and eloquence the thought sketched out yesterday by President Hinckley.

Well, there is one "major" conflict that has raged daily for several years, and is obscenely displayed daily in the international media. It seems pretty clear to see just why President Hinckley made those remarks. I'd vote with you Dave for the Peace Box. Is there any chance we can write it in?

Thanks for highlighting President Hinckley's remarks!

[Tigersue]

I think everyone except those that really relish in violence, (terrorists, insurgents), dislike war. Wouldn't we all like peace, but what is peace really. I don't define peace as the absence of war, but it is that ability for all people to live without fear.
I'm afraid there will only be true peace on the earth when the Saviour wil come.
Sad to say isn't it, but we all know who the real warmonger is, and that is Satan. As long as he has the power to enrage people everywhere, there will be no peace.

[Wilfred Owen]

"Dulce et Decorum Est"

-- Wilfred Owen

[Jettboy]

I wonder who is telling the Muslims how bad war is? At least Americans would rather not fight.

[jose]

Interesting statement from FDR. I picture Hitler or Churchill being able to make a first-hand statement like that since they were both in the trenches, but FDR was part of the New York aristocracy. Where did he see such course images of war?

The saddest commentary on humanity regarding war that I saw was in the center of a small town. The town had erected plaques to honor the men from that town who had died in battles. There were a list of names under each recent American conflict. The sad part was that the planners of this monument anticipated growth and there were blank plaques that were waiting to be filled with the names of future wars and future casualties.

[Dave]

jose, as I recall, FDR was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Woodrow Wilson administration during WWI. He spent time in Europe during that conflict, so he did apparently have first-hand exposure to the sorts of incidents he was referring to in his speech. It's worth noting that FDR was not stricken with paralysis until 1921 -- during WWI he had full mobility, so that would not have hampered his ability to observe the war up close.