Farragut assistant certain
‘war is not the answer’

By the Rev. Paige Buchholtz,
assistant at St. Elizabeth, Farragut

When I was asked to write this article, I remembered a Far Side cartoon. In the picture there were two bears, and one of them had a target on its stomach. The caption read, “That’s an unfortunate birthmark you have there.”

I feel that way as I write about my resistance to the recent war in Iraq – that I set myself up to be shot down.

I am a baby boomer. I was born a few years after the end of World War II. My images of war came originally from Hollywood: Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and others were clearly the good guys. War was glorified, and all soldiers and sailors were heroes. War was romantic, war was admirable, war was right.

Time passed, and other wars were fought: the Cold War, the Vietnam War – though sometimes they were called “police actions” or “missile crises.”

I saw my uncle come home missing one of his legs, which had been blown off in Korea. I saw college friends return from Vietnam and become drug addicts, spouse abusers or recluses.

I’ve worked with the homeless in both Washington, D.C., and in Knoxville, where at least 30 percent of the homeless men in shelters or on the street are veterans.

I believe there are better ways to solve problems than through the use of military force. Over the past six months I have prayed and led retreat days. I have held candles at peaceful demonstrations, I have spoken at press conferences, and I have written and called congressional representatives. I have spoken with those who agree with me and with those who disagree.

My actions result from following what I believe to be the Christian gospel: to love one another as Christ loves us. In addition to Jesus’ life, I find courage in the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama and Mohandas Gandhi.

I continue to believe that war is not the answer.

I am not writing as a spokesperson for a parish or the diocese. I am writing as a priest, as a parent and as a patriotic citizen of the United States.

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