A couple nights ago, some of my good friends and coworkers attended a post traumatic stress (PTS) informational workshop/presentation for families of war veterans. They went to support the efforts of an amazing man in our community that works to help said vets.

Result: they went in jaded, and came out different.

Nutshell of what they learned: war changes a person. Always, irrevocably, negatively.

I was impacted by their debriefings in a number of ways, but most jarringly with the question: “Why, based on the unquestionable harm done to soldiers by simply participating in combat, isn’t there a response to the war movement that pursues nonviolent means to accomplish change?”

Of course there are groups of people who protest wars, and of course there are countless studies about the effects of war on a person’s humanity (NOTE: read this), but why have I never heard of any correlation between the two?

Perhaps I haven’t been listening. God knows I’m horribly, inexcusably preoccupied with myself most of the time, though I’m trying to become less so.

I guess I’d just like to see a bit more consideration made towards these things… it seems like the responsible response.

OTHER THINGS TO READ:
Brian McLaren: Sorrow Can Make Us Better, Not Bitter
Jim Wallis: ‘No One Deserves a Tragedy’

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