As we approach the anniversaries of the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Aug. 6 and 9, as we are confronted with wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, the Israeli genocide of Palestinians, and the increasing risk of the devastating use of nuclear weapons, I think about the fact that we once had a president who was sincerely opposed to war and was determined to lead us onto the path of genuine peace, a path that could lead toward conventional as well as nuclear disarmament, an end to war as a means of solving problems.
On June 10, 1963 this president gave a commencement address at American University in which he outlined the general principles by which this could all be achieved — “not through a revolution in human nature, but through an evolution of human institutions.” Because the principles the president outlined were true and eternal, that speech is as relevant today as it was 63 years ago.
If you care about war and peace, if you care about nature, and the fate of your children and future generations, I urge you to listen to and read President John F. Kennedy’s June 10, 1963 speech on world peace. Spend time contemplating what he said. Share the speech with others and discuss how each of us can contribute to realizing the world he envisioned. You can find the speech here: https://ratical.org/ratville/JFK/HWNAU/JFK061063.html. President Kennedy was taken from us, but his spirit lives on, and we can embody that spirit.
Eli Martin Schotz, MD, board member, Traprock Center for Peace and Justice
Cummington