Hiroshima: The President's Visit

Hiroshima: The President's Visit 29 MAY 2016
Following the President's visit and speech at Hiroshima, I have observed a sad number posts criticizing President Obama for "apologizing" for the use of nuclear weapons against Japan during WWII. To clarify, what I must assume is information from an incredibly biased source and a limited opportunity to find and utilize reliable ones, please take a moment to read the text of the speech he gave while visiting Hiroshima. If you're not a reader, I'll post a video too.

I have often asked students to ponder how the killing of civilians is justified in connection to the principles which define this nation. Too, I challenge them to consider how Hiroshima and Nagasaki compare (and contrast) to the events of September 11, 2001. How is one act justified, and the other not.

This Memorial weekend, I am astounded by the defense of killing of civilians (arguably innocent) to end war. The magnitude of the impact of those two bombs was intensely magnificent then, and so, it remains yet today. The President states quite effectively a point and hope, which should resound upon all our minds and hearts regarding violence, war, death, and killing this weekend. Are we not better, smarter, and more compassionate than this? The past presents an opportunity to learn and improve. However, if we do not think about it, question it in a multitude of ways, and strive for a better world, what good is our intelligence. This though, echoes the President's words. We possess so much intelligence and potential yet the base reaction of selfishness remains.

The President did not apologize, and his words speak directly to what Memorial Day should be about - creating a better world where the lives lost encourage us to seek compassion, understanding, cooperation, and peace. To not recognize the beauty of this visit and his words, to criticize and ignorantly object upon falsities derived of pretense is dangerous, (and yes) ignorant. It is a disgrace to all the lives lost to war, to not hear, to not see, to not recognize, and too, to not agree.

The visit. The words. Together, the action. This is Memorial Day.