College Comunity Members React to War In Their Own Words

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Mark Peluso, M.D.
Health Center Physician

I know little about the politics of war, but I do know about human suffering. Any war will cause much suffering.
People will be physically hurt. I have treated children with severed limbs, and felt buckshot in wounded hearts as I tried in vain to restart them. This type of suffering is immediate and excruciating, and it is occurring now in Iraq.
People will be mentally hurt. I have treated Veterans and war victims suffering from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This type of suffering is slow and haunting, but often no less painful than a bullet wound. This will occur after the war in Iraq.
Families will be hurt on both sides. I have helped families who have lost loved ones through war. Their loss is physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual. We are only beginning to fully understand what it means for children to grow up without a father or mother, yet this is a legacy of war.
If I am against anything that causes suffering, then I am against war. However, to prevent suffering, I must also support our troops and their families. I must support efforts to prevent another attack on U.S. soil, and to rid the world of horrific weapons. I must support the principals of American freedom, such as the freedom of speech. Finally, I must hope that good will triumph over evil, and that in the long run, the suffering caused was worth it.


Ellen Oxfeld
Professor of Sociology and Anthropology

Over fifty years ago, American lawyers were instrumental in formulating the Nuremberg Principles, the counts on which the top Nazis were charged following their defeat. One of the four counts brought against these Nazis was "crimes against the peace." The Nuremberg charter defines this count as "the planning, preparation, initiation, and waging of wars of aggression, or a war in violation of existing treaties, agreements and assurances."
In my view, the Bush administration is now guilty of such a "crime against the peace," for this war is both a war of aggression and a war in violation of existing agreements. First, there is no evidence that Iraq, contained for 12 years, poses a threat to the United States. Furthermore, the United States never had the authority to go to war on its own volition in any case, for the cease fire resolution that ended the first Gulf War gave the Security Council alone the authority to decide if Iraq was in compliance with the agreement, and to act to enforce its disarmament requirements.
Our leaders are not supporting the troops, but betraying them, by sending them to an unnecessary war. We should insist that they be brought home now. If we do not actively and publicly dissent, then we will certainly be judged by history to have silently assented to a "crime against the peace."


Dr. FranÁois S. Clemmons
Alexander Twilight Artist-In-Residence

War is not a place for children. Being a "child at heart," I am no man 'o war'! The sad progress of events of the past few days has left me saddened and paralyzed by my own imagination. When grown men quarrel, who will protect the children and bring them comfort and shelter and nurturance?
There are millions and millions of hopeless, anxious, soon-to-be-abandoned and forgotten children in the streets and hide-a-ways of ancient Baghdad, Iraq...searching and desperately trying to see and understand that coming fearsome hoard called the Americans. I, too, am an American and yet, I would not bring them bombs and tanks, and loud, gruesome explosions.
For over 30 years my life has been dedicated to the emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual health of children. I never learned the difference between starving hurt children from Iraq, Vergennes or North Korea. My love embraces one and all of humanity, especially those who see themselves as least lovable. In my healing work I have sent love to all of humanity and will continue to do so until men and women of substance and wisdom realize the horrors we are capable of unleashing on the young and innocent when we don't seek peace first among ourselves.
I do believe in God and the ultimate good of all humankind. During this war and any others that I am aware of, I shall continue to serve and offer my humanity and unconditional love, in the face of massive opposition and mindless brutality done in the name of 'regime change'. May God have mercy on all of us as we struggle in this cosmic morass and confusing blindness.