I was at first disturbed and then inspired by a comment of Ian R. Finlayson in his article "What a soldier can do" in the June Journal, [p. 8]. He said, "Someone who is a soldier for reasons other than aiding and advancing humanity is in the wrong profession." I could not imagine how this would work in face-to-face combat with a so-called enemy. ...
Wouldn't it be wonderful if that point of view could be communicated to military academies and armed forces in other nations where one is indoctrinated into thinking that war is the answer and nonviolence and its efficacy are not part of the curriculum; even to take it further and change the war-based history curriculum to include the history of nonviolent direct action and alter the habit of thinking of war as the only alternative.
Soldiers who are encouraged to aid and advance humanity are so needed today to be a model for peacekeeping forces. How blessed Finlayson is to be in a leadership position that can move us in that direction. To me, that is what a soldier can do.
