America's 'home'

Thank you for your thoughtful editorial, "Bring us home," about the conflict in Iraq (May, page 58). I, too, feel that America is not the home I thought it was, not the country I thought it was. Patriotism and nationalism are running rampant. The "top 55" war enemies were pictured in the news media on playing cards, further depersonalizing the enemy and relating the war to entertainment and sport. The May issue showed the whole picture of the effect of the conflict on both Americans and Iraqis. Thanks for that; keep up the good work. You are serving Christ and the world in your efforts to get us to see the world in a Christ-like way.

Naomi Durant
Lindsborg, Kan.


The lack of compassion and insight in the name of patriotism in this country has been disturbing to me too. Several key phrases have echoed in my mind, such as: "War is not a video game." To watch sanitized TV you would think it is. "Why should we celebrate humans' inhumanity to humans?" It doesn't matter whether it's by the vanquished or the victor. Our quick descent into tribalism is alarming. If Christians aren't called to be the peacemakers, who is? Three things have sustained me: faith (when humankind fails again), history (this is a sad old story) and psychology (Jung said, "We have found the enemy and he is within us"). There's an ironic danger in quick wars that perpetuates glorious myths. Grinding wars such as World War I or Vietnam open eyes as to the true horrors we inflict on each other.

Greg Morse
West Linn, Ore.