A conversation with a friend last week led me to recall some old letters I had had translated about 10 years ago. Part of one of these letters is below. I submitted this to the Minneapolis StarTribune as a possible short column, and as always am never certain if it will be printed. But I would like to share it with all of you, anyway.

Of necessity, in war the opposition has to become less than human. A collective evil. Much is invested in establishing the evilness of the opponent, often, but not always, embodied in a leader (say a Hitler). This is demonstrated in many ways: recently, for example, I read a column by a very prominent U.S. columnist, who talks about the losses on one side in the Israel/Palestine conflict, without even mentioning that there is another side, also suffering losses. The obvious problem with such a demonizing strategy is that everyone on any side of any war becomes equally evil. It all depends on what side one is on, whether you are good, or evil. But to the opponent, you are evil, regardless of your direct complicity. Israel-Palestine or the "War on Terror" are only the most recent of an endless series of conflicts of good versus evil.

A recent conversation led to my reviewing of a February, 1924, letter written by Heinrich B, an ancestor then living in Dubuque, IA, to his relatives in Germany. This letter, from a successful U.S. businessman, 76 years of age, born in Germany in 1852, and by 1924, 56 years in the United States, is worthy of much reflection, since its principles can be extended to the current conflict, and most any others that have or will occur, anywhere. I quote his exact words, with no editing: Remember, this is from an ethnic German, relating events that probably happened over 100 years before his letter, 56 years after he left his homeland, and perhaps 40 years before his birth.

"...I will never forget how, each year on slaughter day [likely in 1850s and 60s], as we cut the fat pigs and cows apart, dear grandmother would say if only the dear Lord will let us eat it in peace and good health, and then, each time, she would tell how the French took everything of hers, in addition to all of the oppression they had to endure, and dear grandfather would tell how the French and the Russians took him and his father with their horses and wagon to drive under orders for weeks and, how the horses couldn't go anymore, and how they were then whipped and left by the wayside to die and [their] homestead had been their lawful property but was taken away by the French, no wonder that my father left his home with his sons [including the letter writer, to come to the United States]. France's history has always been full of war and revolution for the last three hundred years and Germany was always the oppressed, if they will ever become peaceful...."

(The translator of this letter wrote a footnote: "While this is a very long sentence, there was a great deal of emotion expressed in its length and style and I felt that it was important to leave it exactly as the writer had written it.")

Human beings unfortunately live through the interpretation of words, and the resulting stories that are created which last and last and last and cross generations. Heinrich's letter is only one example. Note carefully, how carefully Heinrich carried the story of his ancestors. He is like us. War does not eliminate or neutralize evil. It only perpetuates it. We need a different story. (I wonder what Heinrich would think if he knew one of his kin -- me -- was half French?)

Dick Bernard, 6905 Romeo Road, Woodbury, MN 55125-2421, 651-730-4849, A friend of ECAPC.