Damned are the peacemakers

A political correctness controversy has erupted in my town. Some people think political correctness is only a liberal thing. But conservative-instigated political correctness is quite obviously in the ascendancy in America right now.

A little background on the local situation.

There's a Civil War monument in the middle of my city's downtown. For the last few years, a military veteran stood at the monument every afternoon for an hour or so with a large sign that read 'Support The Troops.'

He did so pretty much every day, no matter how hideous the weather. Anyone who tried to engage him in politics was told something to the effect, "I'm not here to support the war or the president, just the troops"... though I don't remember seeing him out there before the anti-Iraq war rallies began.

In fairness, however, there's part of me that admires the fact that, while some people just slap a sticker on their car, he's out there every single day, even in terrible weather. He even travels down to the Albany airport to welcome home returning soldiers. Or he did anyways. He was given a job in Washington as some sort of liaison support for soldiers. He seems like a good man for that job. He has a name but everyone around know knows him as the Support The Troops Guy.

In any case, the PTA at a neighborhood elementary school commissioned Esmond Lyons, a local artist, to paint a mural on one of the school's walls. The man, who's an acquaintance of mine, painted a large panorama of the city.

In the middle of town, he painted the Civil War monument with a small figure holding a tiny sign that read 'Blessed are the Peacemakers.'

You'd think all he'd painted 'Heil Hitler' or 'Viva Osama.'

The PTA attacked the mural and demanded he paint another slogan or paint over the slogan. The artist said he'd prefer to destroy the mural and return the money rather than change it because of political jingoism.

One of the PTA's co-presidents objected to 'Blessed are the peacemakers' on the grounds that it was political yet said, “I feel that ‘Support Our Troops’ is pretty neutral, and doesn’t express support for the war or against it."

I thought I was living in a parallel universe when I read this.

It's incomprehensible how any person could simulatenously see 'Support our troops' as neutral yet 'Blessed are the peacemakers' as political. Either they are both neutral or both political.

The PTA co-president went further. "But the reality is, there are people who are fighting for our country and many are paying the ultimate price -- by refusing to acknowledge them, you are nullifying their importance."

Her last sentiment is both wrong and insulting. Every job has importance in our society. By honoring one group, the artist is in no way 'refusing to acknowledge' any other. It's selfish to say that ONLY the military deserves to be honored. And sad.

Does the PTA want to tell kids that doctors, teachers and firemen aren't valuable, lest it diminish what the troops are doing? Are these parents sending the message to kids that there is no honorable profession other than soldiering?

Yes, we have soldiers abroad risking their lives. They get honored on a daily basis in this country. And you hear few objections to this, even from those who oppose the war. Most can distinguish between the sacrifices of the soldiers and the policies of the politicians. The son of a colleague of mine returned home from Iraq two days ago. He was welcomed home by a crowd of well-wishers. Not only by veterans, fire- and policemen, but also by friends, some of whom I know strongly objected to the Iraq invasion. But they know that the young man wasn't the one who ordered the invasion. They can differentiate between the personal and the political. They have no problem honoring him.

But is it really such a terrible thing that once, just once, we honor the peacemakers. Peacemakers who, when allowed to do their jobs, can prevent the our parents, siblings and children in the military from having to risk their lives in the first place? Can't peacemakers be shown gratitude for once without the politically correct throwing a conniption fit?

It's the PTA's mural and if they want to destroy the peacemakers then it's their prerogative, no matter how sadly symbolic that might be. But they should be ashamed of themselves. Their kids will be poorer for it.

Then again, if some in the area can object to a 'Peace on Earth' t-shirt at a local mall, then maybe it's not surprising that 'Blessed are the Peacemakers' causes so much inexplicable outrage.


Note: North Country Public Radio aired an interview with mural painter Esmond Lyons.