by Camillo Mac Bica
Many march to remember, others to forget.
But for those who truly know war,
no parade is necessary to remind us,
as the memories and the faces of the dead and the dying
are with us each day of our lives.
Nor does marching in a parade
enable us to put to rest the turmoil
of a life interrupted and devastated by war
. . . or to forget the dying and the killing.
Parades accomplish nothing
save to allow those who make war easily
or ignore completely its insanity and horror
to feign support and appreciation
and to relieve their collective guilt
for their complicity and support
for immoral war and crimes against humanity.
Marching in a parade
neither educates nor informs.
Rather it celebrates and perpetuates
the myth of honor and glory,
and “The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.”
. . . I will march no more.
Camillo Mac Bica, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy and ethics at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His philosophical focus is in Applied Ethics, particularly the relation between war, morality, and healing. Dr. Bica is a former the United States Marine Corps Officer and veteran of the Vietnam War. He is a long-time activist for peace and justice, a member of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and Coordinator of the Long Island Chapter of Veterans for Peace. Dr. Bica serves on the National Advisory Board of the “Soul Repair” Center, a research and educational center whose primary mission is to the further understand and treatment of Moral Injury experienced by soldiers returning from war. In addition to his two books “Worthy of Gratitude: Why Veterans May Not Want to be Thanked For Their “Service” in War;“ and “Beyond PTSD: The Moral Casualties of War,” articles by Dr. Bica have been published in numerous philosophical journals and online alternative news sites.
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