Shouldn’t September, of all months, be a month for not-war? For staying the hand of violence? For a respite from the spilling of blood?
September, when children return to school, running down hallways chased by the voices of cautioning teachers . . .
September, when planes became weapons and towers fell and people jumped to their own deaths rather than face the violence any longer . . .
September, when in the north, the air turns to the perfect blend of sunshining days and chill nights . . .
September, when in the United States we begin by celebrating laboring men and women and the changes to the good they have brought to all humanity . . .
September, the month of the International Day of Peace . . .
September, when the autumnal equinox bestows the sun’s light equally upon the north and south of the world for one of only two days a year as we of the world share the sunlight and the night equally with each other . . .
September, when at its beginning on an early morning in Poland World War II was begun . . .
September, when the then-USSR agreed to send weapons to Cuba, precipitating the Cuban Missile Crisis (or leading to the withdrawal of US missiles from Turkey, depending on your point of view) . . .
September, when Frederick Douglass began his escape from slavery . . .
September, when The Blitz began . . .
September, when Desmond Tutu became the first black head of South African Anglicans . . .
September, when the blockade of Leningrad began (ending in the deaths of almost one million people) . . .
September, when Steven Biko died . . .
September, when Napoleon first entered Moscow . . .
September, when the Phalangists slaughtered Palestinian refugees in Beirut . . .
September, when the Norman conquest began . . .
September, when the Babi Yar massacre of more than 30,000 Jews near Kiev was done . . .
Hasn’t September done enough already for the cause of war, violence and death?
September, when children return to school, running down hallways chased by the voices of cautioning teachers . . .
September, when planes became weapons and towers fell and people jumped to their own deaths rather than face the violence any longer . . .
September, when in the north, the air turns to the perfect blend of sunshining days and chill nights . . .
September, when in the United States we begin by celebrating laboring men and women and the changes to the good they have brought to all humanity . . .
September, the month of the International Day of Peace . . .
September, when the autumnal equinox bestows the sun’s light equally upon the north and south of the world for one of only two days a year as we of the world share the sunlight and the night equally with each other . . .
September, when at its beginning on an early morning in Poland World War II was begun . . .
September, when the then-USSR agreed to send weapons to Cuba, precipitating the Cuban Missile Crisis (or leading to the withdrawal of US missiles from Turkey, depending on your point of view) . . .
September, when Frederick Douglass began his escape from slavery . . .
September, when The Blitz began . . .
September, when Desmond Tutu became the first black head of South African Anglicans . . .
September, when the blockade of Leningrad began (ending in the deaths of almost one million people) . . .
September, when Steven Biko died . . .
September, when Napoleon first entered Moscow . . .
September, when the Phalangists slaughtered Palestinian refugees in Beirut . . .
September, when the Norman conquest began . . .
September, when the Babi Yar massacre of more than 30,000 Jews near Kiev was done . . .
Hasn’t September done enough already for the cause of war, violence and death?
