Peace may yet prevail (From Penarth Times)

Peace may yet prevail

I NOTE, from this week's issue, that Philip Kingston, of Penarth, took part in an important demonstration at a military base near London last weekend and was, according to your news report, one of 50 people arrested for obstructing the entrance to the base.

As far as I understand Philip's ideas about war and peace, I would share them, which is what I said to him on the three most recent occasions that our paths crossed.

Since his protests were entirely peaceful and not unnecessarily provocative in any way, even at a verbal level, his token conflict with the law seems a necessary part of his opposition to what may be an unjust and unnecessary war.

The evils of temporary and purely symbolic obstruction would fall into insignificance compared with the undoubted major evils of a huge military conflict in the Middle East which is not absolutely necessary, and universally agreed by the UN Security Council through a fresh resolution.

I do not feel that I have the energy, nor even the strength of character or necessary resolve, to put my head above the parapet as overtly as Philip would appear to have done.

But I would think that others, who are not activists in that sense, might well admire this serious and principled campaign in its varied manifestations.

Well done Philip, and good luck on your imminent magistrates court appearance in Hertfordshire on February 4.

I would invite others who share these views to express them in some way, not necessarily by way of a letter to the Penarth Times, but this is one obvious option.

Letter writing to the press is the sole form of campaigning that I could claim to have done.

And some might be cynical about the real efficiency of such soft campaigning, compared with the more confrontational, but it is still a peaceful and dignified form of direct action.

Michael O'Neill Railway Terrace Penarth