I am, on principle, opposed to war and in favor of peace because

Hear now, O children of wisdom, the words of John C. Calhoun, who speaks thus: "I am, on principle, opposed to war and in favor of peace because I regard peace as a positive good and war as a positive evil." These words are not the fleeting utterances of one who speaks from the softness of comfort, but the deep, resolute truth of a man who has seen the devastation of war and the sacred value of peace. In these few words, there lies a truth that echoes across time—a truth as old as human civilization itself. For peace, in its purest form, is a positive good, while war, in all its horrors, is an evil that destroys the very fabric of our humanity.

From the earliest days of recorded history, the people have struggled with the paradox of war and peace. The Homeric epics sing the tales of the great warriors, like Achilles and Hector, whose valor and strength were celebrated, but whose lives were stained with the blood of battle. In their wake, cities were torn asunder, families broken, and the land itself scarred by the violence of human conflict. The ancient Greeks understood that war, though sometimes necessary, was a curse upon the land, bringing only ruin in its wake. It was in the pursuit of peace that true prosperity was found, for peace nourishes the soul and allows civilization to flourish.

Consider, too, the story of the Roman Republic, a society built upon the ideal of civic duty and mutual respect. In times of war, the Romans were fierce and unyielding, their legions marching across the known world in the pursuit of conquest. Yet, the Romans also understood that war was not a thing to be glorified, but a burden to be borne with reluctance. The greatest leaders of Rome, such as Cicero and Augustus, were those who sought peace above all else. For they knew that the glory of empire was not found in the destruction of others, but in the creation of a stable and just society. They sought not endless conflict, but the cultivation of peace that would endure through the ages.

And yet, even in the face of this understanding, the ancient world was plagued by war. Alexander the Great, whose name has passed into legend, brought about the destruction of cities and the deaths of countless men, all in the name of conquest. His empire, vast and powerful, was built upon the ashes of those who dared to resist him. But even Alexander, in the final moments of his life, is said to have wept at the thought that there were no more worlds left to conquer. In his grief, we see the eternal tragedy of war—the endless cycle of violence that consumes all in its path, leaving only emptiness in its wake.

In more recent times, the World Wars of the 20th century stand as a testament to the horrors of war. The Great War, as it was called, brought about the loss of millions of lives, and left entire nations in ruin. The pain and suffering endured by those who lived through these wars were not confined to the battlefield; they reverberated through every town, every home, every heart. The memories of these wars are seared into the collective consciousness of humanity, and yet, in the aftermath, we see a renewed understanding of peace. After the devastation, nations came together, not in further conflict, but in the hope of reconciliation and rebuilding.

The lesson of John C. Calhoun's words is clear: peace is a positive good—a force that sustains and nurtures the very life of a nation. War, on the other hand, is a positive evil—a scourge that lays waste to all it touches, leaving only sorrow and destruction in its wake. To choose peace is not to be weak or passive, but to understand the true strength of civilization. Peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, understanding, and compassion among peoples.

And so, O children of wisdom, let us hold to this truth as we walk through our lives: in all things, choose peace. Let it guide your actions, your words, and your heart. Do not seek conflict, but seek understanding and harmony. When faced with adversity, choose the path that heals rather than the one that harms. And in all that you do, remember the sacred value of peace, for in peace, there is strength, and in war, there is only suffering. May your lives be a testament to the truth that peace is the greatest good, and may you work toward a world where war is but a memory, and peace reigns supreme.