Ron Paul's Conflicted View Of War

Twitter was all a twitter when Ron Paul tweeted about  former SEAL and sniper Chris Kyle's death saying, "Chris Kyle's death seems to confirm that 'he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.' Treating PTSD at a firing range doesn't make sense."

First, I must agree that treating a former soldier suffering with PTSD  at a firing range doesn't make sense! That doesn't make anyone "anti-gun".  It's just common sense.

That being said, if Mr. Paul were anyone else I doubt such a fuss would have been made but rather dismissed except for the rabid few.  He then went to Facebook to clarify what he meant and didn't do well there either with this,  "Unconstitutional  and unnecessary wars have endless unintended consequences.  A policy of non-violence, as Christ preached, would have prevented this and similar tragedies."

Our current President is doing his best to promote a non-violent war policy.  Were it realistic I'd be thrilled.  But it isn't.  In order to have peace no one must to be willing to wage war. You see how well that's working as war, as we speak, is overflowing from the Middle East into North Africa and beyond. Regardless of what Christ, Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. preached, non-violence does not seem to be in the human DNA.

I do understand, however, where Mr. Paul is coming from.  Violence begets violence.  It does.  Just look at the headlines.  I've listened to some veterans saying he is insulting every man and woman who wears the uniform.  I think not. He's decrying war and it's never ending effects.

He is a veteran, he knows about war and he hates it.  I dare say every one of those men and women in uniform also hate it. As should we all.  Not only for what it does to our own people, but also the innocents who are caught up in it through no fault of their own other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

That Mr. Kyle  and his friend had their lives snuffed out in such a manner is truly tragic.  It's also tragic that the shooter was also a military man.  It's also tragic that we need men of such character to put their lives on the line for us; that the world is such that it's necessary. Be thankful that we have such men ~ and women.

It's difficult to express what is truly in your heart in 140 characters and perhaps Mr. Paul would have done better rearranging his wording.  I have no doubt his sympathy toward the families of the deceased is genuine.  What he hates is the fact that they are deceased and the reason why is a consequence of war.  I find no fault in that.