A More Hopeful Path: Working for Peace in a World at War

The following is adapted from remarks given November 9, 2024, at the quarterly peace vigil in Washington, DC, sponsored by the Consistent Life Network. We are here today to witness for peace and for the protection of human life. We are here today to oppose the greatest threat to peace and human life in our … Continue reading A More Hopeful Path: Working for Peace in a World at War →

The Costs of an Unwinnable War: One Year after October 7

The violence in the Middle East sparked on October 7, 2023, has now continued for a year and shows little sign of ending. The Israeli military assault on Gaza, initially begun in response to the Hamas attacks in Israel that killed 767 civilians and 376 security personnel, continues to wreak devastation on Palestinians in Gaza.[1] … Continue reading The Costs of an Unwinnable War: One Year after October 7 →

The Consistent Life Ethic and the Problem of Selective Concern about Injustice

A recent op-ed in the New York Times reminded me of how policymakers, journalists, and activists can be selective in the injustices they pay attention to and how this selectivity can attract criticism. How useful is this criticism, and what can we learn from it? I think criticism of such selectivity can be worthwhile and … Continue reading The Consistent Life Ethic and the Problem of Selective Concern about Injustice →

“The Single Largest Humanitarian Crisis on the Planet”: Sudan’s Fall into the Abyss

Although the Ukraine-Russia war and the Gaza war have dominated the news, other countries have been suffering violent conflicts recently. In this and other pieces, I highlight contemporary wars and other conflicts that are too often overlooked. The civil war that broke out in Sudan in 2023 still rages in the summer of 2024. The … Continue reading “The Single Largest Humanitarian Crisis on the Planet”: Sudan’s Fall into the Abyss →

Apocalypse Imagined: The Urgent Message of “Nuclear War: A Scenario”

Among the recent signs of renewed attention in the United States to the threat from nuclear weapons, perhaps the most important is the book Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen.[1] Published in early 2024, the book was a New York Times best-seller for several weeks and the focus of a well-attended webinar organized by … Continue reading Apocalypse Imagined: The Urgent Message of “Nuclear War: A Scenario” →

A Slim but Real Chance for Peace: Seeking a Diplomatic Solution to the Ukraine War

Russian President Vladimir Putin may be interested in pursuing a cease-fire in the Ukraine war, Reuters reported in late May. According to sources close to Putin, he is willing to stop the fighting and maintain the current frontlines between Ukrainian and Russian forces. As one source reportedly said, “Putin can fight for as long as … Continue reading A Slim but Real Chance for Peace: Seeking a Diplomatic Solution to the Ukraine War →

Crackdown on Campus: The Harsh Response to Pro-Palestinian Protests

The Gaza war continues to make itself felt in the United States, most notably in a wave of protests and confrontations across American college and university campuses this spring. Campus protests on behalf of the Palestinians and in opposition to Israel grew dramatically last fall after the October 7 attacks and subsequent Israeli campaign against … Continue reading Crackdown on Campus: The Harsh Response to Pro-Palestinian Protests →

“A Tragedy Beyond Words”: The Devastating Effects of the Gaza War

More than seven months after the October 7 terrorist attacks, the Israeli war in Gaza grinds on, with no clear end in sight. The war’s most likely near-term outcomes are a continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and possibly a wider war in the Middle East. An end to the war and efforts to remedy the … Continue reading “A Tragedy Beyond Words”: The Devastating Effects of the Gaza War →

Are We Finally Waking Up? Signs of a New Awareness of the Nuclear Threat

Nuclear weapons have threatened humanity’s survival for almost 80 years. During the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, the nuclear threat received substantial attention and inspired significant anti-nuclear activism, such as the June 1982 rally against nuclear weapons in New York City that drew roughly 1 million people.[1] In the 21st … Continue reading Are We Finally Waking Up? Signs of a New Awareness of the Nuclear Threat →

Linked Threats to Humanity: How Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change Are Connected

Among the threats to human life, nuclear weapons and climate change pose dangers that set them apart from many others. Nuclear weapons and climate change not only can kill people but can radically alter the planet in devastating ways. They can both kill and hurt people in the present and change our world in ways … Continue reading Linked Threats to Humanity: How Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change Are Connected →