Peace must be dared

Yesterday, Bakewell Quakers (of which I am one) held their annual remembrance peace vigil. We stood in silence for one hour by the main pedestrian bridge over the river:

Fortunately it wasn't raining, because it meant there was a steady stream of tourists crossing over the bridge, and so we were seen. And a larger proportion of passers-by than usual took time to read our messages. Two tourists even took photographs. 

We usually have one banner - the one on the left, which says 

We remember all victims of war 
- civilians and soldiers.
 Let's all say NO to war.

there are a variety of slogans on the placards...

Arms are for hugging

Quakers for peace

People need bread not bombs

Our world needs YOU to say no to war


This time we also brought along the banner we had when Trump became president:

BRIDGES NOT WALLS

Speak peace not hate

because if we are to have peace in the future and the end of war, it will be by building bridges and not by erecting barbed wire fences.


As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said:

“There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared. It is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself.”