On April 18, 2003--three days after the U.S. government declared the war in Iraq to be "effectively over"--MESJ participated in a peace teach-in at the University of Utah. At the teach-in, MESJ member and University of Utah professor Bonnie Tyler read these remarks.

During the past week, I have been asked on several occasions why, given the dramatic progress of the war, are we still opposed to war and working for peace. For the next few minutes I would like to address this question. Why is now the time to build the peace movement? For me as a Latter-day Saint, there is a very simple answer. My scriptures command that we are to "renounce war and proclaim peace" (D&C 98:16). During the most recent General Conference, the Prophet who leads my church has said that in these perilous times we should "give our opinions on the merits of the situation as we see it"; that we should "hope and pray for that glorious day foretold by the prophet Isaiah when men 'shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more' "; and that we should be among those "who long for peace, who teach peace, [and] who work for peace" (Ensign [May 2003]: 78-81).

In the previous General Conference, Elder Nelson, one of our Apostles, said that "because of the long history of hostility upon the earth, many feel that peace is beyond hope. I disagree. Peace is possible. We can learn to love our fellow human beings throughout the world. Whether they be Jewish, Islamic, or fellow Christians, whether Hindu, Buddhist, or other, we can live together with mutual admiration and respect, without forsaking our religious convictions." Elder Nelson also taught us that "as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, what does the Lord expect of us? As a Church, we must 'renounce war and proclaim peace.' As individuals, we should 'follow after the things which make for peace' " (Ensign [Nov. 2002]: 39-41).

For those of you who do not share my faith and for whom the words in my scriptures and spoken by my religious leaders bear no weight, I would like to give a more specific answer. If we do not continue to work for peace in all times, and in all places, and particularly today--peace will not be possible.

Those who support war have asked me on many occasions how I would have responded to Adolph Hitler. This is not an easy question to answer because I believe that by the end of 1940, when the US entered World War II, there was likely no other way to stop Hitler and his evil designs other than armed conflict. But that does not mean that I believe that war with Hitler was necessary. Long before 1940, there were many non-violent things which could have been done to avoid Wordl War II. The US could have supported and participated in the League of Nations, building a international forum where discussions could be held, grievances could be heard, and assurances could be given that all peoples would be treated justly. The treaty ending World War I could have been based on just principles for all peoples rather than punishing the losers and rewarding the victors and their friends. Discussion, education, openness, and cooperation could have reduced the racism, nationalism, and anti-Semitism which were part of this war. Efforts could have been made to ensure economic justice for the common people of Germany and the world. Efforts could have been made to ensure that skilled people willing and able to work would not be deprived of a fair wage and the necessities of life. If we wait until war is imminent to work for peace, we have little hope of ever achieving the peace and liberty which all of us desire.

Ed Firmage once said, "No dispute is finally solved by violence. The underlying cause usually remains, simply exacerbated by the evil progeny spawned by war: hatred of our brothers and sisters, as if they were somehow fundamentally different from ourselves; the teaching and glorification of violence; lust; ignorance; propaganda; and suffering, starvation, disease, and death" (BYU Studies 25 [Winter 1985]: 40).

Today, as the war in Iraq appears to be drawing to an end, we are faced with a humanitarian crisis which is as critical to future peace as the building of weapons and arms, as dangerous to humanity as declarations of war and firing of missiles. Baghdad on Wednesday night was a city without law, order or electricity. Intermittent small arms fire was heard as people fought off robbers from their barricaded homes. The lives of a million Iraqi children are at risk due to malnutrition, contaminated water, and collapse of medical services. Although there was rejoicing in the streets of Baghdad over the fall of Saddam, thousands are now marching in protest of the US troops and the feared long-term occupation of Iraq. In the coming months, the world will face great difficulties in the rebuilding of Iraq. The historic schisms between the Kurdish, Shi'ite, and Sunni communities, compounded by the deprivations of war, fear of US imperialism, skepticism over US motives, and hostility between traditional allies will make achievement of our shared goals of a self-governing, sovereign, stable, free and just Iraq an arduous challenge. This task will require the labor, cooperation, goodwill, and imagination of all global citizens who share the dream of a peaceful world where the human rights of all are respected.

At the end of World War I, the US people--commited to peace and justice--took a break from the work. As a result, the treaties that ended that war were founded on lies, perpetuated injustice, rewarded the victors, and punished the losers. Ironically, that war was marketed as a war to end all wars. In the end, because of the foolish mistakes made not during the war, but in building the peace that followed the war, World War I has been a key factor contributing to every major war since that time, including the current conflicts in the Middle East. If we learn the lessons of history, then we must conclude that now, as the war is ending, is the most important time for the peace movement. It is now that we must work hardest to eliminate the underlying causes of war. We must work now to ensure that a just and lasting peace is established in Iraq. We must unveil the propaganda that leads us to believe that wars can be waged without enormous cost to humanity, that wars can be "clean" and "compassionate." We must work to ensure that the voices of all, throughout the world, are heard and respected. We must work now to eliminate the hatred and pride that allow us to believe that our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world are somehow fundamentally different than ourselves, that they are less deserving than we are of human rights, dignity, material goods, and the chance to become a great people.

In this context, as citizens of the United States, we must call upon our President, George W. Bush, and all government leaders to demonstrate their commitment to democracy in Iraq and throughout the world, by inviting all peoples and governments to participate as equal partners in the rebuilding of Iraq. We must not make claim to any rights or privileges as victors in this war; rather we must step back and become one voice, equal with all others in the world community. We must demand that our leaders put aside partisan politics and selfish agendas and strive to include the contributions of all in the plans and efforts to rebuild Iraq. In particular, we must demand that our government include all Iraqi factions, all US factions, the Arab league, and the full United Nations in this process. To do so is the essence of democracy, and by graciously inviting all to participate as equals in molding the future of Iraq and the world, the United States will be demonstrating its commitment to democracy and world peace.