Speech prophetic
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Editor,
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s prophetic words in a 1961 speech at Michigan State University: “This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence - economic, political, even spiritual - is felt in every city, every state house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved, so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”
Well, in the ensuing 53 years we have most certainly not guarded against acquiring unwarranted influence with our military might and weaponry. Greed, lust for power, fear and anger, a punishment mentality; ignorance of the so-called enemy, and lying to the American public by our leaders has all led to where we are today with the growth of international terrorist movements and the untenable position of convincing the world that military might and sophisticated weaponry will solve most any problem.
When a world of human beings falls into the mindset of thinking that true strength is in retaliation with “weapons of war” rather than empowering diplomacy and “persistence toward peace,” we have the disastrous rise of misplaced power persisting, a misplaced power of which Dwight Eisenhower so wisely warned 53 years ago.
Obviously, there are many seeming logical and sensible arguments against what I have just written. And most all of these arguments simply prove, once again, the whole thesis of this letter which points to the mindset we humans have fallen into.
This all makes for interesting debate and is clearly relevant to the spiritual aspect of which Gen. Eisenhower spoke that evening at MSU in 1961.
Bob McClellan
Polson
