The only way to solve a conflict at any level of society is to sit down face to face and talk about it.
John W. McDonald
America's Peacemakers Trailer
America’s Peacemakers
The way in which a nation’s story is told – the parts of its history that are repeated, taught to school children and committed to memory – contributes significantly to the self-understanding and shared aspirations of that nation’s people.
If we base our view on the evening news, it might appear that the history of the United States is the history of discord and war.
But throughout the history of America, there has been another ever-present and profound dynamic – often overlooked – the story of Americans living and working in peace.
America’s Peacemakers™ are stories of ordinary U.S. citizens, public officials, religious leaders, mediators and treaty negotiators. They include the full range of Americans who have acted for peace – some in ongoing ways, others only at particular moments during the course of their personal and professional lives. Where possible, these stories recount their ideals, their vision, their values – in their own words – that we might remember their efforts, learn from their experiences and be inspired by their examples.
These are stories of Americans, their vision, their challenges and insights, that we might be inspired to create a more perfect union and a more peaceful world.
Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.
Martin Luther King, Jr.(1928 – 1968)