John Varoli: Whatever happened to the peace movement?

This was brought to my attention by one of my readers, and without further ado, I wanted to bring it to all the rest of my readers. Aside from my introduction, everything is brought to you as it appears on Mr. Varoli’s substack, which you can go to directly through following this linked text. Enjoy!

Whatever Happened to the Peace Movement?

Militarism rages across the U.S. and Europe. Governments call for more war with Russia. Don’t dare speak of compromise and peace. Only ‘Putin puppets’ want peace!

If you lived in the U.S. or Europe at any point between 1965 and 1990, then you’ll remember how the Peace movement was one of the most powerful social forces of those years.

The Peace movement came to prominence during the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, and even after that conflict ended in January 1973, it continued to call for nuclear disarmament and coexistence with Soviet Russia in the first half of the 1980s.

The Peace movement in the West had the full backing of major media, which often attacked those who doubted the movement’s motives and goals. Also, many influential intellectuals and powerful politicians, especially in the Democratic Party, vociferously supported the Peace and nuclear disarmament movements.

If you wanted to be accepted into fashionable, artistic and intellectual circles then you had to embrace both movements. Likewise, if you wanted to be accepted into a prestigious university, you had to get on board with the peace platform.

Anyone who questioned the Peace or nuclear disarmament movements ran the risk of being branded a “right-winger” and “fascist”. Likewise, liberals expressed admiration for the Soviet Union and said we had “to understand them”, even though Moscow and its allies were locked in a global war with NATO.

This is the environment that I grew up in. This issue was a point of contention with my girlfriend in the second half of the 1980s. We studied at an Ivy League university. She was a business major, from a liberal family. My major was Soviet/Russian Studies and U.S. Foreign Policy, and thus, I was obliged to ask hard questions about the Peace and anti-nuclear movements. But, as a liberal, she had all the answers and felt herself morally superior for embracing this platform. Russians were good back then.

Now, just to be clear, I don’t like to frame our society in terms of Conservative vs. Liberal, or Right vs. Left, or Democrat vs. Republican. In essence, the main battle line is the ruling elite, a small clique of psychopaths, on one side; while the rest of us try to make ends meet, care for our families and find meaning in life.

The elite wants to dominate us, suck the wealth out of society and concentrate power in its hands. They embark on grandiose and scam crusades, such as “Make the world safe for democracy” (ie. their political power and wealth); and in the process they pillage state coffers and strip us of our civil liberties and freedoms.

Going back to the Peace movement… fast forward to 2022 and the war in Ukraine. Just mention the words “Peace with Russia” publicly on social media. You’ll be pounced on and ripped to shreds by NATO’s troll army that promotes war and militarism.

Then there’s the recent incident in Melbourne, Australia that inspired me to write this column. It’s right out of the Spanish Inquisition. This summer Australian street artist Peter Seaton, (known as CTO), created a 25-foot high mural showing Ukrainian and Russian soldiers embracing. It was titled “Peace Before Pieces”. He said that the artwork advocated a “peaceful resolution” between the two warring countries.

Was Mr. Seaton praised by the liberal media and politicians? No, he was harassed and pressured to recant, and forced to destroy his ‘subversive’ art work. What was his hideous crime? He called for peace between Russians and Ukrainians. (top photo).

Seaton said he initially received positive feedback from the local art community, but as the artwork was publicly discussed it was deemed “offensive” to fragile Ukrainian sensibilities. Local Ukrainian extremists became enraged.

Liana Slipetsky, head of the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria said: “What will Ukrainian refugees think? …this is just like Russian propaganda.” Also, the Ukrainian ambassador called for the peace-promoting artwork to be destroyed. Of course, we must bow before Ukraine, which apparently now sets policy for the western world.

“I wanted to get behind a message of peace, that’s what I’m about,” Seaton said. At least the Inquisition didn’t burn him at the stake.

Let’s remember some indisputable facts: Ukraine’s far right radicals, backed by the Obama administration, came to power in a violent insurrection in winter 2014. The Russians of Crimea declared independence from Ukraine and quickly fell under Moscow’s protection. But Ukrainian nationalists began to slaughter ethnic Russians in the Donbas region of east Ukraine who wouldn’t accept the pro-NATO regime.

Attempts at total ethnic cleansing of the Russian-speaking population of Donbas were only prevented by Moscow’s limited intervention in summer 2014. And for those of you interested in international law, the United Nations grants every region the “right to self-determination” to secede from its mother country. So, if we took this matter to a fair court, then the Russians of Donbas and Crimea would easily win their case.

All of this took place after years of NATO’s eastward expansion, which planned to absorb Georgia and Ukraine, in order to threaten and intimidate Russia. NATO generals very well knew that such a policy would lead to war with Moscow. Senior U.S. diplomat George F. Kennan warned them in 1997, but they ignored him.

So, what has happened to the spirit of Peace among intellectuals and the media? Aren’t they supposed to be in the vanguard of ‘progressive’ movements for peace and mutual understanding. Well, today, the answer is clearly, No. Instead, they disparage anyone who champions Peace and reconciliation between Russians and Ukrainians.

Today, prominent western politicians, generals, intellectuals and journalists openly call for “dismembering Russia”; to destroy the country, to subjugate and terrorize the Russian people; much like what Hitler had planned. (And then they’re bewildered when the Kremlin cuts off the gas supply and makes other hostile moves).

All these 8 years (since 2014) while the NATO-armed Ukrainian military killed and besieged the ethnic Russians of Donbas, where was the Peace movement? Why didn’t it speak out against NATO militarism and Ukrainian nationalism? And where is it today when the war that Kennan predicted in 1997 has become a reality.

How ironic — at the very moment when we truly need the Peace movement, at the very moment when we totter on the brink of World War 3, few people dare to come forward and speak truth to power.

Folks, let’s put it this way — if you remain silent then you’re going to lose everything. Our entire planet could soon be turned into a scalding nuclear cauldron. Doesn’t that possibility alarm you? I hope so. It should scare the hell out of you.

We’re running out of time. Do we “Stand with Ukraine”? Of course! That’s why I call for negotiations and compromise to end this war. But even better, “Stand with Earth”. Everywhere you go, every chance you get, speak the message of peace. Your very life depends on it. The fate of the planet depends on it.