During my first holidays away from home, an Air Force major and his wife invited some newly minted airmen to their home for a pre-Christmas dinner.
Two dozen of us had just arrived after Basic Training for one year of school at the Defense Language Institute. Because we were all so new we couldn’t take leave, instead finding ourselves in empty barracks. The major’s wife asked each of us to share how we and our families traditionally celebrated Christmas.
The only Jewish person at the table, I went back and forth in my mind about how I would respond during my turn. Honesty being best, I said “My parents and I always went out to a movie and then had Chinese food.”
That is, of course, the quintessential way many members of my tribe spent Christmas given that most other restaurants were closed on Christmas day, which prompted San Francisco comedian Lisa Geldudig to create Kung Pao Kosher Comedy 31 years ago. I’ve been lucky enough to have gotten tickets to the dinner show and can tell you that it is a joy to attend! Go to koshercomedy.com to see the lineup for this year’s shows. Given the state of the nation and world it would be good to take some time out to laugh.
Our nation faced a terrible situation during my early days in the Air Force, with 52 American hostages being held in Iran. Needing to march a group of airmen to an appointment across base I had made up a cadence chant that got me into trouble.
With marchers repeating every stanza, it went: “Hey Ayatollah — I hope you can relate to — the sight of combat boots — cuz when we come to your place — we’re gonna stomp on you.”
We got stopped by a military police team who asked us who made up the chant. I said it was me and they said “The president doesn’t want you using language like that. Cut it out.”
That was President Jimmy Carter they were talking about. He was later replaced by President Ronald Reagan who, I’m just guessing, would have approved of my chant. I, however, have learned a lot over the years about the realities of war and how it is rarely the leaders who suffer the consequences of their deeds, but mostly the troops and innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of powerful people and nations.
Today, for the most part, our troops are not actively engaged in combat and for that I am very grateful. Of course we’re still technically at war with North Korea and our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers, fathers, relatives and friends of all stripes serving in our armed forces are in harm’s way all across the planet and I give thanks for their service, defending the United States of America 24/7. I am always moved by President Biden’s closing remarks at most formal occasions, “May God protect our troops.”
As we approach another Christmas during yet another hostage crisis, I pray for the safe release of all the hostages held by Hamas. I pray for all the Israelis and Palestinians who have lost loved ones, have been gravely wounded, who live in constant fear and have endured trauma that may never heal. I pray for the people of Ukraine, who have endured nearly two years of brutal attacks and the Russian conscripts forced to carry out this war. I pray for Ethiopia, Sudan, Syria and every other spot on the planet where violence is their daily bread.
Most fervently, I pray that leaders across this planet find a way to steer us toward a less violent future. The attitude I had about Iranians during my early military days was wrong. The attitude I had about North Koreans and the political complexities of Korea during most of my years as a linguist was wrong. As a civilian I learned what it was like to be the target of such attitudes from a woman who had been raped by soldiers in El Salvador, from her husband who had been tortured, from a couple who fled from death squads, from children and families whose lives were destroyed by American bombs in Afghanistan, from an Israeli and Palestinian mother each grieving the loss of a child, and from American troops who were both victims of and perpetrators of violence. No matter how “honorable” the cause, violence eats away at our humanity and usually begets more violence.
All I can do today is remind myself that the 19-year-old cheering on violence was wrong, lament all acts of senseless violence, and continue in the struggle to build peace anywhere and everywhere I can. May this season bring us a step closer to real peace on Earth.
Craig Wiesner is the co-owner of Reach And Teach, a book, toy and cultural gift shop on San Carlos Avenue in San Carlos.
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(5) comments
Your story reminds me that I was in boot camp in Norway during the Cuban crises, which was kind of exciting for us young recruits, since we have a common border with Russia way up North, a border I had actually been to, as a 10-year-old. In our excitement, the sergeant cooled us down by assuring us that we wouldn’t be sent out until everybody else had been killed. For one thing, we had to learn to salute properly first! What a downer, besides somewhat comforting, - once we thought about it.
Btw.: Let me also add, that back where I came from, Xmas, or “Jul” as we call it, is neutral and pretty non-religious, as it was way back before the Christians high-jacked this old, pagan holiday. It is all-inclusive, leaving no one feeling outside, and you can safely greet any stranger you pass on the street with a “Happy Yuletide”, and get a smile and the same in return. That’s the way it should be, not an opportunity to emphasize our imaginary differences.
Then Happy Yuletide Jorg!!!!
Mr. Wiesner, prayer is a start, but how about a few concrete practices in steering us toward a less violent future? On the domestic front, let’s enforce our borders, enforce law and order, and reduce the flow of drugs into America. Locally, stop releasing criminals back into the Bay Area wild. On the international front, perhaps nations can begin adopting Israel’s approach against terrorism. Wasn’t it Ronald Reagan who used the phrase “peace through strength”? I’d say we adopt that approach, again.
Thank you, Craig, for another thoughtful, enlightened column. President Eisenhower often spoke of war as a failure to achieve a just peace in this world. In 1958, for example, he spoke these words: "In vast stretches of the earth, men awoke today in hunger. They will spend the day in unceasing toil. And as the sun goes down they will still know hunger. They will see suffering in the eyes of their children. Many despair that their labor will ever decently shelter their families or protect them against disease. So long as this is so, peace and freedom will be in danger throughout our world. For wherever free men lose hope of progress, liberty will be weakened and the seeds of conflict will be sown." The more wealth and effort we commit to fighting wars, the fewer resources we have for building a lasting peace. May we find the wisdom to fulfill your prayers for peace.
Eisenhower would probably have approved of the bumper sticker phrase "No Justice No Peace." Thanks!!
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