Remembering War

Script for Veterans Day/Remembrance Day or for discussions on war. War is not to be glorified, amd there is nothing good about war, even though it is sometimes, as a last resort, something we can not escape.

Discussions on war, for Veterans Day/Remembrance Day.

War is not to be glorified, and there is nothing good about war, even though it is sometimes, as a last resort, something we can not escape. Awful and unpleasant though it is, war, as a last resort may well be something we who value our freedoms and democracies have to prepare for when negotiations fail.

Cast: 2 m or f

Bible Reference: James 5:13

Set: standard

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props: none

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions: none

Time: 5

As drama open 2 comes on stage, mimes watching a parade go by, salutes.
1 comes on stage just as “parade is leaving”.

1: Parade in town?

2: Yes, Remembrance (Veterans) Day parade.

1: Oh, right! This is the one where old guys get dressed up in uniforms that
no longer fit, pin on pieces of cloth and brass, and swap stories about
“over there”, right?

2: I guess there is some of that, yes. But really it goes much deeper than that.
It is a time when we remember the wars that this country have fought in.

1: Remember war? Why would we want to remember war? Are we trying to
glorify, worship, praise war? Tell me one thing about war that is so
praiseworthy.

2: Praiseworthy? There is nothing in war that is ever to be praised, glorified,
worshipped.

1: Then why do we do it? Why do we allow this kind of spectacle to go
ahead?

2: Spectacle? No, I don’t think so. Seems to me that spectacles are happy
times, times with a lot of noise and shouting. Look at the people
marching, see many smiles, see anyone looking particularly happy?

1: Well, no, everyone seems kind of quiet.

2: These people are remembering. Remembering the horrors of war.

1: Horror?

2: Yes, horror. Most of the people in that parade lost friends and family to
the horror of war

1: So then why are these the very same people who are hot to trot in getting
us involved in yet another war? I mean, haven’t they learned anything?
Surely they have learned that war settles nothing, proves nothing. War
only starts more war.

2: War is something that every sane person wants, in their heart of hearts, to
avoid.

1: Then why not avoid it? Surely we should have learned by now that sane
discussion will always bring better results than armed conflict.

2: Sane discussion is the only route we want to take, but there comes a time
when discussion fails, and when force, much as we must hate it, is the
only course left in stopping those who would destroy the freedom of
others.

1: So, you are saying that the bad guys are always bad and we, the good
guys, are always right? You are saying that the bad guys have never been
wronged, that they have no good reason for the actions they are taking
now? No two sides to the story at all, a neat little package with us, the
good guys wearing the white hats, right prevailing. Very convenient for
us!