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An Open Letter to the President

[caption id="attachment_3477" align="alignright" width="200"] Blog by Sr. Cathy Arnold, OP[/caption] Catherine Arnold, OP Dominican Sisters of Peace: Sisters and Associates in Mission 1314 W Market St Akron, OH  44313 September 20, 2017 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Trump, Would you like to be known as the US President who accomplishes for our country and for the world what has never been accomplished?  As the President who helps facilitate peace with  the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) after more than a half century of hostility? If so, do what you can to peacefully resolve the current situation with North Korea without the use of violence.  The current Ken Burns and Lynn Novick documentary on the Vietnam War gives us all the evidence we need to do all we can to prevent further loss of life and destruction of Earth in every part of the world.  No Republican, no Democrat, or Independent, no one from South Korea, Japan, Guam, North Korea, China, or the United States wants to see their sons or daughters, wives or husbands, brothers or sisters killed in a battle with North Korea.  Think of the gift you would give the world. 1)   Please consider inviting to Washington all the best thinkers on active nonviolent social change, along with our military leaders, plus experts and persons from North Korea and Asian cultures, and ask them to create a variety of strategies that lead to peaceful resolutions in which no one loses face.  Often non-violent social change is accomplished by the oppressed standing firmly against the oppressor.  In this case, the leaders and people of North Korea might think of themselves as the oppressed.  Whether they or we are the oppressed, we would all benefit greatly from a nonviolent resolution.  Nonviolence has been shown to bring about the longest lasting resolutions to conflict and in establishing working democracies.  Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan.  https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/road-peace/facts-are-nonviolent-resistance-works 2)   Consider inviting every university or college that has majors in the study of peace and nonviolent social change to engage this dilemma in their classes and in think tanks. Have them submit their ideas to the task force.  Have a contest! 3)   In addition, what contributions could the business world bring to this discussion?  Not the business world of creating more weapons, likely leading to more violence, but the business world of creating opportunities for meaningful employment and an improved quality of life for people in North Korea and around the world. As a country, we developed nuclear weapons and put a man on the moon. If our best minds can accomplish such tasks, let us put our best minds together to resolve peacefully a win-win for the US, North Korea, the Earth, and all peoples of the world.  Let us create viable and long lasting strategies without using weapons of any kind, especially nuclear weapons.  I encourage you to see what creative possible ideas will arise, and put them into action. With successful use of non-violent strategies, you could be remembered in history as an innovative President in whom people could be grateful and proud. Peace, Sister Catherine Arnold, OP

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