Earl Miller: Peace comes from creating community that is just

To The Daily Sun,

The topic and manner of many of the letters in the LDS appear to me to be about “us” and “them.” When writers do this, they seem to be very self-justified in their words.

We don’t seem to get any stronger sense of community when individual rights take president over any communal needs and concerns.

The discussion the State School property to help homeless people has raised many people’s emotions. Some say, “Deal with them in their own community.” Is the community the city, county, state, nation, or even the world community?

Would the community be larger if Laconia residents had cancer and wanted to go to Concord or Boston? For most it seems that it’s okay to expand the definition of community, if it benefits them personally.

A lack of community is seen as people go shopping without masks. The other day I thought, but would not say to a person who was not wearing mask nor gloves, “Who did you want to kill today?”

I would guess that those who do not wear masks and gloves do not realize how important it is to first responders and health care workers, all of whom are risking their lives to try to say people or they don’t care enough about others to give up a right.

I do have a problem with the governor not mandating that masks be warn when out in public. Some say it’s their right to choose whether to wear a mask or not. There are many areas where people don’t have a choice, at least not an acceptable choice. DUI is one, burning brush on dry windy days is another, as are speeding and not stopping for pedestrians. Who wants the airline mechanic to do what they want rather than follow the rules and procedures?

In my faith structure, I believe that Jesus was always trying to get people to see themselves as individually important and also important as a member of an all-inclusive community. In his sense of community he included Samaritans, women,…(and yes, NH), he even included tax collectors in his community.

In this day and age, when I hear people speak of their rights, often at the expense of others, I think of 1962 when I was refused service at the lunch counter of a Rexall Drug Store in Talladega AL. I was standing with those who wanted their constitutional rights eat at a lunch counter, ride a bus, attend public school, and vote.

We will never have peace by defeating someone. Peace comes by creating community so that everybody can have a just peace.

Earl Miller

Moultonborough