Some Clarifications
First: I am aware of the fact that on the political spectrum, there are numerous positions one can take. On the left side of the spectrum - as well as the right side - there are many different opinions on several different issues, one of which is peace. I consider myself a liberal for many different reasons, not just simply because of this issue.
Second: I didn't mean that liberals aren't really Americans. There was a misunderstanding. What I meant was that I believe that everyone is a human being, no matter what country you come from. A lot of liberals call themselves what's known as world citizens. Of course I am proud to call myself an American, as are many liberals. But when conflict arises, I will not choose a side. In a war, no side wins. Everyone loses. Therefore, I and a lot of liberals say that we are simply on the side of peace.
Third: An American consulate director once said, "Perhaps the world belongs to the naive." I may be only 14 but I am aware of the fact that in the world of political science, there are two main ideologies: idealism and realism. Realists believe that human beings are naturally selfish. The natural state of mankind is to go to war. There is no point in envisioning a world with no war because that's just the way life is. Idealists, on the other hand, say that we should envision and work for a world with no war. They say that humans are born good but are TAUGHT to hate. You must accept the fact that I am an idealist whether you like it or not. But I wonder... how would a realist take it if his son was killed in a war? Wouldn't he wish to God that somewhere out there, the parents of the man who had killed his son had been idealist instead of realist, and instead of telling their child, "what can you do, there will always be war," and thus perhaps getting him to think it was okay to be a soldier, they had said, "son, you must always believe that one day there will be no war, and work hard to stop it!" Perhaps their son would still be alive.
There is a story that says that one day, a man was jogging down the beach. Last night there had been a terrible and violent storm, and thousands upon thousands of starfish had washed up on the sand. The man knew that if the starfish weren't thrown back into the water, they would die, but what could he do? There were too many. And so he continued jogging.
Just then, he spotted a little girl a little ways away. She was bending down and picking up the starfish, and one by one throwing them back into the water. The man stopped and laughed. "Little girl, don't you know you can't possibly save all the starfish?"
The little girl did not even stop. She continued to throw them in as she answered him. "Yes, but I can save this one." She tossed it. "And this one." She tossed it. "And this one..."
The man was so amazed that he bent down to join her. Tell me now, what would have happened if another person came along who decided to help, and still another? Perhaps all the starfish could be saved. But the goal for the little girl was simply to save as many as she could. And perhaps you think that there's no point in trying to stop war because it will always exist. But what if you could stop at least one death... and then another, and then another...
If someone saved your life, would you tell them it was a waste of time?