Opinion: It isn’t enough to talk about peace

I hope I am not too late to thank Holly Richardson for her excellent article in the Sept. 21 Deseret News, “Peacebuilding in a time of deep fracturing.” I also hope Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney and their staffs read this thoughtful commentary.

Richardson urges us to “turn first” to listen to someone who disagrees with us to better understand their reasons for feeling as they do. She affirms that “becoming a peace builder requires action,” while staying “open to collaborative problem-solving.”

Fortunately, the U.S. government has programs dedicated to peacebuilding. They all involve supporting the people in conflict areas who are already engaged in collaborative problem-solving — but who need help for their work.

I hope Lee and Romney will support increased funding for these vital programs, which help us to “turn first” to peacebuilding, in the appropriations process.

I conclude, as did Richardson, with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work for it.”

Deb Sawyer

Salt Lake City