Helen Keller on Peace, War & ExploitationHelen Keller was born in Alabama, USA in 1880. She became ill when only 19 months old and this left her both deaf and blind. However, through careful teaching, she learnt to understand what a word meant and to read and write. She never did learn how to talk. She campaigned for Peace and her famous speech called 'Strike Against War' was delivered through her teacher Anne, at the Carnegie Hall, New York City on 5th January 1916. This speech, which has a lot of detailed reference to political events of the time, makes pertinent points about War developing from 'Fear' and 'Exploitation'. About fear, Helen 'says' "Yet everywhere we hear fear advanced as an argument for armament." "It reminds me of a fable I read. A certain man found a horseshoe. His neighbour began to weep and wail because he pointed out that the man who found the horseshoe might someday find a horse. Having found a shoe, he might shoe him. Then the neighbour's child might some day go so near the horse's heels as to be kicked and die. Undoubtedly the two families would quarrel and fight and several valuable lives would be lost through the finding of the horse shoe." This fable shows a type of 'what if' fear, which can lead to quarrels and wars. About exploitation, Helen says "Every modern war has had its roots in exploitation. The American civil war was fought to decide whether the slaveholders of the South or the capitalist of the North should exploit the West. The Spanish American War decided that the United States should exploit Cuba and the Philippines. The South African War decided that the British should exploit the diamond mines. The present War (WW1) is about who shall exploit the Balkans, Turkey, Persia, Egypt, India, China and Africa." If Helen were alive today, she would make similar points about exploitation in current wars. I see that the two issues of fear and exploitation that Helen has identified as problems on both a national and personal level. Helenfrom: http://leicesterunitarians.org/ |