By Thomas Pound
It was a cold fall morning when I arrived at a sleepy suburb of Binghamton, NY to meet anti-war advocate Corey Pith. Outside his front porch blew a US flag with the field of stars in the canton replaced with a peace sign. The story goes that when he initially flew the flag, the town’s Homeowners Association demanded he take it down. He valiantly refused and weathered the storm in order to keep it flying. He has a sterling reputation to those who know him as a kind, charitable, and good-intentioned man. If any American stood for peace, it was without a doubt Mr. Pith.
And yet in this period of turbulence, it often seems as if up is down and down is up. The same can certainly be said of Mr. Pith, who it seems may soon need to lower his flag to half-mast. “In times of peace, I had no doubts that it was not America’s role in the world to be a policeman or an arms dealer,” explained the mournful anti-war advocate, “I wish I could still say that with the same confidence.” Tears appeared to well up in his eyes as he spoke. Many Americans were caught off guard by the development of this war as hopes of diplomatic resolutions were quickly dashed.
Still, to some, it may appear as if Mr. Pith is a man of no conviction, but he asserts that that is far from the truth. “This war is different, this isn’t just interventionism,” he justified, “this is the defense of democratic values across the globe. Every day, I am reading stories of violence that shock me to my core. I don’t know how any ethical and moral American could possibly sit back and allow that to happen. If that man, that brutal dictator, is allowed to continue his conquest, there is no saying what terrible fallout will follow.”
Mr. Pith also assailed those who might claim that he has abandoned his position as a warrior for peace. “Some have said, ‘oh, I thought you stood for peace, I thought you had morals,’ this and that and the other and I feel a need to address it right now,” exclaimed the man with a remarkably biting tone, “I am, have been, and always will be on the side of peace. I have seen an astounding lack of understanding from some in this very community.” He continued, “What I have realized, and others need to come to terms with, is that in this modern era, war is peace.”
Indeed, many Americans have raised the argument that if action is not taken here, war will soon be brought to the West. With how great a threat Russia has become to the United States, it seems ill-advised to simply allow them to gain imperial control over new territories, expanding their sphere of influence uncontained. Some have even begun expressing fears of a World War III which would be much more destructive than any war prior given the proliferation of nuclear weapons since the end of World War II. “I can’t pretend to know whether or not we are on the path towards a third World War,” commented Pith when questioned about the possibility, “However, as a peace advocate, I must advocate for every action which may prevent war in the future. That may include sending munitions, combatants, tanks, planes, firebombs, espionage, chemical weapons, plagues, blockades, executing renegades, dropping nukes, and on my part, very stern rebukes.”
As we reported just the other month, Vice President Richard Nixon made the comment that the United States may soon need to “put American boys in” to war-torn Vietnam following a decisive Viet Minh victory at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Whether or not that will come to pass is the subject of much uncertainty and, clearly, much unrest. We will continue to monitor this situation as it develops, as well as the thoughts of brave peace-loving Americans like Corey Pith. This was Binghamton Review reporting in the field; have a safe rest of your 1954 and remember, there are four constants in life… change, choice, principles, and the incessant, burning desire to be on the right side of history at all costs.