Politics of Peace and War?

Grandpa was asked to give a speech at a local political rally and here was what he had to say,

“My friends,
I have no speech to give you on this occasion. Speeches are meant to be given in order to convince others of a certain way of thinking and to this end today I have no desire to convince anyone of anything. But I do have a quote I’d like each and everyone to think about. I will not reveal the author of that quote because I want you to ponder his words and the meaning behind them without the added influence of knowing who authored them.

Ideas are far more powerful than guns.  We do not allow our enemies to have guns, why should we allow them to have ideas?

Think about what is being said here. Ponder the meaning behind the words. There is a lot that can be justifiably implied from the above statement. First of all, I think that everyone can agree on the fact that the above statement is a political statement. I think we can all agree on the fact that the author is referring to a time of peace rather than a time of war also. I further think we can all agree that the enemy of which the author speaks of is within a nation over which rule has been established.

Now, the question becomes in ascertaining what type of political system would divide the people of a nation up into camps of allies vs. the enemy? If not the system that is at fault then what type of person would think that ideas other than his own and of his allies need to be suppressed and why?

What is it about a person’s ideas in regards to politics that he would think that he needed to disallow anyone else to have their own ideas in regards to politics? While the author is acknowledging that ideas are more powerful than guns, is he not also acknowledging that there are ideas out there that may be more powerful than his own ideas?

If so, then what are those ideas that he espouses to that he knows are less powerful then the ones he wishes to eliminate? If so, then what are the ideas that he considers so powerful as to think there is a need not to allow them?

What are those ideas that the author of the above statement would consider himself as being at war with? Maybe a better question is what is that idea that is so powerful that it doesn’t need to suppress the ideas of another man, even the ideas of a man who would suppress this idea if given an opportunity? What is it about this idea that gives itself such power over people or is it an idea that actually reveals the power already possessed by the people themselves?

When you ponder over these questions think of the following statement also.  Tis a quote from another man, a man whose ideas run along the same line as the man I have already quoted.

The meaning of peace is the absense of the opposition to socialism.

How many persons would take this as meaning that socialism is the politics of peace?

Questions, my friends that is all I have for you this day. But questions only you can answer for yourself. I cannot answer them for you nor can anyone else."

With this said grandpa stepped down and as he did, a hush fell over the room.