26.14 Value both security and peace

The security services including the military, intelligence and police value security highly. Mostly, New Magna Carta Mediumthey also value peace, although some enjoy a fight and a few profit from conflict. Peace campaigners value peace. The classic error is that the security people want security and think that peace can only come with security and the peace people take security for granted and think that you can have peace without security. The reality is that peace and security come together. You only have peace when everyone feels secure. People only feel secure when there is peace – not just physical peace but inner peace. The security people think the peace people are naive idiots who want to strip away our defences and make us vulnerable to enemies. The peace people think that security people are nasty, bad people who are obsessed with weapons and aggression, and if they would only love their enemies, everything would be all right. Some have repressed aggression that they project onto the security people while indulging in self-righteousness. We need to stop wasting time with arguments between these two positions. We need to cultivate peace and security simultaneously.