Contrary to what Jerry Rogers says in his May 14 letter “Don’t apologize for ending war,” now is the perfect time for President Obama to apologize to Japan for Hiroshima.
Since World War II, when all sides focused on killing and injuring as many non-combatants as possible to weaken the enemy’s will to fight, the killing of the innocent has become increasingly the norm. Consider the massacres in Vietnam, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, New York City, and the deaths of women and children caused by our own drones.
There was one reason Truman ordered atomic bombs be dropped on Japan — we had them, thanks to the Manhattan Project. The argument that the bombs saved thousands of American servicemen’s lives has never been credible. There were options — a blockade (we ruled the seas by then) and focused bombings of strictly military targets.
Today, we are seeing human civilization degenerate into chaos — fear, terror, random killings, and the rise of fascism worldwide, even here at home. On all sides are real needs not being met. The hour is late, but an apology is one place to start. We must at least try to turn back the tide and regain our humanity before it is too late.
