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Carmen Flores

Mrs. Reed

American Literature

8 February 2017

The Relationship Between Peace and Conflict

When thinking of conflict the normalized opinion is a negative gut reaction. Conflict in

many minds is synonymous with war, fighting, and turmoil. This however is an unfair

assumption and should be re-thought. A quote from former President Ronald Reagan pertains

perfectly to this topic of conflict, showing how conflict is an unavoidable aspect of American

culture as well as the catalyst for peace.

In 1985, the newly inaugurated president Ronald Reagan used his inaugural address to

address the nation on peace. He said, "Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle

conflict by peaceful means." Ronald Reagan's quote speaks to the fact that peace and conflict are

interconnected. People often insist that peace means conflict is eradicated and solved, but this is

not the truth. As Reagan says, finding peace is in fact being able to find a peaceful way to deal

with conflict and find a solution. I, personally, find this idea very eye opening and interesting.

When thinking of past wars and national conflicts the common theme is not solely conflict of

ideas, but a leap towards violence based on those differences, and a clear lack of communication

to find a common ground. I find this idea of peace and conflict perfectly fitting for the conflicts

in America.

This quote also touches on the fact that conflict is an unavoidable aspect of America. By

insisting that peace is not the absence of conflict is to insist that conflict will never fully

disappear, even in times of peace, and is a fundamental aspect of culture. America is 17.6%
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hispanic, 12.6% african american, and 4.8% asian american (United States Census Bureau).

There are so many different values, opinions, and ideas in America that are at odds with each

other. As someones who is very strong headed on many political and social issues, it is very easy

for me to see views I strongly disagree with, especially in this tumultuous time after the recent

presidential election of Donald Trump. All over the news I see protests and individuals strongly

disagreeing over a variety of issues. After reading President Reagans quote, I can clearly

connect his message and see that having strong different opinions is not a step away from peace

but not communicating these differences in a peaceful and understanding manner is. Conflict is

and always will be an essential aspect of american culture.

Instead of thinking as conflict as inherently negative, people should see the positive and

necessary aspects of it. Conflict is just as much a part of peace as it is war and Ronald Reagan

speaks to this. America will always have a variety of different ideas at odds, but what is

important is expressing and discussing these ideas in a peaceful manner.