“You’ll get more from being a peacemaker than a warrior. I’ve been both, so I speak from experience.”
A World War II veteran who fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal and received several medals for his military service, Sargent Shriver went on to dedicate his life to the pursuit of peace. Our Quote of the Week expresses a sentiment of Sarge’s that we’d all do well to take on board today.
Sargent Shriver’s early work in public service was dedicated to building the Peace Corps and expanding it to the many countries that welcomed its volunteers. From there, he moved to leading the War on Poverty. In his capacity as Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, he continued to see his role as that of peacemaker. He often communicated that expanding economic opportunity and justice as he did for the War on Poverty was key in creating a more peaceful society.
For the next several decades, Sarge stayed on the path of peacemaking and diplomacy. In the late ‘60s, he entered the diplomatic corps, serving as US Ambassador to France. Although he moved into private life after that assignment ended, he continued his efforts, often away from the spotlight, in pursuing diplomacy and peace. Whether it was coordinating interfaith dialogue between religious leaders to tackle peace in the Middle East, collaborating with Catholic bishops on nuclear disarmament, or even expanding the activities of Special Olympics to countries as politically diverse and far flung as Russia, China, Tunisia, New Zealand, and South Korea, Sargent Shriver made it his mission to be a uniter and a peacemaker. It’s fair to say, therefore, that Sarge was an authority when it came to this topic.
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