SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — The Syracuse chapter of Veterans for Peace (VFP) held its annual Imagine Armistice in Syracuse event at Central Library on Nov. 11.
Members of the group gather every year on Veteran’s Day, which was originally known as Armistice Day, to commemorate the ending of World War I.
“This event is about reclaiming the original purpose of Armistice Day as a peace day,” said Arnie Stieber, a member of Veterans for Peace who saw conflict in the Vietnam War. “We’re not going to ever solve the world’s problems through death and destruction.”
The VFP used this opportunity to invite other community leaders to network and spread their individual messages of global and local peace. Representatives from several local organizations responded to their call for action.
“We want to work together because we’ve realized that [with] the work we’re doing, we’ll only meet our goals by working together with other community groups,” said Lauren Ruffrage with Moms Demand Action. “Forming these relationships and partnerships is what’s going to help create more success.”
Syracuse has seen concerning amounts of violence recently. According to data from the city, Syracuse had a murder rate of almost 20 per 100,000 residents, which is triple the national average, and a 31% increase in homicides per year over the last decade.
This has caused these citizens to hopefully inspire dialogue instead of violence.
“Selling violence is easy. I can teach a monkey to pull a trigger,” said veteran Arny Stieber, another VFP member. “Teaching dialogue, that’s tough. And if we start having dialogue, then we’re going to realize that we’re all pretty much the same.”
REPORTER: DYLAN CHAGNON
VETERANS DAY — A TIME TO HONOR AND PRAISE OUR NATION’S HEROES. BUT, FOR ONE LOCAL GROUP OF VETERANS, THE FIGHT ISN’T OVER JUST YET. HERE’S DYLAN CHAGNON WITH MORE ON SYRACUSE VETERANS FOR PEACE.
REPORTER: DYLAN CHAGNON
EVEN THOUGH THEIR SERVICE HAS LONG ENDED, MEMBERS OF SYRACUSE VETERANS FOR PEACE ARE STILL FINDING WAYS TO SERVE AND CONNECT WITH THEIR COMMUNITY.
REPORTER: DYLAN CHAGNON
RON VAN NORSTRAND AND OTHER VETERANS GATHER EVERY YEAR TO UNITE WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND SPREAD THEIR MESSAGE OF LOCAL AND WORLD PEACE.
RON VAN NORSTRAND, VETERANS FOR PEACE
We have to recognize that every war ends by negotiations, by diplomacy. Why not have that the alternative? Why isn’t that the approach we take?
REPORTER: DYLAN CHAGNON
FOR THE SYRACUSE CHAPTER OF VETERAN’S FOR PEACE, THIS VETERANS DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS about VIOLENCE LOCALLY.
LAUREN RUFFRAGE, MOMS DEMAND ACTION
It makes me imagine, you know, my children in the shoes of these people who have been in school shootings or victims of gun violence. And I just, you know, it tears you apart, imagining that that could’ve been me or my child.” *Hold for tears
REPORTER: DYLAN CHAGNON
SYRACUSE IS NO STRANGER TO VIOLENT CRIME. ACCORDING TO DATA FROM THE CITY, SYRACUSE HAD A MURDER RATE OF ALMOST TWENTY PER 100 THOUSAND IN 2021, WHICH IS THREE TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE
REPORTER: DYLAN CHAGNON
THIS GATHERING IS ONE OF MANY EVENTS PUT ON BY THE VETERANS TO PUT AN END TO THE VIOLENCE.
ARNY STIEBER – VFP MEMBER
It’s easy to sell violence. I can teach a monkey how to pull a trigger, I mean that’s easy. Teaching dialogue, that’s tough.
REPORTER: DYLAN CHAGNON
FOR THESE VETERANS, PEACE IS MORE THAN JUST AN IMAGINATION. FROM NCC NEWS, I’M DYLAN CHAGNON.
