Scientists and Doctors Can Be Pacifists Too

Should scientists and doctors care about politics? I often hear voices telling me: just study medicine and do your research well, don't get involved in politics. This remark actually reflects a peculiar, distorted value cultivated by our traditional culture, which can be elegantly phrased as: "Each person sweeps the snow before his own door; never mind the frost on his neighbor's roof."

Nurtured by such a culture, the world is full of onlookers indifferent to others' fate, even dipping human blood to eat their steamed buns. Over time, everyone grows used to numbness. I have never stood by and watched at the moment of any major disaster. Although an individual's strength is slight, I know that my voice can add to the loudness of those who share my values. We cannot shrink back for fear of opposition; if we believe certain principles should not be violated, we must stand up and say so.

As far as I know, Einstein, Feynman, Bethune, and Russell were all pacifists who, while spending their lives on their own research, also called for peace and opposed war. Einstein even co-signed the "Einstein–Russell" manifesto with Russell, launching a global anti-war movement.

In the eyes of people who share these values, what Einstein, Feynman, Bethune, and Russell did not only did not diminish their image as scientists, philosophers, and physicians; it earned them more respect. Because they were not numb to others' suffering, not people who joke about other people's pain as entertainment, and not selfish people who care only about their own full bellies while ignoring whether others live or die.

The ancients of China said that the supreme physician governs the nation. A physician treats all life alike; a doctor should be a true internationalist, humanitarian, and pacifist, and cannot glorify any war. Whichever camp starts it, we oppose every war without distinction.

The twenty-first century is the century of dialogue; no one's life should be trampled underfoot by another. If we stay trapped in history, endlessly repaying grievance with grievance, no one's life on earth will be secure. Because human history is written in hatred, we should overcome hatred rather than be overcome by it. This is my position, and it will not waver for any reason.

We cannot expect those with different values to approve of us—especially warmongers, who would love nothing more than chaos—and it is hard to persuade everyone to agree with us. But we can call out loudly and make our own voices heard. If all pacifists fall silent for fear of attack, warmongers will become all the more brazen, and the world will fall into chaos. We must stand up and let those addicted to war feel that our force is not so easy to deal with; only thus can wars be reduced.

Human life is above all else. Peace brings greater well-being to everyone; human happiness should not be measured by interests, still less maintained by gunfire. Seeking non-war ways to solve problems is the direction humanity should strive for; war only creates suffering. We cannot watch, helpless, as others lose their lives and are driven from their homes by war.

Although many try to stop us from raising such voices, we fear nothing. We hope to bring more people into the ranks of pacifists and use our strength to stop war. One person's strength is slight, but the strength of countless pacifists standing together is not to be underestimated—of this I am firmly convinced!