A wall is a hell of a lot better than a war.
Interpretation
Prioritizing dialogue and barriers over violent conflict is essential for maintaining peace.
This quote by John F. Kennedy emphasizes the importance of non-violent solutions to conflicts. A wall symbolizes a boundary that can prevent conflict or war, suggesting that it is preferable to have divisions that keep peace rather than engaging in destructive warfare that results in loss and suffering. It reflects the belief that it is better to have separation and negotiation than to escalate disagreements into violent confrontations.
In practice
In a speech about conflict resolution, one might quote Kennedy to emphasize the value of peace over war.
The great battleground for the defense and expansion of freedom today is the whole southern half of the globe... the lands of the rising peoples. Their revolution is the greatest in human history. They seek an end to injustice, tyranny and exploitation. More than an end, they seek a beginning.
I had always enjoyed the title of Commander-in-Chief until I was informed ... that the only forces that cannot be transferred from Washington without my express permission are the members of the Marine Corps Band. Those are the only forces I have. I want it announced that we propose to hold the White House against all odds at least for some time to come.
I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children - not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women - not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.
I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy; Dear Jack, Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide.
Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.
Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.
Before peace between the nations, we have to find peace inside that small nation which is our own being.
I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.
The leaders of the world face no greater task than that of avoiding nuclear war. While preserving the cause of freedom, we must seek abolition of war through programs of general and complete disarmament. The Test-Ban Treaty of 1963 represents a significant beginning in this immense undertaking.
We have learned that peace and well-being are indivisible and that our peace and well-being cannot be purchased at the price of peace or the well-being of any other country.
Too often, U.N. peacekeepers face an impossible task in countries that are still at war and where there is no real peace to keep.
Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.
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