Regarding the story "Best time to tour the U.N.? Not during a crisis" in the June 19 edition, when I visited the United Nations headquarters, I was so impressed to see "Non-Violence," also known as "The Knotted Gun," at the entrance to the U.N. building.
Not a big sculpture, it is formed in the shape of a revolver with its barrel knotted. However, it gave me a very big message that we should never use guns under any circumstances. Particularly the part of the knotted barrel was so real and so powerful that it really made me think about controlling our natural tendency of using force.
The sculpture originally was dedicated to John Lennon. However, isn't it now time for us to listen to the silent cry of nonviolence of "The Knotted Gun"?
How about adding this place to the ordinary route of the U.N. tour? It really speaks to every visitor. The U.N. is committed to world peace, which will be so difficult to realize without practicing ahimsa ("to do no harm" and "compassion").
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.