Finding Hope in Tragedy

Today is the 40th anniversary of the My Lai Massacre. As with most gravity defiers, the survivors have not allowed themselves to become embittered by their experiences, at least according to Associated Press Writer Ben Stocking, who reports the following:

"We are not harboring hatred," said Nguyen Hoang Son, vice governor of Quang Ngai, the central Vietnamese province where the incident occurred. "We are calling for solidarity to defend peace, to defend life and to remind the world that it must never forget the massacre at My Lai."

Although the occasion was somber, many visitors said they drew hope from it.

"So much positive energy has come from such a negative event," said Richard Chamberlin, 63, a returning veteran from Madison, Wisconsin. "The people here have amazing resilience. I'm grateful that they've treated us as friends, not enemies."

To read the full text of Stocking's article, click here.

Note: The above AP photo was taken by Chitose Suzuki.