This article summarizes a keynote address that I delivered at the 2013 Literacy Symposium on 22 March 2013 at the University of West Indies at Mona. It builds on the conference’s them: “Literacy for Peace, Progress, and Prosperity.” Although the desire for peace is a lofty, noble, and important goal, it is a complicated process and many systemic, deeply rooted, and inequitable realities interfere with this goal.