Posted on 10/05/2001 10:56:53 AM PDT by ppaul
Peace groups around the nation are preparing vigils and rallies on Sunday (10/7/01) to demand legal and diplomatic alternatives to war. The American Friends Service Committee, Pax Christi USA, the War Resisters League and others have asked their members to participate in the local gatherings, including a march and rally in New York, beginning at Union Square.
"We're encouraging peace groups throughout the country to get together and formulate their own way to speak out and promote peace," said Janis Shields, spokeswoman for the American Friends, a Quaker organization.
The idea, Shields said, is "to call attention to the fact that not everyone is calling for war in these trying days." Leaders in the groups say there has been a growing demand for public expressions of sentiment in favor of peace.
"It's really spontaneous," said the Rev. Chris Ney, national coordinator at the War Resisters League, a 78-year-old organization based in New York. "I wish I could say we're organizing it. We're just providing skills that we have."
Marches and vigils have already been held in Washington, Philadelphia and western Massachusetts. Besides the rally in New York, Sunday events are planned in Chicago, Philadelphia and Bangor, Maine, among other places. Organizers say events are likely in Seattle.
Common themes include not just opposition to war, but also condemnation of the terrorist acts, a call to defend American civil liberties and a rejection of bias against Arabs, Muslims and immigrants.
The ideas are stated on the War Resisters League's Internet site, warresisters.org, which also calls for peace through "economic and social justice." That reflects a view among peace groups that the United States must work to mitigate such problems as corrupt governments and poverty in developing nations if it is to eliminate the threat of terrorism.
The peace argument differs from another stand with a long history in Christian tradition, recently articulated by Roman Catholic and Protestant leaders, that there are instances in which war may be justly waged.
In a recent interview, Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Commission in the Southern Baptist Convention, said the central principle for allowing a nation to enter into war was "just cause." Land added, "War is only permissible to resist aggression and to defend those victimized by it."
In a letter laced with references to the theory of just war, the nation's Catholic bishops wrote to President Bush two weeks ago, saying military action must be considered as one option, along with diplomatic and legal means.
But opponents of war have argued that the terrorist attacks should not be regarded as an act of war, requiring a military response, but as an international crime, demanding legal pursuit, arrest and trial of the perpetrators, as well as diplomatic and financial penalties against the aggressors and their backers.
"We believe the perpetrators should be brought to justice, but under the rule of law," said Mary Ellen McNish, general-secretary of the American Friends.
Note the line "should US bombing begin." These anti-US individuals will be celebrating in the streets if the terrorists bomb US!
Me thinks they abuse the priviledge.
Bags of tomatos were Grandma's favorite.
I'm trying to figure out why they don't know that this is not about race. These terrorists come in all colors on most every continent. Poster ideas:
Racism? Terrorists come in all colors.
Say NO to racism, extortion, fear-mongering, terrorism!
We are ONE America. Stop divisive race hustlers!
Right on!
Rotten ones. Of course, you could throw bags of something else too....
BTW: Make sure to take up-close, in your face photos of these traitors so they can be posted
and exposed on FR and spread over the net for all to see who the enemies of freedom are.
Nothing like public exposure to take the wind out of these sniveling piss-niks' sails!
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