OVYM Meetings Respond
to Terrorism and War
Community:
- Letter to the editor:
None of us will soon forget the horror of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and the Pentagon. We commend the Bush administration and Congress for responding compassionately and swiftly to assist the rescue efforts and provide resources for recovery and rebuilding. We support the administration's efforts to mobilize U.S. law enforcement agencies to investigate and find the hijackers' accomplices. We hope that those who helped to plan and carry out these atrocities will soon be brought to justice before an international court of law.
However, we oppose war as a response to these attacks against humanity. The U.S. must not continue to avenge these murders by means that result in the death and suffering of innocents–even those who share the same nationality, faith, or ethnic group as the alleged perpetrators. This only results in an escalation of the tragic cycle of violence and hatred. Even though it is possible that the terrorists may have been guided by a vision of mortal conflict between Islam and the West, neither Islam or Islamic peoples are our enemy. As we pursue those responsible for terror, we need to take care not to further inflame hatred between peoples–for that is the seed of future violence.
Inevitably, war against Afganistan is killing and injuring innocent civilians who had nothing to do with the attacks of September 11. Most are already suffering from extreme oppression and poverty. A U.S.–led war will only give people who committed these crimes what they wanted. War will reinforce the perception for many in the region that the U.S. cares little for the innocent people (mostly Muslims) who are caught in the middle.
In the words of President Bush, our nation has "fabulous values": freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The U.S. must not abandon these core values in the process of defending them; we must not use instruments of totalitarianism in pursuit of justice. There is a close relationship between ends and means.
As Quakers we believe that there is that of God in all persons. While we do believe that terrorism must be ended, we do not support war as a means to do so. Today, the commandment to love our enemies is unusually poignant. Our national spirit should be the spirit of overcoming evil with good.
Kate Anthony, Clerk
Community Friends' Meeting
3960 Winding Way,
North Avondale
Eastern Hills:
- established a phone tree for use in calling the meeting together in emergency situations
- approved letter to congressmen and to the editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer:
We wish to express both our deep sympathy for all those affected by the tragic events of Sept. 11
and our heartfelt gratitude to all those who worked selflessly at rescue efforts. We are bound to
all those who have suffered such dreadful loss as we are all part of the American family and the
family of humanity.
We deplore the use of terrorism for any end. The loss of innocent lives is a horror. We believe
that there is a spark of the divine in each human; human life is sacred. Anything which destroys life is "anti-sacred."
Because all human life is sacred, we ask that we all rise above the desire for retaliation
to find a way of dealing with this tragedy that ends the cycle of violence.
We neither ask Americans to ignore the events nor to avoid bringing those responsible
to justice. Rather we urge our president and governmental officials to lead the world in finding a
better way for all people. Let us work to end the root causes of war by following the principles
of Christianity, Judaism and Islam to do good and revere the Lord. Let us not attempt to relieve our
suffering by spreading it. Rather, let us love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.
had a called Meeting for Worship on Oct
7 at 8pm in response to start of the shooting war
Dayton:
- Approved the following statement for public release:
Dayton Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends affirm our commitment to the historic Quaker peace testimony based on our belief in the sacredness of all
human life.
Even as we deplore the violence and resulting devastation of the tragedy on September ll, we also deplore the suffering of the people of Afghanistan. Our nation must
find the peaceful means to rectify the inequalities and injustices in the world that feed the conditions that breed terrorism.
As Quakers we witness to that Spirit of Love that takes away the occasion of war. Out of darkness and tragedy, may God show us the path of true peace.
Lexington:
- held Meeting for Worship for healing on 9/12
- sent a letter-to-the-editor pleading against
vengeance to the our newspaper and the
University of KY student newspaper
- wrote President Bush urging peaceful response
to the 9/11 attacks
- sent a letter to the President of the University
of KY asking that the University to do more
to safeguard international students
- sent letters to the three Mosques in Lexington
offering several types of support
- participated with the local peace & justice
coalition in a 10/2 rally urging restraint, understanding
of Middle Eastern persons, and a greater
understanding of the roots of anger toward the U.S.
Louisville:
- Approved the following statement for public release:
War Is Not the Answer
In keeping with the beliefs of the Religious Society of Friends
(Quakers) for over 350 years, we testify that war causes more problems
than it could ever solve. The God of love, who gave birth to all life,
leads us into actions that will remove any occasion for war. We dedicate
ourselves to prayerful and diligent work to heal present wounds, stop
the current military actions, and prevent future war."
North Meadow Circle:
- With other peace churches, sent letter to the editor of the Indianapolis Star:
Since the tragedy of September 11, we have wrestled with the most
appropriate and faithful way to respond. We share in our nation’s grief
and compassion for the victims, and in our nation’s resolve to find
those who are responsible and see justice done. Thus far we have been
grateful for the military restraint shown by our government, and for the
pursuit of other avenues to achieve justice. But we are concerned about
parts of the plan laid out by the president before the Congress on the
evening of September 20 which may now soon be activated. President Bush
stated that his goal is the total destruction of "the global terror
network," and to attain this goal our nation will engage in "every
necessary weapon of war" including--if demands are not met--a military
attack on the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Indeed, any nation not
cooperating with the United States will be viewed as an enemy (and,
presumably, a possible military target). According to our president, we
must expect a long fight that will include American casualties.
The president’s stirring speech was what many Americans wanted to hear.
But as we now await imminent military action, reason and morality compel
us to ask the following questions:
1. Why do some people hate the U.S. so much that they are willing to
engage in suicide terrorist attacks? The president claimed the reason
is that "they hate our freedoms: our freedom of religion, our freedom
of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each
other." We believe this answer is inadequate. Terrorism is a response
to perceived injustices and built up frustrations. Economic disparity
and political oppression are some of the breeding grounds of terrorism.
A combination of America’s wealth, overwhelming cultural influence, and
insensitive political policies causes fear and resentment for many.
Thus, a military war against terrorism runs the grave risk of blinding
us to the underlying causes of terrorism and failing to address the
injustices that are sparking it. If this is the case, then America’s
war may be not so much a fight for democracy as it is a fight to keep
the United States wealthy and in charge.
2. Is a military war against terrorism winnable? Since this is
primarily a fight against an underground movement fueled by a sense of
hopelessness and popular resentment, it would appear to be impossible to
defeat it by the blunt use of military force. Vietnam taught us how
futile it is to wage a war against an unseen enemy that has the sympathy
of the indigenous population. Indeed, the more violent and unbending
our nation acts, the more resentment (and terrorists) we are likely to
create. Other methods currently being pursued by our government appear
more promising than military engagement.
3. Which terrorists will be targeted and which ones will not be? One
person’s terrorist is often another person’s freedom fighter. Many
democratic nations were created by leaders willing to use terror
tactics. Thus, a war against terrorism is likely to be selective and
hypocritical, turning a blind eye to the injustices and "minor" acts of
terror committed by our allies.
4. Can we justify the additional deaths of innocent people that will
inevitably result from military action? In the Gulf War our military
never purposely targeted civilians, and yet civilians were often
killed. Even more disturbing, ten years later thousands of Iraqi
children are still dying because of the destruction of Iraq’s
infrastructure. War is the most brutal instrument for achieving what we
want. It inevitably makes murderers out of all participants, and it
favors the side willing to use the most despicable weapons and tactics.
It is time for us to recognize war for what it is: evil. There is no
such thing--especially in today’s world--as a war nobly fought.
Is there an alternative? We believe there is. Instead of treating this
recent act of terrorism as an act of war, continue treating it as a
crime. Investigate it, apprehend suspects, try them in court, and
punish those found guilty. This is the approach we use toward drug
lords, the mafia, and domestic terrorists (e.g. Timothy McVeigh). This
is the approach which is now bringing a president and generals to
justice who committed large-scale acts of ethnic cleansing in the former
Yugoslavia. This approach preserves the principles of law, order, civil
liberties, and due process upon which this nation was founded. This
approach also minimizes violence and resentment, creating greater
opportunities for constructively addressing the underlying causes of
terrorism. Will this approach catch every terrorist? No, but we
believe this approach is better than turning justice over to military
death squads and assassination teams.
Instead of unilateral action by the United States, and coercing all
other nations to cooperate with our plans or face possible retaliation,
this is an opportunity for genuine international cooperation and an
internationally-led strategy. (Indeed, as the U.S. continues using
restraint, this appears to be emerging.) Terrorism is a threat to the
entire world community, not just the U.S., and as such it needs to be
solved by the world community, not by the U.S. Cooperating with other
nations, we can fashion a response to terrorism that will be less
violent and probably more effective. It is time for the U.S. to let go
of some of its own focus and truly join the world community as a
cooperative partner.
We call on our government — a government for which we are deeply
grateful and apprecia-tive — to act out of sound principles of justice
for all people in the world and to take the path of least violence
whenever possible. In addition, we call on all of those who claim the
name of Christ to follow the higher example of Jesus Christ. He taught
his disciples never to act out of revenge, but instead to love our
enemies and pray for those who persecute us, because this reflects the
very heart and character of God (Matthew 5:38-48). Nonviolent love is
God’s way to defeat evil--the evil that lives in us as well as in our
enemies. Because of this faith, we strongly caution our president when
he obliquely claims that God is on the side of the United States. God’s
love and justice are too high to be claimed by national politics.
Rather, we must always cleanse our patriotism and nationalism with a
vision for God’s higher way.
First Mennonite Church, Indianapolis
North Meadow Circle of Friends
Shalom Mennonite Church
Northview Church of the Brethren (pending approval)
Valley Mills Friends Church (pending approval)
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