Catholics initiate call to refuse, to support GI resisters
"Refuse to kill. Refuse the order to go to war ...
We know your resistance to war will be difficult and require great courage."
By Jonah House and Dorothy Day Catholic Worker.
September 28, 2007
Brothers and sisters in the military: "Refuse to fight! Refuse to kill!"
You are being ordered to war in the footsteps of veterans, who, more than 10 years ago, were sent to fight the first Gulf War. Many of those vets returned with severe and unacknowledged illnesses. Many gave birth to severely deformed children. All were abandoned by the Veterans Administration.
You are being ordered to war by the most powerful nation on earth. You are being ordered to war by a nation with the most destructive weapons ever conceived, developed, deployed or used.
You are being ordered to war by a nation whose self-acknowledged posture is that of world domination, mastery, control. This nation can have no moral justification for war.
We, the undersigned, are convinced that war is the greatest evil on earth. We believe that humankind must end war, or war will end humankind, and, in fact, all of creation.
Our convictions have driven us time and again to the Pentagon, White House and Congress in acts of civil resistance to war.
Now, we bring our plea to you, sisters and brothers, in the armed forces.
Refuse to kill.
Refuse the order to go to war.
Leave the military before it is too late.
We know your resistance to war will be difficult and require great courage.
But please reflect:
Is it more difficult than fighting in war?
Is it more difficult than being a pawn of corporate greed?
Is it more difficult than living with a violated conscience?
Is it more difficult than living with the poisons of war in your body and spirit?
Wrong is easy. Right is difficult and long. Do what your heart says is right.
We knowingly and willingly make this plea to you in violation of 18 USC Sec. 1381 and 2387 (see below). We knowingly and willingly embrace some of your risk by urging you to refuse duty in the U.S. military.
We plead with you, as Bishop Oscar Romero pleaded with Salvadoran troops: "When you hear the words of a man telling you to kill, remember instead the words of God: 'Thou shalt not kill!' No soldier is obliged to obey an order contrary to the law of God? In the name of God, in the name of our tormented people who have suffered so much and whose laments cry out to heaven, I beseech you, I beg you, I order you in the name of God, stop the repression!'"
If you choose to leave the military, please know that our hearts and homes are open to you.
Read more, including signatures.
4 comments:
Wrong is easy, you are correct. I wonder how easy it is for you to walk away from your healthcare obligations and let the state care for you and pay your bills. Seems to me that welfare families like yours benefit from the services this government provides. You seem to have more than enough time to blog, seems like a job to pay your bills (rather than the state) would be the RIGHT, though difficult and long, thing to do. If you can't afford your bills, try working instead of smoking. And, if you are so disgusted with our country because of its world domination, mastery, control...then move. Perhaps to France. They smoke and welfare is widely accepted. This is too small of a town to espouse the view you do when you live in a glass house.
#1 This was not written by me... it was written by members of the Catholic Church...
#2 The state does NOT pay for our bills... yes, we struggle ... we have no health care insurance like many other Americans.. but the state does not health care for our family... we don't receive any welfare, any health care, any heating assistance, etc. Not that it is any of your business, and not that it is a bad thing if we did. I would not like it, I'd much rather be able to pay my bills in a timely manner...
#3 Our family decided to have a stay-at-home mom... it was our decision together based upon many things. It is NOT easy and we do the best we can. Many conservatives -- including Idaho politicians -- seem to agree that is a good thing... obviously you disagree...
#4 Yes, I smoke. And if you had the courage to sign your name, then I'm sure others would know what your own weaknesses are. (Besides your heart problem, of course...)
#5 If you don't like America and our freedom of speech, then I invite YOU to move... perhaps to Iraq or Saudi Arabia where you can follow the the leadership of your dictator and feel all warm and fuzzy inside when they execute people who have different political opinions.
Obviously you think you know me. It is even more obvious that you don't know as much as you think you do...
Again, at least I have the courage to sign my name rather than throw rocks from the shadows of anonyminity. If you are so proud of yourself, then go public. Instead you sneak in like a cowardly terrorist, do your damage, then crawl back in your cave. I'm sure you feel proud of yourself... so does Osama bin Laden.
I am not shoving my opinions down your throat... you obviously made a choice to visit my blog. If you don't like it, then go do something else...
One of the funniest things about you is that I bet you consider yourself a Christian... how sad...
I think what anonymous above also forgets, Diana is that are various kinds of welfare in this country. Call it what you like, government payouts, subsidies, grants, and then there's the salaries of certain and particular government employees, including senatorial, congressional, presidential, etc., who do absolutely NOTHING for their "salary" but yet reap the benefits of living off the taxpayer.
Anonymous may also want to look at the farmers around their area. My father was a farmer; I grew up in a farming community not far from Boise - and I can tell you WITH CERTAINTY - farmers get subsidies; no, not all. For instance, milk - milk is subsidized.
I've worked since the age of 13 outisde our household - thus far, a 40-year career of working. I've been paying taxes of all sorts since the age of 16 (didn't earn enough prior to that).
As for this: "And, if you are so disgusted with our country because of its world domination, mastery, control...then move. Perhaps to France. They smoke and welfare is widely accepted. This is too small of a town to espouse the view you do when you live in a glass house."
You move. You contribute more to the problem than either Diana or I could think of contributing. In fact, take that fucking Dick Cheney with you. He has a problem with his heart as well. Your lack of knowledge is staggering. I've been to France - several times - while stationed in Germany. It's downright obvious you known NOTHING about the French system. Do some reading outside your comfort zone.
And that last sentence, what's that about? Is that a threat?
This is too small of a town to espouse the view you do when you live in a glass house.
Goodness....
Pardon the addendum....
In having a degree in Religious Studies from a fine Catholic institution, I would like to point out something regarding Archbishop Romero.
Romero 'came around' to the cause of the people. He didn't start out there. Ana Carrigan has a fine book on one of the women from the Cleveland, Ohio area - Jean Donovan - and her journey. Cynthia Glavac, OSU, has written a biography of Sr. Dorothy Kazel. Sr. Dorothy was one of the four churchwomen raped and murdered in El Salvador in 1980. Romero had been slaughtered while saying Mass a bit prior to the murders of the nuns. Sr. Dorothy was an Ursuline, and the Ursulines have been instrumental in my education as well.
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