Tarzan
01-01-1997, 02:25 AM
LETTER FROM THE ROAD
IRAQ
12 ELIAS AMIDON BAGHDAD
12 FEBRUARY 2003
To End the Scourge of War
A wonderful thing happened this morning at our vigil in a
field across fromU.N. headquarters here in Baghdad. We've
made an encampment there with anopen-sided tent and several
large banners that read LET THE INSPECTIONSCONTINUE and
INSPECTIONS YES, INVASION NO and LET THERE BE PEACE ON
EARTH.
There are TV and newspaper crews from around the world who
interview us eachday.This morning while we were standing
silently, I read aloud the preamble to
the U.N. Charter.
"We the peoples of the United Nations
determined to save succeeding generations
from the scourge of war"
When I finished we stoodsilently again. After a few minutes
a man came out of the U.N. compound and crossed the road. He
was a U.N. inspector. He approached us, rather shyly and
spoke these words,
"We, over there, just want to thank you all. You are a real
encouragement to us.
Your being here has greatly helped our morale. Well, that's
all, thank you."
And he turned and crossed back over the road. We applauded.
As he left, there was something so human and generous about
that particular encounter, in a dusty field in Baghdad, with
the tensions of the entire world bearing down on it.
On each side of the road, the people of the United Nations
worked to end the scourge of war. We helped their morale,
and they in turn helped ours.
Even Hans Blix took part. At his news conference the other
day he was asked if there was much support here for the
continuation of the inspections. He said he believed there
was, and described the "large demonstration at the airport"
(ours) he saw upon his arrival.
He said, "They had a banner saying "Inspections Yes,
Invasion No."
This is just what we want."But like Rabia in her last
letter, I begin to wonder what's the use of all these
actions and appeals for peace. "Bush still wants his war."
It may come very soon. We are scheduled to leave in a week
and the idea of leaving, as well as the idea of staying,
fills us both with dread. How can we save our own lives
while the Iraqi people around us, and our fellow Peace Team
members, remain facing such peril?
Of the 50 of us here, about 18 members of the Peace Team
intend to stay. I have been asking them why they are
staying. Their answers suggest they are moved by a force
more powerful than fear and violence.
Here are a few examples.
Lisa, a 32 year-old woman from Rwanda, now living in
Toronto, told me, "This is the first time in my life I've
settled down. Here in Baghdad I fit in atlast. It's the same
as being with my people in the refugee camps in Rwanda - we
have to go home and get what's ours. We have to get what
belongs to us. And what is that? That's the question.
Here in Baghdad, I have found what it is. It is the power I
have. The power I have to say "this is unacceptable." It's
like people saying 'land mines are unacceptable.'
How can you accept something that is destined to kill
innocent people? You can't. This is the power I have here. I
won't stand for this war. To me, war is the same as
landmines, unacceptable. I stand for something else. And
that is freedom and equality.
Mike, a Vietnam vet, said something similar: "You know, most
things in life are defined for us. We fit into somebody
else's definitions. The reasons for my staying here, is
something I can define myself. If I say my intention is for
peace, it is. No one can say otherwise. I'm here to put my
life where my truth is."
Or Cathy, a 50-year old Catholic Worker: "I don't want to be
in the country that is dropping the bombs. And if I'm here
and am killed because of those bombs,what difference does it
make if it's me or the Iraqis?" As she talks I feel her
echo an early Christian ideal of self-sacrifice. I ask her
if this is not her own "imitation of Christ." She answers
plainly, "I try to live a humble life."
Or Cynthia, a 73-year old librarian from upstate New York:
"I will stay because it's the place for me to be. You know,
we are one family on earth, no matter what. The Iraqi part
of my family is in danger now. I must be with them and help
support our cause. If you ask anybody in the world what they
would do if their family was in danger, they would say
they'd want to go be with them. That's all I am doing. I'm
here to be with my family in their hour of danger. It's
simple.You act because your conscience tells you to act.
Anyway, I've already had my three score years and ten. Every
day now is a bonus for me."
A full day has now passed since writing the last paragraph.
Things have gotten very intense and busy. The press is
paying a lot of attention to our actions and vigils - we've
held dozens of interviews. Everyone awaits the inspectors'
report to the U.N. tonight.
Some say the bombing could start in two days, others say not
for another week, and a some even say the war will be called
off. There are more prayers, and deeper ones.
Last night Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the special envoy from
Pope John Paul II, conducted Mass in St. Joseph's Cathedral
here in Baghdad. During his homily he said the following:
Peace? Who doesn't talk about it today everywhere in the
world without thinking about the huge threats that weighs on
Iraq? Who does not desire peace? But how many among us
really desire that peace is still possible? How many truly
want peace with all their zeal? How many believe that prayer
is something other than a refuge during hours of impending
stress? Something other than a simple alibi from human
engagement? Today, tonight, here, we pray for peace in Iraq
and in the entire MiddleEast. This is a test of faith and it
is harder for those of us who take seriously both prayer and
peace to contemplate what may happen to this city in a very
short time. Peace is so simple. Why is war so complex?
--
We can either have democracy in this country or we can have
great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we
cannot have both. --Justice Louis D. Brandeis
Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who COUNT the
votes decide everything. --Joseph Stalin
Not all conservatives are stupid people, but I have found
that most stupid people are conservative. --John Stuart Mill
As one Senate Republican leadership aide put it, "When we
take over the majority, we intend to move so fast to pass
bills and confirm judges that have been held up by the
Senate Democratic leadership that it will make their heads
spin" (Roll Call, 10/7). ]
Certified lunatics are shut up because of their proneness to
violence when their pretensions are questioned; the
uncertified variety are given the control of powerful
armies, and can inflict death and disaster upon all sane men
within their reach. --Bertrand Russell (1872-1970): Power
[1938] ch.16
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a
revolutionary act. --George Orwell
What good fortune for those in power that the people do not
think. --Adolf Hitler
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
IRAQ
12 ELIAS AMIDON BAGHDAD
12 FEBRUARY 2003
To End the Scourge of War
A wonderful thing happened this morning at our vigil in a
field across fromU.N. headquarters here in Baghdad. We've
made an encampment there with anopen-sided tent and several
large banners that read LET THE INSPECTIONSCONTINUE and
INSPECTIONS YES, INVASION NO and LET THERE BE PEACE ON
EARTH.
There are TV and newspaper crews from around the world who
interview us eachday.This morning while we were standing
silently, I read aloud the preamble to
the U.N. Charter.
"We the peoples of the United Nations
determined to save succeeding generations
from the scourge of war"
When I finished we stoodsilently again. After a few minutes
a man came out of the U.N. compound and crossed the road. He
was a U.N. inspector. He approached us, rather shyly and
spoke these words,
"We, over there, just want to thank you all. You are a real
encouragement to us.
Your being here has greatly helped our morale. Well, that's
all, thank you."
And he turned and crossed back over the road. We applauded.
As he left, there was something so human and generous about
that particular encounter, in a dusty field in Baghdad, with
the tensions of the entire world bearing down on it.
On each side of the road, the people of the United Nations
worked to end the scourge of war. We helped their morale,
and they in turn helped ours.
Even Hans Blix took part. At his news conference the other
day he was asked if there was much support here for the
continuation of the inspections. He said he believed there
was, and described the "large demonstration at the airport"
(ours) he saw upon his arrival.
He said, "They had a banner saying "Inspections Yes,
Invasion No."
This is just what we want."But like Rabia in her last
letter, I begin to wonder what's the use of all these
actions and appeals for peace. "Bush still wants his war."
It may come very soon. We are scheduled to leave in a week
and the idea of leaving, as well as the idea of staying,
fills us both with dread. How can we save our own lives
while the Iraqi people around us, and our fellow Peace Team
members, remain facing such peril?
Of the 50 of us here, about 18 members of the Peace Team
intend to stay. I have been asking them why they are
staying. Their answers suggest they are moved by a force
more powerful than fear and violence.
Here are a few examples.
Lisa, a 32 year-old woman from Rwanda, now living in
Toronto, told me, "This is the first time in my life I've
settled down. Here in Baghdad I fit in atlast. It's the same
as being with my people in the refugee camps in Rwanda - we
have to go home and get what's ours. We have to get what
belongs to us. And what is that? That's the question.
Here in Baghdad, I have found what it is. It is the power I
have. The power I have to say "this is unacceptable." It's
like people saying 'land mines are unacceptable.'
How can you accept something that is destined to kill
innocent people? You can't. This is the power I have here. I
won't stand for this war. To me, war is the same as
landmines, unacceptable. I stand for something else. And
that is freedom and equality.
Mike, a Vietnam vet, said something similar: "You know, most
things in life are defined for us. We fit into somebody
else's definitions. The reasons for my staying here, is
something I can define myself. If I say my intention is for
peace, it is. No one can say otherwise. I'm here to put my
life where my truth is."
Or Cathy, a 50-year old Catholic Worker: "I don't want to be
in the country that is dropping the bombs. And if I'm here
and am killed because of those bombs,what difference does it
make if it's me or the Iraqis?" As she talks I feel her
echo an early Christian ideal of self-sacrifice. I ask her
if this is not her own "imitation of Christ." She answers
plainly, "I try to live a humble life."
Or Cynthia, a 73-year old librarian from upstate New York:
"I will stay because it's the place for me to be. You know,
we are one family on earth, no matter what. The Iraqi part
of my family is in danger now. I must be with them and help
support our cause. If you ask anybody in the world what they
would do if their family was in danger, they would say
they'd want to go be with them. That's all I am doing. I'm
here to be with my family in their hour of danger. It's
simple.You act because your conscience tells you to act.
Anyway, I've already had my three score years and ten. Every
day now is a bonus for me."
A full day has now passed since writing the last paragraph.
Things have gotten very intense and busy. The press is
paying a lot of attention to our actions and vigils - we've
held dozens of interviews. Everyone awaits the inspectors'
report to the U.N. tonight.
Some say the bombing could start in two days, others say not
for another week, and a some even say the war will be called
off. There are more prayers, and deeper ones.
Last night Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the special envoy from
Pope John Paul II, conducted Mass in St. Joseph's Cathedral
here in Baghdad. During his homily he said the following:
Peace? Who doesn't talk about it today everywhere in the
world without thinking about the huge threats that weighs on
Iraq? Who does not desire peace? But how many among us
really desire that peace is still possible? How many truly
want peace with all their zeal? How many believe that prayer
is something other than a refuge during hours of impending
stress? Something other than a simple alibi from human
engagement? Today, tonight, here, we pray for peace in Iraq
and in the entire MiddleEast. This is a test of faith and it
is harder for those of us who take seriously both prayer and
peace to contemplate what may happen to this city in a very
short time. Peace is so simple. Why is war so complex?
--
We can either have democracy in this country or we can have
great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we
cannot have both. --Justice Louis D. Brandeis
Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who COUNT the
votes decide everything. --Joseph Stalin
Not all conservatives are stupid people, but I have found
that most stupid people are conservative. --John Stuart Mill
As one Senate Republican leadership aide put it, "When we
take over the majority, we intend to move so fast to pass
bills and confirm judges that have been held up by the
Senate Democratic leadership that it will make their heads
spin" (Roll Call, 10/7). ]
Certified lunatics are shut up because of their proneness to
violence when their pretensions are questioned; the
uncertified variety are given the control of powerful
armies, and can inflict death and disaster upon all sane men
within their reach. --Bertrand Russell (1872-1970): Power
[1938] ch.16
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a
revolutionary act. --George Orwell
What good fortune for those in power that the people do not
think. --Adolf Hitler
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]