[Peace] A moment to reflect (fwd)

[patton paul]

forwarded by:
__________________________________________________________________
Dr. Paul Patton
Beckman Institute  Rm 3027  405 N. Mathews St.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign  Urbana, Illinois 61801
work phone: (217)-265-0795   fax: (217)-244-5180
home phone: (217)-328-4064
homepage: http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ppatton/index.html

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.  It is the
source of all true art and science."
-Albert Einstein
__________________________________________________________________

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 11 Mar 2002 20:10:35 -0000
From: "Wes Boyd, MoveOn.org"
    <moveon-help-468-483317-lxrZ2zmo%2Faszhmw2JWvSig at list.moveon.org>
To: Dr. Paul Patton <ppatton at uiuc.edu>
Subject: A moment to reflect

Dear Friend of MoveOn,

Today is the six month anniversary of September 11th and we'd like
to take a moment to reflect.  Citizens around the world are clearly
unified in their disgust with terrorism.  Yet rather than embrace this
opportunity to bring the world together, the Bush administration has
declared a permanent state of war, without clearly identified goals
or an endpoint.

In the last six months, we've fought attempts by the Bush
administration to use the terrorist attacks for political advantage.
With the right rolling out old agendas in the name of "security,"
it's been a tough battle.  But grassroots support has been key in
keeping the Democratic Senate majority from folding.  Now the calls
for a permanent state of emergency no longer resonate.  It's time
to fight back for peace and democracy.

But first, it's time for a memorial.  The best way we can imagine
to pay respect is by making a commitment to creating a better world,
a world in which terrorism and war are only a bad memory.

MoveOn.org's 9-11peace campaign is supporting a group of American
victims' families, September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows,
in their efforts to create a compensation fund for the families of
Afghan victims.  They are running a Washington call-in campaign.  Can
you help?

Contact your Representative at the number listed here:

   Representative Timothy V. Johnson
   Phone:  202-225-2371
   Fax:    202-226-0791

Make sure the staffers know you're a constituent. Then urge them to:

  "Please support September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
   by enacting a Afghan Victims Compensation Fund."

Please let us know you're making this call, at:

http://www.moveon.org/callp.html?id=3D468-483317-lxrZ2zmo%2Faszhmw2JWvSig

The US military response has lead to the deaths of many innocent
Afghan civilians -- perhaps thousands of them.  For their families,
circumstances could not be more dire.  Those whose homes have been
leveled now live in houses made of scraps of metal; food is scarce and
the winter is extremely cold.

September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows is urging Congress
to set up an Afghan Victims Compensation Fund that would provide money
for bare necessities for these families.  Further information is
attached below.

Over 25 members of Congress have expressed their sympathy and support
for the idea of a compensation fund for innocent Afghan victims when
Peaceful Tomorrows members met with them in late January.  Now they
need to hear from you.

Sincerely,

- Wes Boyd
  MoveOn.org
  March 11, 2002

For more information on the 9-11peace Campaign, please visit:
http://9-11peace.org/

-----------------------------------------------------

A MESSAGE FROM SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH FAMILIES FOR PEACEFUL TOMORROWS

Peaceful Tomorrows is a group of family members of September
Eleventh victims who are working for peace.

"Six months ago members of our families and thousands of other
innocents lost their lives in the attacks on the World Trade Center,
the Pentagon and on Flight 93. The loss of innocent lives continues --
it has now been over five months since the beginning of US military
action in Afghanistan in which other families have also suffered.
Yet there is no official acknowledgment that innocent Afghan
civilians have been killed or maimed in the bombing. While the number
of civilian casualties is unclear, estimates range from 1,000 to
4,000 people.

The innocent victims in Afghanistan who lost their lives during
the U.S. air strikes deserve our compassion and support. Out of our
concern for our Afghan "sister families," four Peaceful Tomorrows
members traveled to Afghanistan in January with Global Exchange
visiting dozens of grieving and devastated Afghan families. Many of
the families of those who were killed or injured by US bombs are
living in dire economic straits. We returned from our visit
determined to help our Afghan sister families.

We are calling on the US government to conduct a detailed study of
civilian casualties and create a fund to help the affected families.
Afghan relief organizations suggest an average grant of $10,000 to
rebuild homes, restock possessions, secure adequate medical and
psychological care, or compensate for the loss of breadwinners and
caretakers. Assuming 2,000 families seek compensation, this would
amount to $20 million. Twenty million is less than one day=B9s military
expense during the bombing campaign, which cost $30 million a day.

While we pressure the US government to do a study and create a fund,
we are starting this critical work ourselves. Peaceful Tomorrows
and Global Exchange, together with Afghan groups, are doing a
survey of civilian casualties and providing immediate help to
desperately poor people who were mistakenly hurt during the US
military campaign. Please join us. When Peaceful Tomorrows members
met with families in Afghanistan they expressed their empathy for our
situation. Please help us to show them that Americans care about their
well-being and are sorry for their losses. It is through such
compassion that we will build the foundation for a secure and peaceful
tomorrow."

For more information about Peaceful Tomorrows, please visit:
http://www.peacefultomorrows.org/
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