[Peace-discuss] discussion please

[Jim Buell]

Thanks Lisa. I too am happy to see discussion growing on-list about this. 
Although I initially just sent my message to you individually last night, 
I'll go ahead and post it to the whole list now. I agree with both you and 
Peter that joviality is the last thing we want to convey on the 11th 
itself. Even defiance is somewhat tricky on the day, although it would be 
wholly appropriate the weekend before or the weekend after, I think. This 
is also what's suggested by the folks running www.unitedforpeace.org (a 
Global Exchange action), who are compiling a national clearinghouse of 
events - they have lots of good ideas.

Anyway, all, here's what I'd written.

peace,
jb

>Hi Lisa,
>
>It's been quite some time since I've attended an AWARE meeting - the 
>Greens, Estabrook for Congress, and a toddler in the house leave little 
>time for additional action - but I've been continuing to read the peace 
>list postings regularly and interact with AWARE members in other settings.
>
>I'm writing you in reference to AWARE's plans for Sept. 11. I'm speaking 
>only for myself, and out of confusion mainly, but I do want to express 
>what I'm thinking. It strikes me that the AWARE 9/11 plans show a great 
>deal of anger against what our nation's political leaders are doing - and 
>that anger is entirely justified - yet I'm worried that expressions of 
>sorrow, regret and sadness are entirely missing. Those of you planning the 
>local events may be losing sight of the fact that many people who don't 
>understand nearly as much as AWARE members do about how last Sept. 11 came 
>about (we have after all been studying it intensively for the better part 
>of a year, and many supporters came into the group with an already 
>well-honed understanding of how US power really operates) and about how 
>little justification there actually is for the actions our nation's 
>government has undertaken since that time. That continues to be a matter 
>for education and action, over the long haul. But I'm not at all certain 
>that the one-year anniversary of the suicide attacks is the proper venue 
>for in-your-face kinds of actions. I'm afraid that if AWARE's remembrance 
>of the thousands who died in the trade center and Pentagon on September 
>prominently features things like mock-up coffins, a mass turn-in at the 
>FBI office (I'm guessing all government offices will be closed anyway), 
>people dressed as sheep, giant puppets, etc., it will look very much as if 
>AWARE is mocking victims and using the occasion to make sarcastic comments 
>about leadership and follower-ship. I just don't think it's going to do us 
>much good, either in the eyes of the wider public or even in our own hearts.
>
>On the occasion of the six-month anniversary of the attack, AWARE put 
>together a very moving candlelight vigil on the Quad, with an open mike 
>and the stated goal of commemorating all victims, Afghani as well as U.S. 
>Now, sadly, the list of victims has grown much greater, with the 
>US-approved Israeli invasions of Palestinian camps, continued bombings in 
>Afghanistan, still-simmering tensions over Kashmir, and the daily rush 
>toward war in Iraq. Something on this order is also, I think, very much in 
>the spirit of what the national ad-hoc group "United For Peace" (sponsored 
>by Global Exchange, Medea Benjamin's organization) is recommending for 
>actions around the country on Sept. 11 - their advice is that more 
>confrontational or energetic actions be saved for other days, e.g. the 
>weekend before or after the 11th. (And perhaps this would be a more 
>suitable timing than the 11th itself for the Peace Parade and Protest as 
>well.) They've got lots of good information on their website - 
>www.unitedforpeace.org . Also, week or so back, Peter Miller posted out a 
>suggested service from Shalom, a Jewish-affiliated peace action group, 
>that set a tone more like what I'm hoping the peace community can pull 
>together next month.
>
>Channing-Murray (where I'm president of the board) will be participating 
>along with other religious groups around town in the labyrinth peace walk 
>set up for the 11th. I saw your mention that the organizers of that event 
>seem to have told you that they wish for the event to remain 
>nonpoliticized. I don't have any ties to the organizing group, but I'm 
>sure they would be happy to see AWARE members take part in the walk. 
>Again, speaking only for myself, I wonder if the community might best be 
>served by AWARE holding its event on a date other than the 11th, and 
>participating in something like the walk - or possibly holding a simple 
>candlelight vigil, on the 11th itself. It might also be worth contacting 
>the UI Chancellor's office to find out what, if anything, the university 
>has scheduled for the 11th - Nancy Cantor has, I think, been a fairly 
>strong voice for community on this campus since last September, and I'm 
>guessing their may be plans for some sort of commemoration coming from 
>their office that AWARE members would be interested in.
>
>Consider this note very much in the spirit of friendly criticism. I may 
>just be overly concerned, but I think we who are working for peace need to 
>always be thinking about not only the justice and justification for our 
>actions, but about how those actions are likely to be received by the 
>community as a whole. I will unfortunately be out of town this weekend, or 
>I'd attend AWARE this Sunday to express these concerns in person. If you 
>like, you're welcome to contact me.
>
>yours in the struggle for peace,
>Jim