[Peace-discuss] Imperialism against religion

[C. G. Estabrook]

Today marks the 29th anniversary of the assassination of Oscar Romero,
Archbishop of San Salvador. Weeks before, on 17 February 1980,
Romero wrote to President Carter as follows:

"Prohibit all U.S. military assistance to the Salvadoran government.
Guarantee that the US government will not intervene, directly or indirectly,
by military, economic, diplomatic, or other pressures, to influence the
direction of the destiny of the Salvadoran people."

A little over a month later Romero was shot and killed while he
celebrated Mass.  In 1993, the UN Truth Commission Report
established that Major Roberto D'Aubuisson, a graduate of the U.S.
School of the Americas, ordered Romero's assassination.

Romero said,

"My life has been threatened many times. I affirm that as a
Christian, I do not believe in death without resurrection. If they
kill me, I will rise again in the Salvadoran people ... As a shepherd,
I am obliged by divine law to give my life for those I love, for the
entire Salvadoran people, including those Salvadorans who threaten
to assassinate me. If they should go as far as to carry out their
threats, I want you to know that I now offer my blood to God for
justice and the resurrection of El Salvador ... My death will be for
the liberation of my people and a testimony of hope for the future.
A bishop will die, but the church of God, which is the people, will
never perish."

The following is from Romero's homily at the Cathedral in
San Salvador, the day before he was murdered:

"I would like to appeal in a special way to the men of the army, and
in particular to the troops of the National Guard, the Police, and the
garrisons. Brothers, you belong to our own people. You kill your own
brother peasants; and in the face of an order to kill that is given
by a man, the law of God should prevail: that says, 'Do not kill!'
No soldier is obliged to obey an order counter to the law of God.
No one has to comply with an immoral law. It is time now that you
recover your conscience and obey its dictates rather than the
command of sin."

Art Laffin, who compiled these notes for a vigil today at the White
House as part of the "100 Days Campaign to Close Guantanamo,"
concluded as follows:

"Let us pray and work for an immediate end to US warmaking and
occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Let us pray and work for the immediate closing of Guantanamo
where some forty-five prisoners are presently on a hunger-strike,
twenty-five of them on the critical list."

"Let us pray and work for the immediate closing of Bagram US Air
Base in Afghanistan, where over 600 prisoners are being held without
any rights and subject to brutal treatment and coercive interrogation.

"Let us pray and work for an end to all US military intervention everywhere.

"Let us pray and work for an end to US military assistance and training
to countries that repress and kill, including Israel and Colombia.

"Let us pray and work for the immediate disarmament and abolition
of all nuclear weapons and every other kind of weapon, on earth
and in space.

"Let us pray and work for the creation of the Beloved Community,
where all life and creation is revered as sacred.

"Oscar Romero, pray for us!"

Art Laffin
Dorothy Day Catholic Worker
503 Rock Creek Church Rd NW
Wash DC 20010
<artlaffin at hotmail.com>