[Peace] Re: Hampshire Patriots petition

[Joe Futrelle]

Sorry, I agree with the assessment that the so-called "War on Terror" is 
unjust and symptomatic of the racism of American society.  Furthermore, I'm 
a pacifist, as is everyone on my mother's side of their family -- a value 
we all learned from my grandfather who was a Presbyterian minister and a 
man who believed in Jesus Christ's message of peace and forgiveness.  He 
was a CO in WWII, and his sons were CO's in Vietnam, and had I been called 
upon to help the U.S. fight a war, I would have also been a CO.

I believe terrorism, and indeed all violence, is utterly wrong.  Thus I 
condemn the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as well as 
the United States' bombing of Afghanistan, and all of its bombing, 
everywhere.  I condemn Palestinian suicide bombing and Israeli violence 
against Palestinians.  I condemn violence committed against, and by, police 
in our cities.

Violence does not solve problems, nor can it serve to right any wrongs.

I have been lectured by non-pacifists about the admissibility of violence 
committed in self-defense.  Of course I make that exception.  But I do not 
accept the specious self-defense argument that is used to justify the U.S. 
campaign in Afghanistan.  Thousands of innocent Afghan citizens have died 
in the campaign, none of which posed any threat to the United 
States.  "Collateral damage" is only considered acceptable by murderers and 
their accomplices.

Asking God to bless America is not enough.  You have to accept Jesus 
Christ's message of peace and forgiveness, because He -- not we -- will 
ultimately judge us all.

Thanks for reading this; you can go back to watching Fox News now.

At 02:49 PM 1/9/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>  Dear Hampshire alumni, students, faculty, and staff,
>
>As we approach the fourth month anniversary of the September 11 attacks on 
>America, I am writing you because many in our extended community are still 
>upset about the college s lack of condemnation of; or separation from, the 
>SPR press release.
>
>The student group s radically misguided statement claimed to speak for the 
>college when it condemned the War on Terror as "unjust" and "symptomatic 
>of the racism of American society". Because the college has failed to 
>respond, in an official or definitive way, this statement remains by 
>default the public position of the college in the eyes of alumni, the 
>media, and America as a whole.
>
>Many alumni have expressed their outrage over this on the Web site 
><http://www.jerseygop.com/HampshirePatriots>www.jerseygop.com/HampshirePatriots. 
>We are now distributing a short petition in support of the U.S. effort in 
>the "War on Terror" that calls on the Hampshire administration to 
>officially and in no uncertain terms separate itself from the SPR position.
>
>It is my sincere hope that you take the time to download the petition at 
><http://www.jerseygop.com/HampshirePatriots/html_petition.html>http://www.jerseygop.com/HampshirePatriots/html_petition.html 
>read it, print it, sign it, and fax it back to 1-702-995-7289.
>
>By collecting these petitions we hope to show the administration at 
>Hampshire the overwhelming desire of the Hampshire community to put this 
>issue to rest on the side of good. Only if they do will we again feel 
>comfortable in supporting the college that we have held so dear in the past.
>
>Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
>God bless America.
>
>Sincerely,
>Tom Schneider (F85)
>Hampshire Patriots founder
><http://www.jerseygop.com/HampshirePatriots>www.jerseygop.com/HampshirePatriots

--
Joe Futrelle
F90