CPTnet
14 June 2007
FORT FRANCES, ON REFLECTION: The freedoms we enjoy
[Note: Following is a response from CPT director emeritus Gene Stoltzfus to
a critic of his blog entry on Cindy Sheehan (See the 12 June 2007 CPTnet
release "On the resignation of Cindy Sheehan.") It has been edited for
length. People wishing to see the original will find it at
http://gstoltzfus.blogspot.com/]
"Gene, I read your message on Cindy Sheehan. If it would not be for these
individuals in the military and also law enforcement, you and Cindy would
not have the freedoms you enjoy."
X
Dear X,
I know that I could allow myself to be pulled into a lengthy discussion
with you about who is right. But, that might not get us any further now
than it has for the many years you have been trying to correct my thinking
and action. You know very well that my faith convictions have led me to
active nonviolence and that those convictions are rooted in the Gospel of
enemy-loving.
On the surface there is not much that you and I agree about regarding the
use of force and Americas wars. You believe that the only way to achieve
security is to use force. I believe we can do better and that history
teaches us the possibility of the use of nonviolent power for transformation
of people's hearts and society.
The freedoms that I enjoy came about because groups of people organized
themselves to speak, pray, worship, and agitate, and they didn't stop
because military, police, or intelligence forces told them to stop. Some
gave their lives. Others went to jail or sacrificed careers.
On my trips to Baghdad I had occasion to meet many soldiers. You may be
surprised to learn how often soldiers and officers who knew first-hand the
complexity of the situation would warmly welcome our work. It was not
unusual for us to be asked how they could join in such work. We always
replied that the work required that the gun be put away for good and that
expectations of discipline also required in military work is a
characteristic we admire and attempt to integrate in our work too.
Often we concluded the conversation by simply saying that we have one very
important commitment already in common. We are prepared not only to
organize ourselves for peacemaking but we are prepared to accept the
consequences even if the outcome is death. Far more often than you might
believe, these encounters closed with a warm handshake or even a hug.
So X, I doubt that this letter will change your mind immediately. But I do
know that we live in a world where the paradigms do change, that someday we
may be allies for a specific cause. I am confident that my faith stand is
firm and that part of that firmness is an openness to flashes of new light.
Thank you for reminding me of your perspective on freedom. As you know,
freedom for all peoples of this earth is not yet complete. I believe that
we can look into the hearts of humankind and see the hope for an order of
reconciled peace that neither you nor I have the imagination to comprehend
yet. I hope that we both have the eyes to see the light when it appears.
Sincerely,
Gene Stoltzfus
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Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) seeks to enlist the whole church in
organized, nonviolent alternatives to war and places teams of trained
peacemakers in regions of lethal conflict. Originally a violence-reduction
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