philly

Thanks to Aaron from Philly IMC, I found a nice observance over at the University Lutheran Church tonight. I got there after the potluck, but right at the start of the series of speakers who I believe are all members of the Brandywine
Peace Community. There were about thirty people sitting in the pews of the sanctuary, I got there as one of the founders of the group was speaking, I believe it was Bob Smith, an activist for over twenty-five years.

First up was Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director of the Shalom Center. The two things I took away from his time at the podium were that: We can mourn through action and that We must dance towards change instead of being pushed to retreat against progress. There is nothing wrong with mourning the losses our country has seen through the years, but to sit still is not doing all that we can do.

A poet got up to read several poems. Susan Windle, read a couple of poems and a couple more poems after the next speaker, Michael Berg. Her poetry wasn't my style and I couldn't make the connection.

Next up was Michael Berg, father of Nicholas Berg, the telecomm contractor who was killed in Iraq on May 7^th, 2004. The video of his execution was released onto the internet on the 11^th.

Berg told us that when his high school students asked him why the attack happened on 9.11.01. He told them the truth he said. That it was our actions abroad in the past that brought this upon us [paraphrased]. He told us that his son went to Iraq, believing W's lies, to help rebuild Iraq. He said that he was told on the 10^th that his son was killed in Iraq and when he saw the video the next day, he waited for feelings of revenge to emerge. They never came.

Berg has chosen, instead, to forgive those who killed his son. He even said that on good days, he is even able to forgive W, Rumsfeld and Gonzales for his son's death. But he was quick to point out that to forgive is not to condone the actions which lead to his son's death. He condemned the actions of this administration which lead to the deaths of over 2,000 Americans and others who sent troops into Iraq and Afghanistan, the 100,000+ civilians who have died and the neglect W and Co. have shown towards our country pointing out the management after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

Berg said that only after we withdraw our troops from the Middle East can we begin to be free from terror.

He said that the true resources of this country are its people. The families that provide the backbone of this country. Resources do not come out of the earth. He said that only dirt comes from the earth.

He said that W tried to push Cindy Sheehan into the dirt, but she would not be pushed away and now has ignited a flame which has spread across the entire nation. He called upon all of us to head down to Washington, DC the weekend of the 24^th to march and rally with her. He urged us to stay through Monday for the day of nonviolent civil disobedience. He asked us to miss school, to miss work, to chance going to jail. He asked us what good was the job we go to each day and the money we earn under this administration.

I'm not ready to go as far as Berg urged me to go. But I have not lost everything he has. But I will be there Friday through Sunday. Who else from the Philly area will be going down? I'd love to get together with a group from the area and march along side you in the District together under the banner of activists, concerned citizens, Philadelphians, Americans, citizens of the world. Big numbers at this march will be reported all over the world. It is imperative that we show up in big numbers in dissent of this administration. It will serve as a jumping off point for the months to come right up to the 2006 mid-term elections and the 2008 general election and beyond.

I'm not asking people to get arrested. I'm not asking people to miss work for three days. I'm asking people to stand up for what they believe in and if that involves getting arrested and missing work as a sacrifice, more power to you. I was no activist two years ago, but to say things have changed would be an understatement. I fully enjoy being active now. I love it. While I'm not ashamed that I wasn't more active in the past, I regret it. I try to live life without regrets, but I can honestly say that I really do regret not caring as much then as I do now. Don't regret your non-action, it is too important these days.

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