Campaigners urge faith leaders to end their 'near silence' on US wars

Oct 7th, 2021

Source: Pax Christi USA

Today, the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan and the start of the so-called US 'War on Terror' - a group of justice and peace organisations and individual organisers are urging leaders of all US religious denominations to end their "shocking" 20-year "near silence" on US wars and to publicly oppose the US "Over the Horizon" program to continue US drone attacks and also to oppose war threats against China.

"Praying for the troops was a mantra of all religious groups and music to the ears of the Pentagon and its war contractors", the peace advocates say. A letter addressed to US religious leaders will be delivered in person at churches in Syracuse and Binghamton, NY, Des Moines, IA, Greensburg, PA and elsewhere as well as being released to the press. Praying for US troops, the letter continues, "enables the war-makers to do their business blessed by the moral arbiters of America-religious communities."

The letter, which was written by Jack Gilroy, a member of Veterans for Peace, and is being circulated by the Ban Killer Drones network, says that the wars undertaken by the US in Afghanistan and Iraq since October 7, 2001 have generated "far greater horror than 9/11".

The Ban Killer Drones network is comprised of anti-drone war organisers in US communities in which there are killer drone control centers, such as Syracuse and Niagara Falls, NY; Des Moines, IA; and Horsham, PA, and of opponents of drone killing in other peace and justice groups.

Signatories

Baltimore Phil Berrigan Chapter, Veterans For Peace
Ellen Barfield, Baltimore, MD
Mickie Lynn, member of Women Against War, Delmar, NY
The Drone Death Walk, Philadelphia, PA
Marie Dennis, Co-President (2007-2019) Pax Christi International
Marge Van Cleef, Philadelphia, PA
Pax Christi, Greenburg, PA
Kathy Kelly, To End All Wars
Des Moines Catholic Worker
Des Moines Chapter, Veterans For Peace
Ann Tiffany, Upstate Drone Action (NY)
Ed Kinane, Upstate Drone Action (NY)
Upstate Drone Action (NY)
Father Tim Taugher, Binghamton, NY
John Heagle, Chair, Gospel Nonviolent Working Group, AUSCP (Association of United States Catholic Priests
Stephen V. Kobasa, for Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice, New Haven, CT
BanKillerDrones.org
Nick Mottern - Co-coordinator BanKillerDrones.org
Peace Network of Western New York
Vicki Ross, Peace Network of Western New York
Johnny Zokovitch, Executive Director - Pax Christi USA
Interfaith Peace Network
NYC War Resisters League
Paki Weiland, CODEPINK
Brian Terrell, Catholic Worker, Maloy, Iowa
Fr. Bernard Survil, Priest of the Diocese of Greenburg, PA
Peace and Justice Works, Portland, OR
New York City Catholic Worker Community
Broome County, NY Peace Action
Broome County, NY Chapter 90, Veterans for Peace
Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Washington, DC