[asia-apec 1801] Compassion Alert: Response to Terrorism

[Anuradha Mittal]

Food First/The Institute for Food and 
Development Policy stands with the
international community as we mourn 
a tragedy of unprecedented depth.
We are devastated and horrified at the 
insanity and carnage.

This was a Crime against Humanity, 
not an Act of War. A further crisis awaits us
if we do not respond with sanity. 
While we deeply mourn the death and injuries
of loved ones, the Bush administration 
is signalling that it will use this tragedy to
strengthen and further intensify the 
Pentagon's war drive. Justice should be meted out
to those responsible for this barbarism, 
but if America should attack anything, it should
be the conditions of poverty, deprivation 
and racism that breed terrorists. It is the 
only true solution.

September 11, 2001 should be remembered 
as the start of peace for future
generations and not the beginning of war. 
Allow history to teach us that.
The 1986 bombing raids on two Libyan 
cities, the bombing of a Baghdad
neighborhood in 1993 in response to 
rumors of a planned assassination
attempt on former President George H. Bush, 
and the air strike on a Sudanese Al
Shifa pharmaceutical plant that provided 
most of Sudan's medicines,
mistakenly believed to be a chemical weapons 
factory associated with Osama
bin Laden, are three cases that should 
remind us of the mistake of hatred
and vengeful retaliatory strikes. The politics 
of vengeance only fuel more terrorism.

The tragedy of Septemeber 11, 2001 should 
not deviate America from its moral principles.
There are several ways we can respond to
these catastrophic events. First is to extend 
sympathy and compassion to the families and 
friends of those who perished or were injured at 
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. 
Second, we must foster a global movement to 
challenge war, poverty and exploitation.
Finally and always, we must build a world based
on the foundation of human rights. This is an 
opportunity to forge a broader international 
coalition--bringing disparate nations together in a
common determination to fight against all crimes 
against humanity, all violations of the rights of other 
human beings.

Please join us in contacting our Congressional 
Representatives and Senators and let them know 
that as Americans we want peace. We want a world free of
hatred and we want a world with freedom and justice for all. 
While the media polls are inciting drum beats of war, 
please let your Congress members know that we 
do not want retaliation which will lead to more blood 
shed and loss of innocent lives. We want a response that is
just and humane.

The first website will give contact info for specific senators and
representatives. Just plug in a zip code. Thank you for 
taking action and please forward a copy 
of this to your friends and colleagues.

http://www.congress.org/

The following two numbers will connect the caller with their
representative or senator.

United States Senate switchboard:  
(202) 224-3121, 
http://www.senate.gov

United States House of Representatives switchboard: 
(202) 224-3121, 
http://www.house.gov/


Proposed Messsage to your representative/senator.

Dear Representative/Senator,

I am calling to voice my opinion that the U.S. refrain 
from violent acts of retaliation. The unfortunate 
tragedy on Sept. 11 was a  crime against
humanity and not an act of war. I do not support any 
action by the U.S. military that would result in further 
loss of life or suffering of innocent civilians. I want a 
world free of hatred and I want a world with freedom
and justice for all.

There are several ways we can respond to these 
catastrophic events. First is to extend sympathy and 
compassion to the families and friends of those who 
perished  or were injured at the World Trade Center 
and the Pentagon. Second, we must foster a global 
movement to challenge war, poverty and racism.

Finally and always, we must build a world based on 
the foundation of human rights. This is an opportunity 
to forge a broader international coalition--bringing 
disparate nations together in a common determination to 
fight against all crimes against humanity, all violations of 
the rights of other human beings.


Sincerely,

Join the fight against hunger. For more information contact foodfirst at foodfirst.org.

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