Anti-War Haiku Wall

remote control
i can turn off the TV but
not the war
Now that the chickenhawks have ridden roughshod over world opinion
and the desires of the U.S. peace community, they want us to stifle our
dissent. It was okay to argue against the war before it started, but now
we should support our troops by silencing ourselves. To dissent in the
midst of a war is to "give aid and comfort to our enemies."

This reminds me so much of what the Southern gentlemen said to the
abolitionists before the Civil War. "You may disagree with slavery, but,
as long as slavery is in existence, you must put your consciences on the
back burner and help slaveowners retrieve their property."

Dissent, and even civil disobedience, are not merely the right of
citizens in a free society. Dissent and civil disobedience are our
*responsibility* to our society. Crimes of conscience have always
stood on the front lines of the struggle for freedom.

For more than 350 years, Quakers have believed that war is morally
wrong, against God's plan for humanity, against Jesus' commandments
to his followers. We will not stand silent now.

dark nights
stand firm
in the Light

Heather Madrone

Support our troops: bring them home.