John Dear: The Trials, and Blessings, of Peacework

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from CommonDreams:


Published on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
The Trials, and Blessings, of Peacework
by John Dear

I think we’ve well entered into Orwell’s nightmare of a post-modern, post-Christian era of permanent war. We have a war president, a Congress that writes blank checks for war, an enthralled media that trumpets war, a sheepish citizenry that lets itself get fleeced for war, churches that confer their blessings on war, and courts that legalize weapons and imprison those who say no to war. Our war isn’t only permanent, but universal--we make war on the poor, on children, on the earth, on humanity, on God.
But complaining does no good, and it’s not an authentic Christian response anyway. The Christian response to a “surge of war” is a counter surge of peace, a swell of peacemakers and nonviolent resisters. All of us need to stand up, join some public action, get involved with our local peace group, speak out, and on occasion sit in. With every act of peace, unanimity comes apart and hope resurges. And we show ourselves disciples of the nonviolent Jesus.

I and eight other New Mexicans—several grandparents, a few Pax Christi people, and a fifteen-year-old, outstanding people each of them—entered the Santa Fe Federal Building on September 26 bearing a copy of the “Declaration of Peace.” Ours was one of 375 actions at various local government offices around the nation. Our destination was the office of Senator Pet Domenic, a prominent warmaker. Would he consider signing our declaration? Might he promise to help bring an end to the war? Reasonable requests, we thought. We also thought our chances unlikely. Still, such a gambit warranted a try, for nonviolence, if it goes deep enough, melts hearts, transforms politics and wins friends.

We got as far as the elevator. Police forbade us from continuing and pulled the plug. So in the elevator we sat, the doors opened to the lobby. The police confided their sympathy for our cause and, while they obstructed us, they refused to arrest us. So we resorted to Plan B. From the elevator floor we read aloud the name of every U.S. soldier killed, and some ten thousand Iraqi civilians. We read for seven hours.

Finally arrived the head of Homeland Security in New Mexico, who personally arrested us. Then stuffed in our hands Federal misdemeanor citations, the charge: “failure to conform with signs and direction.”

This week we were supposed to stand trial in Federal Court. But the government has now postponed things until Spring. Seems they hope to expand the case against us—and make sure I cool my heels in jail.

Alas, it’s all too likely. But it’s also a small price to pay, considering the 1.5 million Iraqis who’ve been killed over the last 16 years. But more than that, for Christians it’s the normal price to pay in the nature of things. Paying up is part and parcel of the Christian’s job description. We’re supposed to take up the cross of nonviolent resistance to the empire of war, and to accept the consequences. ......(more)

The rest of the piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0123-30.htm