September 11, 2001 Flyer - "War Is Not The Answer: An Eye for An Eye Makes the Whole World Blind"
The policies of militarism pursued by the United States have resulted in millions of deaths, from the historic tragedy of the Indochina war, through the funding of death squads in Central America and Colombia, to the sanctions and air strikes against Iraq. This nation is the largest supplier of “conventional weapons” in the world—and those weapons fuel the starkest kind of terrorism from Indonesia to Africa. The early policy support for armed resistance in Afghanistan resulted in the victory of the Taliban—and the arming and training of Osama Bin Laden, the alledged perpetrator of the September 11 attacks.
Other nations have also engaged in these policies. We have, in years past, condemned the actions of the Russian government in areas such as Chechnya, the violence on both sides in the Middle East, and in the Balkans. But our nation must take responsibility for its own actions. Up until now we have felt safe within our borders. To wake on a clear day to find a central hub of our largest city under attack, reminds us that in a violent world, none are safe.
Let us seek an end of the militarism that has characterized this nation for decades.
Let us seek a world in which security is gained through disarmament, international cooperation, and social justice not through escalation and retaliation.
We condemn without reservation attacks such as those which occurred today, which strike at thousands of civilians—may these profound tragedies remind us of the impact U.S. policies have had on other civilians in other lands.
We also condemn reflexive hostility against people of Arab descent living in this country and urge that Americans recall the part of our heritage that opposes bigotry in all forms.
We are one world. We shall live in a state of fear and terror or we shall move toward a future in which we seek peaceful alternatives to violence, and a more just distribution of the world’s resources. As we mourn the many lives lost, our hearts call out for reconciliation, not revenge.
Text from the a statement issued by the WRL on September 11, 2001
