A Message From The Clergy Leadership Network.....
After listening to President Bush's address to the nation last night and his comments to reporters last weekend, we realize more than ever how zealousness and pride have prevented this President from seeing moral issues about Iraq clearly. For weeks and even months, President Bush suggested that the violence in Iraq stemmed from only a "few people." Yet, though he admitted that times were tough, he failed to genuinely take responsibility for his decisions. In effect, he has failed to acknowledge just how grave last week was for our soldiers and for the Iraqi civilians who have been caught in the crossfire. The tragic facts are that more soldiers died last week in combat than in any other week since the conflict in Iraq began.
While President Bush spent most of the week on vacation at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, approximately 76 American soldiers lost their lives. During a time that included days of religious celebration for Christians, Jews and Muslims, nearly 76 families learned that they would never again welcome loved ones to their holiday tables.
In light of these events and despite Bush's visit to soldiers' families in Fort Hood, Bush's comments seem, at best, callous and, at worst, frighteningly detached from the harsh reality so many Americans and Iraqi civilians are facing.
Since our inception, CLN has opposed President Bush's war in Iraq and his Administration's failure to bring peace and stability to that area. We agree with the comments of Rev. Dr. James Forbes, "A righteous superpower must have a global vision, strong values of respect for the rights of others, and a rational sense of purpose to promote justice, peace, and compassion."
Last week's events obligate us more than ever to call for a new vision for America's actions in Iraq and our foreign policy in general – a vision that is rooted in our shared values of justice and peace.
We urge you to speak truth to power! Join us in challenging America to forge a new path in international relations, a path that ends with America offering authentic principles of freedom and hope to Iraq and the world.
Please support our work and demonstrate that people of faith are deeply concerned with these issues by:
1) Writing your local Congressman or Congresswoman about this issue. To identify your Senator and/or Congress person go to http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/index.html.
2) Writing the Kerry Campaign and/or Senator Kerry's office about this issue. Go to http://www.johnkerry.com/contact/ for details.
3) Registering to attend our National Gathering to empower yourself and to learn more about the role of people of faith in politics. Go to our website at http://www.clnnlc.org/news_events.html for more details.
