Methodist Federation for Social Action

Press Release
October 11, 2001

For more information contact:
Methodist Federation for Social Action
202-546-8806
mfsa@mfsaweb.org

MFSA URGES SUSTAINED PEACEMAKING EFFORTS

Washington – In a press release of October 2nd, the Rev. Kathryn J. Johnson, MFSA Executive Director, urged United Methodists to make their voices heard in the midst of the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11th. Acknowledging the “ache of our hearts” and the “anguish we feel” for those touched directly by this tragedy, she warned that “the events that have unfolded within our nation since that fateful morning are setting our country and our people on a path that threatens to compound the tragedy of September 11th.”

MFSA members across the country have been gathering signatures and sending petitions to President Bush and writing letters to members of Congress. Among other concerns, MFSA members have been urging in these letters that the President and Congress use restraint in launching military attacks.

In light of the fact that military strikes are now taking place, Johnson has released the following addendum to her earlier statements:

MFSA shares with all Americans the desire to bring to justice those who committed the September 11 attacks and their accomplices, and joins with President Bush in his call to respect the rights and personhood of Arab Americans and Americans of the Islamic faith.

We believe, however, that the spiral of violence must be stopped before it leads to further and even greater loss of innocent life both in the United States and in other nations. Violence begets violence. And thus we call on our government to work through judicial processes, police work and a broad international antiterrorist coalition, in concert with the United Nations, to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice. It is sustained efforts such as these that will lead to enduring peace and security.

We also call for a broad reexamination of US foreign policies which, however unintentionally, may have enabled terrorists to fan the flames of anti-Americanism in many parts of the world. We call on the US to initiate a far-reaching campaign to reduce the widening gap between rich and poor throughout the world. We recommend a shift from unilateral policies to a multilateral approach, including US support for existing treaties banning landmines and chemical or biological weapons, and the adoption of a comprehensive nuclear test ban.