REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, a small group of individuals attacked
the USA and destroyed or badly damaged two of its most prominent
symbols -- the center of world trade and the center of the mightiest
military force in history -- and killed 3,000 persons.

The staff of the 8th Day Center for Justice spent the following day in
prayer and reflection in an attempt to discern their response. They
agreed to issue a statement (see http://www.8thdaycenter.org/
aboutus/statements.html) and they decided to initiate a silent
prayer-vigil at Chicago's federal building each Tuesday at which they
would distribute informational leaflets about the attacks and US war
plans.

Those persons who supported a different interpretation and response than
that provided by the Bush administration and main stream media were
branded as unpatriotic. War hysteria was the rule of the day. Few
persons tried to answer in a thoughtful manner why the US was attacked.
This is the case even today.

Since it was the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that were attacked,
it seems wise to consider US economic and military policies. For
example, on September 11, 1973, the CIA helped engineer the overthrow of
Chile's democratically elected government because the US opposed
economic policies initiated by Chile. The overthrow resulted in the
initial death of over 3,000 Chileans followed by decades of death and
disappearances under the dictator Pinochet. While many throughout the
world sympathized with the US following September 11, 2001, they also
recall that other September 11 in Chile.

Many are also aware that the US provided total support for Israel in its
recent war with Lebanon, both at the UN and with a rush order of
bunker-buster bombs. US support ignored Israel's indiscriminate attacks
against civilians in what Human Rights Watch said indicated "the
commission of war crimes." The US has engaged in numerous other
incursions into the life of the world's communities.

Few in the US recall that the Bush administration rejected Afghanistan's
offer to turn Osama bin Laden over to an independent court in another
country. The call was for retribution. And the impoverished country of
Afghanistan continues to suffer war and poverty to this day as a result.

If this was not sad enough, the immoral and illegal attack and
occupation of Iraq has already consumed the lives of untold numbers of
Iraqis (estimates range over 200,000 persons), nearly 2700 US military
personnel and over $300 Billion. This does not count the untold numbers
of persons injured, both physical and mental.

These deaths and broken lives deprive the world of much needed wisdom
and creativity. This squandering of national treasuries leaves the world
without clean water, schools and medical care, houses, bridges, roads
and much, much more. On top of all this, torture, profiling and the loss
of civil liberties are now the norm.

ONE STEP IN REVERSING THIS MADNESS
We encourage you to sign the The Declaration of Peace, a personal
commitment to take nonviolent steps for a comprehensive, concrete and
rapid end to the US war in Iraq, including:

1. Withdrawal of US troops and all coalition forces

2. Closure of US military bases

3. Support for an Iraqi-led peace process, including a peace conference
to shape a post-occupation transition and an international peacekeeping
process if mandated by this peace process

4. Return of Iraqi control over its oil resources and the political and
economic life of the nation

5. Reparations and reconstruction to address the destruction caused by
the US war and thirteen years of sanctions

6. Establish a peace dividend for job creation, health care,
education, housing and other vital social needs

7. Increased support for US veterans of the Iraq war, and

8. No so-called preventive war against Iran or any other nation

This comprehensive and concrete withdrawal plan must be established and
activated no later than September 21, 2006 and completed no later than
March 19, 2007, ending four years of war and occupation in Iraq. We will
take every nonviolent step possible to meet this goal before these
deadlines.

ACTIONS

1. Sign The Declaration of Peace Pledge at http://www.declarationofpeace.org

2. Join or conduct a regular peace vigil at a location near you, such as
a government building, a busy intersection or at the office of an
elected official.

3. Share this bulletin with your family, friends, coworkers and your
faith community.