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March 19, 2008
The Rev. John Auer
Where: Thompson Federal Building, Reno –
What: “5 Years Too
Many” Rally
RANDOM REFLECTIONS, 5th Anniversary
of the War
We may feel pretty much reduced to random
reflections, random thoughts, random actions this day. This war has been so
hard on organized resistance. Resisting resistance has itself become an art form
of the Pentagon and the White House. For how many is this our first rally for
peace? To stop this war? Or first one in a long time? Glad you are here!
Thank you for your courage, your heart.
We must not quit or despair – we dare not stop
meeting like this! If we can’t stop the war – yet! – we also can’t let the war
stop us! An elder in the Civil Rights Movement told me long ago in Chicago –
“Freedom is one long meeting.” Peace is one long protest – against this and
whatever the war of the moment – until we finally get it that nobody wins war
any more – the only winner is war itself! And all those who profit by war – by
a national image and an economy built on war -- that is falling apart as we
speak. What is it Jeanette Rankin says? We can no more win a war than we can
win an earthquake!
I’ll tell you what I told the congregation where
I preach last Sunday – if you’re thinking of running for president any time in
the next twenty years -- anything I say can and will be held against you! You
can tell what a president’s real power is by where they will let him speak. On
this day – five years after “slam dunk” and “mission accomplished” -- when it’s
the people who need to hear from the president on this war that strangles our
spirit -- where does the president speak? To the Pentagon! Know what we call
that in church? Preaching to the choir!
Pastor Jim Wallis of Sojourners said last night
the speech of Barack Obama addressing Rev. Jeremiah Wright and the race question
with such openness and such honesty – treating us like caring and capable adults
for a change! -- was the kind of moment he wanted to share again and again with
his kids. It was a gift of hope for the kind of new world they might embrace if
we can ever give up our addiction to this old world – especially our addiction
to the wars of this old world!
When was the last time we felt that way about a
political speech? How would that kind of speech be made about this war and about
the peace question we face?
Better question, who would make it? Who do we
trust with the hope of our kids?
Let’s hear from the original Jeremiah. There
have always been and always will be preachers named “Jeremiah” – Though it’s
good to remember that in the beginning – “Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good
friend of mine!” There’s even a word “jeremiad” that means what we do in vigil
today and every week – “lamenting and denunciatory complaint!” Is that right?
As we know from the Exodus story, freedom is born of “complaint!” The universe
hears the cries, sees the sufferings of the poor and oppressed – that is why the
universal becomes historical – in response to our “jeremiads” -- our “doleful
stories,” our “dolorous tirades” in dictionary terms. Isn’t that why we keep
showing up for vigils?
The original Hebrew prophet Jeremiah complained
loudly, bitterly, incessantly, even, yes, angrily against those who create and
then live off of war–
“From the least to the greatest of them,
everyone is greedy for unjust gain.” Does THAT sound like us? “From prophet to
priest everyone deals falsely!” Please hear this now -- “They have treated the
wound of my people carelessly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace!”
Saying what? “Peace, peace” when there is no peace! Again? “Peace, peace” when
there is no peace! And “prosperity, prosperity,” when there is no prosperity.
“They acted shamefully, they committed abomination; yet they were not ashamed,
they did not know how to blush.” Even today, we do not know how to blush. We
seem to have “no shame,” about whatever we say or do. “Therefore they shall
fall among those who fall.” This is the REAL Jeremiah now! “At the time that I
punish them, they shall be overthrown.” That is for anyone who creates and who
prospers by war.
We are here to say with Jeremiah, if there is no
justice, there is no peace. No justice – no peace. No honesty -- no peace.
No integrity -- no peace. No openness – no peace. No inclusiveness -- no
peace. No truth-telling -- no peace. No confession, no respect for all peoples
-- of all nations and colors, and ages, and languages, and classes, and creeds,
and conditions of life – There is no peace! War by any other name is still war,
and war is never the way to peace. Only peace is the way to peace – even
suffering peace, even life-giving peace.
So what is this “unholy war” doing in the midst
of this “Holy Week?” It is doing what war always does – what invasion,
occupation, repression, exploitation always do. It is calling us forth to
witness -- There is a better way! This way is not working. This way never has
worked. Every war sows seeds of a next one.
This week is about the powerful “witness of one”
– the witness of one single person believing his nonviolent dying is worth the
violent killing of untold billions. The witness of one believing that life is a
gift, life is an offering – not to be forced or taken from anyone else. The
witness of one believing we are not called so much to be successful as we are to
be faithful to our piece of truth to the end.
Molly Ivins stands with us
today – “We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And
every single day, every one of us needs to step outside” – to step outside
whatever it is that would keep us locked up and locked in! – “and take some
action to stop this war.” Take some action to stop this war! Take some action
to stop this war! Thank you for being here. Keep on keeping on.
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