CRAWFORD, Texas/EWORLDWIRE/Dec. 31, 2006 --- The Crawford Peace House will host -What: Waco Friends of Peace Fourth Annual New Year's Eve Candle Light Vigil
When: Sunday, Dec. 31, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Crawford, Texas
In remembrance of the 650,000 Iraqi civilians killed since March 20, 2003
Speakers include:
- Alan Northcutt, MD, 254-744-1682, giving a summary of the Lancet report documenting the deaths
- Rev. Robert Flowers
- Cindy Sheehan
In an open statement to the public, Crawford Peace House spokesman Hadi Jawad issued the following:
"Let us hope for less tragedy in 2007. Let us hope for enlightenment.
"Thankfully, more and more brave souls are willing to speak out about the bamboozling of America. Thankfully, the recent elections delivered a message of hope that Americans are not satisfied with corruption, incompetence and deceit, and they want the insanity of relentless killing to end.
"Yet, many of us are so overwhelmed that we continue to crave distractions or find scapegoats. Editorial pages offer a glimpse into the psyche of a society. A recent editorial cartoon in our local paper depicted George Bush as the coach of a football team who was befuddled that his own side was calling for withdrawal of his own side was calling for withdrawal of his 'team.' This is such a perfect example of how, we, the people, fall into the trap of believing that any war, especially a pre-emptive war, is merely a spectator sport. The only objective is to win, win, win - go, team, go - no matter the cost in human lives, destruction of a sovereign country, the reasons for invasion or the toll extracted from our collective souls, and treasury. Who can be a winner in this injustice?
"A letter to the editor on that very same page is lamenting the fact that competition between TV networks and the NFL denied him his right of watching 'America's team.' Watching the Cowboys, he said, was a much-needed distraction from the Iraq war and the holy days of Christ Mass, that seems to bring so much stress to present-day Americans.
"This brings to mind Juvenal's comment during First Century Rome: 'Give them bread and circuses,' as he watched his Republic morph into a dictatorship. Football and pizza seems appropriate in 2006. I wonder how many of us sat with pizza and beer, cheering as we watched the 'shock and awe' of thousands paying with their lives because our leaders told us those lives were expendable in their quest to kill one man - that dictator Saddam Hussein, now hanged, who some of those leaders had supported and had provided the very WMD's used to justify the invasion.
"We too suffer from the need to be distracted from the carnage we, as a collective nation, are inflicting upon undeserving people. We can find no distraction, our only option is to acknowledge, commemorate and offer remorse.
"Another writer is outraged that Frosty has out-competed the Nativity in the mass markets of consumerism that programs us to buy, buy, buy. The stores have lots of lighted snowmen but no Nativity scenes for sale. The writer blames it on political correctness.
"Some of us call this a Christian nation, celebrate the birth and death of the Prince of Peace, and yet we pay little attention to His life or His lessons telling us to fear not and judge not or his demonstrations of love, faith, peace and goodwill. The only instance reported of Jesus resorting to any form of violence occurred when a place of worship was used as a tool of capitalism - and he drove the moneychangers from the temple. The rulers of His day also used the tools of fear, distraction and competition, dividing and conquering in their quest to end His simple message of the brotherhood of all men and women as children of God, Jehovah, Allah, or please insert the name preferred.
"Let's encourage our leaders to find common ground and understanding. Let's encourage our leaders to cooperate. Let's demand that our leaders to stop the killing and create a 'Department of Peace.' That would be a wonderful seed, the fruit of which would be goodwill. Join us in our vigil of remembrance and hope. We, the people, must stand for peace and justice. We, the people, are our own best hope. Those unable to travel to Crawford may join in consciousness of shining the light of truth on the horrific acts perpetrated on an undeserving populace, by those who represent the public."
Crawford Peace House wishes peace and goodwill to all.
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