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"All happy families are alike; every unhappy
family is unhappy in its own way."
---
Dear List Members and CASI Founders,
Roger, I am glad you spoke up for Dirk and what
he stands for - which to me is the defence of
downtrodden humanity and peace for all. That's
what you stand for too, and that's what I stand
for. So you have spoken for me as well, thank you.
To tell you this privately, what I meant to do,
would have been cowardice. There may be such thing
as a Sunday driver, but a commitment to human
rights cannot be a pastime. You feel that way all
the time, even when the majority is against you -
or especially when the majority is against you.
At the same time, I could sense Gabriel's hurt as
well. I know what Voices stood for so this must
have been what Gabriel stood for. And these were
not just words, but actions - courageous actions.
Voices and Gabriel have my deepest admiration and
respect.
Still, I could not understand his condemnation of
Dirk. Dirk is a friend of what CASI once stood for
and one usually accepts criticism from a friend.
To me, Dirk's words were criticism, not "baseless
allegations". And what Dirk said came from the
heart. Please, Gabriel, try to forgive - despite
your hurt. He too feels hurt - we all do. But we
are only outsiders: think of the people in Iraq.
As to your point that "CASI made no 'pro-war
statements'", I came to the same result as Roger
did. And I feel that Dirk was right what he said
about this Press release. Take this: "CASI...
took no position for or against the invasion of Iraq."
I interpret this to mean that CASI condoned the
invasion and didn't wish to say so. It's impossible
to be 'neutral' on a controversial issue like this.
CASI is free of course to take any position, and
it deserves great admiration for what it has done.
But I myself second Roger's version of that PR and I
think this needed to be said:
"If I had had a say in the press release, it
would have read: 'we wholeheartedly condemn
the aggression of the USUK emperium in their
illegal, brutal, violent, sadistic, cowardly
attack against the "PEOPLE" of Iraq."
With best wishes to all, especially to Gabriel,
Elga Sutter
----------------Original Message----------------
From: VnStroope@aol.com
Subject: [casi] here is to kinder interpretations of those who fight for
human
rights.
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2003 16:43:15 -0400
Gabriel says:
> Finally, Dirk is surely aware that CASI has made no
> 'pro-war statements' and I think it is disgraceful of him
> to make such baseless allegations.
Dirk said:
No half-hearted and pro-war declarations like
"CASI (...) took no position for or against the invasion
of Iraq".
I would imagine that Dirks statement was a careless one,
as in he likely did not re-read what he had written and
perhaps the statement above does not reflect his
position. I think, sorry for speaking for Dirk, that
he probably meant that the statement was a Half-hearted
one from CASI, which is a sentiment that some, many,
most of us would agree with. I am a huge fan of this
service, CASI, but I am also sick of politics and am
completely against the taking of lives, which of course
is what WAR is.
If I had had a say in the press release, it would have
read: "we wholeheartedly condemn the aggression of the
USUK emperium in their illegal, brutal, violent,
sadistic, cowardly attack against the "PEOPLE" of Iraq.
Saddam as far as I can tell got away completely, as did
OBLaden.
Back to point, lets periodically give each other the
benefit of the doubt when our passions are running high.
The vast majority of us opposed the war, the sanctions,
and oppose the occupation.
peacefully yours,
Roger Stroope
"the choice, non-violence or nonexistence"
Austin College
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