Green Party of Ventura

GPoV CONDEMNS SEPT. 11, 2001 VIOLENCE
Press Release Issued Sept. 17, 2001

The Green Party of Ventura County shares the deep sorrow felt throughout the nation following the tragic massacres in New York and Washington D.C. Our hearts are with those who have lost their loved ones to the violence. This is a time to honor the dead, comfort the victims, and condemn the faceless murderers behind this tragedy.

The leap from grief to rage is understandable but will do nothing to bring back those who have died. It is rage that has caused their deaths, and responding in rage, however justified, only threatens to set off another cycle of recrimination, revenge and terrorism.

It is in difficult times that commitment to principle is tested; yet in these difficult times the Green Party of Ventura County remains committed to its platform of non-violence. The Green value of non-violence emphasizes the sanctity of human life and calls for a peaceful resolution to all conflict. We oppose violence in all forms: against individuals, families and nations. In the words of Gandhi: An eye for an eye renders the whole world blind. Revenge sought blindly will only compound the tragedy by creating more innocent victims caught in the crossfire. A better solution must be sought.

We call on the United States to utilize the international community through existing multilateral organizations and to utilize international law to punish those responsible for these acts. These are criminal acts and should be addressed by law, not by military reprisal. This tragedy provides the opportunity for the United States to prove its commitment to the rule of law, and to reconsider its opposition to an international criminal court. This tragedy makes clear that strength and military technology cannot protect us. Peaceful coexistence within the standards of international law remains our only safeguard.

We feel that this is not an attack against democracy, but rather against U.S. economic and military policies. While nothing can excuse or condone this heinous act, it must be understood that the people behind these acts see themselves not as terrorists but as warriors fighting for the rights of their people. Our failure to understand the depth of suffering experienced under current foreign policy and to address the accumulated grievances felt by many in the Arab world leaves us perpetually vulnerable to terrorist attacks. We may be able to crush the individual terrorist, but terrorism will live on interminably.

As a nation we need to reconsider the assumption that the end justifies the means. If Osama bin Ladin is responsible for these attacks, it should be remembered that he was trained by some of the best agents in the CIA when he was a "Freedom Fighter" in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. All foreign policy has repercussions. This represents the first time that what we have sown has come back to be reaped on U.S. soil, but it will not be the last time.

We call on the people of the United States to utilize this opportunity to collectively pledge our allegiance to justice, human rights, and the dignity of human life. Defy those who argue for premature conclusions and a quick, violent response. When historians recall September 11th, 2001 let them recall that this marked the beginning of world's most powerful nation turning away from violence and working towards peace. Working towards bringing to an end the cycle of violence that caught these unfortunate innocents on a typical weekday in Manhattan is the best way to honor their memory. Only then will their blood not have been spilled in vain.