Fr John Dear
Renowned US peace activist John Dear SJ urges us all to support the nonviolent resistance against US military training in Queensland next month, one in a series of a joint exercises code-named Operation Talisman Sabre:
“Dear friends,
Blessings of peace to you!
Now more than ever, we all have to stand up, walk the Way of Nonviolence and pursue the vision of a new world without war, poverty, nuclear weapons or global warming. My friends and I in the USA are doing what we can to resist the culture of war and its weapons, and I thank you for doing all you can for peace and disarmament.
I urge you to join the campaign to resist Operation Talisman Sabre, to say No to the presence of the US war machine operating in your country in July, and to say Yes to God’s reign of peace and nonviolence. I hope people of faith and conscience will speak out, pray, vigil, march and act for an end to war preparations, and start instead the alternative of peace preparations by training and exercising in Gospel nonviolence.
Thank you for witnessing to the God of peace and nonviolently resisting the presence of US soldiers and weapons. The only way we will ever welcome that new world of peace is if we stand up publicly, say No to every act of war and Yes to every movement of nonviolence. Thank you for all you do for peace.
May the God of peace bless you!
John Dear”
Environmental activists are also part of the Peace Convergence, owing to sensitive location of these exercises, including the biodiverse region of Shoalwater Bay on the central coast of Queensland.
How can you support the Peace Convergence?
Pray for the ‘Af/Pak’ war (US military short-hand for allied interventions in Afghanistan and Pakistan)
- Study and understand this 30-year war. A recommended resource is Descent into Chaos: The World’s Most Unstable Region and the Threat to Global Security (revised edn) by Ashmed Rashid (Penguin 2009).
- Take nonviolent action against Talisman Sabre in Queensland July.
- Wherever you may be, take nonviolent action against Australian/British/US/etc war-making: public vigil, speak out, sit-in etc.
- Support those taking direct nonviolent action — including Rev. Simon Moyle from Melbourne — to fund their transport, outreach etc. Cheques made out to ‘Ciaron O’Reilly‘ may be sent to 38 Elbury St, Mitchelton, Qld 4053.
