A Day of Celebration

As Dr. Joseph Lowery, a United Methodist minister, gave the concluding prayer at the Inaugural ceremony today, I felt an instant connection. He began by quoting the words from Lift Every Voice and Sing, the hymn we sang at Church of the Three Crosses on Sunday: “God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who hast brought us thus far on the way.” It has been a song of inspiration and hope for so many who have struggled for equality and justice in our country. When I heard the words, the spirits of Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Dr. Mark Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks and so many others who helped pave the pathway to today, stood beside Dr. Lowery on the platform. Today, I celebrate the journey that so many before us have made possible, and my hopes run high that as we continue this journey, we might be led deeper into the light and that we will be “forever in the path” of justice, love and compassion, “where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.”

SOA/WHINSEC

For those of you interested in my Human Rights activities, I went to Columbus, Georgia, last weekend to attend the SOA Watch Vigil and Demonstrations against the School of the Americas (SOA), now known as
the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC).
Depending on who to believe, there were 8,700 demonstrators or 20,000 of us. I am inclined to believe, based on attendance, that it was much closer to 20,000.

The Memorial March on Sunday again involved the reading of names of victims of violence in Latin America, starting with Archbishop Romero and speaking other names (or sometimes no names, as "Unknown child of _____, age 14 months." As perviously, we would all raise our Crosses (on which a name of victim was inscribed) and say "Presente!" to show that the victim is remembered. The procession lasted more than two hours, with 10 - 15 names read every minute, and even in that time, only a small percentage of victims could be honored individually.

During the March, we placed our crosses, flowers and other memorials on the fence which Ft. Benning had erected to keep us out of the Base, transforming the barrier from a symbol of exclusion to a symbol of hope. As in previous years, a number of people "crossed the line," trespassing on Ft. Benning property as an act of Civil Disobedience. This year there were only six violators, who were arrested and will face trial on January 26. As in previous years, I will probably attend the trials and act as attorney for one or more of the defendants.

There was a feeling of hope during the weekend, that now that we have a new Administration, perhaps the SOA/WHINSEC will finally be closed. Last year a vote in the House failed by 12, and 35 opponents in the House are no longer there. SOA Watch is hopeful that the school will be closed that that our gathering next November will be a Celebration. It would be good to close it, as it is the visible symbol of torture, murder and massacres which are all too well remembered by the people of Latin America. If you call or talk to your Congressperson, I hope you will express your view that the School should be closed now.

Frank Schneider

A Time of Celebration

We have been part of history making in this country with yesterday’s election of an African American to the presidency of the United States. That fact alone is call for celebration, no matter which candidate received our vote. It has been too long – too long in coming. And yet while we all know that our road toward equality for all has not ended here, today at least, we can celebrate, take in a deep breath of thanksgiving for what has happened as we continue that journey toward equality tomorrow.

November 4 looms large on the minds of people across America and looms large across the screens and news pages of our media. There is as much excitement in the air around this election as I can remember in my history of voting for presidential candidates. (since 1972) As the Election Day closes in and our anxiety increases, may the rhetoric of the candidates be one that brings out the best in voters. Political rhetoric can be dangerous if it is used to continue to fan the ambers of rage that is so apart of Americans at this time as we see our world facing an catastrophic economic crisis. It is stressful times for most people, so may the political rhetoric offer an antidote to the public’s anxiety, otherwise that anxiety and fear might turn into violence which would be a sad commentary on our politcal process.

Human Rights Activities

To those of you interested in my Human Rights activities, I recently returned from a Witness for Peace delegation to Colombia. We spent ten days there, primarily in the City of Cali, but also traveling to Buenaventura, the major port on the Pacific Ocean, and to Trujillo, where a notorious massacre (actually a series of massacres) took place between 1986 and 1994, and to an indigenous farm in the North Cauca region of the country. We met with Community representatives and labor organizations. We toured the docks of Buenaventura and talked to the laborers there. We visited a marginal community living in shacks sitting on poles over swampland. It was an eye-opening experience.

There are a number of things to know about Colombia which I, and probably some of you, did not know or really appreciate. For example, I was not aware of the size of the Afro-Colombian population. Estimates of Afro-Colombians range from 10.5% to 18% to 20-30% of the approximately 44 million people in Colombia. The Afro-Colombians, despite their numbers, are even more marginalized than the indigenous population. Afro-Colombians are concentrated in the western and northern coasts of Colombia. They live in the worst housing and do the hardest physical labor. They have never really been given a fair share of the Country's wealth.

The second matter of note is the pervasive impunity which exists in the country. Murder is common and almost never punished. The military and the paramilitary forces are responsible for a majority of the killings and forced disappearances, but the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the major guerilla group, also contributes its share. Enemies are kidnapped, tortured and murdered. Often the offenses are imaginary -- such as attending a rally, signing a petition or even making the wrong comment (or no comment) to the wrong person. It is hard to overstate the fact of forced disappearances. Examples: in Trujillo, a popular priest spoke up for the people; he was kidnapped, and when his body was subsequently recovered, it was without its hands, feet, head and testicles. It is believed that the members were cut off while the priest was still alive. In Trujillo also, village authorities who opposed Army murders were themselves kidnapped and taken to the Army's local center of operations, where their bodies were allegedly cut up with a chainsaw by Army Major Alirio Antonio Urueña, a graduate of the School of the Americas. Again, people organized a rally on March 6, 2008, against military and paramilitary violence. Colombian President Uribe denounced the demonstrators as guerilla sympathizers. A new paramilitary group, the Black Eagles, announced threats against the organizers, several of whom were subsequently tortured and murdered. Jesus Caballero Ariza, an instructor of human rights for his teachers union, disappeared on April 16, 2008. His body was found in a mass grave two days later, with signs of torture, machete wounds and a shot to the head. Of all labor union murders, three-quarters of them occur in Colombia.

We also saw the bad effects of Fair Trade on Colombia. In Buenaventura, the port facilities have been privatized. The laborers work longer and receive less. For example, sugar arrives on huge semi trucks and is unloaded by Afro-Colombian laborers, who load the sacks weighing about 120 pounds each onto pallets, which are then taken into a nearby warehouse. It takes 6-8 laborers about an hour to unload the truck, for which they each receive about $1.00. The are paid only while unloading, meaning that if there is not another truck, they must wait (unpaid) until there is another truck to unload. We spoke to some of the laborers, and their anger and rage were obvious. There may well be a civil disorder in Buenaventura during the next month or two. Incidentally, even for a country noted for violence, Buenaventura was especially dangerous. Outside our hotel, two men had an argument during the overnight, and one shot the other. Police then came and clubbed some people and took away four men. The fate of the four was unknown to us.

Cali itself was a scene of violence while we were there. On Sunday just before midnight a car bomb went off in front of the Palace of Justice, destroying the front of the building and damaging several nearby structures. Five people were killed, and another 26 were wounded. At the time, we were at our hotel, which was a mile or two away from the blast (but I still heard it). The government immediately blamed FARC, but it was also reported that the public prosecutors were closing in on a drug conspiracy. I am not aware that anyone has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Colombia is the largest recipient of U.S. aid, after Israel and Egypt. Most of the money has gone for military aid to suppress the insurgency, because the Colombian government says, and our government apparently believes, that the insurgents are really narcotraffickers and terrorists. The real conditions are extreme wealth amidst grinding poverty and government lawlessness against its own citizens. It seems perverse, but all too typical, that where our government helps another country militarily and economically, the violence and lawlessness in that country increase.

Complicating all of this is the narcotics problem. Coca production and eradication, and the enormous sums of money to be made by the traffickers, are corrupting influences throughout the country. The FARC taxes and controls the narcotics traffic, as do the military and paramilitary forces, each within the areas of their influence. Because the cocaine trade is illegal, it is difficult to determine its precise size, but many people have become very wealthy. Also, because of the illegality, the acts of the traffickers are also unlawful. Human rights activists charge that the former paramilitary forces, which have been officially disbanded, have become narcotics protectors and enforcers, albeit in a different guise, such as the Black Eagles noted above. FARC also is involved in the trade, although apparently in a lesser quantity.

In Africa there is an old proverb that when elephants fight, the grass gets trampled. Say a prayer or two for the people, the grass of Colombia. The situation is intractable, and probably will not change unless the United States changes its drug policy and until some sense of justice can come to the people of that poor unfortunate country.

Frank Schneider

1968 - a historical moment

Today, August 27, was a date within the history of Church of the Three Crosses that has been remembered as one of the defining moments in the life and witness of this congregation. Forty years ago, during this week in August, the 1968 Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago. 1968 had already been a painful and turbulent year with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in April and Senator Bobby Kennedy in June. The Vietnam War continued to drag on with mounting U.S. casualties. Many anti-war and anti-establishment groups came to Chicago to protest the country’s political situation in general and the War in particular. The city government took a hardline approach and would not issue any march/rally permits or allow the thousands of demonstrators permission to camp in the lakefront parks.

Although many north side churches (including Church of the Three Crosses) had become alarmed at the potential for conflict and had made preparations to provide emergency housing, food, and first aid as needed, many church folks were still shocked at the mounting violence and disregard of civil rights as the Convention week proceeded. The police were ordered to clear the parks every night at 11:00 pm leading to daily confrontations. There were many rumors of violence being planned by demonstrators against the city and police, and the police were on edge against every possible provocation. Some demonstrators were intent on disruption, but most only wanted to peacefully express their dissent against the war and the political establishment.

Northside clergy began circulating among the young people in Lincoln Park and nearby streets and attempted to prevent confrontations with the police or to help people who were injured. In Grant Park, demonstrators faced lines of police and National Guard and Army troops, and chanted: “the whole world is watching.” And indeed, the media carried the news across the nation, overshadowing the convention itself.

The situation became so dire that a meeting was called for northside clergy to meet on Tuesday evening, August 27 at Church of the Three Crosses. About 100 clergy and some lay people decided to march to the park to act as a reconciling force and prevent further violence between police and demonstrators. The clergy wore clerical collars, put on white armbands and carried the huge cross from the church’s sanctuary (then located in the old Second EUB building). The group entered the western edge of the park south of Fullerton around 10 pm. By 11 pm, almost 200 clergy were present, along with several thousand demonstrators. Hymns were sung. Studs Terkel spoke and an almost deceivingly peaceful, coffeehouse atmosphere prevailed. However, as the crowd began to sing “America, the Beautiful,” about 200 police on horseback charged the crowd, firing tear gas and swinging clubs. The crowd was pushed into the Old Town area; many people were chased down and beaten; the cross was lost in the ensuing melee, possibly thrown into the park lagoon.

Two days later the convention was over and the delegates and demonstrators went home, but the actions of the mayor and police were publicly debated for some time. The official Walker Commission Report on the convention violence termed the events a “police riot.” Many of the clergy and lay people who intervened and assisted during that tumultuous week in Lincoln Park 40 years ago felt they had made a difference in preventing a worse outcome.

As we watch the Democratic National Convention again, some 40 years later, let us give pause and thanksgiving for this congregation’s faithful witness to justice, advocacy and reconciliation.

Shootings in Knoxville

Knoxville, TN - a place near my home in Virginia and currently home to my niece and her two year old son. It is also home of the University of Tennessee, where my older brother and his family often watch Vols' football. So it is a place with family connections. Knoxville sets in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains – whose majestic beauty awes millions each year – I would have never thought that such an act of violence could have erupted in Knoxville and too, in a religious setting, during a service where children were performing for their parents and friends. All of this violence is just unthinkable to me.

The attacker “stated that he had targeted the church because of its liberal teachings and his belief that all liberals should be killed because they were ruining the country," wrote investigator Steve Still from the Knoxville Police Department. While there is no excuse for the attacker’s actions, our society’s immunity to violence and our fear of those who don’t share our values could have certainly fueled the attacker’s rage. Rage is a commodity that is exported by the media with its escalating use of violence to sell movies and video games it is exported by our politicians as they use language to describe the country’s “war on terror, war on drugs, war on crime”, etc. This ongoing use of violence-language has desensitized the general population. As a culture, our threshold has been lowered. We are not as repulsed by violent acts and thus our social inhibitions have been reduced resulting in acts erupting such as in Knoxville. Also by holding on to a politic of fear, rage is flamed. When will the tide shift in our culture which supports diversity, encourages mutuality and condemns violence as a means of conflict resolution? It is time.