My Conscience Speaks

4 May 2011

Dear Anne,

"While Paul was so speaking in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, 'You are mad, Paul; much learning is driving you mad.' But Paul replied, 'I am not mad, most excellent Festus, I am speaking words of truth and reason.'" Acts 26:24-25

Sunday has called my attention in a profound way. Two events coincided on that day that I recognized have a direct bearing on my soul. Most devastating was the news of another extrajudicial killing and the President's word admitting his policy of extrajudicial mass murder since last August. Because of a suspect of terrorism living in Pakistan the President sent unmanned aerial vehicles firing hellfire rockets throughout the region. Hundreds and hundreds of incidences of extrajudicial killing were warranted, according to the President's speech, because he had received intelligence of Osama bin Ladin's location in a compound deep in Pakistan. A suspect of terrorism is innocent until tried and proven guilty. the fact that the presence of one suspect alone could sanction indiscriminate invasion resulting in hundreds of innocent lives lost, the legitimation of Drone Warfare itself, deeply disturbs me.

I am a child of the Catholic generation raised by Pope John Paul II. He taught us by example to be global citizens traveling the world: truly he exemplified a ministry of presence. My generation was made conscientious of the responsibility to lead faithful lives, a practice of small steps we took in pilgrimages during world youth days. On Sunday the church remembered his saintly life. I will forever think of his teaching of life in commitment to the neighbor known and unknown requiring risks to accept the burden of the community -- what Pope John Paul II called a virtue, solidarity.

Anne, I believe that I am called to witness solidarity in a unique way now. My heart senses the way ahead. Allowing myself three days of purification I sense the timing has come to demonstrate my love of enemy. This Mother's Day I will see my mom on a visitation, God willing, and then I will make my stand for love, for solidarity.

A more precise mind could formulate what I sense is wrong. When I look around at the men here serving their sentences and then be deported, I am struck again and again by the discrepancy where the government labels these men criminals for trespassing yet has its military, my military, myself, entering foreign countries against which no declaration of war was imposed. The office of the executive controls, enforces, but does it have a right to determine law? Currently it does. I therefore feel impelled to resist the powers that be. My heart mourns the loss of accountability representatives once had to check the powers of the President. As a citizen of this country I know my duty under international law to resist extrajudicial killing. The moment came Sunday when by Presidential decree all the previous drone warfare was excused. As a son of the Catholic church made bolder by the teaching of Pope John Paul II, I make the historic occasion one week from the day.

My conscience speaks. I may be imprisoned but my soul is free. Worship the true God with me, friend; resolute our object of solidarity shall never be LOCKED DOWN.

Chris