President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Bush:
In the United States and around the world, people are stunned and
grief-stricken by last week’s attacks on the World Trade Center, the
Pentagon, and civilian aircraft. The crimes committed against thousands of
innocent citizens and their loved ones were unconscionable.
Unquestionably, those who helped plan and execute them should be brought
to justice before a court of law as soon as possible.
As a citizen of ______, I am writing to express my concern about the
United States’ response to these attacks. I do not believe that violence
is the answer to these crimes against humanity. The U.S. must not avenge
these acts of terror with attacks upon other innocent people – in the
U.S. or abroad – who may happen to be of the same nationality, faith, or
ethnic group as the alleged perpetrators. As you are aware, many persons
in the U.S. of the Islamic faith or of Middle Eastern descent have already
become the unwarranted targets of suspicion and aggression in their
communities.
Many in your administration and Congress have declared that a
"state of war" now exists. It is quite likely that such public
statements are stirring the popular will and steering the popular
imagination toward war. I ask: War against whom? And, why violence? A
violent response will only compound the horrendous assault on humanity
that has already occurred.
The people who committed the September 11 crimes struck with hatred.
They perceived the people in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the
aircraft merely as faceless enemies. They denied the humanity of their
victims. The U.S. must not commit the same sin by responding with its own
acts of terror and war against another people, most of whom are innocent
of these crimes.
Lastly, the people who planned these suicide attacks were able to draw
volunteers from a growing number of people around the world who harbor
deep resentment and anger toward the U.S.. It is important that people in
the United States try to hear and understand the sources of this anger. If
U.S. citizens do not seek to understand and address the roots of this
anger – poverty, injustice, and hopelessness – then the violence may
well continue, no matter what the U.S. does to try to prevent it.
I know that these are excruciating days for decisionmakers – times of
unprecedented catastrophe and sorrow. Know that I will hold you and your
Administration in my prayers in the months to come. May the God of
nonviolence show us the path to true and lasting peace through justice for
all.
Sincerely,
