David Hartsough’s Statement Protesting Drone Attacks


https://peaceworkersus.org/david-hartsoughs-statement-protesting-drone-attacks/

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from the Positive Peace Warrior Network (PPWN) web site , November 2012

David Hartsough

David Hartsough is a lifelong nonviolent activist, having participated in the lunch-counter sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement, and is STILL a committed activist, participating in demonstrations and risking arrest in the name of peace and justice. He has also been a major supporter of our work at PPWN. PPWN honors all of our elders, but gives special appreciation to elders like David, who not only celebrates the work he did decades ago, but is still engaged in the struggle today. We have much to learn from the commitment of people like him. On October 30th of this year, David was arrested again (he has over 125 arrests on his rap sheet!), this time protesting the use of Drones by the US Military at Beale Air Force Base. He is now facing federal charges. Please see below the statement from David about why he decided to take this particular action. Find out more about his work by visiting www.peaceworkersus.org, and look out for his book of stories on nonviolent struggles in the coming months! David Hartsough’s Statement:  
We are one human family. All people in the world are our brothers and sisters. If someone attacks our blood brother or sister, we would do everything in our power to stop them. This is the way we feel about innocent civilians being killed by drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Drones are totally immoral and illegal under international law and are against everything we have been taught in our religious Faiths: Love one another, Love your enemy and Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. How would we feel if Russians or Chinese or Afghanis or Pakstanis were flying drones over the US and killing innocent people? It is illegal under international law to go into another country and drop bombs on people our government doesn’t like. The United States is making decisions to kill people without them ever coming before a court or found guilty. The US government is playing Judge, Jury and Executioner. Using drones and killing many innocent people is creating more and more enemies of the US. Every person we kill has at least 50 family members and friends who will mourn the loss of their loved ones and seek revenge on the people and nation that has killed their loved one or friend. Instead of drones and dropping bombs on people we need to send peace corps people to build schools and medical clinics and help people in these countries recover from the wounds of war. We could be the most loved country on earth rather than the most hated. By our silence we condone this senseless killing. We must speak out and act to stop this madness. We call on our fellow Americans, people in churches and synagogues and mosques, students, all people of conscience to join us in stopping Drones before they kill more innocent people and recruit more people into Al Qaeda. Unfortunately, this is a recipe for perpetual wars and endless suffering and death for people around the world. David Hartsough
David was arrested along with eight others blocking two entrances at Beale Air Force Base where they closed the main entrance for over three hours.  Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedin