Vulnerability of dissent
I am concerned about the vulnerability of DISSENT; it seems threatened in our society today.
If I criticize the Israeli government – I am not anti-Semitic.
If I criticize the U.S. foreign policy – I am not unpatriotic.
If I criticize C. Powell & C. Rice – I am not anti-black.
You can criticize demonstrations – and still be for peace.
You can criticize the invasion of Iraq – and still support the troops.
Let us not put those who disagree with us in a negative box – make some slur about them. Dissent is essential to democracy; without it we would not be a free country. Let us value dissent and engage in it constructively.
Watchmen, keep not silence. "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night; you that call upon the Lord, keep not silence." (Isaiah 62:6)
Charles Demere
St. Mary’s, Md.
No women of color delegates
I shall not be renewing my subscription. You have a good magazine, and it is worth reading. Here in Massachusetts, we shall have no woman of color as a delegate to the Convention in Minnesota. White women do not speak for us. They USE us for their benefit. We shall send an observer.
Esther J. Burgess
Vineyard Haven, Mass.
Editing error
I am amazed to find in Ian T. Douglas’ otherwise excellent article [TW March/April 2003] a reference to "predicting...the first half of the twentieth century." It seems about one hundred years too late for that. The error does not appear to be typographical or elliptical. I confess my confusion.
Joe Spaniol
Praise for The Witness
I’m always amazed by the diversity of the issues you tackle in The Witness. The pain, suffering, deceit, greed and lust for power are all non-stop – but so is the will to confront, educate, make change and build community ... which The Witness represents.
Betty LaDuke
Ashland, Ore.
Repression in the Philippines
I am edified to read your May/June 2003 magazine. I am the Program Secretary for Christian Unity and Ecumenical Relations of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines. One of the areas under my unit are the indigenous peoples (IP’s). Through the years, the plight of the IP’s here has turned from bad to worse. The repression has claimed the lives of many. Just this morning, I attended the public launching of the Peasant Network for Land, Justice and Human Rights. I heard the testimonies of the relatives of victims of torture and summary executions – farmers and indigenous peoples. The work has to go on.
My congregation and I continue to be inspired by the magazine. Way to go.
Rex R.B. Reyes, Jr.
Manila, Philippines