FUSsa-talk Mailing List: Intergenerational sermon & dialogue suggested

[MADELINE SIMON (madeline-mpls]

Peace,
Madeline

Leaders of faith communities are invited to initiate an intergenerational 
dialogue about war and peace-making by preaching a sermon or holding a 
meeting/discussion during the Season of Nonviolence, and by encouraging 
families to attend the play “Peace Crimes: the Minnesota 8 vs. the war” 
which serves as a source for discussing how war/peace issues were “back 
 then” and how they are “now.”  See, www.pwh-mn.org and the right menu for 
“Intergenerational Dialogue. Performances run February 22 – March 9, 2008 
are at the UMn’s Rarig Center, but tickets are purchased from the History 
Theatre

In 1970 Minnesota experienced the largest draft raid in American history, 
where over 54 draft boards - centralized in St.Paul and Minneapolis post 
offices - were raided and ten-thousand-plus “1A” files destroyed. Several 
raiders were later arrested during another raid. These were the “Minnesota 
8.” (See, www.pwh.mn then “About PWH” and then “The Minnesota 8.” At their 
trial thirteen witnesses testified. Historians, scientists, draft resisters, 
nonviolent activists, political economists, national journalist, a former 
high ranking government official (Daniel Ellsberg of “Pentagon Papers” 
fame), and four Christian theologians. They argued a “Defense of Necessity.” 
They claimed a Higher Allegiance. They responded to two moral challenges. 
One papal; the other from the battlefield.
“Since the right to command is required by the moral order and has its 
source in God, it follows that, if civil authorities legislate for or allow 
anything that is contrary to the will of God, neither the laws made nor the 
authorizations granted can be binding on the consciences of the citizens, 
since we must obey God rather than men. Otherwise, authority breaks down 
completely and results in shameful abuse.”

Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, Part II, par. 51.
“In dealing with myself, coming back and thinking I was right. And thinking 
that the things I had done were right because it was what I had been taught 
in boot camp, and then viewing it from the other side, instead of a gook, it 
was a human being. Instead of a hootch, it was a home. That really socked it 
to my head. It really blew my mind. Because I have never thought of a hootch 
being a home, it was an old grass hootch. And they were peasants, they weren’t 
people.”

Gordy Nielsen, VN Veteran at the trial of the Minnesota 8
A series of campus-based events are planned for the U of M, Augsburg, 
Macalester, St. Catherine’s, Metro State, and UW-River Falls. (See, 
www.pwh-mn.org then “Public Events” then “Overview.”) Others are in the 
works for St. Johns, St. Olaf, St. Cloud State and St. Thomas.

The Minnesota 8’s trial testimony told the story of young people morally and 
politically “resisting illegitimate authority,” and the play is as much 
about today as it is about the Sixties. Consider attending the play and then 
have your community or organization discuss its own moral stance about 
“resisting illegitimate authority.” Invite one of the 8 to your discussion. 
One or more of the Minnesota 8 will meet with the audience after each 
performance.

For more information, www.pwh-mn.org  Performances are at the UM’s Rarig 
Center, but tickets are purchased from the History Theatre