Seeds Will Grow

Sharing an open letter sent to my members of Congress:

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The 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, is a time for us to mourn, reflect, and come together as a nation. As a member of Congress, you have an important role to play. I urge you to use the opportunity to reflect as you consider the paths before us regarding another war in the Middle East: peace and diplomacy, or more war and destruction. 

To encourage you, I’m sharing my own reflection:

I was 15, and I watched the second tower fall live on television with horror and sadness. For days after, I sat around reflecting on the men who had planned and committed the attack against us. I didn’t know why they would choose to commit such heinous violence against American civilians. I generally accepted the narrative that they hated our democracy or our economy or wanted to instill fear in Americans, but I didn’t truly know what validated their ideology in their own minds. I still had much to learn about their side of the story. We all did – particularly if we wanted to heal the harm instead of perpetuating it for future generations. In those early days after the attacks, my reflection was outward focused, about them. About their actions. I was swimming in grief for all that we’d lost.

When we started bombing Afghanistan, however, I immediately saw how that was a fool’s errand. Was our logic really to overpower or destroy ideologically/grievance-driven groups through violence? We would reinforce their ideologies and grievances through our violence and harm ourselves in the act. Violence can never be healed through violence.

I was at church on the day the US began attacks in Afghanistan. A group of men huddled around a truck radio in the parking lot, cheering on US troops for “bombing those rag heads.” Their callous dehumanizing rhetoric shocked me. I had worn a wrap skirt that day, over a pair of shorts, and when I heard these grown “Christian” men cheering the destruction of “rag heads,” I removed my skirt and wrapped it around my head in solidarity with human beings under attack in that moment. One of the men yelled at me, “You’re going to get yourself shot dressed like that around here.” The horror of watching these Missouri men transmute their grief and fear into a celebration of violence awakened me to that fragile core in us that must be transformed to live free from fear and with the dignity to honor all other life. While many of my Missouri classmates enlisted in military service in the years to come, I looked for ways to cross lines of fear and division to build solidarity, mutuality, and healing to stop cycles of violence. Love sets us free and heals us, not violence.

As you and your staff plan public statements and actions around the upcoming anniversary, I hope you will reflect on the terrible human cost and cascading effects of our nation’s militarized violence after 9/11. Not just the American lives lost overseas – not just the PTSD and moral injury that haunt our veterans – not just the millions of foreign lives destroyed, the massive cultural and economic cost to the people of the region, and the political chaos we stirred up by launching multiple wars, but how the disregard for human rights and surveillance tactics we implemented in our war OF terror on terror planted seeds of destruction here at home. Fear won on September 11th, and that fear coerced us into massive campaigns of military destruction and surveillance. It corrupted the best parts of free society. We have much work yet to do if we will heal.

As you consider the paths ahead, please prioritize peace by rejecting more money for war and working to end the war of choice against Iran. We cannot afford – in money, lives, or morality – another forever war in the Middle East. 

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter of reflection, I look forward to your response and how you will reflect in the weeks ahead. 

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You can write to your Members of Congress reflecting on your own experience of September 11, 2001 and what came after with some simple prompts HERE.

If you’re a veteran or veteran’s family member needing support in crisis, there is a confidential hotline, operated by the VA. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits. More info HERE.

If you’re in the US military and are interested in seeking discharge or reassignment as a Conscientious Objector, https://centeronconscience.org can help. They’ll work with you to navigate the complex admin process. Their services are free of charge. If you’re facing deployment, don’t wait to call them at 1-800-379-2679.

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