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Praying for the Terrorists

© Traute Klein

Being a pacifist in wartime has never been a popular position and requires deep lifelong convictions. Here are the thoughts which went through my mind in the autumn of 2001. I am sharing them to encourage my many American friends who are afraid to speak up in defense of peace, afraid to offend their neighbors who are supporting the war, afraid to lose their livelihood. I am a Canadian and am able to speak for them without fear of offending my neighbors.

Another War

September 11, 2001. I awoke just in time to see an airplane crash into the World Trade Center in New York City, evoking memories of similar scenes which I had witnessed daily in the Germany of 1945.

Terror was an integral part of my childhood. Never did I deceive myself into thinking that America would be spared from similar events, but I had been hoping that they would not occur during my lifetime.

My parents brought their children to North America in order to get as far away from strife as possible. Whenever the topic of another war came up, I would say, "I hope that the first bomb kills me." I have not changed my mind. Don't get me wrong. I am not going to commit suicide, but neither am I prepared to face a second time what I experienced as a child.

Whether it was premonition or reasoning I may never know, but I was waiting for a serious attack on the United States when, in the summer of 2001, the American delegation walked out of the peace talks in Europe. It was therefore not the inevitable September 11 attack which shocked me. It was America's reaction to it which pulled the rug out from under my feet. I cannot understand how any intelligent thinking being can even entertain the thought that more terror would avenge the terror already perpetrated.

I realize that my opinions are not popular with many Americans. They were not subjected to a childhood of terror as I was. It is not my intention to upset. I prefer to talk about healing, but it is difficult to preach healing when the terror continues unabated.

What's the use?

All my life, I have tried to teach peace, and I efforts seem to have been in vain. Even some of my Christian friends are advocating revenge.

I have also tried to teach environmentalism by writing and by example. In spite of serious injuries and continuous pain, I have been planting trees to improve the health of our planet. Now I see American bombers attacking the environment of the Afghan mountains, destroying the eco-culture forever, creating future floods and famine.

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