Abstract:
[Craig Scott Amundson] enlisted in the Army and was proud to serve
his county. He was a patriotic American and a citizen of the world.
Craig believed that by working from within the military system he could
help to maintain the military focus on peacekeeping and strategic planning--
to prevent violence and war. For the last two years Craig drove to his
job at the Pentagon with a "visualize world peace" bumper
sticker on his car. This was not empty rhetoric or contradictory to
him, but part of his dream. He believed his role in the Army could further
the cause of peace throughout the world.
Full Text:
(Copyright 2001 by the Chicago Tribune)
My husband, Craig Scott Amundson, of the U.S. Army lost his life in
the line of duty at the Pentagon on Sept. 11 as the world looked on
in horror and disbelief.
Losing my 28-year-old husband and father of our two young children
is a terrible and painful experience.
His death is also part of an immense national loss and I am comforted
by knowing so many share my grief.
But because I have lost Craig as part of this historic tragedy, my
anguish is compounded exponentially by fear that his death will be used
to justify new violence against other innocent victims.
I have heard angry rhetoric by some Americans, including many of our
nation's leaders, who advise a heavy dose of revenge and punishment.
To those leaders, I would like to make clear that my family and I take
no comfort in your words of rage. If you choose to respond to this incomprehensible
brutality by perpetuating violence against other innocent human beings,
you may not do so in the name of justice for my husband. Your words
and imminent acts of revenge only amplify our family's suffering, deny
us the dignity of remembering our loved one in a way that would have
made him proud, and mock his vision of America as a peacemaker in the
world community.
Craig enlisted in the Army and was proud to serve his county. He was
a patriotic American and a citizen of the world. Craig believed that
by working from within the military system he could help to maintain
the military focus on peacekeeping and strategic planning-- to prevent
violence and war. For the last two years Craig drove to his job at the
Pentagon with a "visualize world peace" bumper sticker on
his car. This was not empty rhetoric or contradictory to him, but part
of his dream. He believed his role in the Army could further the cause
of peace throughout the world.
Craig would not have wanted a violent response to avenge his death.
And I cannot see how good can come out of it. We cannot solve violence
with violence. Mohandas Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye only makes
the whole world blind." We will no longer be able to see that we
hold the light of liberty if we are blinded by vengeance, anger and
fear. I ask our nation's leaders not to take the path that leads to
more widespread hatreds--that make my husband's death just one more
in an unending spiral of killing.
I call on our national leaders to find the courage to respond to this
incomprehensible tragedy by breaking the cycle of violence. I call on
them to marshal this great nation's skills and resources to lead a worldwide
dialogue on freedom from terror and hate.
I do not know how to begin making a better world: I do believe it must
be done, and I believe it is our leaders' responsibility to find a way.
I urge them to take up this challenge and respond to our nation's and
my personal tragedy with a new beginning that gives us hope for a peaceful
global community.
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Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
