US church leader arrested at White House in Iraq war protest
The Rev. John Thomas, president of the US United Church of Christ, has been arrested in a protest about the Iraq war outside the White House.
Posted: Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 9:41 (BST)
New York - The Rev. John Thomas, president of the US United Church of Christ, has been arrested in a protest about the Iraq war outside the White House.
Thomas and another denominational official, the Rev. Linda Jaramillo, had been trying to deliver to the White House on 10 October what they called a "pastoral letter" that contained 60 000 signatures calling for an end to the military action in Iraq.
The two officials were arrested after they refused to leave a no-protest zone near the gates of the US presidential residence, the UCC news service reported.
Thomas and Jaramillo had earlier sought a meeting with the White House's public liaison office, in order to hand-deliver the petitions, but their requests were refused. Instead, the two officials held up thick stacks of the petitions in the no-protest zone, and failed to comply with a police request to step back from the White House fence.
Thomas and Jaramillo were handcuffed and led to a police van. They were released after being held briefly at a police station and paying a US$100 fine.
The letter the two officials were attempting to deliver urged, "an end to our reliance on violence as the first, rather than the last resort, [and] an end to the arrogant unilateralism of pre-emptive war."
Thomas told a small group of protesters before the arrests that the symbolic act was a "very meaningful witness of the whole church". The 1.2-million-member UCC is known for its opposition to the Iraq war.
[Source: ENI]
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Added: Thursday, October 18, 2007, 23:37 (BST)
Am I the only one that is still bothered by how many 'no protest zones' even exist today. People with strong beliefs in values and moral justice, shouldn't be kept to a distance that marginalizes or defeats the purpose of their protest.
Felix Polanski, Reno, NV
Added: Thursday, October 18, 2007, 0:10 (BST)
Silly reverends. They must have forgotten that Bubble Boy didn't need to hear from any clergy because God speaks directly to (and through) him.
scurvybro, Sacramento, Calif.
Added: Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 19:42 (BST)
If this is all Christian leaders in the belly of the beast are prepared to do, then Christian leaders are irrelevant, perhaps even counterproductive, in the real peace movement. Costly grace demands much, much more. Rather than issue proclamations from comfortable offices and pay an insignificant $100 fine for an illegal protest, take a lesson from the Buddhist monks in Burma. Achieving real peace and justice, means taking on real sacrifices and risks in the face of grave dangers. Until Christian clergy and laity are willing to do that and live within the reality of war victims, the war in Iraq will continue indefinitely.
werner lange, Newton Falls, Ohio, USA
Added: Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 18:22 (BST)
what is a no-protest zone?! the government can now dictate where and when you're allowed to protest?! why not make all of d.c. a no-protest zone... then bush and his henchmen can do whatever they please without all those pesky citizens bothering them... yeah, that's sounds swell.
dave, valley stream, ny
Added: Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 13:36 (BST)
Good grief . Kudos to both these reverends. What does it say about the UNited Methodist, which the war mongerers belong, that they would not make an effort to kick them out of the church.Any reverend who is a true disciple of Jesus should be D.C. in a exocist attitude.
Eubie Wise, Atlanta ,Usa
Added: Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 5:34 (BST)
wow!!!
crystal, el segundo
Added: Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 3:13 (BST)
God Bless You Rev. Linda Jaramillo. You are a true Christian. I am proud to know you.
Linda McKim-Bell, Portland, Oregon USA
