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We, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale, are opposed to preemptive military action by the United States against the nation and people of Iraq. However desirable the elimination of weapons of mass destruction may be, our Unitarian Universalist principles lead us to conclude that peace and justice, not war and violence, are the paths to disarmament and security for the world.
For the United States to take any military action against Iraq without having been subjected to armed attack by Iraq, and without a supporting resolution adopted by the United Nations would:
- Place the United States in violation of the U.N. Charter, and thus of
international law and treaties and of U.S. law.
- Further polarize the United States and the Islamic world.
- Destabilize the Middle East by increasing, not decreasing, the likelihood
of global terrorist attacks.
- Alienate the United States from a world community that increasingly views
our nation as a superpower operating without regard for other nations.
- Lead to certain death and suffering for untold numbers of military and civilians.
- Lead to further erosion of civil liberties and suppression of dissent in the United States.
- Legitimize militarism and violence as a means of settling international disputes.
- Cause irreparable damage to the environment.
- Divert billions of dollars from education, health care, poverty, unemployment and other humanitarian needs of our country.
We pledge to work for peace and understanding among nations and peoples throughout the world. We call on our government to seek peace, not war; to seek acceptance and respect between cultures, religions, and ethnic groups, and to seek international security through economic and social justice for all people, not through military force.
We, the members of this congregation, commit ourselves to work with other people of faith and conscience to stop this war.
Adopted by a quorum of voting members at a special meeting, Sunday, March 9, 2003, by a vote of 58 in favor, 2 opposed and 3 abstaining.
(For an explanation of the process by which this statement was developed, see our minister's notes here.)
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