“Humanity and nuclear weapons can’t coexist.”
Setsuko Thurlow, Hiroshima Survivor and member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), 2017 ICAN Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech
Dear Friends,
Early this morning, from 7-8 AM, 15 peacemakers from the DMV held a prayer service of repentance at the Pentagon, the center of warmaking on the planet, for the sinful and criminal U.S. nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During this prayer service of Remembrance, Repentance and Resistance (similar to what was offered for the Aug. 6th White House Witness), we prayed for the victims of these unspeakable nuclear atrocities, and called on the nation to repent for the nuclear sin and bring about total disarmament and nuclear abolition.
Like for the Aug. 6th White House witness, the theme for this witness was “In the Presence of All Who Perished: Remembrance in the Age of the Ban Treaty.” Our witness was in solidarity with nationwide actions (see: https://www.facebook.com/groups/336042507972854), and worldwide commemorations to abolish nuclear weapons.
As we gathered in the police designated fenced off protest area to begin the witness, we displayed photos of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and banners along the fence near the sidewalk where civilians and soldiers pass by on their way into the building. To open the prayer service Luci Murphy sang “Healing River.” I then offered a statement about the purpose of our witness. Paul Magno read the Apology Petition to the people of Japan. Dan Moriarty read Hiroshima Survivor Setsuko Thurlow’s acceptance speech for the 2017 ICAN Nobel Peace Prize. I offered a song of the A-Bomb survivors. John Kelly, Mike Walli, Kathy Boylan, Sunny Neelam and Alex read a reflection on the decision to use the Bomb, the perils of nuclear weapons and the moral necessity to ban them. Luci Murphy led us in singing the “Little Dead Girl of Hiroshima.” Jack McHale led the Litany of Repentance, and Ken Cooper read Dan Berrigan’s poem “Shadow on the Rock.”
As today also marks the anniversaries of the martyrdom of St. Edith Stein and Blessed Franz Jagerstatter, we read quotes from both of these martyrs who were killed by the Nazi regime. We also called into our presence the entire cloud of witnesses, including those who have witnessed at the Pentagon during their lifetime.
I also offered a prayer for Pentagon Police Officer George Gonzalez who was killed by Austin Lanz last Tuesday at the Pentagon. We prayed, too, for Lanz and all who were affected by this tragedy. Also, both Kathy and I conveyed our condolences to Pentagon police officers we encountered at the vigil regarding the death of officer Gonzalez.
To conclude our witness Luci Murphy lead us in a moving version of the song: “Vine and Fig Tree.”
Please see the photo and story by Ryohei Takagi, Correspondent, Kyodo News Washington Bureau, that was published by Japan’s leading news agency about the August 6 White House commemoration witness. https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/306807. (Make sure to click on English translation when you access the link.)
Finally, I want to express great gratitude to everyone who attended the August 6-and 9th White House and Pentagon witnesses, as well as for those who could not attend and who expressed their prayerful solidarity. And special thanks to each of you who receive this, for all you are doing to help create the Beloved Community.
In hope for a disarmed world,
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Dorothy Day Catholic Worker Washington, D.C. 