Good Friday 2014
Modern Day
Crucifixion —
Drone Wars, Special Ops – Assassination Squads, Economic Exploitation at Home and Abroad, and the Destruction of Earth’s Environment?
Good Friday marks the day Jesus was executed by the Roman Empire for the crime of sedition –stirring up the people in Roman occupied Palestine. In Jesus’ time, for the Occupier and Occupied, crucifixion was up front and very personal. Troublemakers were rounded up, tortured, and executed in public places in an attempt to deter others from stirring up further trouble for the empire. Put simply, crucifixion was meant to terrorize and control an occupied people.
The U.S. is today’s global empire with a very slick propaganda machine to disguise its wars of conquest as humanitarian missions in the name of “freedom and democracy.” It’s crucifying power operates on a much wider scale than the Roman Empire and is more stealth. It uses killer drones named “Predators and Reapers,” and a growing number of covert hit squads in an endless war for control of resources under the cover of “fighting terrorism.” Empire defines a “Terrorist” as anyone who resists domination by modern day moneychangers called bankers and multinational corporations.
Where Are Today’s Christians and People of Faith?
After centuries of crucifying Christians, the Roman Empire learned the art of co-opting people. It made Christianity the official religion of the empire, put the cross on imperial shields, and got Christians marching off to fight imperial wars. Today, instead of standing in non-violent resistance to the crimes of empire, many Christians, and other people of faith, have again been co-opted, or have compromised and made accommodation to the imperial order. Where are the voices speaking out and standing up for peace, justice, and the earth? How many churches, temples, etc. are speaking out publicly to cut funding of the national security state and redirect spending to education, the environment, health care and other human needs including military clean up instead of build up in Hawaii? And what about the ongoing illegal U.S. occupation of the Nation of Hawaii?
Mark Your Calendars!
Saturday, April 26, 2014 Merrie Monarch Parade –March for Aloha ‘Aina. Meet at the Hilo King Kamehameha statue 9:30AM
Wear Green Colored Shirt/Attaire!
Bring Positive -Aloha ‘Aina Signs!
1.Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, anti-Hawaiian, etc.
5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown), Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622. Email ja@malu-aina.org http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (April 18, 2014 –656th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
