A
Reflection on Archbishop Romero’s Words
Regarding Violence
"Las cosas no se pueden
arreglar con represiones, con violencias. Es
necesario profundizar en un diálogo que
sea verdaderamente diálogo…en el
cual se va a buscar la verdad y a deponer actitudes
por más queridas que parezcan."
Monseñor Romero, 17 de Junio
de 1979
"You can’t improve
things with repression, with violence. What
is necessary is to establish a dialog that is
really a dialog…which focuses on the search
for truth and in which deeply held attitudes
can be laid aside."
Archbishop Romero,
17 June, 1979
Sadly, this new millennium
has so far established itself as a moment in
human history in which human respect, dialog
and a determination to resolve global problems
within the community of nations (the United
Nations) have been laid aside. We in the United
States have met violence with violence, terrorism
with the violence of anti-terrorism. The U.N.
has ceased to be a forum where the community
of nations listens and reflects, committed to
working out conflicts as a family of nations.
It has become a place where actions are announced
by the most powerful and then taken, with or
without the concurrence of the majority of member
nations or even the Security Council. An election
was just won in Spain with the additional pressure
of a terrible terrorist act. Elections should
never be won or lost under the pressure of violence.
Archbishop Romero also lived
in violent times. Hundreds of people were being
tortured and killed monthly in El Salvador in
an effort by the powerful forces of this country
to remain in unjust and total control of national
life. It was in these circumstances that this
valiant, humane and honest religious leader
spoke on behalf of the absolute necessity of
dialog: a dialog that includes passionately
opposing parties and expects them to listen
to the deeply held views of the other with the
goal of resolution.
How deeply Archbishop Romero’s
plea for a humane resolution of violence touches
all of us today. As we commemorate the 24th
anniversary of his martyrdom, a direct consequence
of his determination to speak the truth out
loud, let us reflect on our call to work in
this violent moment of history on behalf of
the humanity of all, in a context of rich and
poor nations, in a posture of hard listening.
Let us work tirelessly to achieve those understandings
that will result in the lessening of hate and
favor the non-violent resolution of conflicts.
Gigi Gruenke, 16 March 2004
from El Salvador
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