Service Corps members protest at School of the Americas
Two members of the Diocesan Service Corps of the Diocese of Buffalo ventured to Fort Benning, Ga., to take part in the annual nonviolent protest last November in an effort to close the School of the Americas.
The SOA, a military institution funded by American tax dollars, is responsible for training Latin American soldiers only to have the soldiers return to their native country and perform countless human rights violations, murders, disappearances, assassinations and massacres. Recently, in an apparent effort to detract attention from the cause to close the school, its name was changed to Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. However, the name change didn't stop people from actively participating in the protest.
Ken Bigos found the experience exhilarating and enriching. He said being with almost 15,000 people in the protest was very fulfilling.
"Being in unison with so many people for the worthy cause of closing down the school was very encouraging," Bigos said. "Also, the mixture of cultures and ages of the people participating in the rally indicated that this was not a protest that favored a particular social class. This was purely a peace-loving rally."
Bigos said the trip was especially satisfying because he went with friends. During the rally, Bigos lined in procession toward the gates of the fort. Everyone held a small wooden cross that read a name of a victim from an SOA graduate.
"We hung our cross on the fence as a reminder to the fort of all the victims that they created," Bigos said. "No words can express the feeling I had during that moment. I was in awe about the entire procession and at the same time shattered by all the crosses that were being held up that further convinced me of partaking in the rally."
Bigos' favorite event of the protest was the vigil Mass held at the Ignatian tent a few miles from the fort the night before. Approximately 1,500 people gathered in and around the tent the size of two basketball courts side-by-side.
"The ground was wet and muddy and it was raining, but that didn't deter us from praising God that night, which served as a reminder that life should be filled with love especially to those who are suffering," he said. "The Mass was electrifying. The energy and power that was transmitted from the homily, the music and the community that gathered that night felt as though I just attended a rock concert. This was the first time I saw people applaud and cheer after the homily and Communion. The Mass certainly brought confidence and encouragement for me in my decision to come to Georgia to participate in the rally."
Bigos said he would encourage anyone to participate in the rally. He said the protest increases in size each year, but that there are still too many people who don't know about the inhumane acts the school endorses.
"With the threat of war imminent, peaceful action needs to be pursued," he said. "The rally is an excellent example to voice our demands for peace."
Christina Clem agrees that a large majority of Americans are uninformed when it comes to matters regarding military policy or the United States foreign policy at-large. She said she is eager to learn more about those areas and her participation in the protest helped her do that. Clem said she was enthusiastic to charter new terrain in Georgia and to dig further into the depths of the issue. What she experienced touched her heart.
"I fell in harmony with the protesters and felt overjoyed to be working together for a more peaceful society as we sang affirmations and chants of peace," Clem said. "On the other hand, I felt very downcast and solemn as I meditated on the catalyst for the protest, gazing at the thousands of people and what actually stood out amongst the crowd. Thousands of crosses were being carried bearing the names and ages of the slain victims. Furthermore, testimonies were spoken bringing grotesque details to the deaths of those very individuals. If anything, it was a very personal experience."
Clem said she was impressed with the individuals she met during the rally who showed such courage to seek justice. She said everyone at the protest was making a strong, but victorious stand to close the military training school.
"The feelings of unrest and injustice were intensified for me by attending this one weekend trip to Georgia," Clem said. "I feel it is important for people to learn more about this military training school which American tax dollars fund. As Americans it is imperative to consider what message our country is sending out to the world by keeping the school open and I implore everyone to seek out more information."
Those who would like more information about the efforts to close the school can visit www.soawatch.org
For information on the CCSC call 847-8384.
Western New York Catholic - March 2003