Letter to Bush 9-05

As Buddhist practitioners and teachers, we write to you with deep concern for our suffering world. Our organization, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, represents nearly 5,000 people who believe that compassion and wisdom are essential ingredients of effective government. We respect the vast responsibility you have to lead the United States government and to try to help people within and beyond our borders towards life that is free from repression, persecution, and want. We understand that as a man of faith your own heart goes out to people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama who are so hard hit by Hurricane Katrina, and to military and civilians of many nations caught up in the wars and civil strife of Iraq and Afghanistan.

We are also people of faith. Though our religious scriptures and practices are different from your own, Buddhists share values of compassion, love, and generosity with Christians, Jews, Muslims, and all those who follow their true hearts. It is from these passionate and shared values that our serious concerns arise about the role of our country in the world, and about what awaits us in the near and distant future.

As we and many other Americans viewed the images from Iraq and Louisiana these past weeks, we feel that our country’s actions and priorities have gone terribly wrong. This is not a surprise. So many people—ordinary citizens, military leaders, and political analysts—warned that the Iraq war was built on false premises, and that it would serve to deepen resentment and violence both in Iraq and towards the United States. This has proven true, as nearly 2,000 U.S. military—our brothers, sisters, and children—have been killed there, along with untold numbers of Iraqi civilians whose numbers grow daily in the face of what has become an ever more bitter civil war. The only benefit of this war has been to the profit line of U.S. corporations like Halliburton and Bechtel, and arms manufacturers like Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics.

Meanwhile, the tragedy along our own Gulf Coast continues to unfold. Here too, warnings of impending disaster could be heard loud and clear well before Katrina struck. Prominent journals like the New Orleans’ Times-Picayune and National Geographic spelled out the danger to the levee system in unequivocal terms. Along with neglectful maintenance and engineering, the government turned a blind eye to extreme poverty, violence, and racism in one of our treasured cities. So in the last few weeks, we have seen an overwhelmingly African American population that is desperate and homeless—a grim reminder of resources lacking at home while hundreds of billions of dollars are spent overseas in adventures that win us not even the smallest bit of security. We grieve the fact that aside from direct U.S. military expenditures, international arms sales, $37 billion dollars worth, have reached a new peak, with the U.S. continuing to be the world’s largest arms merchant.

In the Dhammapada the Buddha taught: “Hatred is never appeased through hatred. Only through love is hatred appeased. This is an eternal and unvarying law.” In the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Jesus said: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you…” As individuals and as a nation these should be our watchwords. We believe we can create a world free from fear, poverty, disease, and war. But not if we are driven by habits of self-centeredness, greed, national pride, and intolerance.

President Bush, we believe that true spiritual values take precedence over a culture of avid materialism. We feel that this belief is shared by much of the world, and is at the center of your own faith. As President you have an opportunity to lead America in a new direction, motivated by love and generosity. This will take strength and courage on your part. This is a kind of calling, and it brings to mind words that Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke in Birmingham nearly fifty years ago:

We urge you to be the kind of person described by Dr. King, and taught by the Buddha and Jesus. The American people will back you all the way. In the wake of Katrina and last year’s Asian tsunami, ordinary Americans have shown themselves to be among the most generous and compassionate of peoples. Let us all bring forth this compassion and turn away from heartless violence and neglect.

In light of the deep desire that all of us share for peace and for true security, we call on you to take the following steps:

Just to start down the road outlined here will get the world’s attention and respect. More importantly, it will sow seeds of peace in a time when war endangers us all. Please lead us in this direction, and we will continue to share the truth with you as we see it.

Sincerely, in peace,

On behalf of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship

Rev. Robert Joshin Althouse—Zen Community of Oak Park, IL

Rev. Joshin Carolyn Atkinson—Everyday Dharma Zen Center

James Baraz—Spirit Rock Meditation Center, CA

Sensei Margaret Ne-Eka Barragato-Treetop Zen Center, Orono ME

Sensei Stefano Mui Barragato—Treetop Zen Center, Orono, ME

Jan Chozen Bays & Hogen Bays—Great Vow Zen Monastery, Zen Community of Oregon

P. Dai-En Bennage—Mt. Equity Zendo, Jihoji, Pennsdale, PA

Sensei Michele Benzamin-Miki—Ordinary Dharma, Los Angeles & Manzanita Village, Warner Springs, CA

Rev. Layla Smith Bockhorst—San Francisco Zen Center

Martha Boesing—Faithful Fools Street Ministry, CA

Angie Boissevain—Floating Zendo, CA

Sandy Boucher--Oakland, CA

Rose Brewster—Arcata Zen Group, CA

Gyokuko & Kyogen Carlson—Dharma Rain Zen Center, Portland, OR

Rev. Eido Frances Carney—Olympia Zen Center, Olympia, WA

Rev. Catherine Cascade—Arcata Zen Group, CA

Melody Ermachild Chavis—Berkeley Zen Center, CA

Roko Sherry Chayat—Zen Center of Syracuse. NY

Rev. Nonin Chowaney—Nebraska Zen Center / Heartland Temple

Virginia D. Clarkson--Cholula, Mexico

Rev. Darlene Cohen—Russian River Zendo, CA

Jundo James Cohen—Treeleaf Zen Center, Coconut Creek, FL

Bhante Suhita Dharma--Los Angeles, CA

Sharon & Michael Doucet— Acadiana Shambhala Meditaion Group, Lafayette, LA

Zoketsu Norman Fischer—Everyday Zen Foundation

Bernie Glassman—Zen Peacemakers and Peacemaker Circle International

Gaelyn Godwin, Sensei—Houston Zen Center, Houston, TX

Roshi Joan Halifax—Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe, NM

Elizabeth Hamilton—Zen Center San Diego, CA

Rev. Wakoh Shannon Hickey—Buddhist Community at Duke University, NC

Rev. Joan Hogetsu Hoeberichts—Heart Circle Sangha, Ridgewood, NJ

Mushim Ikeda-Nash—Buddhist Peace Fellowship

Ken Jones--United Kingdom Network of Engaged Buddhists

Stephanie Kaza—Dept. of Environmental Studies, University of Vermont

Les Kaye—Zen Center of Mountain View, CA

Michael J. Kieran—Palolo Zen Center, Honolulu Diamond Sangha, HI

Rev. Barbara Seirin Kohn— Austin Zen Center, TX

Kenneth Kraft—Lehigh University

Rev. Taigen Dan Leighton—Mountain Source Sangha, S.F. & Ancient Dragon Zen Gate, Chicago

David Loy—Think Sangha, Japan

Joanna Macy—Buddhist Peace Fellowship

Rev. Genjo Marinello—Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji, Seattle Zen Temple, WA

Rev. Fleet Shinryu Maull—Prison Dharma Network & Colorado Peacemaker Institute

Mary Mocine—Vallejo Zen Center, CA

Rev. Teijo Munnich—Great Tree Zen Women's Temple, NC

Rev. Haju Murray—Zen Buddhist Temple, Ann Arbor, MI

Rev. Wendy Egyoku Nakao—Zen Center of Los Angeles

Ginger Norwood—International Women's Partnership for Peace & Justice, Chiang Mai,Thailand

Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara—Village Zendo, NYC

Rev. Baika Andrea Pratt

Rev. Zuiko Redding—Cedar Rapids Zen Center, IA

Dharmacharya Caitriona Reed—Ordinary Dharma, Los Angeles & Manzanita Village, Warner Springs, CA

Diane Eshin Rizzetto—Bay Zen Center, Oakland, CA

Judith Roitman—Kansas Zen Center, Lawrence, KS

Ven. Sevan Ross—Chicago Zen Center, IL

Donald Rothberg—Spirit Rock Meditation Center, CA

Santikaro—Liberation Park, Oak Park, IL

Rev. Hozan Alan Senauke—Buddhist Peace Fellowship

Sulak Sivaraksa—International Network of Engaged Buddhists, Siam

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim—Jungto Society, Korea

Rev. Joen Snyder O'Neal & Michael O'Neal—Compassionate Ocean Dharma Center, Minneapolis, MN

Buddhist Peace Fellowship

P.O. Box 3470