Madison Quakers oppose F-35s
Madison Friends Meeting issued a statement on the F-35s, called a “Minute,” on September 1, 2019.
Below are some excerpts. Read the full text here
We, the Madison Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) call on our elected officials and community leaders to oppose stationing F-35 fighter jets at Truax Air National Guard base in Madison, Wisconsin. As Quakers, we seek to remove the circumstances that foster war, based on our belief there is that of God in everyone. That belief has been shown to turn adversaries into friends, while to prepare for war creates a threat, making enemies of people who might otherwise be our allies…
We are also very concerned about the day to day impact of F35 flight operations on the residents of East Madison…
In the words of Albert Einstein: “You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war. The very prevention of war requires more faith, courage and resolution than are needed to prepare for war.”
We urge our elected officials to summon the faith, courage and resolution to reject the F-35 aircraft being located at Truax Field. As members of the Religious Society of Friends, we also advocate for an end to the nuclear capable F-35 program and for US compliance with international treaties to eliminate nuclear weapons. Surely Madison can attract clean energy and other sustainable industry that will create jobs without threatening the health and safety of Madison residents. We wish to see Wisconsin as a force for peace in the nation and the world.