wfn.org | Religious groups urge cutback in missile defense spending

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Aug. 6, 2001  News media contact: Tim Tanton7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{340}

WASHINGTON (UMNS) -- Three Methodist groups are among 22 faith-based
organizations urging members of Congress to reduce funding for a national
missile defense system.

Money from President Bush's $8.3 billion request for missile defense should
be redirected to social programs, representatives of the groups wrote in a
July 23 letter. The letter was sent to members of the Senate and House armed
services and appropriations committees. Howard Hallman, chairman of the
Interfaith Committee for Nuclear Disarmament, distributed the letter.

The religious leaders invoked Bush's campaign theme, "Leave No Child
Behind," and noted that billions have been spent on missile defense since
1983 "without technological success."
 
"Pouring more funds into this venture would, in effect, steal money from
efforts to 'Leave No Child Behind,' to provide adequate health care for
millions of Americans, to deal with the global HIV/AIDS crisis, and to meet
other urgent social needs," the religious leaders wrote. "This is clearly
wrong and immoral.

"It is doubly wrong because there is no credible threat to the American
homeland from long-range missiles," they stated. North Korea is the only
"rogue" state that has a long-range missile, but that threat is contained,
they said. 

Signers included Hallman, who is also chairman of Methodists United for
Peace with Justice; Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, ecumenical officer of the
United Methodist Council of Bishops; and James Winkler, top staff executive
of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society. Other signers
represented Jewish, Catholic, Episcopalian, American Baptist, Mennonite,
Presbyterian, Unitarian, Church of the Brethren, Disciples and United Church
of Christ groups.

"The beneficiaries of the national missile defense program are not the
American people but rather large defense contractors," they wrote. They
reminded the committee members of President Eisenhower's warning about the
influence of the "military-industrial complex." "You on the Senate Armed
Services Committee should be our guardians."
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United Methodist News Service
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