Pablo Paredes: The Spirit of Gandhi

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FOCUS | Pablo Paredes: The Spirit of Gandhi

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 06:40:14 0800

 

 

 

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022306Z.shtml

 

The Spirit of Gandhi, the Passion of Jesus

By Pablo Paredes

t r u t h o u t | Perspective

 

Thursday 23 February 2006

 

Thoughts on the plight of Fernando Suarez Del Solar.

 

" I can't sit here and do nothing while this war keeps claiming

kids and stealing souls. " This was the response I received from

Fernando Suarez Del Solar when I questioned his newest and boldest

idea for bringing an end to the bloodshed in Iraq.

 

Many would find it a sad irony to know that the first Mexican to

die in this war was of the name Jesús. Fernando's son, Jesús Suarez

Del Solar, was a charismatic young soul who above all placed a premium

on helping children. Jesús joined the Marines believing he would free

the children of Iraq. This was his mission, and when he died, Fernando

made it his.

 

Fernando learned his son fell to enemy fire and was devastated,

but his heart was yet to be further shattered. He soon learned, by his

own merit on a humanitarian mission to Iraq, that the military had

lied to him. His son was the victim of the only weapons of mass

destruction so far encountered in Iraq. Jesús stepped on an illegal US

mine. Since learning the truth, Fernando has made it his mission to

shed light on the multitude of lies that surround the invasion and

occupation of Iraq and to help in every way possible the children in

Iraq, as well as his son's fellow troops.

 

After countless visits to high schools to shed light on the

reality of war and two trips to Iraq bringing clothes and medicines

for Iraqi children, the bloodshed continues. There have been countless

peace demonstrations and local marches, but the number of fallen

soldiers continue to rise. This year, on the third anniversary of the

invasion of Iraq, Fernando can not be satisfied by a local protest or

a rally with some interviews calling for an end to the madness. So he

seeks to evoke a tradition long established in Chicano History, the

spirit of Gandhi. Cesar Chavez was a disciple of the late Mahatma,

once quoted as saying, " There is no such thing as defeat in

non-violence. " And the words of Benito Juarez were antecedents to the

marriage of the Gandhi and Chicano struggles when he proclaimed,

" Entre los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho

ajeno es la paz. "

 

Fernando recalls last year's seventy-fifth anniversary of " The

Salt March, " but he isn't content to commemorate such a milestone

every 25 years. Instead, he seeks to put in practice the spirit of

Gandhi that has marched with Cesar Chavez, and to reclaim our Latino

legacy of men like Benito Juarez. This nation undoubtedly opposes this

war, but it will take action and sacrifice, and Fernando is twice

willing. On March 12, the seventy-sixth anniversary of " The Salt

March, " Fernando Suarez Del Solar will begin a 241 mile march that

will trace the life and passion of his son Jesús from Tijuana to Camp

Pendleton. From there Fernando will continue where his son left off

and walk in the footsteps of sections of the great Cesar Chavez-led

march from Delano to Sacramento. The march will end on the anniversary

of the death of Jesús, March 27, in San Francisco, where Fernando

plans to lead a large scale blood drive for those in need in Iraq by

being the first to give his blood. In hopes of emphasizing the equal

value of every human life, the blood will be equally divided to help

Iraqi civilians and coalition forces.

 

I will not allow 50-year-old Fernando to walk alone on March 12th,

and I call on anyone who agrees that the violence in Iraq must end and

that the will of this country must be upheld, to join us in demanding

an end to the Bloodshed. Let's not sit around anymore.

 

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Pablo Paredes refused Navy orders to board a ship in San Diego and

transport Marines to Iraq because he thought the war was illegal and

he did not want to be complicit in the commission of war crimes.

Paredes was convicted of missing movement at a court-martial, but

received no time in custody. He has been speaking out against the war

ever since.

 

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