We're overdue for real apologies (Mennonite Minister John Shearer | Lebanon PA Daily News)

By JOHN SHEARER
Lebanon Daily News
Updated: 05/22/2009 10:02:50 PM EDT

... Apologies are not just spiritual skills. Secular counseling professions recognize these humbling acts as some of the most healing behaviors known. Ask any person who has received a genuine apology from a friend or partner, and generally they will tell you of its reconciling power ...

We’ll never forget the 9/11 experience. I surmise that what we did to Iran, then, was like several 9/11 experiences.

Mennonite Weekly Review editor Paul Schrag wrote, “This led to the Islamic revolution and the hostage crisis from which U.S.-Iranian relations have never recovered.”

Why no reaching out with apologies for our heinous crimes toward Iran? I believe the answer lies in the entrenchment of a fascistlike mindset in our nation. A basic trait of fascism is a need to have enemies to keep the military establishment growing. Obama wants diplomatic talks with Iran. But he wisely has not yet pushed it against our society’s (including Israel’s, virtually our 51st state) super-strong military thought structure ...

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