Elie Wiesel
During my recent ‘peace break’ I attended the Pax Christi conference in Chicago. There I met some old friends and some new ones; I heard some inspiring talks and just had time to be with people closely traveling the same road I am. I heard some great speakers talk about the Spirituality of Nonviolence but one quote, from Elie Wiesel, writer and holocaust survivor, by one of the speakers stood out and speaks to what we are trying to do in some small way with our Breaking the Silence movement in Milwaukee.
When I went to the Pax Christi page in writing this post I found a similar quote from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a spiritual leader in South African that says the same thing in more earthy language.
In this day and age where no one wants to take sides yet there are extreme sides on every issue, where there is conflict but a lack of creative and civil conflict, these quotes will be my observation for today.
“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” —Elie Wiesel
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” —Archbishop Desmond Tutu
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