Iraq Memorial, Unitarian Church, Davenport

Today's QC Times publishes this story on the Iraq War Memorial at the Unitarian Church in Davenport.


Iraq war memorial opens at church


By Mary Louise Speer Sunday, January 18, 2009

Elizabeth Russell of Rock Island gazed at the names of fallen U.S. soldiers displayed in the “Arrival at Dover” war memorial.

One name stood out to her, Lance Cpl. Jesus Suarez del Solar, who died early in the Iraq war.

The exhibit honors soldiers who have died since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

It opened to the public Saturday at Unitarian Church, Davenport.

“I guess I would liken it to going to the Vietnam Wall memorial,” Russell said. “Seeing all those names. Seeing all those lives that were lost, and the families that lost them.”

Russell met Suarez del Solar’s father while on the “Wheels of Justice” bus tour in California and listened to his story about becoming an activist voice in the war debate.

“You walk past, you can’t take in the names of everyone. You wonder about the families they left behind,” she reflected. “I think the memory of these people demands from us the question: What do we do to honor their lives.”

Artist Jay Strickland of Rock Island hopes the work helps viewers better understand the meaning of the 4,227 U.S. soldiers who have, as of Saturday, died there since the invasion began in March 2003. The display is arranged in chronological order.

“I wanted people to see the totality of the fatalities that were coming back,” he said.

Each name also has a brief description of how that individual died, whether in combat or on duty, from injuries sustained from IED’s or while being treated in medical facilities for their injuries.

Strickland still has more names to add to the list but the ceiling-high display of names, flag-etched caskets and hanging crane mobile is on display through Feb. 1.

Strickland has a background in photography and he’s created other art pieces to illustrate the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

The memorial’s name was inspired by the fact that bodies brought back for burial travel through the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

U.S. policy prohibits photos from being taken of the flag-draped caskets at Dover. The tiny coffins are visual reminders of how many fallen warriors have traveled through Dover, Strickland said.

“I don’t have a friend or family member who died there,” he said. “But they all died for me.”

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.

© Copyright 2009, The Quad-City Times, Davenport, IA

5th Anniversary of iraq war coming

FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF IRAQ WAR, Lenten Reflections



I am trying to get a fantastic chapter transcribed on faith and peace-making written by Father John Dear. The chapter serves as the foreword to Henri Nouwen's Peacework. I hope to have that done before the war's anniversary and maybe even before Ash Wed. It might be a good read for some who are hoping to ground their peace work in some kind of deep reflection.

I see that the big days for possible action against the war are March 15 and March 19.

If I am not mistaken, March 15 is the Saturday before Palm Sunday in the Christian calendar. There are two passages in the lectionary on Sunday that are especially worthy of reflection here. The first is the simple request of Jesus to his disciples that they stay awake. To my mind, this request to stay awake in the face of imperialistic violence has a certain resonance in our current context. After five years--the second longest war I think I read--some are tired, some are despairing, some are fatigued and fearful. There is widespread pessimism I suspect. But the peace-makers among us ask us to stay awake.

The second piece I think is
26:50 Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you are here to do." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.
26:51 Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
26:52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."

Look at how beloved the agent of imperialist domination is in the sight of Jesus. He calls him 'friend.' Then of course the sword and the lesson therein of Jesus. But I'm especially struck by this word, "friend." No matter what you do, Jesus seems to be saying, I will remain a peace-filled compassionate force.

March 19, if I am not mistaken, is Maundy Thursday. The one who had taught in his moment of difficulty that even the agent of imperialism and violence is to be called friend now shows what that kind of friendship looks like in the washing of the feet, in humility and solidarity. And the simple message of the day is everyone can glorify what is holy and good because everyone can love.

I should think that a peace-based holy week set of liturgies, ecumenical as possible, might be important for the community. In fact, I believe Father John Dear has a lenten reflection somewhere out there. And I believe that there are some Unitarian lenten reflections (called meditation manuals, but they come out twice a year and they used to correspond to Lent and Advent) that involve the peace-making invitation always before us. There are also other holy days in other traditions (muhammed's birthday I believe is in that time period; the day marked for the teachings of the Buddha, etc). Oh, the possibilities.

In good old inclusive radical peace-filled and hope-filled faith, Roger