In response to the bombing in Afghanistan, a group of more than forty students here began a 56 hour fast for peace. This lasted from 9am November 7 through 5pm November 9. During this time, we prayed and meditated and took the time to reflect upon our reactions and share them with others. For the entire fasting period, we donned white armbands made of ribbon to symbolize our quest for peace, both in Afghanistan, and in our hearts. We held a prayer vigil the night of the first day of fasting to share ideas and encourage each other to do what we needed to do for ourselves. Did we expect the fast to change anything immediately? No. What we hope to accomplished was something more valuable than mere denial of food to the body.
What we hope to accomplish
We accomplished a lot during the inital fast in that we were able to speak our minds and work to come up with better solutions to the problems of the recent terrorism. With these fasts we hope to encourage those who feel the bombing is wrong to feel free to be able to speak their mind and talk to others. Several among us have specific ideas for how to achive peace without the bombings. Others simply feel it wrong to use violence to try to end violence for it does not get at the root of the problem. Others still, simply feel an unease and disapproval for the bombings yet have no ideas for solutions to the conflict.
To read some the of the different viewpoints of the fasters please click here. Please remember that the views represented here do not necessarily reflect the views of everyone in this group.
What we aren't
We do not condone terrorism. We are not anit-patriotic. We merely wish to remind people that there are other solutions to the problem that haven't been addressed. We are not a group exclusively of pacifists, social justice defendents or anything of the sort, though members of each were among our original fasters. We are not a group exclusively of people of any one religion, political preference, race or gender.
Who we are
When we first started this fast, we were a melting pot of college students brought together from all belief systems and all political backgrounds to unite for a common cause. To fast in protest of the bombing of Afghanistan.
Now that the first fast is over, we're starting a perpetual fast. Students at JMU began their own perpetual fast on the day that we started bombing Afghanistan and since then, they've been tag teaming it to keep it going continually - people will pass it off to the next people. Now we have joined them in this endeavor. The day after the end of the 56 hours of fasting marks the beginning of this continuation of protest.
White armbands
Although only a few of us are fasting at a time, we still don the white armbands to symbolize our quest for peace. Many people from W&M who did not fast have chosen to don these armbands as well in support of the cause of peace. We would like to encourage anyone who supports the cause to wear an armband regardless of who you are or where you are from. Our hope is that these white ribbons that we wear on our arm will become to be recognized as a symbol of peace throughout the nation.
We along with the fasters at several other schools and colleges have lit the fire of hope for peace in this nation. And with it, many candles at William and Mary, James Madison University, and many other colleges have begun to become lit. May we continue to pass along the flame, lighting one another's candles until we at last have a peaceful nation.-Erin Epperson, website manager
Upcoming events
Links to Information on Afghanistan
Our media coverage so far
If anyone wishes to write to the President concerning their views about the bombing, here is contact information:
President George W. Bush, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20500.
