The Star was alone among the local press in carrying a news item about the tremendous rally and civil disobedience action at the White House on March 24. However, the AP story minimized the action by reporting that only 83 persons were arrested when actually, it was well over 500. This by far exceeds the total risking arrest in any previous action at the White House.

Why, readers might wonder, would so many people (we estimate 20,000) travel from all over to Washington and risk arrest? I would like to answer, since I was there, along with another DeKalb resident, Cele Meyer, who was among those arrested in the circle surrounding a “Salvadoran village” erected on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Archbishop Romero Commemoration and March was held on the 10th anniversary of the slaying of this beloved, courageous cleric who stood with the poor in El Salvador. He called on President Carter to withhold military aid to his government and he called on Salvadoran troops to refuse to fire on fellow Salvadorans. For this, he was assassinated during mass, and the war has continued to escalate.

More than 70,000 Salvadorans have been killed, mostly by their own military and government-related death squads, with weapons from Congress, which has bankrolled this failed policy with more than $4 billion in the last 10 years. Finally, following the murder of the six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter last fall, there is discussion in Congress of curtailing aid until the Salvadoran government participates in meaningful dialogue with the guerrillas, who have made numerous proposals for peaceful settlement. There are bills before both houses of Congress which would accomplish this end, but President Bush opposes any cutback in aid.

The rally and action was our way of sending a strong signal in as dramatic a way as possible to our government that support for the military in El Salvador must end now. Other cities staged simultaneous actions, and, prior to the rally, 2,482 arrests in similar actions had already taken place. Others wanting to help bring peace and justice to Central America are invited to join the effort, starting with letters to our congresspeople to vote to cut aid to El Salvador.

The DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace and Justice has provided educational programs and opportunities for action for the past five years. We welcome questions and participation.

Sondra King

Human and Family Resources