Linda L. Sproul – 3/22/06

This page was last updated on March 26, 2006.

A different kind of hero; Linda L. Sproul; Beaver County Times; March 22, 2006.

When I first read this letter, I thought it was a harmless little piece. That changed, however, after I reread the letter more carefully and did some research into Christian Peacemaker Teams and their political views and activities. In summary, CPT chooses sides based on political beliefs. You may not be surprised to learn CPT is doing nothing in Darfur (Sudan). I’m guessing any involvement there wouldn’t promote CPT’s political agenda. If the U.S. ever gets involved in Darfur, and I hope we don’t, I can guarantee CPT will be there to denounce our efforts.

The final nail in the coffin was the CPT response to the rescue of the CPT hostages.

Early in the morning of March 23^rd, the day after the Times published Ms. Sproul’s letter, British and U.S. forces rescued the three other men kidnapped along with Tom Fox back in November. The British and American team risked their lives to make the rescue.

If you’re familiar with the typical “peace activist” group, you won’t be surprised neither the rescued men nor their organization – Christian Peacemaker Teams – thanked their rescuers. Worse, these ingrates didn’t even acknowledge the “men” were rescued. A CPT statement claimed the men “have been freed safely,” implying the abductors and killers simply let the men go. Worse, the statement went on to say “Multinational Forces [are] the root cause of the insecurity which led to this kidnapping.” In other words, not only does CPT imply their men weren’t rescued, they assert the coalition forces were actually responsible for the kidnapping and murder!

Only after the CPT and the men had been raked over the coals for their rudeness, did the CPT issue an addendum to its original release. At 9 p.m. EST, many hours after the original press release, the CPT finally acknowledged it was coalition soldiers who rescued the men. Even then, however, the CPT could not bring itself to use the word “rescue.” Read the addendum and it’s clear the CPT issued the statement under duress and the statement doesn’t reflect CPT’s true beliefs.

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“We have been ever mindful of the young men and women in the U.S. military and how they have given their lives for our freedom.”

[RWC] This sounds nice until you realize Ms. Sproul appears to never have written a letter praising the bravery of “the young men and women in the U.S. military.” I believe Ms. Sproul just threw this statement in and you’ll see why below.

“But what about a person such as peace activist Tom Fox, a 54-year-old Quaker who was a divorced, peace-loving man who was raising two teenage daughters?”

[RWC] Without exception, every person I’ve heard referred to as a “peace activist” is really a liberal political activist. Go to a Beaver County Peace Links rally and you’ll see what I mean. While the rallies lead off with the BCPL idea of peace topics, the rallies quickly devolve into a Bush-bashing contest on every topic under the Sun. Back in 2004 I wrote about “peace activist” Randy Shannon’s comments at a joint BCPL and Mothers Opposing Bush rally in front of the Beaver County courthouse.

If you ever saw one of the “peace” rallies in Washington, DC, you know they are even worse. In these rallies, most of the time is spent bashing America on every topic imaginable and/or praising the some of the most despicable governments on the planet. These “peace activists” openly support Palestinian terrorists who strap bombs on their own kids in order to kill Jews or anyone who happens to be in range of the bomb.

“A person such as this is what the poet describes as the unsung hero. He had been in Iraq since 2001, and his body was found tied, bound and gagged with a plastic sack over his head in a garbage container.”

[RWC] Not that it should make a difference, but Mr. Fox first arrived in Iraq during October 2004, not 2001 as Ms. Sproul alleges. On the other hand, maybe Ms. Sproul doesn’t want us to know Mr. Fox knew full well he was going into a situation in which he had a target painted on his back.

“He had been held hostage. He humbly gave up his life to help the Iraqi people, no matter what the cost, even unto death. This is as it says in God’s Word, ‘If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love... This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.’ (John 15:10, 12-13).”

[RWC] Mr. Fox didn’t give up his life; terrorists took it from him. In his own words, Mr. Fox didn’t go to Iraq to die.

This presentation of Fox’s murder seems to be a theme of CPTers. From the CPT collateral I’ve read, not once did the CPT refer to Fox’s death as murder. If we didn’t have the reports of the news media, CPT press releases could lead you to believe he died of natural causes.

Finally, whose life was saved by Mr. Fox’s death?

“Fox had a quiet, inner strength and inner peace that is not the absence of war but the presence of God.

“When his eldest daughter learned that al-Qaida had killed her father, she said ‘was very encouraged to know that her father had accomplished his purpose or goal by helping the Iraqi people and families in a time of war and chaos, to bring the Lord Jesus to a war-torn country.’

“What a noble cause, and it wasn’t done by shooting a machine gun, throwing a hand grenade, bombing someone’s car, bus or train. He gave his life for peace and for the Iraqi people, to help them.”

[RWC] “Bombing someone’s car, bus or train?” This is what Ms. Sproul really thinks of “the young men and women in the U.S. military.” This is why I wrote above that I believed Ms. Sproul just threw in her leadoff sentence.

The people who engage in the behavior described by Ms. Sproul are the very people who murdered Mr. Fox. While CPTers routinely bash coalition forces trying to bring freedom to Iraq, they never criticize the terrorists.