Today we dedicate this memorial to Emily and to everything she represents. This can mean different things to different people. To me, Emily represents the right to life.

A bit over a year ago, many of the people who are gathered here today, stood with me when I made my stand for life, not just my life, but all life on earth.

On March 15 of last year, the people at The Peace Abbey, stood with me as I publicly refused to return to the occupation of Iraq. An occupation I continue to consider a crime against humanity- a crime perpetrated by the same type of agents who commit crimes against our fellow animals in order to make a profit.

In refusing to return to Iraq, I rejected a situation in which killing was a requirement for the corporate elite to make a profit. This situation also required the cruel and inhumane treatment of the people of Iraq.

Like Emily, I refused to be killed for corporate greed, although in my case I also refused to kill. And like Emily, I became a fugitive of senseless violence. From that senseless violence, like Emily, I found refuge at The Peace Abbey. And like Emily, I received the love and support of many of the people who stand here today.

One of the questions the military asks service men and women when we apply for Conscientious Objector status is:
Give an explanation as to what in the applicant's opinion most conspicuously demonstrates the consistency and depth of his beliefs, which gave rise to his claim.

Part of my answer reads as follows:

I am a strict vegetarian, and have been for several years. I believe this tends to show that I am a person of conviction and that I stick with my beliefs once my beliefs have solidified. Before I got out of active duty I became a strict vegetarian. At first I did it because I thought a vegetarian diet was healthier, but soon I started investigating other benefits. One of the things I learned was that many people believe a vegetarian diet makes a person less prone to violence. I soon adopted this idea, and I came to believe in it so much, that I defended the claim in an essay I wrote in college.

I think the meat industry's treatment of animals is cruel and inhumane, and that paying for meat in the stores is a contribution to that industry, which in turn makes meat-eaters participants in the violence. I also think that when people are willing to contribute to the cruel treatment and slaughtering of animals, they are also more likely to be willing to contribute to the cruel treatment and slaughtering of human beings. I think what makes violence towards animals so easily accepted is the fact that animals are weaker and cannot defend themselves from humans, with the main premise being a relationship in the context of power where people are the dominant species. This relationship is really defined by the difference in power and not by the difference in species.

In my view, the difference in power between the United States and Iraq is what makes people more willing to accept a war against an enemy like Iraq. I think we would not have been as willing to accept this war if Iraq had been another superpower in the world.

If people were to respect the lives of animals, and they decided not to contribute to their cruel handling by the meat industry, society would move towards a state of respect for life, not just animal life, but all life. This in turn would do away with the assumption that a position of power gives us the right to annihilate other species, much less other people".

In order to reject violence we must first reject the principle of violence, and we must reject violence in every form.

The treatment of animals is cruel and inhumane, and by eating meat we contribute to this cruelty and inhumanity, and what is worse, we allow this cruelty and inhumanity to become part of us, we derive life and energy from it, we put it in our blood and send it to every cell, where it delivers oxygen to every tissue and organ and system of the human body.

When we contribute to the meat industry, we create hunger in the world, as much of the land that could feed indeed every human being, feeds instead billions of animals who are born and raised for the sole purpose of being slaughtered.

To me, there can be no Conscientious Objection with a meat-based diet. To me, as long as people contribute to the cruelty, to the inhumanity, to the violence, and to the world hunger caused by the killing of animals, there cannot be Peace and Justice on earth. We must begin with ourselves.

I want to thank everyone for listening and for being here. And I want to thank Emily for the invaluable inspiration, and for the invaluable message of Peace and Justice she left for all of us.

Thank you Emily, thank you all, and thank you God.

June 19, 2005