Pat Robertson’s Assassination Call is Immoral

August 24, 2005

On the Monday, August 22nd edition of the nationally syndicated 700 Club television program, Mr. Pat Robertson advocated that the United States should assassinate President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. “We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability,” Robertson said.

This public call for the murder of the democratically elected leader of a foreign, sovereign nation should be repudiated by all people of conscience and leaders of integrity. The Fellowship of Reconciliation, the nation’s oldest peace and justice organization, denounces these remarks and calls on all Christian and faith-based communities to do the same.

Mr. Robertson’s advocacy of targeted assassination is highly disturbing. So is his evident comfort in making those remarks publicly. This government’s policies have created a climate in which it is apparently permissible for the United States to openly and unashamedly advocate control of the rest of the world; to decide for other nations who deserves to hold office and who doesn’t; who deserves to be “taken out” and who doesn’t.

The remarks also reflect the growing hostility of U.S. corporate, media, and government sources towards the Venezuelan leader and his plans to build a socialist society in Venezuela. The fact that Hugo Chavez is a popularly elected leader, with an approval rating the Bush administration can only dream of, is immaterial. The United States doesn’t like him. The fact that Chavez’s election was deemed free and fair by international observers doesn’t matter. The United States wants to be rid of him.

Mr. Robertson crossed a moral line and violated a core tenet of the faith that he claims to follow and represent. His call for the assassination of President Chavez is irresponsible, immoral, and utterly indefensible.

But we must also acknowledge the sad reality that U.S.-instigated political murder and violence directed against leaders and communities in the Americas is not new. And whether the violence had been committed in support of some distorted notion of “democracy” or “economic freedom” or in opposition to socialist policies or ideals, it has always been immoral and destructive.

This violence must end. It cannot be justified and rationalized. Rather than advocating the murder of President Chavez, we suggest that Mr. Robertson use the considerable power and authority of his Christian ministry to seek new forms of dialogue and cooperation with the people of Venezuela, so that true peace and mutuality might be strengthened between our respective nations.

We further urge that Mr. Robertson communicate, to both President Chavez and to the people of the United States and the world, a public and sincere apology for his remarks. He should also denounce any and all forms of violence, or the threat of violence, against President Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan people, or any nation anywhere on earth.

This would be, in light of the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s opposition to all war and violence, a positive and enlightened expression of the true, nonviolent Gospel of Christ, and an affirmation of the powerful and transformative force of nonviolence and true human solidarity.

Contact:

Ibrahim Ramey, Disarmament Coordinator, disarm@forusa.org

Jennifer Hyman, Communications Coordinator, communications@forusa.org