Rev. Lucius Walker died

[roody]

The Reverend Lucius Walker died today. He was a wonderful man and activist. He was a driving force in Pastors for Peace. He told a wonderful story about being shot in the buttocks by the Nicaraguan contras. He made it funny.

Read more: http://ifconews.org/node/918

[Judi Lynn]

1. I recall he had President Castro speak at the Riverside Church when he visited New York

a few years ago. That speech was televised on C-Span, too. There were so many people who came to hear him many had to stand outside along the street and listen on a p.a. system.

It's so wrong Rev. Walker had to go. It seems so soon for someone so needed by so many. He seems to be one of the irreplaceable, truly neccessary people.

Do you think Pastors For Peace is prepared to continue after him?

I've seen so many photos of Rev. Walker, and he was smiling so widely in every one.

A lot of Cuban people are going to be so sad to see he's gone.

What a shame.

Thank you.

[roody]

3. I would guess that P4P will continue its work.

link to news:
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/walker080910.html

[Judi Lynn]

4. Rev. Walker was just there last July 26, from that link. He also was one of the people

who went in and saw former President Castro personally even during his earlier convalescence, apparently.

That would mean he was considered an important guest there.

It's good to think he was feeling semi-o.k. earlier in the summer, hopefully, when he made the trip.

Thank you for the link, video.

[EFerrari]

5. Amy reported his passing today at the end of the headlines:

Pastors for Peace Founder Lucius Walker Dies at 80

And the Reverend Lucius Walker has died at the age of eighty. Walker was the executive director of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization and the founder of Pastors for Peace. A longtime advocate for ending the US embargo of Cuba, Reverend Walker took part in a number of annual US-Cuba Friendship Caravans to Cuba. Speaking to caravan participants in 2009, Walker called for a radical shift in US policy.

Rev. Lucius Walker: "We don’t consider Cuba our enemy, but rather our neighbor. And as people who are motivated by the great teachers of faith, we believe that we are to love our neighbors. That means we have to act contrary to US policy, which is an imposition of a blockade against Cuba to try to force it to do the will of the US rather than to pursue its own path towards a better world."

[flamingdem]

7. Amen to that nt

[EFerrari]

2. Sad news. Peace and love to his family and all that mourn him.

[flamingdem]

6. Rip Rev. Lucius Walker

He keep a vital channel open to Cuba all these years.