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Received by e-mail, May 20, 2002

Dear RENEW,

I recently attended my first UMW conference at the 16th Assembly of United Methodist Women in Philadelphia. I was shocked and hurt listening to anti-American, anti-government sentiments from some of the Assembly speakers, and viewing anti-military propaganda in the exhibit hall. One speaker’s emotional appeal to the masses concerning the amount America spends on bombs instead of feeding the children of the world was especially insulting. The speaker did not present actual or credible military facts, but played on the audience’s sympathies for poverty-stricken children around the world. Even more offensive was the extreme liberal pro-socialist exhibits and themes that insinuated the United States military is an enemy of the American people.

All the speakers at the conference exercised many of their constitutional rights during this assembly, but failed to admit that these rights were gifts fought and paid for with the blood of our ancestors who believed in Democracy under God. I reject the messages from some of the conference speakers that America is irresponsible and unjustified in our use of force in fighting terrorists, and that children are going to bed hungry at night because of the cost of United States' weaponry.

I am a proud member of the United States Army Reserve, a wife, and a mother of three children. I understand that God has blessed America and has given us power, influence, and an awesome responsibility to help shape the world. I am prepared to deploy anywhere in the world to help protect and defend my country. It astonishes and pains me that the UMW at the national level does not support the war on terrorism or our President’s resolve to protect our country.

Thank you for attending the Assembly. I did not know about RENEW until I received one of your handouts at the conference, but am truly grateful for your work. I was unaware of the extremely liberal thoughts and actions of the UMW at the national level until I attended this conference. Their negative stance on the military was just one alarming issue. All United Methodist Women need to know and understand the agenda of the UMW at the national level and what programs and ideologies their contributions fund. Keep up the accurate and honest reporting.

Yours in Christ,
Stephanie K. Gerber

My son is in the Navy and I am a United Methodist Woman

September 11th, 2001 happened and my son left the United States on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (an aircraft carrier) on September 18th. In the interim I heard that the Women’s Division had taken a strong stand against the war on terror. Sad to say, I was not shocked by this position, as this decision not to support our military is entirely consistent with Women’s Division policy and history.

My son, along with thousands of others from all branches of the military, went to keep our country from experiencing an October 11th, November 11th, December 11th, etc. Is the sacrifice of these soldiers appreciated by the staff and directors of the Women’s Division? As far as I can tell the answer is a deafening, “NO!”

My son sleeps in a coffin bunk (actual name). He puts in 12-hour shifts, which doesn’t include the time spent solving special problems. He eats whatever is available, which on the night shift has sometimes been corn flakes topped with Coke (no milk or juice available). He can go weeks without seeing the sun since access to the flight deck is tightly regulated. He gets paid much less than he would in the civilian world all because he wants to protect the innocent and defenseless.

Where was the Women’ Division while the women of Afghanistan were having acid thrown in their faces because an ankle was seen by a member of the Taliban? The Women’s Division seemed to ignore this along with many other atrocities.

I am proud of my son and the men and women in our military who willingly put themselves in harm’s way to allow gatherings like the United Methodist Women’s Assembly to take place without fear of attack.

--Robin Lawson