The Chaplains Council of the Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University stands together in response to the news of the conviction of Al Megrahi for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
Together, we express our care, compassion and connectedness to the community at Syracuse University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and the larger Syracuse community, the nation and the world.
Together, we express relief that the quest for justice for this tragedy has been partially served.
Together, we remind ourselves that violence and terrorism will never achieve a meaningful goal.
Together, we join with the families and relatives of those who died in this tragedy and express our support of them in their many feelings at today's verdict. You continue to be in our hearts, our thoughts and prayers. Your loss is our loss, your grief is our grief. We will always share in the remembrance of your loved ones, that their lives may not be forgotten.
Together, we acknowledge that we must learn from this tragedy. We must join hands and be united in ending violence and terrorism in our homelands and abroad.
Together, we invite all families, faith communities, universities, private citizens, and public officials to increase efforts to educate about the horrors of violence and terrorism against individuals, groups, communities or nations.
Together, we remind ourselves that the conviction of this one individual does not absolve others who may have been involved.
We further remind ourselves that the conviction of Al Megrahi does not allow us to assume that all people of a particular ethnicity, region or faith are terrorists.
Together, we pray to our Creator for peace on and in our souls, our community, our nations and our world.
