George has sent the petition to the Office of Public Affairs at the College, which has distributed it to various news and media outlets.
"As professionals in education we are committed to the priority of non-violent means to resolve disputes. Because these have not been exhausted, a U.S. resort to force would be wrong," the statement reads, calling upon the government to refrain from attacking and to pursue non-violent alternatives.
George announced last week at the College faculty meeting that he had drafted this petition and would circulate it among faculty.
"It was announced ... that a letter would be circulated and that people could sign if they wanted, but that they didn't have to," said George. "I think about two-thirds of the faculty signed. That doesn't mean that one third chose not to sign, it just means that they might not be around, since at any given time a number of faculty members are on leave or gone for whatever reason."
"Even though it won't alter the course of history, it is important to know that there are large numbers, not large enough, but large numbers of citizens who think our foreign policy is badly mistaken and very, very dangerous," said Professor of Sociology and American Studies Jan Dizard, who signed the petition. "This message will help lay a basis for a return to our senses in the near future."
"I thought it would be good to give the Amherst faculty an opportunity to put themselves on record for being opposed to war at this moment," said George, commenting on his reasons for drafting the petition.
The faculties of Mt. Holyoke and Hampshire Colleges recently voted to approve statements opposing a potential war in Iraq.
When George brought the possibility of a similar vote by the faculty at the College to the Committee of Six, they decided that such a vote would not be appropriate because faculty votes are binding on all members of the faculty. At that point, George drafted the petition.