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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us December 18, 2004 Peace House mischaracterized Kayla M. Starr Cave Junction I have volunteered with Peace House since 1985, helping to collect signatures on petitions for peace and justice, organizing events, writing and editing their newsletter, and facilitating non-violence trainings. The guest editorial printed on Dec 8 about Peace House was appalling in its gross misrepresentation of Peace House values and activities. Peace House and its staff, past and present, have always been devoted to the peaceful resolution of conflicts here and abroad. Vandalism has never been condoned. The goal is to find ways to create a more humane and peaceful world through peaceful means. Active confrontation with injustice, and even a willingness to refuse to cooperate with forces of oppression in our society must be distinguished from wanton property destruction. Acts of protest that include civil disobedience are part of the American tradition, perhaps beginning with the Boston Tea Party, where patriotic American colonists took symbolic action to thwart British rule, thus leading to our independence as a nation. Our labor laws, womens right to vote, the end to Jim Crow racial discrimination, ending the Vietnam war, all were achieved, in part, through active confrontation with the established rules. Around the world people are in the streets calling for an end to the occupation of Iraq; they also call for fair elections and trade laws. We are hanging banners, stopping traffic, and refusing to go away quietly when injustice is done in our names. When our representatives refuse to listen to our calls, letters, petitions or votes, it becomes necessary to make a bigger noise. Indeed, we have a responsibility to orally refuse to cooperate with injustice and violence. I realize that this is frightening to some people who feel unsafe with confrontation, who are fettered with the fear generated by a violent society, and by the terrorist attack on 9/11. The author of that editorial who claims to "have a good idea" of who committed an act of vandalism, and who predicts that protesting the innocent deaths in Iraq might bring "Fallujah to our doorstep" demonstrates the degree of irrationality and hostility such fearfulness breeds. He felt insulted by claims of police brutality at a demonstration. Having experienced being tear-gassed and shot at by police while participating in non-violent protests, I have no doubt that police at some demonstrations use excessive force (sometimes unprovoked). Let us hope that we can reach out to one another to heal the fear and violence, so that we may see our way to a more humane and ethical society. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's & Men's Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress afsa studentloans home equity loans teleconferencing W2 Forms fasa student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation wholesale diamonds Currancy Exchange web conferencing Online Casinos Community Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams