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Peace House endures Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Ali Fulcher, associate director of Peace House in Ashland, talks about the state of the activist group while keeping an anti-nuclear vigil on the plaza in Ashland. Ashland group never runs out of issues to stir social activism By J.T. BUSHNELL Peace House of Ashland no longer has a Cold War to publicly protest. It can no longer hold demonstrations against a war in the Persian Gulf and its members can't rally against United States counter-revolutionary efforts in Nicaragua and El Salvador. As many of the high-profile conflicts around the world have ended, the organization's visibility has waned. But its current leaders says the group's efforts to promote peace and justice have not slowed. "Public protest is only one means of organizing," said Ruth Coulthard, director of Peace House. "It's perhaps the most controversial - it confronts people with visible resistance - but it's only one thing, one strategy. We use many strategies." Peace House, a nonprofit group founded in 1982 to work toward peace and nuclear disarmament, has had to employ those other strategies in recent years. Coulthard said it has broadened its scope and, despite being less conspicuous, has continued to foster activism. That much was evident in a memorial vigil in the Ashland Plaza that started Monday and ends today. The annual vigil, held on the anniversary of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, acknowledges past suffering and potential future hazards of nuclear weapons and technology. There is no throng of protesters, no angry signs or political chants - just a table, a display and a candle under the shade of a tree. Passers-by can simply look at the exhibit, or they can sign their names to petitions with headings like "Oppose the Cheney energy plan!" and "Oppose the militarization of space!" Drew Crossman of Ashland took the opportunity to add himself to Peace House's 500-person mailing list. "This is nice," he said. "As a parent of two young ones, I haven't had a lot of time to get active." Ali Fulcher, associate director of Peace House, said involvement like that has become more common. She also said she's glad protests haven't been necessary. "We don't want to exchange lives (lost in war) for a greater degree of activism," she said. But both Fulcher and Coulthard said there is no shortage of issues for the organization to confront. "It's less that we're organizing around specific issues than promoting justice and peace in general," Coulthard said. "The issues are countless." Among them are the Bush administration's missile defense plan, the revived interest in nuclear power, the country's increased multi-culturalism and the continuing conflict in Iraq. "We still see the U.S. in an aggressive and belligerent role in the world," Coulthard said. "There's reason for a great deal of concern when you look to our allies and see the concern they're feeling." Besides focusing on controversial issues, Coulthard said Peace House has always acted as a networking and resource center as well as a sponsor of educational programming. Using donations, Peace House has sponsored a number of presentations and lectures over the past few years as well as programs aimed to dispose of unwanted guns. It also runs a program called Uncle Food's Diner to feed homeless and low-income community members. "I think its flexibility is its strength," Coulthard said of Peace House and its reworked agenda. "You see a lot of groups rise up and dissipate. Peace House has a broader vision. We're in it for the long haul." Reach reporter J.T. Bushnell at 776-4468 Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.