From nmwhitt at samford.edu Tue Aug 1 09:18:17 2006 From: nmwhitt at samford.edu (Nancy Whitt) Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 08:18:17 -0500 Subject: [saymaListserv] Baptist Peacemaking Message-ID: <44CF0E49020000F50002EABB@gw3.samford.edu> A message from the Christian Women's Leadership Studies chair at Samford University: 12 Things That Every Christian Should Know about What the Bible Says about Peace 1. Peace is the will of God. >From the first chapter of Scripture, where God pronounced creation "good" (Gen. 1:31), to the very last, in John's vision of a tree "for the healing of the nations" (Rev 22:2), God pursues peace. Trust in God is contrasted with trust in the instruments of war (Is. 31:1; Ps. 20:7; 33:16-17; Hos. 1:7). 2. Peace was the mission of Jesus. His role as "The Prince of Peace" was foretold by Isaiah (9:6). Angels announcing his birth declared "Glory to God" and "peace on earth" (Lk 2:14). Weeping over Jerusalem, Jesus prayed; "would that you knew the things that make for peace" (Lk. 19:41-42). 3. The fruit of the Spirit is peace. (Gal. 5:22). "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord" (Zech. 4:6). Prior to his death, Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you," in reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:25-27). 4. Peace was the witness of the early church. The new community created in Christ bore witness by its reconciled fellowship: "And all who believed were together and had all things in common" (Acts 2:44-47; 4:32-37). Paul urged that the church's "feet" be "shod with the gospel of peace" (Eph. 6:15). 5. Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace - shalom - occurs when captives are released (Lk. 4:18); when outcasts are gathered (Zeph. 3:19); when the hungry have plenty to eat (Joel 2:19-26; Lk. 1:53; I Sam. 2:1-8). 6. The foundation of peace is justice. "The effect of righteousness (justice) will be peace," predicted Isaiah (32:17). "Righteousness and peace will kiss," wrote the psalmist (Ps. 85:10). "Sowing justice" will result in peace, said Hosea (10:12-14). 7. Peace, like war, is waged. Peacemakers are not passive, but active. Peter, echoing the psalmist, urges us to "seek peace, and to pursue it" (I Pet. 3:11; Ps. 34:14). Jesus urged worshippers to take the initiative to settle disputes (Mt. 5:23-24). Peace includes loving and feeding enemies (Lk. 6:27; Rom. 12:20). 8. Peacemakers sometimes cause trouble. Jesus turned over the tables of oppressive money-changers (Jn. 2:13-16). When he says, "I come not to bring peace but division" (Lk. 12:51), the "peace" of which he speaks merely disguises an order of injustice (see Jer. 6:14-15). It was Jesus' peacemaking mission which landed him on the cross (Col. 1:20). 9. Peacemaking is rooted in grace. In Jesus' prayer, our "debts" are forgiven in the measure to which we forgive others (Mt. 6:12). "Whoever is forgiven little, loves little" (Lk 7:47). It is grace which frees us from fear (I Jn. 4:18) and empowers us to risk our lives for the sake of justice and peace. 10. Peace in Christ and in creation are linked. Not only are divisions in the human community overcome "in Christ" (Galatians 3:28), but also in the whole created order. The knowledge of God and the healing of creation are parallel realities (Is. 11:3-9). The land itself mourns (Is. 33:9). "But ask the beasts...and the birds...or the plants, and they will teach you: of the ways of the Lord (Job 12:7-10). 11. Peacemaking is not optional. The separation between "preaching the Gospel" and "working for peace and justice" is a perversion of biblical truth. Jesus prayed; "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Mt. 6:10). We lie if we say we love God yet fail to assist neighbors in need (I Jn. 4:20). Loving enemies - whether close at hand or far away - is the way to become children of God (Mt. 5:44-45). 12. God's promised future is peace. Though now living as "aliens" in a strange land, peacemakers have caught a glimpse of how the future will finally unfold. Both Isaiah and John's Revelation speak of the coming "new heaven and new earth" (Is. 65:17-22; Rev. 21:1). The day is coming, says Micah, when nations "shall beat their swords into ploughshares...and neither shall they learn war any more" (4:3-4). On that day, creation itself - which "has been groaning in travail...will be set free from its bondage to decay (Rom. 8:19-24). >From "The Bible Speaks About Peace: 12 Things Every Christian Should Know" from the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America: http://www.bpfna.org/bspeak or http://www.bpfna.org/areyou ************************************************************************************************** Ten Practices of "Just Peacemaking" by Dr. Glen Stassen, Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary, California http://www.augsburg.edu/peace/ten_practices.html "What Is Real Peace?" by Laurie Forner http://www.augsburg.edu/peace/carrillo.html#healing "There Is A Compassionate Rebel in Everyone" by Carriann Mikish http://www.augsburg.edu/peace/rebels.html *************************************************************************************************** Julia Ward Howe http://womenshistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa013100d.htm Mother's Day Proclamation 1870 http://womenshistory.about.com/od/howejwriting/a/mothers_day.htm ***************************************************************************************************** "Let There Be Peace on Earth, and Let It Begin with Me" Jill Jackson and Sy Miller 1955/1983 Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me; Let there be peace on earth, The peace that was meant to be. With God our Creator Children all are we, Let us walk with each other In perfect harmony. Let peace begin with me, Let this be the moment now; With every step I take, Let this be my solemn vow: To take each moment and live each moment In peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me. Copyright 1955 by Jan-Lee Music, renewed 1983, alternate lyrics. All rights reserved. http://www.jan-leemusic.com/lyrics.htm. From freepolazzo at comcast.net Tue Aug 1 18:54:03 2006 From: freepolazzo at comcast.net (free polazzo) Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 18:54:03 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Minute on Middle East War Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20060801185042.03349ff0@comcast.net> Dear Friends, A minute on the violence in the Middle East from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM). I continue to hold all the peoples in that region in the Light. May they see that we are all connected and to harm on any one of us is to do harm to all of us. Blessings, Free > "Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, >gathering in session on July 30 at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA >mourns both the victims of Israel's invasion of Lebanon that is now underway >and the victims of Hezbollah's attacks on Israel. We mourn our government's >support for Israel's invasion of Lebanon and its opposition to an immediate >cease fire. > > As Friends we believe there is that of God in every person. We call upon >all parties to the conflict to immediately cease fire and we call upon all >governments and groups to stop supplying weapons to combatants. > > As American Friends in the United States we call upon our own government >to call for an immediate cease fire and to stop supplying weapons to Israel. >As Friends, we have always opposed the export of arms and weapons for any >purpose and instead have worked for the peaceful resolution of deadly >conflict. > > We call upon all the people in this conflict to see that peace is the >way, that every cease fire is good, and that gunfire, rockets and bombs take >us from the way and desecrate God's sacred creation. > > We call upon Friends to stand with the courageous people in Israel, >Lebanon and Palestine and other parts of the Middle East who are calling for >a cease-fire and peace. We encourage Friends and meetings to consider >urgently how we might act to bring about a cease-fire and negotiations for a >just and lasting peace." > > What follows is also from the PYM minutes of the meeting in which the >minute was approved. > "Mario Cavelinni of Mickleton Meeting brought forth the following >recommended actions also drafted by the ad hoc committee: > >A referral to the Peace and Concerns Standing Committee that they should >urgently assist PYM Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in public witness >religious networking and political action. In particular, they should work >with PYM's Middle East Working Group which is collaborating with Sustained >(an activist group) and TIKKUM (a Jewish-American Peace Organization) >working for peace in the Middle East. > >A referral to PYM's Quarterly and Monthly Meetings that they should support >FCNL's efforts in Washington and utilize their resources locally and also >work with AFSC in their acts of witness and service. > >A referral to the General Secretary and the Clerk of PYM they should see >that copies of the minutes are sent by PYM to U.S. government officials, >major area newspapers and to other yearly meetings and peace churches. >Minutes should also be sent to monthly meetings for distribution to local >news outlets. > >The meeting APPROVED the minute and recommended actions, with Carolyn Evans >of Newtown Meeting standing aside." From tlamm at chpl.net Wed Aug 2 09:55:41 2006 From: tlamm at chpl.net (Tim Lamm) Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2006 09:55:41 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] FWCC Southeast Regional Gathering Message-ID: <023401c6b63f$8a7731a0$72a8a8c0@bradbury1> SOUTH EAST REGIONAL GATHERING of the Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas THEME: "Quakers Responding to Militarism at Home and Abroad" WHEN: 9/22-24/2006 WHERE: JAMESTOWN MEETING 509 Guilford Road Jamestown, NC 27262 TIME: Starts with supper on 9/22 at the Jamestown Meeting and ends with worship 9/24 with local friends. ACCOMODATIONS: With local friends. If you prefer a motel you will need to make your own arrangements. Below are some local motel suggestions (taken from phone directory or Map Quest). Under 6 miles away Clarion Hotel 415 S Swing Rd Greensboro, NC 27409 336-299-7650 Extended Stay America 4317 Big Tree Way Greensboro NC27407 336-299-9922 Holiday Inn Express 4305 Big Tree Way Greensboro NC 27407 336-854-0090 Lodge America 1200 Lanada Rd Greensboro, NC 27407 336-544-4700 Marriot by Courtyard 4400 W. Wendover Rd Greensboro NC 27407 336-294-3800 Microtel Inn 4304 Big Tree Way Greensboro NC 27407 336-547-7007 Suburban Lodge 6009 Landmark Center Blvd Greensboro, NC27407 336-218-1000 Wingate Inn 6007 Landmark Center Blvd Greensboro, NC 27407 336-854-8610 Farther away Red Roof Inn 615 S Regional Rd Greensboro, NC 27409 336-271-2636 Sleep Inn 7 Sharps Air Park Ct Greensboro, NC 27409 336-931-1272 ADVANCE PROGRAM 9-22-2006 5:00 PM Supper at Jamestown Meeting, local attenders please bring in a dish to share. 6:00 PM Opening Session Worship Orientation- plans for the weekend. Introduction to the program and presenters "Quakers Responding to Militarism at Home and Abroad" 9-23-2006 8:00 AM Breakfast with host family 9:00 AM Debbie Parker and Paul Mitchell presenters - Report on the Quaker Initiative to End Torture Conference Bill Jeffries presenter on current international and domestic concerns 11:00 AM Break 11:15 AM Program continues - discussion and focus on concerns 1:00 PM Lunch 2:00 PM Open time for tours, visits, etc. Tour of local Quaker Historical Places - Possibilities include Mendenhall Plantation, New Garden Meeting and Cemetery, (Battle of) Guilford Courthouse National Historical Park - Quaker's role, other 5:00 PM Supper at Jamestown Meeting 6:00 PM Worship Discussion and summary on what and how Quakers are doing and may do in response to world concerns. 9-24-2006 Breakfast with host family Worship with host family then depart. REGISTRATION FORM for the South Eastern Regional Gathering of the Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas FEE: $25.00 per person. Payment is preferred to be received when the registration form is sent. Additional donations are encouraged as we hope to cover the costs of those who cannot afford this fee, and we hope to help support a Jamaican Friend's trip to this gathering. Mail to: Nancy Craft 3112 New Bridge Road Virginia Beach, VA 23456 E-mail: craftn at juno.com Phone: 757-426-2019 Name:_____________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ City/State/Zip _______________________________ Phone(s): Home ____________________Cell________________Work______________ E-mail: ___________________________________ Travel Plans What time do you anticipate you will be arriving - on the 22nd? Before supper ___ After supper ____ On the 23rd (time): ___________ Will you be flying? ________ If yes, what is your air carrier and flight number _______________ Time flight is due in _____________ coming from which city? ___________________ Do you want someone to meet you at the airport? _____ Departure day and time: _____________________ For those who will be staying with local Friends, please respond to these questions. Will you be driving? _______ Will you be riding in a car with others? ________ Names of others traveling with you: Are you willing to share a room with someone? ____________________________ Other needs Do you have any special food needs? _______ If yes, specify ____________________________ Do you have any special physical needs such as cannot use stairs, use a wheelchair or cane, or will need assistance, etc. ____ If yes, specify: ______________________________________________________ Do you have any other information you feel we need to know about in planning this gathering? ___If yes, specify:____________________________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: clip_image001.gif Type: image/gif Size: 86 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Thank you, Michael From CIsland at aol.com Fri Aug 4 13:08:20 2006 From: CIsland at aol.com (CIsland at aol.com) Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 13:08:20 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] 3 divisions of SAYMA's listserv Message-ID: <364.a10e441.3204d904@aol.com> Friends, I have finally communicated with our volunteer technician who produces our listserv. He stated that he is fully ready to implement the division that Yearly Meeting approved in Sixth Month. He expects to do that on 15, Eighth Month ("August"). For your information, I am copying below the text sets that I sent to him. Bill Reynolds, Clerk SAYMA Ad Hoc Committee on Electronic Communications (aka "ECC," "Electronic Communications Committee") 1. Name: "SAYMA IMP^O^ Bulletin Service" Welcome statement to go to first-time subscribers (which will be everybody initially): "Welcome to the SAYMA IMP^O^ Bulletin Service. This listserv is operated by the SAYMA Administrative Assistant to distribute notices, announcements, etc. directly related to SAYMA's conducting the business of the yearly meeting. (Other general interest notices and announcements are to be posted on the "SAYMA GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS LISTSERV." Items of opinions, points of view, protests, and back and forth discussion about such, are to be posted on the "SAYMA DISCUSSION LISTSERV.")" No bottom line is needed for postings to "SAYMA IMP^O^ Bulletin Service" 2. Name: "SAYMA DISCUSSION LISTSERV" Welcome statement to go to first-time subscribers (which will be everybody initially): "Welcome to the SAYMA DISCUSSION LISTSERV. This list is for the SAYMA community to discuss general issues of concern to Quakers. (For further information about Friends' concerns see Quaker.org). This list is especially for those who like electronic back and forth discussion about views, opinions, etc. Please compose your postings to this list to reflect the fundamental Quaker value that "there is that of God in Everyone". When responding to another post, respond to that of God in the author or subject of that post. This means express your perspective sincerely without passing judgement on the other's motives, character, intelligence or integrity. It is good to allow time to pass for seasoning your thoughts before posting a response. Please also be moderate in your quantity of postings in order to avoid overwhelming subscribers." Bottom lines to automatically appear at the bottom of each SAYMA DISCUSSION LISTSERV post: "This list is for the SAYMA community to discuss general issues of concern to Quakers. (For further information about Friends' concerns see Quaker.org)." 3. Name: "GENERAL INTEREST ANNOUNCEMENTS" Welcome statement to go to first-time subscribers (which will be everybody initially): "Welcome to SAYMA's GENERAL INTEREST ANNOUNCEMENTS LISTSERV. This list is for posting announcements about events, links and addresses to opinion and information sources and notices about action opportunities related to Friends' concerns. (For further information about Friends' concerns see Quaker.org). Postings on this listserv include such things as: (a) events happening around SAYMA's region, nationally or beyond. (b) articles, publications, and websites of interest - For example: "FCNL has posted an analysis of the Iraq war budget....." (c) action opportunities such as writing congress, peace demonstrations, (d) SAYMA Monthly Meetings' and Worship Groups' newsletters, minutes, etc. Appropriate responses to announcements on this listserv are to be questions of clarification about details, additional planning information, e.g, time, place, topic and contact information, etc. Any responses other than these particular types are to be posted on the SAYMA DISCUSSION LISTSERV." Bottom lines to automatically appear at the bottom of each GENERAL INTEREST ANNOUNCEMENTS post: This list is for posting announcements about events, links and addresses to opinion and information sources and notices about action opportunities related to Friends' concerns. (For further information about Friends' concerns see Quaker.org). -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Quakerkristi at aol.com Fri Aug 4 17:30:55 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 17:30:55 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] "The Children of God will not Go to War" Message-ID: <565.3d3e8dc.3205168f@aol.com> I've been keeping up with some of CPT's work since Tom Fox..... If you've never seen their website (www.cpt.org) it is rich with current efforts for peace. One current effort is with Native Americans in S. Dakota. The story below is another example...which holds up the hard work in Columbia. It is only about a page long, but I liked it's appreciation of small but meaningful efforts- especially hopeful ones. ....Kristi CPTnet 2 August 2006 COLOMBIA REFLECTION: The children of God will not go to war by Erik Turnberg I write from my bedside in Colombia, where two days ago I met my Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) delegation and we began our work here. Twelve hours a day we learn about this country's conflicts, the history of violence, the lives destroyed, and we pray. I listened to a brave man, a husband and father, forced to tears by recounting his story and his feelings of helplessness. Again and again, I hear people say that Colombia is "complicada," and indeed this is a very complicated place. Colombia is rich in resources--oil, natural gas, coal, and gold among them. It is not all cocaine and the worst conflict doesn't seem to be about narcotrafficking--that is just another layer of complication. It has a long history of Spanish colonizers, the Colombian elite and multinational corporations oppressing poor people and forcing them off their land. Layers of complication have left the country in war for forty years between guerrillas, the military, and, since the 1980s, paramilitaries. The hardest hit are the poorest. Sixty percent live on less than $2 a day; three million have been displaced, forced from their land by death threats. I think I am not alone among our delegation members in wondering if our presence is going to change anything, if there is any justice in sight, or any hope for peace. Today I witnessed a small vision of hope. It is Colombian Independence Day, which is marked in Bogotá by a grand military parade. Our team was invited to participate in a counter parade, organized by conscientious objectors, that would follow the military, cleaning the streets of the death left in their footsteps. We followed in the wake of this parade bringing song and dance, street theater, signs and brooms sweeping the streets clean of violence. The group we were with chanted loudly "Los Jóvenes de Jehovah, no van a la Guerra!" ("The children of God will not go to war!") There are a growing number of Colombians standing up against great odds, and great personal threat, to struggle for a nonviolent and just peace. >From organizers of this action we heard two things when they thanked us for our presence. First, by having North Americans there, the credibility of the message increased. Second, on the radio organizers heard police communicating about breaking up the demonstration, but they dispersed and the march moved on. The organizers felt that the police did not act because of our presence with cameras. Both small statements represent a powerful reality. We can help those who put themselves at great risk by calling for justice and an end to violence in Colombia. We can call attention to what is happening and refuse to allow past atrocities from being forgotten. We can speak out against government and corporate policies that lend support for violence, war and oppression, so that none of God's people will have to go to war. _______________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Quakerkristi at aol.com Sat Aug 5 22:26:21 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2006 22:26:21 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] Pam Beziat Message-ID: <31c.8a2afb4.3206ad4d@aol.com> Geeta left a message on my machine that Pam Beziat, our good f/Friend from Nashville, was arrested at Oak Ridge today. If anyone has more information please let us know. Other Friends were involved in a 75 mile march from Asheville to Oak Ridge last week for the protest. Please hold Pam in the Light. If there are other ways we can support her please let us know that too. Peace, Kristi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Quakerkristi at aol.com Sat Aug 5 22:41:47 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Sat, 5 Aug 2006 22:41:47 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] protest Message-ID: <523.4d98020.3206b0eb@aol.com> For more general information on the Oak Ridge Protest see www.august6.org Kristi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bright_crow at mindspring.com Mon Aug 7 15:40:24 2006 From: bright_crow at mindspring.com (Mike Shell) Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 15:40:24 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: [saymaListserv] Fw: U.S. & Israel Selecting Targets for Cruise Missile First-Strike Attack - frwd to Jax Quakers from Wendy Message-ID: <8935223.1154979625014.JavaMail.root@mswamui-swiss.atl.sa.earthlink.net> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bright_crow at mindspring.com Mon Aug 7 15:40:51 2006 From: bright_crow at mindspring.com (Mike Shell) Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 15:40:51 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: [saymaListserv] Fw: U.S. & Israel Selecting Targets for Cruise Missile First-Strike Attack - frwd to Jax Quakers from Wendy Message-ID: <33522630.1154979651198.JavaMail.root@mswamui-swiss.atl.sa.earthlink.net> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From CIsland at aol.com Tue Aug 8 17:53:31 2006 From: CIsland at aol.com (CIsland at aol.com) Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2006 17:53:31 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] SAYMA Website proposed policies Message-ID: <4b9.6987164.320a61db@aol.com> Dear Friends, Fall Representative Meeting is only a month away. The ad hoc Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) will bring the website policies proposal to this meeting as was announced at Yearly Meeting. The policies proposal can be found on the website by clicking on "What's New," then click _Minutes_ (http://www.sayma.org/online_documents.htm#YM Min) of Yearly Meeting 2006 , then click "YM 2006 - Appendix C (Committee & Officer Reports) _PDF_ (http://www.sayma.org/online_documents/YM2006_Appendix_C.pdf) ," then scroll down a page and a half. Or, you can click this link or paste it into your browser box. _http://www.sayma.org/online_documents/YM2006_Appendix_C.pdf_ (http://www.sayma.org/online_documents/YM2006_Appendix_C.pdf) then scroll down about a page and a half. Compared to the website policies proposal in the minutes referenced above, the modestly revised version to be brought to Rep Meeting will have only a couple of minor tweaks and the following sentence added after the last sentence in the section headed "Content:" ?Groups within SAYMA that want to have a link or a presence on the website are encouraged to contact the web manager.? Anyone who wants to give input on these proposed policies for the website are encouraged to contact me, Bill Reynolds, (see email address below), one of the members of ECC, or to speak with your Representative BEFORE the Fall Rep. Meeting. (FYI in case you had not already been told, these proposed policies represent exactly how SAYMA's website is operated and has been pretty much all along since its inception, no proposed changes to the operations.) Peace, Agape, Bill Reynolds, Clerk SAYMA ad hoc committee on Electronic Communications (email: < _cisland at aol.com_ (mailto:cisland at aol.com) > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Quakerkristi at aol.com Wed Aug 9 08:29:49 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2006 08:29:49 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] Hibbard Thatcher Message-ID: <51f.4fdbd43.320b2f3d@aol.com> Forwarded from Nashville Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2006 > Dear Friends: > > Ruby, Alan and Jonathan Thatcher here, writing from Nashville. Hibbard > Thatcher passed away on Saturday night, August 5th. He had taken a > turn for the worse early in the week, developed pneumonia and > apparently had a small stroke. His last days and hours were easy, and > his last communication, on Wednesday, was blowing a kiss to Ruby. > > In accordance with Hibbard?s wishes, there will be no funeral, but we > are beginning to plan a memorial service. We are just realizing the > magnitude of such an event and how many people will want to come, > taking into account the Nashville Friends Meeting, Nashville Country > Dancers, Sacred Harp singers, and many others. It will take some time > to arrange, and to coordinate schedules, so we are looking at a > tentative date of September 10th for the service. We will let you know > more as soon as the date and place are fixed. > > As you probably know, Hibbard had made a partial recovery from the very > damaging pneumonia and staph infection he had in January. Over the > last few months he struggled to regain his strength, and through heroic > efforts and determination, he made a lot of progress. But ultimately > it seems his body had too much lasting damage for him to survive. > > During these last several months we got to see Hibbard at his best. > Nurses and aides at the medical facilities kept talking about what a > wonderful patient he was and as one social worker commented, coming out > of an interview with him, ?What an interesting man!? > > Family and many friends were able to spend time with Hibbard at St > Thomas, at Select Specialty Hospital, at Stallworth Rehab Center, and > at NHC, during this long medical odyssey. During these visits he was > often very llively and voluble, and I know many of you had wonderful > conversations with him, as we did. And Hibbard especially appreciated > those who came and shared their voices and music with him. > > We would invite you to write down any memories or stories of Hibbard, > recent or otherwise, to share at the memorial service. Or, of course, > we?d be happy to hear them now if you?d like to email them to us. > > Thank you all for your support and love for Hibbard. Please continue > to hold him in your hearts, and, as the Quakers say, in the light. > > Love, > > Ruby, Alan and Jonathan Thatcher -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From freepolazzo at comcast.net Thu Aug 10 12:48:40 2006 From: freepolazzo at comcast.net (Free Polazzo) Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 12:48:40 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Remembering Herbert Hoover, the Quaker President and Businessperson In-Reply-To: <20060810132037.60894.qmail@web33013.mail.mud.yahoo.com> References: <20060810132037.60894.qmail@web33013.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20060810115218.02231ac8@comcast.net> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Quakerkristi at aol.com Thu Aug 10 19:05:47 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:05:47 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] minute on torture Message-ID: <248.149cb380.320d15cb@aol.com> Friends, The following minute was passed on it's second reading at NEYM sessions on Wednesday 8/9/06, without committee sponsorship. My thanks to all the Friends who made this possible from the first draft to the wide support during business meeting. I'll put the minute below and attached. This felt very good to witness and feel deep support even amidst reluctant awareness. Thanks, John John Calvi calvij at sover.net 802/387-4789 PO Box 301 Putney VT 05346 USA www.johncalvi.com www.quit-torture-now.org New England Quaker Initiative to End Torture- QUIT- Minute Approved by New England Yearly Meeting at annual sessions August 9, 2006 New England Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends finds torture immoral, illegal, and abhorrent. Torture- in wars, in prisons, and in homes ­ steals the humanity of the tortured, the torturer, and those who have knowledge of it. We believe in the sanctity of life, a faith that arises from our experience that there is that of God in everyone. This Light helps us to see our face in the stranger¹s face. Fear and denial cause us to forget our deep connections with one another. Only when we are willing to surrender to the Light, individually and corporately, can we eliminate the roots of torture. New England Yearly Meeting calls upon members and monthly meetings to seek Light and act to end torture. _______________________________________________ Friends mailing list Friends at lists.memphisfriends.org http://lists.memphisfriends.org/listinfo.cgi/friends-memphisfriends.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From errol at kitenet.net Fri Aug 11 17:45:10 2006 From: errol at kitenet.net (Errol Hess) Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 17:45:10 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Fall Representative Meeting Message-ID: <1155332710.3729.5.camel@localhost.localdomain> Fall Representative Meeting is September 9 in Berea, KY. Go to www.sayma.org for registration form, directions, etc. I misspelled Beth Myers' name and email address in materials mailed today. Her correct email address is bethmyers at ekccc.org. From Quakerkristi at aol.com Fri Aug 11 21:17:59 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 21:17:59 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] Philadelphia YM Epistle Message-ID: <55c.4bb974a.320e8647@aol.com> Gretchen Castle, Clerk Greetings to Friends everywhere from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Annual Sessions held Seventh Month 25-30, 2006, at DeSales University, Center Valley, Pennsylvania, where our theme was ?Worship - Always Coming Home.? Niyonu Spann, Dean of Pendle Hill, and her singing group, Tribe I, challenged us from the moment we began our opening session, under a great white tent, on a sticky summer evening. Powerful images, both sung and spoken, reminded us that we make our journeys step by step. That many parts make the whole creation; which was expressed in the lyric: ?Many stones can form an arch; singly none, singly none.? We do not make a journey, nor form an arch, without giving over to God. Only by giving over to God can we dig deep into our roots; to seek and speak a 360-degree truth, to look at the whole we have been and the whole we are called to be. We sang with passion and joy ?Study War No More.? Niyonu asked us what it means for Friends to study war no more. We must own the whole truth of the legacy of our ancestors. We want to believe that we are leaders in peace and justice. But how can we be the Friends of the Underground Railroad and the Friends of the back bench, where people of color were once forced to sit to worship? How is the back bench alive today? What does it look like now? We cherish Friends? process. But sometimes we also dismiss the truths of others with the swish of the phrase ?Quaker process.? We must ask that we might be shown our 360-degree truth, so that we can change, so that we can be the whole we are called to be. There is a yearning that all in our faith community come to experience the enveloping love of God in all we do together. We have once again been strongly reminded of the call to a greater relationship to our roots which are the basis for a more radical Quakerism in which Love and Peace radiate out into the world. We have not only been called to be a gathered people, but to gather people to us. Friends seek a deep waiting worship. In his talk about the gathered Meeting, speaker Tom Gates encouraged us to lead lives of worship; to come to Meeting prepared to serve rather than expecting the worship to serve our own spiritual needs. We should ask: ?How can I become the kind of Friend my Meeting needs me to be?? Our five standing committees reported to us through epistles on their work and the amazing activities of working groups under their care. In our monthly meetings we are experiencing rich worship and fellowship even as we endeavor to always take these deeper. Our religious education flowers throughout the year. The blossoming at this our yearly gathering is particularly vibrant as our gathering was designed to be multigenerational. We are so grateful to our staff and volunteers who make all of these things possible. The greatest blessing of our time together has been spending time with our children and Young Friends at these sessions. Their openness and generous affection brings us great joy. With them we are led toward a deeper communion with the Light. Sadly, in the past year our interim meetings for discernment have been extremely difficult and painful. The process of Quaker decision-making is challenging even for the most experienced Friends. Boundaries have been questioned and tested. But, a process of healing has begun, and it is hoped that as we move forward we will all hold each other and ourselves in the Light, toward a renewed obedience to the Spirit. We are ever cautioned to season our words with love and forbearance. Most of all we must always be learning the important spiritual discipline of listening to and trusting that of God in one another. We grieve the suffering, loss of life, and decimation of all God?s creation by violence, particularly in those places where our own government has participated in or perpetuated the destruction. During the session in which this concern was addressed, a large butterfly fluttered through the tent seemingly representing our current ministry of peace: ever moving yet fleeting in its ability to make a lasting change on the organized use of violence in the world. We reached unity on a minute reflecting our reaction to the recent devastations in Israel and Lebanon. This minute was proposed spontaneously from the floor of the session and the responding ministry was very powerful. Our minute will be attached to this epistle. Other matters of great concern to us include the relationship between the yearly meeting organization and our Quarters, funding our yearly meeting activities, supporting the education of Friends children, global climate change, and same-gender marriage. The issue of same-gender marriage is an emotional one. Great care was taken through our process to really hear each other before taking action on a minute that had been brought before us. On our last evening together, as a mysterious orange crescent moon was seen setting through a hazy sky, we labored to find the right minute. Finally the Spirit led us home largely through the leadership of the Young Friends in attendance. It was a deeply moving experience. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in session approved a minute affirming same-gender marriages. We had come full circle back to the call on our first evening together to address discrimination in our midst today. We have come one step closer to the whole we are called to be. We were tender to the need to engage our member Monthly Meetings in further dialog about same-gender marriage. So we will ask them to respond to this minute that we may continue this at next year?s annual sessions. Our joyful worship that night ended with glorious Spirit-led singing which rose out of the silence. Earlier in the week, during an afternoon storm burst several of us were covered up by wind-blown collapsing tents. Thankfully all emerged unharmed. Indeed we all were covered by the refreshing atmosphere of our time together expressed in the following lines: Much joy, many happy faces Much pleasure, many good embraces, Acts of random kindness Appreciations of uniqueness Much willingness to share and listen carefully Opportunities to grow into the loving community we seek to be. Submitted in faith, with hopes of peace for all, Gretchen Castle Clerk of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, gathering in session on July 29, 2006, at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA, mourns both the victims of Israel?s invasion of Lebanon that is now underway and the victims of Hezbollah?s attacks on Israel. We mourn our government?s support for Israel?s invasion of Lebanon and its opposition to an immediate ceasefire. As Friends we believe there is that of God in every person. We call upon all parties to the conflict to immediately cease fire and we call upon all governments and groups to stop supplying weapons to combatants. As American Friends in the United States we call upon our own government to call for an immediate ceasefire and to stop supplying weapons to Israel. As Friends, we have always opposed the export of arms and weapons for any purpose and instead have worked for the peaceful resolution of deadly conflict. We call upon all the people in this conflict to see that peace is the way, that every ceasefire is good, and that gunfire, rockets and bombs take us from the way and desecrate God?s sacred creation. We call upon Friends to stand with the courageous people in Israel, Lebanon and Palestine and other parts of the Middle East who are calling for a ceasefire and peace. We encourage Friends and meetings to consider urgently how we might act to bring about a ceasefire and negotiations for a just and lasting peace. Connie Blood Executive Assistant to the General Secretary Philadelphia Yearly Meeting -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: att3959f.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 8220 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Quakerkristi at aol.com Sat Aug 12 11:38:30 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 11:38:30 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] rep meeting correction Message-ID: <37e.39f4e700.320f4ff6@aol.com> I tried to register for Rep Meeting in Berea with the website info....and Nancy Lee-Riffe's email is wrong. It should be retleeri at adelphia.net Notice the letter "i" Her phone # is (859)986-2088 The other # given is Beth's for childcare. I don't know whether to fix it on the web....or just let people know. Kristi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kcarlyle at main.nc.us Sun Aug 13 09:17:42 2006 From: kcarlyle at main.nc.us (Kim Carlyle) Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2006 09:17:42 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Celebrate September 11 Message-ID: <00e301c6bedc$5e4e9a50$a667ec48@yourfulkl1oh2q> Dear Friends, If you'd like a copy of the event flyer or the proclamation, I can send it as a file attachment. We are grateful to FCNL who has endorsed our celebration. Peace on Earth, Peace with Earth, Kim Carlyle PRESS RELEASE Date: For immediate release Contact: Kim Carlyle - (828) 626-2572, kcarlyle at main.nc.us Richard Fireman - (828) 645-0469, firepeople at main.nc.us Asheville, NC Local Groups Celebrate Peace on Earth on 9/11 Local and national environmental, peace, and justice advocacy groups as well as many faith communities will conduct an observance of the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's first non-violent direct action against injustice in South Africa, which occurred on September 11, 1906. The event, "Peace on Earth, Peace with Earth," will begin at 5:30pm on September 11, 2006 at Pritchard Park in Asheville, North Carolina with a program of musicians, poets, and inspirational speakers. Participants will then walk silently to the First Presbyterian Church for a potluck community meal and more celebration. On September 11, 1906, the Indian nonviolent movement was born as Mohandas K. Gandhi convened a meeting at which he asked Indian workers in South Africa to respond to a racially-degrading new ordinance, the Black Act, with nonviolent resistance. The three thousand Indians present vowed to disobey the law without resorting to violence despite the serious risks of doing so. After the ordinance was repealed in 1914, Gandhi returned to India to lead his 300 million countrymen to nonviolently overthrow the brutal and repressive rule of the British Empire. The basis for Gandhi's movement was satyagraha (the force of born of Truth and Love). His Truth, informed by a number of religious traditions (he was especially fond of the Sermon on the Mount), is that "we are one." This concept of human solidarity - we are a community of human beings, each with aspirations and basic rights - leads naturally to ahimsa (non-violence) as it guides us to respect, honor, and love others, even so-called enemies. In the light of increasing awareness of ecological destruction, event organizers have extended the concept of "we are one" to include all of creation. The celebration is intended to increase awareness of our need to care for the Earth and our need to care for one another, and to help us build a collaborative community of peace in WNC, our nation, and the world. In her proclamation of "Peace on Earth, Peace with Earth Day," Asheville mayor Terry Bellamy, who will speak at the event, encourages citizens "to reflect on the meaning of justice, peace, and non-violent conflict resolution" and to act "in a compassionate, non-harming manner within human society, towards other than human life, and to the earth itself." All faith communities, peace and justice advocates, and environmental organizations in WNC are invited to sponsor and participate in the event. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mcgahey at yancey.main.nc.us Sun Aug 13 12:35:38 2006 From: mcgahey at yancey.main.nc.us (Geeta Jyothi Mcgahey) Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2006 12:35:38 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] sayma Digest, Vol 42, Issue 11-Jibberish In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20060813123449.02c41ec0@yancey.main.nc.us> PYM epistle was jibberish. Thanks for note about Pam. Geeta Jyothi At 09:18 PM 8/11/2006 -0400, you wrote: >Send sayma mailing list submissions to > sayma at kitenet.net > >To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://kitenet.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sayma >or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > sayma-request at kitenet.net > >You can reach the person managing the list at > sayma-owner at kitenet.net > >When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >than "Re: Contents of sayma digest..." > > >Today's Topics: > > 1. Fall Representative Meeting (Errol Hess) > 2. Philadelphia YM Epistle (Quakerkristi at aol.com) > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Message: 1 >Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 17:45:10 -0400 >From: Errol Hess >Subject: [saymaListserv] Fall Representative Meeting >To: sayma at kitenet.net >Message-ID: <1155332710.3729.5.camel at localhost.localdomain> >Content-Type: text/plain > >Fall Representative Meeting is September 9 in Berea, KY. > >Go to www.sayma.org for registration form, directions, etc. > >I misspelled Beth Myers' name and email address in materials mailed >today. Her correct email address is bethmyers at ekccc.org. > > >------------------------------ > >Message: 2 >Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 21:17:59 EDT >From: Quakerkristi at aol.com >Subject: [saymaListserv] Philadelphia YM Epistle >To: friends at lists.memphisfriends.org, sayma at kitenet.net >Message-ID: <55c.4bb974a.320e8647 at aol.com> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > >??r? ?-?????x,??k???,!z??????)Zu?&?y????)?????????????????? >??+??????Y^???????^?????j+??\???)??6,???y????vW??YZ?????)?.?:???ezxv?????????)zx????*'?w^??+y?p?+^??v??'$???????X?j?n?a??wl??????w^v??pzf?z????????o+-z????*Z??jG???W??????????{az\????+-?w?q?????????\??w??x%?'yg??z-??j:.?w??????????????+?/z?h?N?\????x(??jq??u?{h???l??zF?v?jF???????????????%{?j???{h????jY^v?yg?jx0??j??v?v:2J???6?(????v??b?g????Z?l??-??j????????%z????z????q??{???zX????j??y?^????????????????'?v???????.???Z??v?????~?m?$m?^???^???????v???Š?G????i?zw!jX?z?k%?j?z???$?)??y??+!??????????z?z?j[(v+&????????a???!??j??????,Y???????mm? >?????aj?q????-??py?m?h????jY^v?y8^??'??x?????e?z.??(?k????g??????????)????\v?h???????wj???????x%???w^v???[hj >????*'????.??(???????????????'????h?????/y???????^?????WVz?zz-?yrm??ey?m?????ey???????????????^z???? >+??"xb?????az?????)????a??????v?W?vX?z?Š?m??z?y? >kz??y????????????)????!??h????? >?????g????u?$?jry?z??)???#z??w?v???????x?i????????^v????????W??{az*???y????b?+bz?Š? >??????az*??????????y?0y??^?'?r)?!Š?Z???Z0??z?zw^j???????y?????("???*'~Z0z?-??.?.????N???,?h???m?+(???j?r??az???+)j?br?\?????????)?z??????[b???b?v?Y????^~?????}???n?????f?y?e???)?,?&?^?????W??)?.??z?z???m???v)???a??)]????x?'?v???z??*'?8^??)zy??v?z?.?????v?,??y?c?%??azlj??y??????i??*'?a???mI?e??Z??j?.?)????x,~????y?????w????z\???mjwij)?T??,???u?*'??"??r???x???azj,????????????????y??????????????z?~??)?z?jwb?+!?????j??????{???e??]y?!??????[?)??m??u?????'?q???*?????????????(???????????????\??\???)????+????????r*e?w?~X???hjwm??x-??h|j?z'y???Y??????,??u??f????e?lr???*'o+??q???V??(??,z?Zq???x(????)j?br*Z????^???y?????*'?az??*'?|!???+?w?|??]???j?n???n??y?????????x%????????r?{f?x????~??q????)?_??x"?+li?????f?y?Z???????????,???q????]Y??v?*'jh???y??????*'??az??z{]z?b?{"??+i??m??b?h???j???,y??{Z??\????????^?????z?????x&?x????j??*h??S??h????Y[y?mi?v??+?+-???????????q????w%?????b?{!?????????)?z?????j????????wb? >.?'??\?y???+?????b?ay??b?z?????)]???????^r????z?u????????z?u????????b?v??w??????-jG???h??k????y?e?????az?????"???*'?v??{?z???m??.?[y??????-z?-????????????????????|?????)??Z???zV???????az??????)?\???????&zV????m????????k??)??u???pj?y?j/?x???????bi???\?y????????Z?)??~*?,jg?zw^?f??&?z???\?g??Y\??%y??????Z'???-z?-?????]??+?)???b?x??????Z??j?????%????a{h????jY^v?yg?z??zw^?????zx??g?m?{a?#z???~???h?????????J??ej?????????a????????'?)?b??g{ry??????î?:2~??!??aj??^???a?Z+???J????v??)????,z????zw???^??v??i????f?lz????????u?h?(?V??)??Z?G???W?z?v???t????e?????????????)???z?z????????Yh?????:2?????z?rey?.??((??n??z??????i"?????????b?{(~??????Yb? >????y??+-zw??\???+??'???+????azZ/?x?i??+r?zKhm?h????"?h????q??e??r? >?-???(|???bi???\?y???zZa??j?r1?x(~?E?*.?*??????????????v???7?jW?Rx?z?"?(? >??Z?W?< >????a??????"?z["????jz'???????????????YZ????$??????g??????????+??z["????jz'jwb????"?*'????i?v&?y????????y?????z+-??h|j?w?z??z?(?g?jYn???ZZ????????i?v&?z\?y?~*?wpy????e???y????????-??.??r?x0y?h??r??j???g?????????Rx?y?j???[??z.??'???y???q?e~??)?y?????????????(??????,???????j????i?????+???k??j?'????h??)????????^?????zu?'(??q?e??'jYm???^?{a???????iy???{???z??????jwm??`?w??????????z??????????xj??????????Z?l??-jwp??????z??????zR?????^??y????????????xF??hj??jYb??j??????i?y???????x,??(??z????(h???mi???????????&??????wej?? >^i??y?h??y???????axg?z??I???b??^??bi???\?y? >????3j?r????????DK?????w????z???_???z{l?m4??_????g??f????'???r?????????zz-j???z)????7???? >??Z???i?^R?a???H?zw???*^?f???j?r????:?u??q?8???!???? > >------------------------------ > >_______________________________________________ >Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and Association list-server: >-- address to subscribe (get on the list-server) or unsubscribe (get off): >http://kitenet.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sayma >-- address to send message to everyone on list: sayma at kitenet.net > >End of sayma Digest, Vol 42, Issue 11 >************************************* From bright_crow at mindspring.com Mon Aug 14 13:50:02 2006 From: bright_crow at mindspring.com (Mike Shell) Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2006 13:50:02 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: [saymaListserv] Fw: Why doesn't Israel work for peace? Message-ID: <24840448.1155577802643.JavaMail.root@mswamui-swiss.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Friends, I don't ask that you agree with this writer, but I encourage you to read her words. Thank you, Michael >-------------------- >Why doesn't Israel work for peace? >-------------------- > >Holocaust victims would decry the slaughter of innocent children during attacks on Hezbollah > >BY SILVIA TENNENBAUM >Silvia Tennenbaum, a writer in East Hampton, is author of the novels "Yesterday's Streets" and "Rachel, the Rabbi's Wife." > >August 4, 2006 > >As a Jew who escaped the Holocaust by moving with my family to America in 1938, I turn on the BBC at night. And what I see are clouds of black smoke, explosions; the dead and the dying - children crying bitterly, cities in ruins. Only yesterday, these piles of rubble in Lebanon were home to thousands. Now, the cars roll out onto the highways, white flags attached to the windshields and doors. More than half a million are homeless. > >The Israelis told them to leave, but then strafed one convoy from a helicopter. The military people exert their force without pity. They win their wars proudly. They are the masters of force. > >Using the most modern weapons the United States can supply to search out the Hezbollah guerrillas, the Israeli soldiers destroy Lebanon. They wreck all of Gaza, seeking to murder the leaders of Hamas. > >Many American Jews gather proudly to cheer them on. The face of the American president remains blank. A patter of platitudes issues from his lips. He is not interested in peace. He is happy to see Israel do the dirty war for him. Diplomacy is a word not in his dictionary. > >But lo and behold - even as the destruction builds and the war continues through its third week - it seems suddenly no longer such a lark. Success is hard to come by; Israel is no longer the perennial victor. But will it know what to do when faced with the need to talk with the enemy? It has always felt so invincible that discussion seemed the weapon of fools and weaklings, much like the way the earnest work of its principled and dedicated peace camp - Jewish to the core, in an "old-fashioned" way - seemed pathetic and misguided. > >But the peace camp knew that each and every Israeli atrocity nurtured another enemy, a potential terrorist, while every Palestinian home that the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions helped to rebuild, every olive tree it planted tenderly in occupied soil, brought another possible friend, another partner in dialogue. > >Meanwhile, back at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, deep in the heart of the Jewish Lobby, the call to action is, as always, a call for solidarity, for good public relations. Denounce terrorism, suicide bombers and anti-Semitism in all its endless variations, which includes the "self-hatred" of the misguided Jew who asks us to give some thought to where we - obsessed with brutal retaliation - may have gone wrong. > >And, it goes without saying, loyal Jews must talk about the Holocaust. Ignore the images of today's dead and dying, and focus on the grainy black-and-white pictures showing the death of Jews in the villages of Poland, at Auschwitz and Sobibor and Bergen-Belsen. We are the first, the only true victims, the champions of helplessness for all eternity. > >No matter what great accomplishments were ours in the diaspora, no matter that we produced Maimonides and Spinoza, Moses Mendelssohn and hundreds of others of mankind's benefactors - not a warrior among them! - look at the world of our long exile always in the dark light of the Shoah. But this, in itself, is an obscene distortion: Would the author of "Survival in Auschwitz," Primo Levi, or the poet Paul Celan demand that we slaughter the innocents in a land far from the snow-clad forests of Poland? Is it a heroic act to murder a child, even the child of an enemy? Are my brethren glad of it and proud? > >I am heartsick, and still I see a glimmer of hope (there must be that glimmer, to go on at 78 years). > >The American peace camp reports a sudden massive increase in membership. All over the country, Jews whose consciences have not been crippled are writing in, speaking up, gathering, to raise their voices. Is this not what we have always done? What we were brought up to do? What - since the days of the Bible and the prophets - our forefathers taught us? If Israel had worked for peace as hard as it has worked for war, might it not all be settled now? > >Three hundred British Jews took out an ad in the Times of London to ask the question, "What is Israel doing?" This question has now been taken up by Jewish Voice for Peace, and by Alan Sokal and Bruce Robbins who, some years back, placed an ad in The New York Times, that read, "Not in Our Name." > >The time is long overdue for Jews to return to their role as the world's conscience, who come to the aid of the dispossessed, the wretched of the earth. Once again, we must join those who demand the end to unjust wars - in Iraq as well as Lebanon - and an unjust occupation in Gaza. We must honor the example of American civil rights workers Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, not that of the mass murderer Baruch Goldstein or Yigal Amir, killer of Yitzhak Rabin. > >And perhaps the day will come that we will be counted - by Jew and Arab alike - as among the Just, perhaps even given a place at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, for the lives we helped to save in a lawless, savage time. > >Copyright (c) 2006, Newsday, Inc. > >-------------------- > >This article originally appeared at: >http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-opten044839272aug04,0,2597237.story > >Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com. From Quakerkristi at aol.com Tue Aug 15 11:04:25 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2006 11:04:25 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] Pacific YM on torture Message-ID: <42e.4f17bd5.32133c79@aol.com> Dear All, This just in from Pacific Yearly Meeting- John Calvi calvij at sover.net 802/387-4789 PO Box 301 Putney VT 05346 USA www.johncalvi.com www.quit-torture-now.org AUGUST 5, 2006 PACIFIC YEARLY MEETING OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS MINUTE AGAINST TORTURE Thirty years ago, the Friends World Committee for Consultation stated: Both tortured and torturer are victims of the evil from which no human being is immune. Friends, however, believe that the life and power of God are greater than evil, and in that life and power declare their opposition to all torture. The Society calls on all its members, as well as those of all religious and other organizations, to create a force of public opinion which will oblige those responsible to dismantle everywhere the administrative apparatus which permits or encourages torture, and to observe effectively those international agreements under which its use is strictly forbidden. (FWCC, 1976) Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends was moved by the March 2006 Santa Monica Monthly Meeting minute that notes that ³our Quaker faith is based on the conviction that ?there is that of God in everyone.¹ We are therefore convinced that everyone is entitled to humane treatment and due process of law. We utterly oppose any form of torture and illegal detention, whether perpetrated by our government or by any other power or group.² We call on our elected representatives to hold the executive branch of the U.S. government accountable for any actions that violate the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their 1977 Protocols, or the United Nations Convention Against Torture, or any other treaties binding upon the United States. Pacific Yearly Meeting, joining with Humboldt Friends, San Jose and Palo Alto Meetings, supports the leadings of the six Humboldt Friends to travel with a concern for the condition of all who are involved in the conflict at the Guantanamo Bay Prison. Fred Adler, Andrea Armin-Hoiland, Carol Cruickshank, Margaret Kelso, Richard Ricklefs, and Karin Salzmann are called to journey to the prison to meet with and witness to both prisoners and prison personnel. The concern for the well-being of both prisoners and military personnel at Guantanamo Bay is one shared by many Friends in our Yearly Meeting. Further, we ask that members, Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups familiarize themselves with the work of the Quaker Initiative to End Torture (www.quit-torture-now.org ), considering both minutes of support and encouragement of participants in the next conference in June 2007 at Guilford College, North Carolina. As people of faith, we believe that the United States must set a high moral and ethical standard in its treatment of its captives, whether foreign or domestic. As William Penn wrote: ³A good end cannot sanctify evil means: nor must we ever do evil, that good might come of it.² -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bertskellie at mindspring.com Tue Aug 15 11:42:32 2006 From: bertskellie at mindspring.com (Bert Skellie) Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2006 11:42:32 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Results of Atlanta Survey on "How Safe and Welcome You Feel Message-ID: <001001c6c081$6d169af0$0d02a8c0@BERT> Analysis of Comments and Suggestions on "How Safe & Welcome You Feel" In the Atlanta Friends Meeting (5/21/06) During February and early March of 2006, Our Role as Individuals in America's Racial History (ORAIIARH) conducted a survey of members and attenders of Atlanta Friends Meeting. On the survey form, we reminded readers that the Meeting approved in 3/2000 a minute on "Making a Welcome Spiritual Home for All." Among other questions, we asked, "Please share any comments or suggestions on how we can help make Atlanta Friends Meeting a safer and more welcoming spiritual home for you. (Or how it has been or is.)" In our initial report (3/19/06, copy attached), we analyzed the numerical ratings. While most respondents strongly agreed that the Meeting is safe and welcoming for them, we found less agreement among people of color and among adults under 30. At today's Meeting for Business we present an analysis of comments made on the survey. In the summary and conclusions, we emphasize comments by people of color, by people under 30 and by people who disagreed that the Meeting is safe and welcoming. Out of 133 respondents to the survey, 73 (55%) wrote comments or made suggestions. For this report we grouped comments or suggestions into nine topics, including "Race, racism, ethnicity or culture," "Welcoming," "Meeting for Worship," and others. (For a detailed list of examples of all comments and suggestions by topic see the appendix at the end of this report.) Summary and Conclusions from Analysis of Comments Eleven out of the 13 people of color who responded had a total of 23 comments. Comments by people of color were more likely to be about race, racism, ethnicity or culture or about children and youth and their families, and less likely to be about Meeting for worship. Comments about race ranged from "It's hard feeling that I can't talk about the impact of racism on my life," to "I'm not always comfortable with overtly preemptively addressing racism" and "Have a forum for people of color, say quarterly." Comments about children included "We need better inclusion of families with young children" and "I have concerns about a First day teacher." We suggest that Religious Education consider what changes may need to be made to better include families of color. Four of the seven respondents under age 30 each made a comment. These included: "Find ways to welcome people without focus on our differences; perhaps through a welcoming committee" and "Create more opportunities to socialize, especially intergenerational." Perhaps Care & Counsel can use these suggestions. Eight of 11 people who feel unsafe or unwelcome had a total of 10 comments. They had more comments about race, racism, ethnicity or culture than others did, and fewer about welcoming. Comments included: "I don't feel safe emotionally due to feeling defensive for being white." "I should be able to connect my own experiences of sexism to racism." "I was deeply hurt by shabby treatment, including being shunned without the meeting's approval by some weighty Friends." "You could try actually welcoming people, especially those who keep returning and trying to make friends and be part of a group. I felt like I kept trying and remained a stranger." These comments are challenging and require reflection. We hope the Meeting will use them for improvement. For more details please see the full report (attached below, as p. 2-7, 5/21/06). Comments and Suggestions by Race / Ethnicity Eleven out of 13 people of color submitted comments (85%), compared to only 50% of the remaining respondents. The 11 people of color made 23 of the 103 total comments. The table below shows comments by topic for people of color compared to others. Percent by Topic of Comment by Race/Ethnicity* Topic Comments by Comments by Percent Total People of color Others of Total Number of Comments Race, racism, ethnicity or culture 39% 26% 29% 30 Welcoming 26% 28% 27% 28 Meeting for worship 4% 11% 10% 10 Children and youth and their families 26% 3% 8% 8 Group conditions 0% 10% 8% 8 Group size 0% 10% 8% 8 Study - forums 4% 3% 3% 3 Care 0% 3% 2% 2 Other 0% 8% 6% 6 Total Percent 100% 100% 100% Total Number of Comments 23 80 103 # of People Number of People with Comments 11 62 73 Total Number of Survey Respondents 13 120 133 ____________________ *(Note: On race / ethnicity, 71% of all respondents described themselves as "w/White," "c/Caucasian," "WASP," or referred to their European ancestry. Another 17% left the space blank. Three (2%) said "human" race. The remaining 13 respondents (10%) used a number of descriptors, reflecting both the uniqueness of the individual's ancestry and cultural heritage, and the individual's choice of terms for describing that uniqueness. Most of the 13 referred to their African ancestry. Three of the 13 referred to some Native American ancestry; only one to Asian ancestry. Comments from people of color were somewhat more likely to be about race, racism, ethnicity or culture (39% VS 26%) and a lot more likely to be about children, youth and their families (26% VS 3%). Here are summaries of comments of people of color on those two topics: I feel some people may interact with me only out of obligation/guilt. It's hard feeling that I can't talk about the impact of racism on my life. Sometimes the lack of presence of people with like complexion is a bit disheartening. The Meeting is more welcoming because whites are working on their racism. I'm not always comfortable with overtly preemptively addressing racism. Reach out to Friends of color who attend infrequently. Develop / use tools that help attenders realize the impact of racism for people of color. Have a forum for people of color, say quarterly. Whites must identify assumptions of privilege & understand & make changes. We need better inclusion of families with young children. I have concerns about a First day teacher. I am uncertain of First day school plan or program. I want family singing before meeting. Comments and Suggestions by Younger Age Group Out of seven respondents who were under age 30, only four offered comments. Two of the younger respondents made comments related to race or ethnicity. The other two comments were about welcoming and about group size. Here are the four comments: I feel some people may interact with me only out of obligation/guilt. Find ways to welcome people without focus on our differences; perhaps through a welcoming committee. I feel safe & / or welcome. Create more opportunities to socialize, especially intergenerational. Comments and Suggestions by Those Who Feel Unsafe or Unwelcome A large majority (73%) strongly agreed that the Meeting is safe and welcoming for them, which we defined as a response of "6" or "7." Only eight percent (11 people) disagreed with the statement, which we defined as a response of "1," "2," or "3." Eight of these 11 people who feel unsafe or unwelcome in the Meeting submitted comments (73%), compared to only 53% of the remaining respondents. These eight people made 10 of the 103 total comments. The table below shows comments by topic for people who feel unsafe or unwelcome compared to others. Percent by Topic of Comment by Those Who Feel Unsafe or Unwelcome Topic Comments by Those Comments by Percent Total Unsafe / Unwelcome Others of Total Number of Comments Race, racism, ethnicity or culture 60% 26% 29% 30 Welcoming 10% 29% 27% 28 Meeting for worship 0% 11% 10% 10 Children and youth and their families 10% 8% 8% 8 Group conditions 10% 8% 8% 8 Group size 0% 9% 8% 8 Study - forums 0% 3% 3% 3 Care 0% 2% 2% 2 Other 10% 5% 6% 6 Total Percent 100% 100% 100% Total Number of Comments 10 93 103 # of People Number of People with Comments 8 65 73 Total Number of Survey Respondents 11 122 133 Percentage with comments 73% 53% Comments from people who feel unsafe or unwelcome were much more likely to be about race, racism, ethnicity or culture (60% VS 26%) and less likely to be about welcoming (10% VS 29%). Here are summaries of comments of people who feel unsafe or unwelcome: I don't feel safe emotionally due to feeling defensive for being white. I should be able to connect my own experiences of sexism to racism. I was deeply hurt by shabby treatment, including being shunned without the meeting's approval by some weighty Friends. I was told I would be "run out of meeting" because I was "dangerous to the meeting". I think it was because I from a different culture (not Northern European - British - Christian) and am more emotional than most Quakers. I appreciate CURAFM work. Become a more diverse congregation. I have concerns about a First day teacher. Unwelcome feeling is not related to race. It's hard to be a newcomer! "You could try actually welcoming people, especially those who keep returning and trying to make friends and be part of a group. I felt like I kept trying and remained a stranger." Reported by Bert Skellie for ORAIIARH, 5/21/2006 Appendix Examples of all comments and suggestions by topic (" "if exact quote): Race, racism, ethnicity or culture I feel some people may interact with me only out of obligation/guilt. It's hard feeling that I can't talk about the impact of racism on my life. Sometimes the lack of presence of people with like complexion is a bit disheartening. The Meeting is more welcoming because whites are working on their racism. I'm not always comfortable with overtly preemptively addressing racism. I don't always feel I can speak my mind. "At times meeting is very 'politically correct' leading to somewhat of a PC attitude in meeting." I don't feel safe emotionally due to feeling defensive for being white. I should be able to connect my own experiences of sexism to racism. I have personally benefited from AFM educational efforts around race & privilege. I appreciate CURAFM work. I'm bothered by messages showing white privilege. People different from the background of most at Meeting may not feel accepted or may feel pressure to blend in. I was deeply hurt by shabby treatment, including being shunned without the meeting's approval by some weighty Friends. I was told I would be "run out of meeting" because I was "dangerous to the meeting". I think it was because I from a different culture (not Northern European - British - Christian) and am more emotional than most Quakers. Reach out to Friends of color who attend infrequently. Develop / use tools that help attenders realize the impact of racism for people of color. Have a forum for people of color, say quarterly. Have something like Friends of African Descent for AFM. Whites must identify assumptions of privilege & understand & make changes. Continue ORAIIARH & focus on relationships. Become a more diverse congregation. End judgment of others based on their beliefs even if not ORAIIAH-preferred. Find ways to welcome people without focus on our differences; perhaps through a welcoming committee. Have intro seminar on racism but beyond liberal comfort zone (more to real world). "I would like to see more emphasis on common Quaker values in the sense of beliefs in equality, peace, integrity, simplicity, and community rather than in the sense of 'Quakerly' being too culture bound" Nominate as clerks of significant committees "those who don't have my same ethnicity and physiognomy." "AFM can best combat racism by increasing its efforts to achieve social, economic & judicial equality for all in our community." Welcoming Some people make a good effort. Friends tend to reach out without being pushy. I feel safe & / or welcome. Seek out people we don't know during casual time together. Recognize the importance of chatting with others. Remind old-timers to seek out newcomers at rise of meeting. Ask people to join committees. Join a committee. Join the Meeting. Become involved in the activities of the Meeting. Find ways to reach out to newcomers. Keep trying. Old-timers need to mobilize themselves to approach newcomers. "You could try actually welcoming people, especially those who keep returning and trying to make friends and be part of a group. I felt like I kept trying and remained a stranger." "Support for my leadings. Encouragement and prayers during my illness & personal, practical help." "The openness to all concerns, the reaching out not only by 'committee people' but encouraged by everyone." Meeting for worship I don't like political commentary during meeting. I need more than silent worship (so I attend Unitarian Church more than Friends Meeting). Gently suggest that more than two messages per person per meeting are excessive. Help all to understand the meaning of Meeting for worship. Teach people not to comment on other messages. I wish people would come on time. Sometimes I get frustrated with people coming in late...interferes with centering. Drop the "Holding in the Light" period. Children and youth and their families We need better inclusion of families with young children. I have concerns about a First day teacher. I am uncertain of First day school plan or program. I want family singing before meeting. The vital program for Jr. & Sr. High youth is most important for me right now. Group conditions There is tension between Christ-centered & other Friends. It's hard to be a newcomer! AFM has offered opportunities for old-timers & newcomers to get together. I have experienced so much kindness, support & inclusiveness. When I suffered from depression, and felt unwanted, I found a home here. Liberal theology & politics make me feel safe. Group size Taking part in small group(s) helps people be accepted. A small group would be easier to relate to. Create more opportunities to socialize, especially intergenerational. Have "Friendly 8's." Study - forums Provide more forums or discussions using various forms of media. Choose broader themes for adult study - beyond Quaker. Have a creed statement at the end of meeting before announcements. Care Do care & concern based on zip code. Have a way of keeping up with folks who haven't attended lately to see if they are okay. Other Unwelcome feeling is not related to race. I felt unwelcome when I attended in my 20s & 30s. I don't come often. I am a second-time visitor. I'm not sure why the emphasis on "safe." Make sure all participants in Sunday potluck bring something. Report on "How Safe & Welcome You Feel" In the Atlanta Friends Meeting (originally reported 3/19/06) During February and early March of 2006, Our Role as Individuals in America's Racial History (ORAIIARH) conducted a survey of members and attenders of Atlanta Friends Meeting. On the survey form, we reminded readers that the Meeting approved in 3/2000 a minute on "Making a Welcome Spiritual Home for All." In part, this minute stated, "The Atlanta Friends Meeting intends to become a safer and more welcoming spiritual home for all." We asked, "Please help assess the climate now by rating the following statement: The Atlanta Friends Meeting is a safe and welcoming spiritual home for me," with a scoring range from "strongly disagree" (1) to "strongly agree" (7). We also asked, "Please identify your race and/or ethnicity, using your own words," and we asked for gender (male or female) and age group (18-29, 30-45, 46-64, 65+). Finally, we asked "Please share any comments or suggestions on how we can help make Atlanta Friends Meeting a safer and more welcoming spiritual home for you. (Or how it has been or is.)" At today's Meeting for Business, we report on the numerical ratings. By 3/15/06 we had received 133 responses to our survey out of an estimated 301 active local individuals 18 and older in our recently updated directory (44% of 301). The 133 survey respondents appear to be representative of the Meeting on race / ethnicity, gender and age. A large majority (73%) strongly agreed that the Meeting is safe and welcoming for them, which we defined as a response of "6" or "7." Only eight percent disagreed with the statement, which we defined as a response of "1," "2," or "3." There were no differences between males and females, but we found some differences by race/ethnicity and by age. Eight of the 13 respondents of color * (62%) strongly agreed that the Meeting is safe and welcoming for them, down from 73% overall. Among the seven respondents of color who described themselves as "African American," only two strongly agreed (29%), but none of them disagreed that the Meeting is safe and welcoming for them. The age group that was distinguished from the overall group was 18-29 year-olds. Only three of the seven people in that group (43%) circled a "6" or a "7." None of them, however, disagreed that the Meeting is safe and welcoming for them. Eleven out of 13 people of color submitted comments (85%), compared to only 50% of the remaining respondents. The comments are important and we are still studying them. ORAIIARH seeks dialogue with the Meeting to discern where the scoring results and the comments are leading us. (Reported by Bert Skellie for ORAIIARH, 3/19/2006 (revised 9 PM to answer question raised during Monthly Meeting about whether 18-29 year-olds disagreed with question.) See above for note on race/ethnicity originally included in the 3/19/06 report. ) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Analysis of comments.rtf Type: application/msword Size: 73798 bytes Desc: not available URL: From errol at kitenet.net Wed Aug 16 13:48:19 2006 From: errol at kitenet.net (Errol Hess) Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 13:48:19 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Representative Meeting Announcement and Registration Information Message-ID: <1155750499.4014.10.camel@localhost.localdomain> Friends, SAYMA Fall Representative Meeting (115) will be held At Berea Monthly Meeting September 9, beginning at 9:30 am. Go to www.sayma.org for registration materials, agenda and directions to Berea meetinghouse. Click on "What's New." Registration deadline is an August 25 receipt. To register contact Nancy Lee-Riffe at retleeri at adelphia.net 859-986-2088. For childcare, contact Beth Myers bethmyers at ekccc.org 859-986-9262. From Quakerkristi at aol.com Wed Aug 16 19:42:02 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 19:42:02 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] Fwd: [endorsees] Earth Charter Newflash Message-ID: <3f0.8bd7832.3215074a@aol.com> An update on Earth Charter efforts....Kristi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... From: "Earth Charter Initiative" Subject: [endorsees] Earth Charter Newflash Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 15:52:18 -0600 Size: 39524 URL: From freepolazzo at comcast.net Fri Aug 25 20:23:46 2006 From: freepolazzo at comcast.net (Free Polazzo) Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2006 20:23:46 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] How patriarchy can be changed by listening to women's voices Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20060819102620.022b0d60@comcast.net> Dear Friends, SAYMA approved a minute on Patriachy about 10 years ago that basically said that "women and women's values are as important as men and men's values" It also said the " while girls and women have suffered more from patriarchy, we find that it has negatively affected boys and men also." During the 8 years I carried this minute to SAYMA Friends, I learned more than ever, that understanding how the "other" gender perceives the world was one of the ways to become a more peaceful human being. This is a continual and painful learning process, but whatever it takes to end the longest undeclared war (the battle of the sexes) is worth it. Some Friends thought that this was a "nice" minute, but objected that nothing would really change with its approval. "It won't make a difference". Well, we can see what's happened at SAYMA since the minute was approved. We were saying that women's voices need to be given more air time and more power. Notice that the last 3 clerks of SAYMA's Yearly Meeting have been Women (8 years?) , even though, before that, there had been a "tradition" of alternating genders every two years. What else might change if women had more power? The article below, about Sweden, shows what has happened in a country where the genders are almost equally represented in their parliament. Men's voices are still present. Yet the approach to the country's problems have changed. They are also seen from the women's point of view, not just the men's. An example of what might "differences" come from the kind of "power sharing" that SAYMA's minute on patriarchy envisioned, can be seen in Marie Santa's article about how Sweden's government changed its attitude and laws about prostitution and in how they implemented those changes. It is presented for you below. Blessings, Free Polazzo Anneewakee Creek Friends Worship Group Atlanta Friends Meeting >*** > >"Opposing Prostitution As a Form of Male Violence: > the Swedish Model" > >(highlights) > > In just five years Sweden has dramatically reduced the number >of women in prostitution. In the capital city of Stockholm, the >number of women in street prostitution has been reduced by two- >thirds, and the number of "johns" has been reduced by 80 %. > > There are other major Swedish cities where street prostitution >has all but disappeared. Gone too, for the most part, are the >infamous Swedish brothels and massage parlors which proliferated >during the last 3 decades of the 20th century, when prostitution >in Sweden was legal. > > In addition, the number of foreign women now being trafficked >into Sweden for sex work is almost nil. The Swedish government >estimates that in the last few years only 200 to 400 women and >girls have been annually sex trafficked into Sweden, a figure that's >neglible compared to the 15,000 to 17,000 females yearly sex >trafficked into neighboring Finland. > > **No other country, nor any other social experiment, has come >anywhere near Sweden's promising results. > > >Sweden's Groundbreaking 1999 Legislation > > In 1999, after years of research and study, Sweden passed >legislation that a) criminalizes the buying of sex, and b) decriminal- >izes the selling of sex. The novel rationale behind this legislation >is clearly stated in the government's literature on the law: > > "In Sweden PROSTITUTION IS REGARDED AS AN ASPECT OF VIOLENCE >AGAINST WOMEN and CHILDREN. It is officially acknowleged as a form >of exploitation of women and children and constitutes a significant >social problem... **gender equality will remain unattainable so long >as men buy, sell, and exploit women and children by prostituting >them." > > In addition to the two-pronged legal strategy, a third and essential >element of Sweden's prostitution legislation provides for ample and >comprehensive social service funds aimed at helping any prostitute >who wants to get out, and additional funds to educate the public. > > **The public is educated in order to counteract the historical >male bias that has long stultified thinking on prostitution. To securely >anchor their view in firm legal ground, Sweden's prostitution legislation >was passed as part and parcel of the country's 1999 omnibus violence >against women legislation. > > Scotland is also seriously considering revamping its approach >to prostitution. The full government report can be seen at -- >www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/lg/inquities/ >ptz/lg04-ptz-res-03.htm. See also www.prostitutionresearch.com >for additional research and activism ideas. > > >An Early Obstacle > > Despite the extensive planning prior to passing the legislation, >during the first few years of this novel project -- nothing much >happened at all. Police made very few arrests of johns, and >prostitution in Sweden, which had previously been legalized, went >on pretty much as it had gone on before. > > The police themselves, it was determined, needed in depth >training and orientation to what the Swedish legislature already >understood profoundly. **Prostitution is a form of male violence >against women. > > The exploiter/buyers need to be punished, and the victim/ >prostitutes need to be helped. > > The Swedish government appropriated the funds for the coun- >try's police and prosecutors, from the top ranks down to the officer >on the beat, to be given intensive training and a clear message that >the country meant business. **It was then that the country quickly >began to see unequaled results. > > Today, not only do the Swedish people continue to overwhelmingly >support their country's approach to prostitution *80 % of people >in favor according to national opinion polls), but the country's police >and prosecutors have also come around. They are now among the >legislation's staunchest supporters. > > Sweden's law enforcement community has found that the pros- >titution legislation benefits them in dealing with all sex crimes, >particularly in enabling them to virtually wipe out the element of >organized crime that plagues other countries where prostitution >has been legalized or regulated. > > >The Failure of Legalization and/or Regulation Strategies > > According to a University of London study, the legalization and/ >or regulation of prostitution led to: > > * A dramatic increase in all facets of the sex industry; > > * A dramatic increase in the involvement of organized crime in >the sex industry; > > * A dramatic increase in child prostitution; > > * An explosion in the number of foreign women and girls trafficked >into the region, and; > > * Indications of an increase in violence against women. > > In the state of Victoria, Australia, where a system of legalized, >regulated brothels was established, there was such an explosion in >the number of brothels that it immediately overwhelmed the system's >ability to regulate them, and just as quickly these brothels became >mired in organized crime, corruption, and related crimes. > > In addition, surveys of the prostitutes working under systems >of legalization and regulation find that **the prostitutes themselves >continue to feel coerced, forced, and unsafe in the business. > > A survey of legal prostitutes working under the conditions of >the Netherlands legalization policy finds that 79 % say they want to >get out of the sex business. > > In contrast, in Sweden (unlike the Netherlands), the government >followed through with ample social service funds to help those >prostitutes who wanted to get out. **60 % of the prostitutes in >Sweden took advantage of the well-funded programs and succeeded >in exiting prostitution. > > >So Why Hasn't Anyone Tried This Before? > > Both Finland and Norway are on the verge of making the move. >If Scotland takes the advice of its own study, it will go in that >direction. > > **In order to see prostitutes as victims of male coercion and >violence it requires that a government first switch from seeing >prostitution from the male point of view to the female point of >view. > > Sweden, in contrast, has led the way in promoting equality for >womenh for a very long time. For example, Sweden criminalized >rape in marriage in 1965. Even in the 1980s there were states >in the United States that still hadn't made that fundamental recog- >nition of a woman's right to control her own body. > > **The Swedish government also stands out in having the highest >proportion of women at all levels of government. In 1999, when >Sweden passed its groundbreaking prostitution legislation, the >Swedish Parliament was composed of nearly 50 % women (in 2005 >it was 46 % women--db). > > Sweden's prostitution policy was first designed and lobbied >for by Sweden's organization of women's shelters and was then >fostered and fought for by a bipartisan effort of Sweden's uniquely >powerful and numerous female parliamentarians. > > In 2002, Sweden passed additional legislation bolstering the >original prostitution legislation. The 2002 Act Prohibiting Human >Trafficking for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation closed some of >the loopholes in the earlier legislation and furthered strengthened >the government's ability to go after the network of persons that >support prostitution, such as the recruiters, the transporters, >and the hosts. > > -- Marie De Santis, Peacework, June-July 2005, 16; she's the >director of the Women's Justice Center, 250 Sebastopol Road, >Santa Rosa, CA 95407; 707/575-3150, rdjustice at monitor.net, > >***** > > > > From freepolazzo at comcast.net Fri Aug 25 21:07:46 2006 From: freepolazzo at comcast.net (Free Polazzo) Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2006 21:07:46 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] An article and letters about Quaker Process in the Philadelphia Inquirer Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20060825210403.022ceeb0@comcast.net> Dear Friends, I you have not heard of this article in the Philadelphia Enquirer that was recently published about Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, I commend it with the comments below it to you. http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/living/religion/15328669.htm Blessings, Free From Quakerkristi at aol.com Sat Aug 26 13:08:14 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 13:08:14 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] stamps Message-ID: Do any of your meetings/young Friends' groups save stamps for RSWR? I was thinking of starting an ongoing fund raising project here and wondered how it went elsewhere.... Kristi -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mcgahey at yancey.main.nc.us Sun Aug 27 09:41:27 2006 From: mcgahey at yancey.main.nc.us (Geeta Jyothi Mcgahey) Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 09:41:27 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Stamps In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20060827094021.00abe0c0@yancey.main.nc.us> We personally save stamps and it goes well - mainly international. What a good idea for First Day School. Geeta Jyothi At 12:00 PM 8/27/2006 +0000, you wrote: >Today's Topics: > > 1. stamps (Quakerkristi at aol.com) > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Message: 1 >Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 13:08:14 EDT >From: Quakerkristi at aol.com >Subject: [saymaListserv] stamps >To: sayma at kitenet.net >Message-ID: >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > >Do any of your meetings/young Friends' groups save stamps for RSWR? I was >thinking of starting an ongoing fund raising project here and wondered how it >went elsewhere.... > >Kristi From Quakerkristi at aol.com Tue Aug 29 17:51:51 2006 From: Quakerkristi at aol.com (Quakerkristi at aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 17:51:51 EDT Subject: [saymaListserv] from 2 Middle East Meetings Message-ID: <40a.5a30b31.322610f7@aol.com> To Friends Everywhere August 2006 Dear Friends In these extremely turbulent times in the Middle East, the sad news that Middle East Yearly Meeting has been cancelled is hardly surprising. It was to have been an important gathering for Friends from the two monthly meetings, Ramallah and Brummana, and other international visitors, on the theme: Leading the Middle East to a Lasting Peace. The meeting was to have taken place in Brummana, Lebanon, from 7 to 10 September 2006. We share with you (on page 2) a letter from Tony Manasseh of Brummana Monthly Meeting. We also wish to suggest to Friends world-wide that on 10 September we all join in holding the Middle East Friends in the light, thanking God for their continuing fortitude and witness and praying that ways will open for the Middle East to be led to a lasting Peace. Below are some contact details for those who wish to find out more or donate money. Peace, Shalom, Salaam Marit Kromberg, Clerk Bronwyn Harwood, Executive Secretary NOTE You can send messages for Friends in the Middle East to meym at fwcc.quaker.org for forwarding Funds are not being collected for specific Quaker relief work by Middle East Friends. Brummana Friends suggest that donations should be made to any of the reputable major charities working in the field. Donations to Friends Schools in both Brummana and Ramallah are always welcome and help them to continue their important contribution to education in the region. Brummana High School Principal: Dr Walid Khouri http//:www.bhs.edu.lb Donations can be made to: The Quaker International Educational Trust (QuIET) which is a charitable company registered in England and Wales. Contact for further information: brianmorphy at hvmail.co.uk Friends Schools, Ramallah Director: Joyce Ajlouni http://www.palfriends.org Donations can be made to Global Ministries, Friends United Meeting: http://www.fum.org The Friends International Centre Ramallah in partnership with Ramallah Monthly Meeting is seeking to serve the cause of peace and justice in the region. It is in need of financial support now. http//:www.Ramallah.quaker.org American Friends Service Committee is responding to the developing humanitarian and political crisis in Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, and the West Bank with a crisis fund. For articles, campaigns and details of how to contribute http://www.afsc.org/ August 2006 >From the midst of great suffering and unfairness, from the land of destruction and death, voices of hope and love still emerge. These are the voices of reason and humanity that the world will always need and cherish. Be sure love and peace will always win and finally reign. We need to work harder to make this happen. We are sorry that our long awaited Middle East Gathering or Yearly Meeting has been postponed. The untimely war that took Lebanon, the Lebanese and many others by surprise has been enough reason not only to postpone our YM but also to change the face of the Middle East. The coming uncertainty will surely have a big impact on future events. Ramallah and Brummana have been two sister meetings since the late 1800s. They have both contributed enormously to the fine education of Middle Eastern youth and contributed to the bringing together of global east and west through their schools and f(F)riends meetings. All that has happened with little means and sometimes under antagonistic forces. Yet we made it with pride and success. Thanks to our wide and diverse body of old scholars from both schools, our words of loving Peace, Friendship and that of God in everyone, continue to spread in our area. But that is not enough. We need to continue with more collaboration and inclusiveness. In the fifty years that I remember, Ramallah and Brummana Friends met 4 times. Rarely to discuss common business, but rather as a world gathering to foster our international belongingness to the wider family of Friends. Why? Because our area had always been a conflict zone and our Quaker beliefs were daily tested by, and jeopardized by, the current events of the area. Since the 1950s our Meetings had begun to dwindle in numbers for that reason. Yet we go on. For how long? It all depends. It depends on whether we can still spread the words of love and peace. Whether our schools can survive the destruction of war, the new / old emerging culture of martyrdom and death; the double standards that we are subjected to. It also depends on the support we get from our wider Quaker family. It depends on whether our wider family can be more active in the international arena and the United Nations. The East West cultural gap needs to be bridged. Scholars and academicians have to work harder than politicians to find the way forward. There is an emerging Arab populace that is dissatisfied with the double standards of the west and with their leaders who have embraced the "unfair" west. Only logical and peaceful solutions can be accepted. There should be no more suppression and no more bullying. Lebanon and Gaza continue to pay the price for that. The destruction and death that has befallen these two peoples is colossal. Their reaction, if coupled with extremist Islamic groups, is world threatening. We need to remedy that through help, real help, practical and comprehensive. Israel has to understand that brutality cannot and will not curb Arab enthusiasm. She needs to be more compassionate and attractive to her Arab neighbors. Israel?s actions since the 50s have not gained her Arabs friends but only enemies and some ferocious suicidal ones at that. Immediate relief to Lebanon can be in any form. All international aid agencies are doing good work given the embargo and blockade. Contributions should be made to agencies that have a high ratio of real aid and low overhead expenses - usually indicated in their websites. Tony Manasseh Brummana, August 2006 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kcarlyle at main.nc.us Wed Aug 30 10:06:52 2006 From: kcarlyle at main.nc.us (Kim Carlyle) Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 10:06:52 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Sept. 11 holds meanings other than the horror of an attack Message-ID: <00e501c6cc3d$903bfe40$2367ec48@yourfulkl1oh2q> You have been sent the following Asheville Citizen-Times article from Kim Carlyle at kcarlyle at main.nc.us: "Sept. 11 holds meanings other than the horror of an attack" To view this article online at the Asheville Citizen-Times web site, go to: http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200660829059 ------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright 2005 Asheville Citizen-Times. Asheville Citizen-Times PO Box 2090 Asheville, NC 28802 Customer Service: 828-252-5611 The Asheville Citizen-Times is a Gannett Co., Inc. newspaper. ------------------ Peace on Earth; Peace with Earth Kim Carlyle PO Box 439 Barnardsville, NC 28709 (828) 626-2572 If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when? -- Rabbi Hillel At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. We are the ones we've been waiting for. -The Elders Oraibi, Arizona Hopi Nation -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From roeblingelizabeth at msn.com Wed Aug 30 16:22:40 2006 From: roeblingelizabeth at msn.com (Elizabeth Eames) Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 16:22:40 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] Millennium Development Goals Message-ID: Dear Friends- I was a bit disappointed this year while, during my attendance at the Baltimore Yearly Meeting, I sat in at the lunch meeting of the Friends National Committee on Legislation. I brought to the table my concern for the agricultural subsidies of the United States, particularly in my case (DR/HAITI) the rice subsidies that make US subsidized rice cheaper than local rice. I spoke of the collapse of the DOHA round of trade talks...... The gathered Friends looked at me as if I were speaking Urdu. A representative from FCNL said that it was their intention to have a focus on trade policies in the next few years. Friends might benefit from a web search under "Global Village" to refresh their ideas on our extreme privilege. I ask that Friends take a minute to visit the website - www.millenniumcampaign.org - and inform themselves and all our Young Friends of the exciting global committment to end poverty by 2015. This is well within our grasp. There are wonderful organizational tools available, wonderfully inspiriing stories, actions - small and large that Friends might take. We are an educated group but I sense that we are poorly informed. We are committed to a sense of the deep equality of all humankind. I hope that Friends might turn their heads and hearts and feet a bit away from the scenes and news of war and Wage Peace by joining in this global campaign. Elizabeth Roebling, Santo Domingo - Asheville Friends Meeting From roeblingelizabeth at msn.com Thu Aug 31 14:52:34 2006 From: roeblingelizabeth at msn.com (Elizabeth Eames) Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:52:34 -0400 Subject: [saymaListserv] DOHA rounds and superpower citizenship Message-ID: Dear Friends, I recieved a Friendly critique of my last posting and wanted to clarify a few points. First is my deep sympathy for the stress that you all who live inside the US are under by having to be informed on so many different issues. In the Dominican Republic and Haiti, I am under no pressure to have opinions, for instance, on Iran's nuclear program or the bombing of Lebanon. The concerns of the developing world, which are constant headline material where I live, hardly even appear in your newspapers or broadcasts. And also, I am well aware that FCNL responds to the concerns raised by the constituent meetings but does not set policy. And I do love the bottom up arrangement of Friends' operations. The DOHA rounds refers to the international talks on the World Trade Organization which took place in Doha, Quattar, and recently collapsed. These are talks between the industrialized world and the developing world on different issues which broadly fall under the terms "globalization" and "fair trade". The Dominican Republic has just signed - along with nations in Central America - a "free trade agreement" (DR-CAFTA) similar to the one signed with Mexico years back (NAFTA). Under this agreement, there is a drastic reduction in import tarriffs for US goods. For instance, the DR, which is sugar producing nation, tried to hold out its tarriffs on high-fructose corn syrup used in Coca-Cola and the like, but was not able to do so. The DOHA talks were part of an ongoing attempt to level the playing field. US rice production is heavily subsided, to the amount of over 600 million dollars a year. Over the last ten years, the rice subsidy alone has been $10 billion. The developing nations see this subsidy as an unfair trade practice and are trying to have the US, France, and Japan primarily reduce their subsidies. US rice is preferred by many Dominicans for reasons only known to rice connaisseurs. Now much of it comes into the DR "illegally" from Haiti (which probably could not collect the tarrifs due no matter what they wanted to do) and is sold at the cross border markets. This subjects the Haitians selling it to even more harrassment from the cross border guards. One would think that if the US has a superior product, it would sell even at its fair market price. Some subsidies might be a very good idea. For instance in the DR, the electricity is priced in tiers so that higher consumers pay a higher per killowatt charge, thus subsidizing the poor (or ecologically sensitive) consumers. That seems like a good plan. So now Friends may have a better idea of my concern and can add it to their already overwhelming list of concerns. That is it in a rice husk........ Hey, it is not easy being a superpower citizen. That is one of the reasons that I moved. Hope you get to play outside today.