Worldwide peace movement

Charlene Thomas’ guest column (BDN, Dec. 3), asking, “Where is the peace movement?”, moved me by its poignancy, its pain, and its anger. I will not try to answer all the questions she raised, though I should like to discuss them with her.

What I want to tell her is that there is a “peace movement” in the whole world and in Maine, and she can be part of it. I found the peace movement when I read the Aug. 8 “Minute on IraqKuwait” by the New England Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. On Sept. 11, Fred Whittaker, president emeritus of Bangor Theological Seminary, said in his guest column that only the United Nations has a mandate to be the world’s police force. By October leaders of the major Christian denominations were issuing statements calling attention to western complicity in the events which led up to Saddam Hussein’s move against Kuwait and calling for resolution of the conflict by peaceful means. Many knowledgeable people have spoken and written about the dangers and disadvantages of war as a means of settling the volatile issues of the Middle East.

The fall issue of “Peace Talk,” the newsletter of the Maine Peace Campaign, carried a lead editorial, “No Blood for Oil.” The December issue of “Maine Progressive” describes the rallies that have taken place in Maine against war in the Middle East. The Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine brought together 400 people in Bangor one recent Saturday in a rally for peace. A coalition of Jews, Muslims, Christians, and others sponsored an educational program at the University of Maine to explore roots of the conflict and alternatives to war. Professor Alex Grab of the university spoke in Belfast on this topic on Dec. 7.

Many people are searching their hearts as our president and his military advisers seem to be pushing our country into a war few of us understand or support. Educating ourselves about the issues, and public discussion of our nation’s policies, are vital to the exercise of democracy. In a guest column on Nov. 21, Sen. George Mitchell wrote of the importance of congressional involvement in any decision to take offensive action in the Persian Gulf. We are indebted to him for the hearings presently taking place in the Senate committees.

Members of Congress are making their voices heard. It is up to us, the people, to let them know what we think. Those of us who feel strongly opposed to military action must be part of the peace movement.

Sarah S. Hasbrouck is a resident of Orono.