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Quaker Thought and Today Oecem ber 1992 Quaker Thought FRIENDS and Life OURNAL Today he Anguish of Vukovar • Growing Toward the Peace Testimony Among Friends Edltor-M•n•ger Vinton Deming Assocl•te Editor Melissa Kay Elliott A Place Called Hope Art Director Barbara Benton Advertising M•n•ger lection '92 is over. What a relief, I say! It seemed like a long campaign. The last Catherine Frost month, with the debates and media advertising blitz, was particularly Clrcul•tlon •nd Promotion wearing on the nerves. Frankly, I am grateful we will soon have a new Nagendran Gulendran E Typesetting Services president. Friends will unite, I am sure, in the hope that President Clinton will James Rice and Susan Jordhamo provide strong, compassionate leadership in helping us address many of our Secret•rl•l Services Edward Sargent nation's problems in the next four years. Bookkeeper The danger, I sense, is that the initial feeling of euphoria following the election James Neveil will dissipate before many months have passed. The problems facing our country, Edltorl•l Asslst•nt Timothy Drake after all, are serious and run deep. Simple legislative steps will not solve them in Volunteers fast order. Decaying cities cannot be rebuilt overnight. The environment may take Jane Burgess, Anders Hansen, Emily Conlon decades to clean up. It will take patient planning and belt tightening to begin to Bo•rd of M•n•gers /990-1993: Clement Alexandre, Marguerite make any substantial reduction in a national debt that was long in the making. Clark, Lee Neff, Mary Ellen Singsen My fear is that a society in the depths of a recession, where unemployment is /991-1994: Frank Bjornsgaard, Emily Conlon, Barbara Dinhofer, Sam Legg (Clerk), Parry high and people are hurting, will demand the quick fix. We saw the depth of Jones, Richard Moses (Treasurer), Harry Scott, despair that exploded in Los Angeles this year. More widely, people now expect Larry Spears, Robert Sutton, Carolyn Terrell 1992-1995: Phoebe Cottingham, Richard some positive change, which will be measured by jobs, decent housing, affordable Eldridge (Assistant Clerk), Deborah Fisch, Kitty health care. If it doesn't happen, we may expect anger and disillusionment with Harrison , Bernard Haviland, Paul Jolly, Eric Larson, Marcia Mason, Marjorie Rubin, David government officials who "broke their promises," then a whole new cast of Samuel, Carolyn Sprogell, Wilmer Tjossem, Alice Wiser (Secretary) politicians lining up to "throw the bums out." Honor•ry M•n•gers Yet, I feel immensely optimistic. There seems to be, in this new president from Eleanor Stabler Clarke, Mildred Binns Young Hope, Arkansas, a youthful energy, idealism, and commitment to make things FRIENDS JOURNAL (ISSN 0016-1322) was established in 1955 as the successor to The happen. Never in recent times has there been such involvement by so many in the Friend (1827-1955) and Friends lntelligencer political process. It is wonderful that women and racial minorities are heading to (1844- 1955). It is associated with the Religious Society of Friends, and is a member of the Washington, D.C., in growing numbers. May this be just the beginning. New faces Associated Church Press. and fresh ideas are long overdue. Though the Ross Perot candidacy seemed 0 fRIENDS JOURNAL is published monthly by clumsy and, at times, strange, I believe the overall effect of his message was Friends Publishing Corporation, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102-1497. Telephone (21 5) extremely positive. How refreshing to hear real issues talked about in such down­ 241-7277. Accepted as second-class postage at to-earth, often amusing ways. Perot made ordinary people believe they are Philadelphia, Pa. and additional mailing offices. • Subscriptions: one year $18, two years $34. important, that they deserve to be listened to. May the movement for citizen Add S6 per year for postage to countries outside involvement continue to develop. the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Individual copies $2 each. In the months ahead, we must listen closely to our Washington colleagues at • Information on and assistance with Friends Committee on National Legislation. Their insights into the workings of a advertising is available on request. Appearance new administration, the key issues before Congress, ways in which we can lobby of any advertisement does not imply endorsement by FRIENDS JouRNAL. for positive legislative change will be important for Friends to hear and act on. • Postmaster: send address changes to Our representatives will need to hear from us, and FCNL will be an invaluable FRIENDS JOURNAL, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102-1497 guide for Friends during this time of change. • Copyright © 1992 by Friends Publishing So another year comes to a close. As Christmas approaches, all of my Corporation. Reprints of articles available at nominal cost. Permission should be received colleagues, smiling from the facing page, join me in wishing you good health and before reprinting excerpts longer than 200 a blessed, joyous Christmas season. May you find time to be with friends and words. Available in microfilm from University Microfilms International. family, hear music that inspires, enjoy laughter of children, see bright stars in dark December skies, take pleasure in the sharing of simple gifts. May the special PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER mystery of Christ's birth touch hearts and souls. In this season of hope, may we deepen our commitment to work for a better world. Moving? Let us update your subscription and address. Our thanks to all who have contributed to the JouRNAL after learning of our Write or call: $31,000 IRS tax payment (FJ May). Gifts received to date: $8,000from FRIENDS JouRNAL, 1501 Cherry St., individuals and meetings, $7,000 from a Sufferings Fund ofPhiladelphia Yearly Philadelphia, PA 19102-1497 Meeting, and monthly contributions from your editor. Overall total: just under (215) 241-7277; Fax (215) 568-1377 $19,000. 2 December /992 fRIENDS JOURNAL December 1992 FRIENDS Volume 38, No. 12 JOURNAL Features Departments 7 Christmas Tears 2 Among Friends Yvonne Boeger An undejrosted turkey, presents not received, squabbling 4 Forum kids . .. a good cry was warranted. 5 Viewpoint 8 Growing Toward the Peace 24 Reports Testimony Frederick Fico 27 AFSC Notes It has to begin with worship, with seeking that of God within 28 News of Friends ourselves and others. 31 Parents' Corner 11 The Anguish of Vukovar Joel GAzis-SAx 32 Bulletin Board The destruction of a city and its people shows what the inter­ 33 Calendar national arms trade can accomplish. 34 Books 14 Can Our Branches Be Olive Branches? 39 Milestones Douglas Gwyn 40 Classified Reconciled to one another, Friends could play an important healing role in a wider society. 42 Meetings 18 A Balanced View Poetry Thomas Dorsett Although modern Quakers behave reasonably, this was not 10 I Saw Places in East always the case. Germany in 1985 22 Santa's Helper Marilyn J . Boe Grace Yaukey 21 From Brokenness Santa found his way that year from the Yangtze River, and Helen Weaver Horn the memory remains clear. .... Only One Slight Here we are In our Opening annual staff photo. Emily Sargent Councilman Left to right: Timothy, Edward, Melissa, Susan, Lucretia, In December Catherine, Jim Rice, Robin Dellabough Barbara, VInton, Jim Nevell, Gulen. Cover art by Forrest Crooks, reprinted from the December 15, 1957, cover a/FRIENDS JOURNAL FRIENDS JouRNAL December 1992 3 Forum Thoughts on sanctions The phrase economic sanctions sounds like a Pentagon euphemism for "trade embargo" or "frozen assets," used to legitimize the violent power struggles of various ruling elites and their aspirants. When sanctions are applied in places such as South Africa or the Near East, can or should people opposed to war and violence support them? Circumstances differ. Where sho uld these people draw the line when it comes to push, shove, pressure, coercion, force, military action? Can such measures be limited, controlled, changed? Which is truly nonviolent all the time? Some of us may on occasion passively go a long with sanctions. After all, while talking is going on, there usually is little if any shooting, which is all to the good, and which should be encouraged. But, can we at the same time speak up to help ~ control what is being done? And not just 0 try to ignore the whole mess? Can we in jL----------------------=~------------------------------------------~ some ways help keep it nonviolent? Still, construction, plus a number of new Additionally, the meetinghouse is people are starving, and we must try to unhoused meetings or small worship available for use by local groups, such as help them as best we can. groups. A closed meetinghouse should be Veterans for Peace. It is also widely used We need to be reminded that what we considered an affront to our lack of by various meeting committees and plant now will be harvested in the future, caring about our beloved Society. members and attenders who develop these thoughts perhaps being more At Dover we reopened a house that special concerns of their own. There is, important than those about what is had been closed since 1912. We collected for example, a journal writing group that happening in the here and now. If only names from alumni lists of Friends meets regularly at members' homes and a we could just control weapon and schools and colleges, subscribers to community group that meets for potluck armaments production and embargo their various Friends publications, etc. Eight supper. shipments, what a blessing that would be or ten met regularly for several years All this takes a lot of energy and also in years to come. before growth slowly started. We creates a lot of energy, but the soul of Karl E. Buff published news items and letters to the the meeting is First-day worship.
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