. Septemrer 2007 • $5 Quaker FR I ENDS Thought and Life OURNAL Today Friends and Cyberspace Living Truth at the Woolman Semester -~~ The Meeting School's 50th Anniversary ------ ---~ An • AMONG FRIENDS independent magazine serving the Back to business Religious Society of Friends usan Corson-Finnerty is on vacation while this issue is being prepared. For me, summer is not a time to be away (I take my vacation in the fall), since I oversee Editorial our editorial interns and we always have several between college semesters. Our Susan Corson-Finnerty (Publisher and Executive Editor}, S Robert Dockhorn (Senior Editor), Rebecca Howe interns are generally students from high school to post-grad (although we've had one (Associate Editor}, Judith Brown (Poetry Editor}, Joan teacher during her break), but this summer they're mostly college students. We have Overman (Book Review Assistant}, Christine Rusch (Milestones Editor}, Guli Fager, Melissa Minnich, Mary had six interns these past months, helping to prepare the magazine. Their names Julia Street (Assistant Milestones Editors), Robert Marks, appear on the masthead. They have contributed much to the final product. Nancy Milio, George Rubin (News Editors}, Kara Newell (Columnist}, Lisa Rand, Marjorie Schier (Proofteaders), You may have been struck as you read through the previous issue-August-that Patty Quinn (Volunteer}, Erica Bradley, Susanna its fare was lighter than usual. For the most part the articles and features were agile Corson-Finnerty, Amanda Gagnon, Breja Gunnison, Elizabeth Markham, Maximilian Plotnick (Interns) and humorous rather than deeply serious. We allowed ourselves some late summer Production latitude, and we hope you enjoyed it. Barbara Benton {.4rt Director}, Alia Podolsky (Assistant Art Director}, Peter Deitz ~b Manager) With this September issue we shift into a more serious mode. The first two articles Advertising, Circulation, Development address grim realities of today--ones that call out for attention. In "Unpalatable Gabriel Ehri (Associate Publisher), Larry Jalowiec Truths," Burton Housman writes about his work with the wounded U.S. soldiers (Director ofAdvancement), Nagendran Gulendran (Advertising Manager}, Margie Garren (Grant Writer}, returning from Iraq and elsewhere with severe injuries. Friends have long been called Patricia Boyle (Database Manager}, Nicole Hackel (Circulation Assistant}, Kay Bacon, Ruth Peterson to minister to the victims of war-whether soldiers or civilians, whether from our (Volunteers) country or foreigners. The evenhandedness of Friends concern for all sides in a Administration conflict is an important part of what it means to "answer that of God in every one." Marianne De Lange (Office Manager}, Tom McPeak (.4ccounting Services} The second article is "Friends and Torture" by Chuck Fager. The evil of torture is Board ofTrustees still around and dangerous and, as we now know, is governmental policy. So, what Barbara Andrews, Catharine Bell Weneroth, Jon Berry, Paul Buckley, Katharine Clark, Karen Cromley, John can we do to confront its use? In this article, Chuck candidly examines what Darnell, Mary Ann Downey (Assistant Clerk), Walter influence Friends have--or don't have-as concerned citizens. With inspiration Evans (Treasurer}, Linda Houser, Bobbi Kelly, Paul Landskroener (Recording Clerk), Pat La Viscount, Linda from the Bible for naming tools available to us, Chuck issues a prophetic call for Lyman, Jay Wade Marshall, Barbara Mays, Pete our involvement. McCaughan, Ron McDonald, Larry Miller, Nancy Moore, Michael Moulton, Mark B. Myers, Nan The next article is quite different. In "Friends and Cyberspace," Mark Franek sees O'Connor, Liz Perch, Janet Ross (Clerk), S. C. Thomas, the world of blogs, in which many Friends-especially young Friends-engage, as a Rich Van Dellen, Margery Walker, Elizabeth Yeats FRIENDS j OURNAL (ISSN 0016-1322) was esra.blished place where the Spirit can move freely. There is a helpful sidebar, as well as the in 1955 as the successor to The Friend (1827- 1955) example of a recent blog entry by Peggy Senger Parsons. and Friends lntelltgencer(l844-1955). That is followed by articles that celebrate two small but influential Friends • FRIENDS JouRNAL is published monthly by Friends Publishing Corporation, 1216 Arch Street, 2A, educational institutions: The Meeting School in New Hampshire, and The Woolman Philadelphia, PA 19107-2835. Telephone (215) 563-8629. E-mail [email protected]. Semester in California. Although they contrast sharply with each other in their Periodicals postage paid at Philadelphia, Pa., and structure and functioning, they are similar in calling upon each student to exercise additional mailing offices. leadership in taking responsibility for one's own development. • Subscriptions: one year $39, two years $76. Add $12 per year for postage to countries outside the U.S., You might like to know that these last two articles are among several that were Canada, and Mexico. Individual copies $5 each. originally submitted for the special issue on "Nurturing Younger Friends" for which • Advertising information and assistance is available on there was insufficient space in July. There are still more articles in this reservoir, and request. Appearance of any advertisement does not imply endorsement by FRIENDS jOURNAL. they will be appearing in our pages through next May. • Postmaster: send address changes to FRIENDS joURNAL, Not all the articles here will be a delight to read-some, as you can see from this 1216 Arch Street, 2A, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2835. description, contain disturbing material. But we know that you don't want us to shy • Copyright © 2007 Friends Publishing Corporation. Permission should be received before reprinting excerpts away from the truth whether it is joyful or painful. Both aspects of truth can be longer than 200 words. uplifring, in their different ways. Available on microfilm from Bell and Howell Information and Learning. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Min. 20% post-consumer Moving? Let us update your subscription and address. FRIENDS jOURNAL, m6 Arch St., 2A, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2835 • (215) 563-8629 • Fax: (215) 568-1377 [email protected] • Web: www.friendsjournal.org 2 September 2007 FRIENDS j OURNAL FRIENDS SEPTEMBER 2007 JOURNAL VOLUME 53, N0.9 • FEATURES • DEPARTMENTS 6 "Unpalatable Truths" 2 Among Friends Burton Housman Forum Too few understand the impact ofwar injuries. 4 5 Viewpoint I I Friends and Torture Please respect the need for privacy Chuck Fager He issues a call to conftont torture in our nation. 25 Reflections Mending the world 14 Friends and Cyberspace: The Many Doors to Living outside the box Meeting for Worship Include the Virtual On being a grandmother Mark Franek Thoughts on the Peace Testimony The world ofblcgs resembles meetingfor worship. 28 Life in the Meeting 17 God Does Not Need Your Cash Strengths, weaknesses, and clerking Peggy Senger Parsons Silence A pastor extols the gifts ofgiving and debunks a few myths alcng the way. 18 The Meeting School after 50 Years Mary DesRosiers Alumni reminisce for the school's semicentenniaL 22 Living Truth at the Woolman Semester Elizabeth De Sa A Friend seeks and finds an authentic teaching experience. • POETRY 9 Peace Is Not Phil Lord Blood Mixed with Milk 10 Books Silvia Brandon-Perez 30 News 21 Table Matters 34 Joseph A. Chelius 35 Bulletin Board A Glimpse of the Bird of Paradise 37 Cryptogram Solution Becky Banasiak Code 38 Milestones 50 Classified Front cover: photo ftom The Woolman Semester at Sierra Friends Center, California F RIENDS J OURNAL September 2007 3 • FORUM From a Quaker soldier families and loved ones, isolated and alone consumed with hatred, fear, desperation, and for many months and even years at a time. a sense of spiritual abandonment. I can't say I am writing to you today from Camp For these reasons and many more, it that I understand your experience, because I Striker, Iraq, a maze of concrete barriers and concerns me that soldiers and pacifists haven't lived it- I don't understand. But I inhospirable-looking structures that house cannot find more common ground to build can say that I understood what you wrote in and sustain several brigades of U.S. forces. upon and learn from one another. The your letter, and was deeply touched and The units are responsible for the safety and Quaker may teach the soldier how to use impressed by it. security of southern Baghdad. I am a staff love and acceptance as a way to open I know this might sound ridiculous officer with the Tenth Mountain Division, dialogue with an estranged spouse or friend. coming from someone sitting in a safe and U.S. Army, and have been in Iraq since The soldier may teach the Quaker about comfortable environment, but what I'm led August 2006. The majority of my tour was resolution and steadfastness in order to work to say to you is: do not be afraid. I don't spent as the executive officer of a rifle toward a definitive goal. As the peculiar mean of your physical environment and company based in Sadr al Yusifiyah, a town breed of person who is both Quaker and actual, real-life, horrendously dangerous southwest of the city, nestled alongside the soldier, I believe there are a thousand ways situation; I mean of any sort ofs piritual Euphrates River. we can communicate with and appreciate awakening that is occurring to you. You I am a lifelong Friend, but only in recent one another for what we truly are: flawed, wrote, "Soldiers are part of a military months, afrer a long absence from vulnerable human beings who are all institution that adheres to strict rules of participation in the Religious Society of beautiful nonetheless. discipline and behavior; a place where Friends, have I come to understand and I st Lieutenant David R Gosling differences of temperament or belief are appreciate the Quaker faith, its members, often ridiculed, scorned." I'm sure that Camp Striker, Iraq and its message.