Friends Bulletin-Pacific, North Pacific, and Intermountain Yearly Meetings of the Religious Society of Friends-June 1992

16 Pages·1992·2.1 MB·English

Friends Bulletin
PACIFIC, NORTH PACIFIC, AND INTERMOUNTAIN YEARLY MEETINGS
OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
Volume 60, Number 9 June 1992
1972.
Dart,
Francis
Francis
Dart,
Sanders,
Ed
1972.
Sara,
Mary
1972. Gen/,
and
Papadopoulos,
Friends,
Ellen
Junior
1972. Hubbe,
—
PAGE 138 JUNE 1992 FRIENDS BULLETIN
Lenten Desert Experience
Editorial
Faith in Action by ScottJohnsoiv PYM Peace Committee
Sometimesanissueofthemagazinejust"fallstogether"with NearlyseventyFriendsandlike-mindedpeoplegath-
other articles following the focus of the lead article. Then the ered together March27-29 for theFriends Weekend of
magazine seems to have a cohesiveness; itis somethinggreater the Lenten Desert Experience, one day after the first
thanitsindividualparts. nuclearbombof1992wasdetonatedonlandbelonging
At other times Friends write of such varied interests and totheWesternShoshoneNation.
concernsthatthesingle-subjectcohesivenessdoesn'thappen.But We learned from Pauline Esteves of the Western
thetogethernessisthereinanotherway.ItisFriends,individually ShoshoneNationthattheUSmilitaryinvadedancestral
andcorporately,searchingforthetruthandthenactingonthose andsacredWesternShoshoneterritoryin1953,inviola-
concernsarisingfromtheirsearch. tion of the Treaty of Ruby Valley, for the purpose of
This issue begins with recollections from the beginnings of establishingthenuclearbombtestingfacilityinthedesert
North Pacific YearlyMeeting. Whata vital, exciting, wonderful outside ofLas Vegas. TestingbyUS and other nuclear
groupofpeopletheymusthavebeen (andstillare)! powershasbeenandcontinuestobeconductedsolelyon
We,theYamalls,arrivedonthescenesomewhatlate,attend- landsofnativepeoplesthroughouttheworld.
ingthesecond NPYMannualsessionatFortWordenin 1974. It Thatweekendwesoughthealing—fortheearthand
wasmyfirstYearlyMeetingever, and Icanstillrememberhow for ourselves. Healing is needed to bring to an end
stimulatingitwas.Anditwasfuntoo.WemetFriendstherethat nucleartestingonnativelands,justashealingisrequired
have become almost family, especially several families from to bring to an end the 500 years of injustice to Native
EastsideMeetingandtheBenson-DoUahitesfromPullman.Then, American peoples. That weekend we were called to
as now, my observation was that at Yearly Meeting you get to discernthepainandsufferingthatnucleartestinginflicts
know members of other Monthly Meetings, but somehow, a onallofcreation.(Forfurtherinformationaboutthework
specialpartofitisrelatingtomembersofyourownMeetingina and struggle of the Western Shoshone to stop nuclear
new way. How lucky we have been to have two wonderful testing,contactWesternShoshoneNationalCouncil,PO
Meetingstogettoknow,EastsideandCorvallis. Box 140115,Duckwater,NV89314.)
AtourYearlyMeetingsandinourcommunities.Friendshave
manyconcerns. Severalofthemarereflectedinthisissue.
ArlineHobsonsharesheranguishattheperfunctoryattitude YEARLY MEETING OFFICERS
PACIFIC
ofmembers ofthe Arizona State Board ofPardons and Paroles
toward thedeathpenalty. PresidingClerk: JanePeers [phone]
808MelbaRd
Bob Vogel wonders if Friends should refuse all oaths and Encinitas,CA92024
offerstwopossibleremedieswhenaskedtosignanoath. AssistantClerk: JaneMills [phone]
AnneSt.GermainandJeanRobertstraveledtoCubawiththe 7899StHeleCnaARd
Santa Rosa, 95404
PaxWorldFoundation. TheyfoimdthatCubaisnothreattothe Treasurers: Virginiaand WalterKlein
UnitedStates. 4509 PavlovAve [phone]
Thisissuetalksaboutthethingswedo;theconcernsthatmany SanDiego, CA92122
— NORTH PACIFIC
ofushaveasFriends.Butitisourfaiththatkeepsusgoing our
faiththatistheundergirdingofwhatwedo. "ForFriends, faith PresidingClerk1:940J1o-hn13S1usltlAivvaen SW(206)463-3017
and practice are inseparable. Friends seek to apply this ideal to Vashon, WA98070
theirpersonallivesandtheirlives tothewiderworld."^ SteeringCorrunitteeClerk:
"We are reminded by Christ's life on earth that faith and HenryNVWanDyke [phone]
practiceareone.Werefrainfromfixingourfaithinaformalsetof 3300 VOaRnBurenAve
Corvallis, 97330
words because we feel that experience and knowledge of the Treasurer: CharlesKimball [phone]
divine lies beyond words; it must be lived and demonstrated 04862Oceana Dr
OR
throughoutthewholeoflife."^ FlIorNenTceE,RMO9U74N39TAIN
Friendsdon'ttalkaboutourfaithasmuchaswetrytoliveit. PresidingClerk: MartinCobin [phone]
As Bette Midler sings it, our Faith is "The Wind Beneath our 1720LindenAve, Boulder,CO80304
Wings, NancyYamall ContinuingCommitteeClerk:
RandyHerrick-Stare [phone]
501 EFirstAve,Denver,CO80203
^’ NPaocritfihcPYaecairfilcyYMeeaertliyngM,eeFtaiinthg,anFdaiPtrhacatnidceP,ra1c9t8i5c,e,p.p.5.25. Treasurer: J9i3m00HWoffTemnannesseeAve(303)989-6454
^BetteMidler,Beaches,AtlanticRecordingCorp., 1988. Lakewood,CO80226
FRIENDS BULLETIN JUNE 1992 - PAGE 139
Friends Bulletin Table Of Contents
The official organ of Pacific, North Pacific, and Intermountain Lenten Desert Experience by ScottJohnson 138
Yearly Meetings of the Religious Society of Friends. North Pacific Yearly Meeting atTwenty
NW OR by Monette Thatcherand Lois Barton 140
1620 Menlo Drive, Corvallis, 97330-2055
Pacific Yearly Meeting Epistle (1972) 141
Telephone: [phone] The Time Has Come by Alice Dart (1972) 141
Editor, Nancy Yarnali NPYM —
Schedule July23-26, 1992 142
Book Review Editor CPS Mentors by Patrick K. Michaels 143
CPS Experiences by Mildred and Clarence Burck —143
Grace Buzaljko, 612Albemarle, El Cerrito, CA94530
Witnessing against the Death Penalty
Telephone: [phone] —
by Arline Hobson 144
IMYM Corresponding Editors
The Death Penalty —
Jim Ray,2520S Ivanhoe PI, Denver,CO80222 by the Arizona Area Committee, AFSC 144
MelodyInchmuk, 1740GilmerHeights, Prescott,AZ86301 —
Should Friends Refuse All Oaths? by Bob Vogel 145
MarieGodfrey,523ValleyViewDr, Richfield, UT84701
PhyllisHoge,213Dartmouth DrSE,Albuquerque, NM87106 Loyalty Oath Experience by Betsy Eberhardt 145
NPYM Corresponding Editor Cuba: No Threat to the United States
MadeleineCadburyBrown, 1412FarrellLn, Richland,WA99352 PYbyMJean Roberts and Anne St. Germain 146
PYM Corresponding Editors Religious Education Committee: Report 147
On Hallowing One's Diminishments byJohn
BetsyKahn, 4636MorroDr,WoodlandHills, CA91364
PattySilva, 16557S HighlandAve,Selma,CA93662 Yungblut, review by Rob Roy Woodman 147
Arizona Women's Gathering by La Donna Wallen-148
FriendsBulletinCommittee College Park Quarterly Meeting News
Clerk: SondaBeal, 814StannageAve,Albany, CA94706 by Patricia Silva -148
—
Telephone: [phone] Memorial Minutes 149
GraceBuzaljko, 612Albermarle, ElCerrito, CA94530 Announcements -——150
—
GerryMaynard,2941 Northwood Dr,Alameda,CA94501 Advertisements —— 151
AlanStrain, 127RathbumWay, SantaCruz,CA95062 Vital Statistics 151
LowellTozer, 14842 PenasquitosCt, San Diego, CA92129 Colorado Regional News byJim Ray 151
RobRoyWoodman,2532WestemesseeRd, Davis,CA95616 Sometimes God byJeanne Lohmann 151
—
All correspondence, editorial and subscription, should be directed to the Call To North Pacific Yearly Meeting, 1992 152
Corvallisaddress. Deadlineforcopyisthefirstofthenwnthprecedingthe
monthofissue.
Coverphotos byJackie Van Dyke, CorvallisMeeting.
CovercalligraphybyBecky Yamall, CorvallisMeeting.
NorthPacific YearlyMeetingregistrations must
be postmarked byJuly1, 1992.
Printed by Corvallis Web Press, Corvallis, OR
• FRIENDSBULLETIN (USPS859-220)ispublished monthlyexcept
February and August by Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious
Society of Friends at 1620 NW Menlo Drive, Corvallis, Oregon
97330-2055. Telephone [phone]. Second-class postage
paidatCorvallis,Oregon.
•
SubscriptionRates: $20.00peryearforindividuals,$16.00peryear
for group subscriptions through Meetings. $14.00 peryear for a
student/low Income subscription. First class postage $5.20 addi-
tional. Foreignpostagevaries. Individualcopies$2.00each.
• Postmaster: Send address changes to FRIENDS
BULLETIN, 1620 NW Menlo Drive, Corvallis, OR Faith Carson,MildredJoyce, ChuckJames, 1973.
97330-2055. PhotobyMarvin Gregory, UniversityMeeting.
—
PAGE 140 JUNE 1992 FRIENDS BULLETIN
North Pacific Yearly Meeting Meeting was held in April 1971 in Seattle. The revision
committee,meeting April 15 andMay20, 1972, formulated
At Twenty severalminutesthatwere forwarded to theJulyGathering,
proposingactionstobeapprovedbyFriendsattheGather-
by Monette Thatcher and Lois Barton, ing.TheseincludedcontinuedsupportofFriendsBulletinand
PYM
Eugene Meeting useofthe Discipline,formationofasteeringcommittee,
plans for representation, and financial support from the
MonthlyMeetings.
Twenty years ago, on July 14-17, 1972, the first official
gathering of unprogrammed Friends of the Pacific North- TheMonthlyMeetingshadeachexamined theproposal
westtookplaceatSt.Martin'sCollegeinOlympia,Washing- for establishing a Yearly Meeting in the Northwest and
ton.Thiseventwasprecededbyseveralyearsofsearchfora forwarded their actions to the 1972 Gathering. Eugene,
suitableresolutiontotheproblemscreatedbythegrowthof Corvallis,Salem,Multnomah,andVancouverMonthlyMeet-
PacificYearlyMeeting(PYM). ings agreed to support formation of North Pacific Yearly
ThefirststepwastoappointaNewWaysCommitteeto Meeting (NPYM).Their representatives carried their deci-
explorepossiblesolutionstoattendantcircumstances.Find- sionstotheGathering.EastsideandUniversityreservedtheir
ing a place to meet that would accommodate the numbers decisionsimtilaftertheGathering.VictoriaMeetingchoseto
was difficult. At PYM it was becoming impossible to hear withdraw and affiliate more closely with Canada Yearly
Meeting.
eachother,eveninMeetingforWorship,withoutresortingto
W
microphones.TheNew aysCommitteeeventuallyreached Junior Friends took a very active part in planning the
theconclusion thatseparationwastherightanswer. structureofthenewYearlyMeetingandsentrepresentatives
FriendswerereluctanttodividetheYearlyMeeting.Fears toaUrevisioncommitteemeetings.ThetwoQuarterlyMeet-
andmisgivingsexpressedattheproposedchangeincluded ingswereratherfarapartintheirconceptsofthenewYearly
arealsenseofloss (basedonoursentimentalattachmentto Meeting. Working out their differences was a remarkable
Pacific Yearly Meeting), a worry about the obligations and spiritualexperience, accordingtothememoryofsomepar-
pressures a new group would experience frompreoccupa- ticipants. Forexample, representatives from theNorthwest
tionwithbusinesssuchashadbecomesodominantatPYM, QuarterfeltstronglythatState ofSocietyreports shouldbe
andthepossibilitythatwemightbecreatingabodywithno partofthe annual session, whileWillametteQuarterrepre-
powertoactwhenconcernsarose. sentativesthoughtsuchreportswouldbeboring.Theevolved
Anadvisorycommitteetooverseetheprocessofdivision plan to give the reports out of the silence ofa Meeting for
was appointed. Ed Morgenroth, Clerk of that committee, Worshiprepresentedaninspired,creativesolutionagreeable
suggested that Friends on the West Coast, like amoebas, toeveryone.
believeinmultiplyingbydividing. Northwest Friends conceived of an organization rela-
Arevisioncommittee,consistingofrepresentativesfrom tively free of detailed structure and with an emphasis on
Willamette and Northwest Quarterly Meetings, drew up spiritualenrichmentandfellowship.Committeesweretobe
plansforagatheringofNorthwestFriends.AjointQuarterly appointed only as needed and were tobe laid downwhen
their work had been completed. The Gathering in 1972
includedonlyoneplenarysessionforbusiness.
NPYM
Twentyyearslater, standingcommitteesinclude
Discipline Committee, Nominating Committee, Steering
Committee, Outreach Committee, and a Gay and Lesbian
Concerns Committee, inaddition to the required organiza-
We
tion necessary for planning the annual session. have
associated our Yearly Meeting with the AFSC, FCNL, and
FWCC,appointingrepresentativestoeachoftheseorganiza-
tionsandbudgetingannualcontributions. Wealsoappoint
representatives to Friends for Gay and Lesbian Concerns.
These factsbearoutFrancisDart'spredictionthatinfiveor
tenyearswewould find ourselvesinjustthatstatewethen
consideredover-organized.
In1978NPYMadopteditsownbookofFaithandPractice,
compiledtomeetthecircumstancesandpracticesofFriends
inthisarea. Thisisanon-goingprocess.
EttaMarieJames,Francis Dart, 1973. In the twenty years since 1972, our land base has ex-
Photohy V^ayneJoyce, EastsideMeeting. panded to include Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The
FRIENDS BULLETIN JUNE 1992 - PAGE 141
MontanaGatheringofFriendsispotentiallyanewQuarterly The Time Has Come
Meeting.OurdirectorynowincludessixteenMonthlyMeet- NPYM
ingsandthirty-twoWorshipGroups,asopposedtotheeight by Alice Dart, Steering Committee (1972)
Meetingsin 1972. Inrecentyearswehavehad fourplenary
sessionsforbusinessateachannualsessionandhavetalked ...FriendsoftheNorthPacificRegiontherefore,comingto
ofaddinganotherdaytotheyearlygathering tomaketime Olympia, Washington, in the experiment ofa new form of
forallwewishto include. annualgathering devoted asfaraspossible toworship and
Figures for the attendance atthe 1972Gatheringarenot fellowship, held a single session for business in which the
followingminutewasapproved:
available. There were 266 at the 1974 annual session. Esti-
matedmembershipin1973,includingVancouver,BC,which "ThisNorthPacificGatheringofFriendsformstheNorth
withdrew thatNovember, was390. Attendance at the 1991 Pacific Yearly Meeting as of this date, July 17, 1972. The
annual session in Dillon, Montana, was396, and estimated individualMonthlyMeetingsare toestablishtheirrelation-
membership thenwas670. ship with North Pacific Yearly Meeting and with Pacific
Considering the problem attendant on distance in the YearlyMeetingas theyfeelsomoved."
Northwestandourincreasingnumbers,itseemsreasonable ThesupportgiventotheGatheringbyEdwinSandersand
toanticipatefurtheramoebicbehaviorintheyearstocome. GretchenTuthillincomingtoadecisionwasdeeplyfelt. ...
NPYMFriendshavecomeofageaswehavedealt with our AsourMonthlyMeetingsproceedtoinformyouoftheir
growthandamultiplicityofconcernsinthetwentyyearsof intentions,wewillbestrengthenedinthegrowthsojoyfully
our existence. We continue to culhvate and cherish a rich welcomedbyPacificYearlyMeetingonhearingthenewsof
spiritualfellowshipwithoneanotheraspartofthe"growing ourdecision.Yourlovingresponsewillbetransmittedtoour
edge" ofAmericanQuakerism. MonthlyMeetings. Wejoinwithyouinhopesformaintain-
ingclose ties, ...
Wetakewithuscherishedmemoriesoftheyearstogether
thatarepast.Weknowwewillsufferregretsthatmustarise
outoftheinevitableseparations;wehopetolessentheseby
mutualintervisitation.Mixedwithsuchemotions,wefeelthe
eagernessofourresponsesto leadings toward anewstruc-
tureofferhopesfordeeperandwiderfellowshipamongus.
If, as Gretchen Tuthill said, our efforts areblessed, it is our
hopethatablessingmayalsobefeltbyPacificYearlyMeet-
ing, towhichwesend ourlovinggreeting....*
(ExcerptsfromaletterfromNorthPacificYearlyMeetingtoPacific
YearlyMeeting, Friends Bulletin, December, 1972,p.l)
FirstSteeringCommitteeMeetingatMultnomahMeeting, 1972.
Backrow:KenHolman,Salem;EileenMahan;EloiseHolden, Tacoma;
HowardRichards,Multnomah;Don Beach, University;Harold
Carson;Eastside. Seated:Frances Youatt, University;AliceDart,
Eugene; Unknown;JoyceTodd;PaulDavis,JoyDavis, Corvallis.
PhotocourtesyofFrances Youatt.
Pacific Yearly Meeting Epistle (1972)
...Ourgreatestjoy,accompaniedbythepainsofparting,
hasbeen to welcome the formation ofNorth Pacific Yearly
Meeting out of Monthly Meetings in the Northwest, the
transfer ofourCanadian Meetings into closer relationwith
CanadianYearlyMeeting,andthecontinuinggrowthofthe
Intermountain Friends Fellowship that includes our Meet-
ingsintheSouthwest.
...
OnbehalfofPacificYearlyMeetingofFriendsatSt.Mary's Frances Youatt(RecordingClerk), University;AliceDart (Clerk),
College,Moraga,Califomia,EdwinA.Sanders,Qerk. Eugene. NPYMSteeringCommittee, 1972.
(ExcerptedfromFriends Bulletin, September, 1972,p. 2) PhotocourtesyofFrances Youatt.
—
PAGE 142 JUNE 1992 FRIENDS BULLETIN
North Pacific Yearly Meeting, July 23-26, 1992, Dillon, Montana.
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
6:00-7:00 6:00-7:00 6:00-7:00
EarlyMorning Worship Early Morning Worship EarlyMorningWorship
6:45-7:45 6:45-7:45 6:45-7:45
Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast
^
8:00-8:15 8:00-8:15 8:00-9:15
Singing for Adults Singing forAdults Worship Groups
8:15-10:15 ^ 8:15-10:15 ^
V
PlenaryIII Plenary 9:20-9:30
NPYM
Friend in Residence Epistle, Concerns Singing
State ofSociety Memorials
^ ^
9:30-10:45
12:00-8:00 10:30-11:45 10:30-11:45
PlenaryVI
Registration Worship Groups Worship Groups
Final Epistle
^
1:00-5:00 12:00-1:15 12:00-1:15 11:00-12:00
Committee Meetings Lunch Lunch Closing Worship
1:30-4:00 ^
1:30-3:00 1:30-3:00 12:30-2:00
Steering Comm.
M&O InterestGroups InterestGroups Limch
4:00-5:00 3:00-5:00 3:00-5:00
Orientation Free Time Free Time
First-Time Attenders Worship Groups Worship Groups
Worship Sharing Leaders Friendly Carnival Steering Comm.
5:00-6:30 5:15-6:30 5:15-6:30
Dinner Dinner Dirmer
6:30-7:15
Intro to
Children's Program
7:30-8:00
7:15-7:30 7:00-8:30
Plenary I Singing for Adults Community Night
RollCall,Introductions
^
8:15-9:30
7:30-9:30
Plenary II
Plenary IV
Discipline, Concerns,
FWCC, Concerns
SteeringComm.
^
=ChildCare
FRIENDS BULLETIN JUNE 1992 - PAGE 143
CPS Mentors CPS Experiences
by Patrick K. Michaels, Redwood Forest by Mildred Burck fromJournal Entries written
Meeting by Clarence Burck, Corvallis Meeting
Iwas veryimpressed with the stories ofthe lives ofthe InSeptember 1941,justasIwasaboutreadytoreturnto
CPSworkersofWWnasprintedintheMarchFnendsBulletin. Indiana for my Senior year, my draft board came through
Wehavemuchtolearnfromthosemenwhohadthecourage with orders to report to Civilian Public Service (work of
to commit themselves to the ways ofpeaceful co-existence national importance) atGlendora, California. They did not
that lead them to the CPS camps. Ironically, once in the feel that anyone who was a Conscientious Objector to war
camps, the questcontinued to find a peaceful resolution to shouldreceiveadefermentforstudy.Iwasincampfor four
conflict.Tocontinuetohearthedetailsofthesemen'slivesis yearsand threemonths,withoutremuneration.
anintergenerationalgift. Note:ThiscampwasanAmericanFriendsServiceCom-
Iknow,becauseasayoimgmanduringtheAmericanwar mittee Camp. The Mennonite Central Committee also
inVietnam,I,too,askedmyself,"WhatcanIdo?""Whatare hadcamps,andtheyencouragedMennonitestotransfer
my alternatives?" I was fortunate enough to find Friends totheircamps.Finally,ClarencewastheonlyMennonite
Meeting.NotonlydidIfindindividualswhohadgonetojail whodidnotdoso. Hebelievedtheworkhewasdoing
tomaintainmyrighttobeaconscientiousobjector;notonly wasveryimportant,sohestayedthere.TheMCCrecom-
did I find menwho had served theircountry—in alternative pensedtheAFSC.
sfeurnvcitcieonbienfgo,relimvei;ngbhuetrIitaalsgoef—ouonfdpaeoheprlietaogfepeacae.brIewatahsinngo, theFsourpetrhveifsiirsotnfoofuarpyreoafressIsdoirdfrreosmeatrhcehUinnivseorUspihtyysoifcCsaulnifdoerr-
longeraloneonsomestrangequest. Iwasnolongerstaring nia, and for threeyears Iwasincharge ofthesoilslab. This
intothe forbiddenunknown. Iwasnolongerlookingto do
areaisthewatershedforLosAngelesCounty.Duringthelast
something new, something imtried, something weird or
strange.Iwasnolongeramanwiththecowardlyperversion mtharkeienmgonsetvhesraIlwtarispsgeenaecrhawlepeukrcthoaLsoinsgAanggeenltesfofrorthpercoadmupc,e
ofnonviolence.NO!Tothecontrary,IdiscoveredIwaspart andpersonalitems forabout200COs.
omOtbfhejesetpocoamtstoetort,dahanimydnuagtcnhmdheufbculeithykuoerlneat.drh.gIoewIsrafetoshmuwanenhdnammtyyIscsewoelonlfnr.festIchowtibaepedspapeaCadocliniwfsniikcstibthesenbtetewvifeeooerurnsye bidnrugarFnitohncirghscottfahifrmmehpeeo,tuyhareaspat.rrIoTsftheoIisoswskihauoasnpnadmbllaabrenabdraebgmreeiornr,sgtt.oafnOleknoceeuedsrsomiflteiittethilsene.tbcoIototy-wrsoyapifsnrsgdotmuomrrya-e
Sunday.
Ironically,notonlywerethesemenmentorstoanewway hand at barbering in the main camp. I cut somewhere be-
ofbeing, theyalsocarried methroughthosedifficult,mun- tween 1200a—nd 1500headsofhairinthreeyears. Itcamein
handylater with a son and a Dad, abrother-in-law, and
dane days of alternative service when I sometimes asked nephewswhocametoourhouseatregularintervalsforacut
myself,"Whatisthepurposeofallthis?""Doesthishavean
wwinoafrslsusheuinppcpeao?tr"tFer"idAe,nmfdesdI,Mdeaoenitdnigenngwchdoauurtrianigsgebmdeysttoa?cl"toenIrntniacntouinevtemisnyeurivpniecgaec,teoI wadaenndngWteaertv.oihsIGiahlt.daendadalatnleoerlntdaotcveairsw,iewthemikycehnKdIewsnaaosgffya,bceloexuctseoipnktse.eaptAtgtoioimtnehgse.roItfoiffmtieersne
testimony.
IamthankfulIhadpeace-lovingmenbeforemethatwere aIcwtievnittietsoofWthhiettYioeur,ngstFaryieenddsw.iItghotfraiceqnudasi,natenddwwiethntMitlodrtehde
willingtostrugglewiththesometimesmundane,sometimes
thereandsometimesworkedintheorchardsforherdad.She
vdiifcfeiciunltt,hesComPeStciammepssl.iIfea-mthtrheaatneknfiunlgIthaasdk aofpaaltthetronaftoilvleoswears- wLaabsorwaotrokriiensgiinnLSoasnADnigeelgeost.hIenn,Abuugtusstoo1n94w5asweinwTerrueesmdaari-l
aConscientiousObjectortotheAmericanWarinVietnam.I
cosufoffnfeterirendruiesdutiocpubpleoergatrnattdoefitunhjloutssoteiACcLeoLnisntcthiheeemnirteisnotuaasnnddObawjgoeacimtneosrtnstwhwhehowoahrastviilenl hrmioaeuidAs.nfeetdefroirnmmCyaylirffeaoltrehnaeisrae-,ifanrn-oldamwICdaiPndSdccianormpNpeonltevrteyemlwbyoerbruki.l1tI94fai5nnoitwsheheerdr.ea-I
theMiddleEast.
still wanted to finish college and received tuition free from
GoshenCollegebecauseofmyCPSservice.TheUniversityof
CaliforniaevaluatedtheresearchworkIhaddoneincampat
24 credits and gave me a good recommendation. On ^at
basis I asked Goshen to allow me nine hours for thiswork.
Thisallowedmetofinishmyrequirementsinonesemester.
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PAGE 144 JUNE 1992 FRIENDS BULLETIN
Witnessing Against the Death Penalty Disgustinglylegal.
by Arline Hobson, Pima Meeting AtArizona'sprimitivelevel.
IwaspresentthroughoutthereprievehearingforDonald My God, Tm disillusioned! Tm ashamed! I hurt with
shame!
Harding,whowaskilledinthegaschamberbytheStateof
ArizonaonMonday,April6,1992.1spokebrieflytowardthe Father,forgiveusArizonacitizensforallowingsuchcon-
end of the hearing as a representative of the American ductofindifferencebypublicofficials.
FriendsServiceCommittee. Father, forgive the Board members (all political appoin-
1 went into the hearing situation with the naive belief tees), for they apparently do not know what evil they have
(and this in spite ofmy 74 years ofage) that itwouldbe a perpetuatedbytheirindifferenceto the spiritual, moral, and
seriousandthoughtfulconsideration.1knew,ofcourse,that ethicalimplicationsoftheirpublicservice.Maskingthelackof
therecanbevariationsininterpretationofthelaw,but1was humancompassionwithlegalities is unworthyofa civilized
people.
confident that the members of the Board of Pardons and
Paroleswouldweighalltestimony,wouldstruggletogether The Death Penalty
inordertobalanceethical,moral,humanitarian, and legal by the Arizona Area Committee, AFSC
issues.1thoughtthatthiswouldnecessitatedeep,thought-
We
fuldiscussion.IknewalsothatAmericansarenevertrapped call it the "Death Penalty," "Capita—l Punishment,"
intoasimplisticeye-for-an-eyeprimitivism. 1anticipateda "State Executions," or "Penal Euthanasia," abstract non-
narrow vote, either for or against clemency, assuming the emotive words that conceal that collectively we deliberately
Board members were independent free citizens and not kill otherhumanbeings. Whetherbyhanging, electrocution,
administrativeflunkies. theapplicationofpoisongas, firingsquad, orintravenously-
How naive 1 was! How foolish I was to credit State inducedpoison,whenourgovernmentkillsahumanbeingin
officials with struggle of conscience or ethics. Impassive ourname,whatevertheeuphemism, the definitioninsulates
faces of all Board members should have told me tiiat the usfromawarenessthat,inourname,anotherhumanbeingis
outcome had been determined prior to the hearing. But, beingputtodeathincoldblood.
even then, 1 had faith in them as citizens, telling myself OfallthemajorWesternindustrialdemocracies,theUnited
throughout the all-day hearing, with a veryexplicit, well- States is the only nation that has not abolished the death
documentedreviewofthesocietalneglectandvictimization penaltyabsolutelyorrestrictedittospecialwar-timeoffenses.
offellowcitizenDonaldHarding,thattheirnon-emotional This stance is one we share with the USSR (formerly) and
visagesweremaskshidinginnerstruggleandpain. SouthAfrica.
The defense was open and clear about the necessity to No caring citizen can fail to share the pain that victims'
protect society, asking for mercy and Ufe imprisonment families suffer. Ata visceral levelwe comprehend thedesire
withoutparole for this unpredictable and dangerous man for revenge. Still, survivors of the tragedy of murder stand
whosebehaviorwasbeyondhisowncontrol. forthasexamplesofthosewhohaveseparatedtheirpersonal
DespitetheChairman'sobviousimpatience, a few citi- anguishandlossfromahighercalling....Theyhavel^nable
zensspokeatthisso-calledpublichearing,includingme. I to separate their personal loss from the recognition that a
put aside mycarefully drafted statement and made a few maturingsocietycannolongerdemandaneyeforaneye.
remarks, acknowledging that I shared with them what Itisunworthyofanycitizentoequatehumanlife,however
surelymustbeaheart-wrenchingdecisionweighingheavily depraved,withmoneyandtosupportexecutionstoreducethe
oneachsoul.Iassumedtheywereanxioustoallowtimefor drain on the public treasury. Interestingly, it is a common
thoughtfuldiscussion. Again,howstupidofme. misconception that it is less expensive to execute a prisoner
One Board member said he believed some persons thanitistoincarceratehimorherforUfe.Therearestudiesthat
forfeited their righttolive (a life conferredby theCreator) demonstrate that the cost of executing a prisoner is signifi-
andmovedthatthepleaberejected.Themotionseconded, cantlygreaterthanthecostofUfeimprisonment.
therestquicklymuttered, "Iagree." And thatwasthat. ThegeneralnotionthatCapitalPunishmentisadeterrent
Withoutdebate,withoutdiscussion,sixArizonacitizens to murder has also been disproved. There have been many
agreedonaStatekilling. studiesovermanyyearswithdifferentapproaches,method-
Inotedthatitwasall ologies,anddatasets.AUhavegeneraUyconcludedthateither
thedeathpenaltydoesnotdeterorthatdeterrencecannotbe
Orderly,oh,soorderly.
Unhesitatingandprompt. proven.AstudyofcapitolpunishmentinNewYorkfrom1907
Nodiscussion. through 1963indicates thatthereisa sUghtincreaseinhomi-
No troubled souls. cidesinthemonthsafteranexecutioniscarriedout.Research-
Notonesinglewordofhumanitari—anism. erstheorizethat,instead ofdeterringcrime,executionsdem-
AndsofarasIcanjudge,alllegal onstratethatsocietybeUevesitiscorrectandappropriatetokiU
thosewho ereatlyoffendus.
Continued on p. 150.
—
FRIENDS BULLETIN JUNE 1992 - PAGE 145
Should Friends Refuse All Oaths? supportanddefendtheConstitutionandlawsoftheUnited
by Bob Vogel, Orange Grove Meeting States against all enemies does not operate to exclude from
citizenship one unwilling to take up arms in the country's
Query:Dowekeeptoasinglestandardoftruth,sothatwe defense." In subsequent instructions to applicants fornatu-
YM
arefreefromtheuseofjudicialandotheroaths?(Pacific ralization is this provision: "If you cannot promise to bear
&
Faith Practice, 1985,p. 24) armsorperformnoncombatantservicebecauseofreligious
Quakers...receive much persecution for refusal to training and belief, you may omit those promises when
takejudicial oaths. Swearingis contrary to Christ's takingtheoath." So,althoughtheapplicantmayomitthose
teaching: "However, I say to you do not swear at promises,she/hestillmusttake theoath.
all...justletyourwordyesmeanyes,andyourno,no (2) The second remedy has proven even more effective.
(Matthew5:34-37)."Takinganoathsetsupadouble Title 7 of the 1964 Civil Rights Act states in part that an
standard of truth. Friends believe truth is to be employer must make reasonable accommodations to an
spokenatalltimes,whetheroneisinoroutsidethe employee'sreligiouspreference,unlesstheaccommodations
courtroom.WheneverevidenceagainstFriendswas requestedpresentanunduehardshipontheemployer.Sec-
eithershakyorlacking,anoathwouldbetendered, tion708ofTitle7statesthatwhenastateorlocallawcor\flicts
and theresultingrefusalwould certainlymeanim- with the federal law, the federal law supersedes state law.
prisonment. ThisappliestotheCaliforniastatelawmandatingtheoathof
"Peoplesweartotheendtheymayspeakthetruth; allegiance forallpublicemployees. When one isfaced with
Christwould have them speak the truth totheend such an oath that conflicts with one's conscience, one can
theymightnotswear." (WilliamPenn) (PacificYM complaindirectlytotheUSEqualEmploymentOpportunity
Faith &Practice, 1985,p. 10) Commission, stating that the oath or affirmation violates
SinceWorldWarII,citizensinmanystateshavebeenfaced one'sreligiousbeliefe.Thereisnocosttotheindividualfiling
with two oaths: (1) the oath of allegiance, and (2) the non- suchacomplaint,andgenerallytheresponseispromptfrom
disloyaltyoath. From195;2to 1969inCalifornia,citizensand theEEOC. 1
non-profit organizations were required by law to swear or Oathsservenopurposeotherthantoenforceconformity.
affirm that they were not members of any party that advo- AsfarasIamabletodetermine,nopersonwhohassignedor
catedtheoverthrowofthegovernmentoftheUnitedStatesby taken an oath of allegiance has ever been found guilty of
force, violence, oranyotherunlawfulmeans. Churchesand perjury. Ultimately,oathsshouldberepealedbythelegisla-
Meetings in California were denied their tax-exemptstatus, ture.Oathsdiscouragefreedomofspeechandassociation
citizens their right to a passport, and public employees lost freedomsthatareguaranteedbytheBillofRightsoftheUS
theirjobsunlesstheysignedlx)ththeoathofallegianceandthe Constitution.
non-disloyaltyoath. In due course, the non-disloyaltyoaths 1TheEqualEmploymentOpportunityCommission,3660Wilshire
werechallengedsuccessfullyinthecourtsasunconstitutional Blvd,LosAngeles,CA. [phone].
and are no longer a requirement. But the original oath of
Loyalty Oath Experience
allegiancewasnotchallenged.
Today,signinganoathoraffirmationtoupholdtheCon- by Betsy Eberhardt, Redwood ForestMeeting
stitutionanddefenditagainstallenemies,foreignanddomes- Justasaneighteen-year-old isfacedwiththedecisionof
tic, is a job requirement for most public employees in city, whetherornottoregisterforthedraft,whenapplyingfora
state,county,and federalgovernments.Signtheoathoryou teachingposition,oneisfacedwithwhetheronecanconsci-
don't get thejob. This is called a "test" oath with economic entiouslysigntheLoyaltyOathinCalifornia..."todefendthe
sanctions. Ithasnothingtodowithjudicialoaths. Constitutionagainstallenemies,foreignanddomestic."
ManyFriendsareemployedorseekemploymentinteach- When I applied for a teachingposition with Santa Rosa
ing,socialwork,orothergovernmentjobs.Allarefacedwith School DistrictinSonomaCounty, Icouldnotsigntheoath
thedilemmaofeithersigningtheoathorlosingthejob.Most which suggested that there were "enemies" against whom
donothaveresourcestochallengetheoathoraffirmationin onemightneedtobattle. IrewordedtheOathsothatIcould
tahdedco"uirntss,osofatrheayssmigyn.cSoonmsceiemnacye awpilplenaldloawn.o"teSoomrestiimmpelsy signIsita,iadntdhatthIewSouuplerdisnutpepnodretntanadccuepphtoelddittljieusCtonasstIiwturtoitoeniot.f
administratorsoverlooktheseinterpretations;atothertimes theUnitedStatesandtheConstitutionoftheStateofCalifor-
theydonot.
nia againstallencroachment,ratherthandefendtheConstitu-
Friendsshouldknowthattherearetwopossibleremedies. tion against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I added the
(1) One can remind the government official of the US following statements. "I do notbelieve a teacher should be
SupremeCourtcase,GiromrdvUnitedStates,1945, anatural- likened toa soldier. Myfaithdoesnotincludeenemies, soI
izationcase.TheCourtdeclared,"Thestatutoryrequirement couldnotdefendasasoldier. IamaQuakerandoneofour
thatanapplicantforadmissiontocitizenshiptaketheoathto
TestimoniesisPeace."
—
PAGE 146 JUNE 1992 FRIENDS BULLETIN
Cuba: No Threat to the United States estimated that every household in Cuba owned this book.
byJeanRobertsandAnne Si Gennauv Obviously,thepeoplewereinterested inreligiousaffairs.
In the late 1980's, world changes severely affected the
EastsideMeeting
Marxist-Leninist ideology. The government reacted badly
Our trip toCubaundertheauspicesofPaxWorldFoun- andhardened itsattitude toward thechurch.
dationwasafascinatingadventure.Onatwelve-daytripwe The FourthCommunistPartyCongressmetin 1990 and
couldn't expect to see "the whole picture" of the country's began to change the Constitution to allow Christians to
csohnodiwtiuosnsC,ubasa'wse"kbnesetw"osuirdei.tiWneeradriydwhaasvcearseofumlelyapdlvaannnteadgetso bbeeicnogmediPsacrutsysemdemabreersin.cFluustiuorneocfharnegleigsihonopiendtfhoereaqnudalsititlyl
thatmadeourpictureaLittleclearer.Ofourgroupoftwenty- sectionoftheconstitutionandthedirectvoteofthepeoplefor
four, five spoke fluent Spanish, two or three spoke some nationalcongressrepresentatives. Peoplenowvoteonlyfor
Spanish, and onewas Cuban-bom. All ofus had had some localrepresentatives,who, inturn, electthenationals.
experiencetravelinginThirdWorldcountries.Whomwesaw Because ofthe United States illegal (under international
orwherewewent,outsideofourplannedmeetings,wasnot
monitored, and, as far as we knew, no one with whom we lthaewr)ebalroecknaodeboefggCaurbsa,(eexccoenptomfiocr ctohnedicthiiolndsreanrewbhaod.wSatinllt,
spokewasinterrogatedbyanyofficial. "chicklets"), and we didn't see anyone as impoverished as
We stayed at the Miguel Soto Methodist Church guest thoseseenonthestreetsoflargeU.S.cities.Apersoncandrink
houseandwerewarmlywelcomedbyJoelAjo,theMethodist the water from the taps and walk down the street at night
BishopofHavana.OndielastnightwewereinCuba,aretired withoutfear.Ifoneissick,onecantakeadvantageofoneofthe
FriendsPastorandthePresidingClerkofCubaYearlyMeet- world'stopmedicalsystems.Cubaistheonlycountryinthe
ing arrived at the guest house. The Clerk wrote a note of world tohaveadecreasingnumberofAIDScases.
greetingfromCubanFriendsonourtravelletter. Therearefew thingstobuy. Food, clothing,paperprod-
We
In Cuba,1034 churches represent 56 denominations. ucts,andbooksareeitherrationedornotavailable.Theblack
spoke with the acting president of the Cuban Ecumenical marketflourishes, fedby goodsbroughtinbyvisitors from
Council, therectorofSanCarlosSeminaryfounded in 1774, othercountries. Theblockade, intended tobringCastro "to
andaCentralCommitteememberforreligiousaffairsthatis his knees," actually solidifies his position as he tightens
We
the liaison between the churches and the government. controls and as people unify against the threat of a U.S.
also visited with one of the Sisters of Mother Teresa and
invasion.
severalmembersoftheJewishcongregation. Wevisited the CubaisnothreattotheUnitedStates.Formorethanthirty
Bibledistributioncenterand church-runnursinghomes. yearsCastrohasbeenunique inhisabilitytogetawaywith
Atthetimeoftherevolution,churchesparticipatedinthe
being"disobedient"totheU.S.government.Hisdownfallhas
joyofliberation.Therewasnoconflictbetweenbelieverand become an obsession. In spite of logic, common sense, and
revolutionary. The problem came with the Sovietpresence.
world-wide public opinion against the blockade. President
WhenCastrodeclaredtheSocialistStatein1961,therewasa Bushextendeditsscopejustinthelastweek.
strongconfrontation. Churchleadersfearedrestrictionsand ThequestionofsurvivalisthemainCubanagenda.Those
discrimination against the churches; many left the country. who know the Cuban people know that they are survivors,
AllCatholicschoolsweretakenoverbytheState. Beforethe abletomeetthechallengesofthenewworldorder.Wehope
revolutiontherewere15,000JewishpeopleinCuba.Allbuta that the people in this country will become informed and
fewhundredhaveleftthecountry. strongenoughtohelp theCubans.
Believerscould notbepartoftheCommunistPartyand
couldnotparticipatefullyinthenewsociety.Jobapplications
asked, "E)o you believe in God?" If so, the applicant was
automaticallyexcludedfromthebetterjobs.Enrollmentinthe
Universitywas not open to believers. School children were
taughtatheismandthatJesusChristneverexisted.Children
ofbelieverswerepressured nottoattendchurch.
Inthe1970'saslightdialoguestartedbetweenthechurches
andthegovernment.Thebelieversbegantobemoreactivein
socialreform.Liberationtheologywasintroduced,butmany
Cubans felt their revolution was doing for Cuba what that
theologywasdoingforothercountries.
In 1985, for the first time, Fidel Castro met with the
Catholic bishops. The Churches participated in two confer-
encesoninternationaldebt. Thebook, "FidelandReligion," a DayCareCenter, SantiagodeCuba.
dialoguebetweenFidelandFreiBettowaspublished.Itwas PicturebyJean Roberts.