Hundreds gather at the Islamic Center of Southern California to grieve, to express solidarity with the LGTBQ community and to call for gun control in the wake of the tragic Orlando shooting

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On Monday, June 13, I took part in a vigil sponsored by Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace and the Islamic Center of Southern California. As we reflected on the tragic mass shooting that took place in Orlando, Florida, hundreds of people took part in this media event, including religious leaders of diverse faiths--Jews, Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, etc. Many condemned our culture of violence and called for gun control. Most expressed solidarity with the LGTBQ community. It was especially gratifying to hear Muslim leaders speak out so strongly in favor of gay rights since in many Muslim countries gays and lesbians are being persecuted. “There’s no room for LGBTQ violence in any of our faiths,” said Salam Al-Marayati, President of Muslim Public Affairs Council who called what happened in Orlando “the most vicious of hate crimes.”  He passionately denounced ISIS and all it stands for. Check out this article:Voice of America on the ICUJP vigil

I felt honored to be among those who gave a two-minute reflection at this event. Pictured above are many of my dear interfaith friends and colleagues. In the front row: Sihk Nirigian, Rabbi Comes-Daniel playing guitar, Ruth Sharone, Salam Al-Marayati, Grace Dyrness and myself (behind Grace).

Here is what I shared during this gathering:

                                                                                      ******

It was shocking to learn of the tragedy in Orlando, the 133rd mass shooting in the US since January 1st. My heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims, and also to the LGBTQ community. They need our prayers and our support. Let us not forget to pray as well for the family and friends of the shooter, and of the Muslim community. During these times of violence and fear there is a great temptation to scapegoat and blame whole groups for the actions of a dangerous and demented few. Our Muslim brothers and sisters need our prayers and support. That’s why I am here.

I am here with my friends in the interfaith community to let our fellow Americans know that we stand in solidarity with Muslims who are as appalled as we are by senseless violence. The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) has not only condemned this act of hatred and terror, it has called on Muslims to donate blood to aid the injured and to extend their giving and prayers for all those affected by this mass shooting, including the LGBTQ community. (See letter below.)

I stand here with people of conscience, people of many faiths, to speak out against all forms of violence and bigotry. Gun violence, and "violence of the tongue."

We should not tolerate intolerance, whether by a follower of ISIS, or by a Presidential candidate who says "Islam hates us" and  Muslims should benot allowed to emigrate to this country.

I stand here as a Quaker and as a Christian who has committed my life to ending war and violence. For the past fifteen years, I have fasted during Ramadan to express solidarity with my Muslim friends and neighbors. I have vowed to continue fasting till there is peace in Israel/Palestine and the Middle East. Through fasting I have come to appreciate even more Jesus words: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice.” Let us redouble our efforts to work for justice and oppose all forms of bigotry so that those who died in Orlando will not have died in vain.

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This is a statement by Salam Al-Marayati, the President of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)

Today, our hearts are heavy with the horrific news of a hateful homophobic mass shooting targeting a gay club in Florida, which has taken the lives of 50 people and injured at least 53 others. We join with the LGBTQ community and all Americans in expressing our profound outrage, grief, and condemnation of this sickening act of senseless violence that violates all human decency. Hate, bigotry and violence are our common enemy.

We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased and injured, and stand shoulder to shoulder with the LGBTQ community as we deal with the aftermath of the despicable crime. We are in touch with federal and local law enforcement about the investigation surrounding this tragedy.

We urge Muslim Floridians to donate blood to aid the injured and to extend their giving and prayers for all those affected by this mass shooting.

MPAC and many other American Muslim groups around the country have strong ties with LGBTQ communities and groups, and have worked together to oppose hate, intolerance, and bullying which impacts both of our communities.

As we all grapple with this senseless tragedy and we learn more about the motives and facts of the case, we will be reaching out to LGBTQ communities with condolences and solidarity. As President Obama said at his press conference this afternoon, let us stand together in our grief and outrage, and our solidarity with the victims and their families.

As Muslims, we believe in religious freedom, civil rights, and human rights. We reject violence, hatred, and discrimination toward anyone on the basis of race, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin. We support civil rights for all people. May God guide us all as we strive in His cause.

Should Christians fast with Muslims during Ramadan and if so, why?

I'm not the only Christian to fast during Ramadan. Since 9/11, so many Christians have adopted this practice there is even a Twitter called  #Christians4ramadan. Most do it in order to express solidarity with the Muslim community and to understand better the Muslim faith. They do not see their fast as diminishing or compromising their Christian faith; rather they see it as an expression of Jesus' commandment to "love your neighbor" and (given the Islamophobia current in the US) "love your enemies." Sarah Ager, a Muslim who leads the Interfaith Muslim project, explains:

 "Each participant brings their own unique touch – some fasting for the whole month, others for a day, and some not at all. Others are using the opportunity to raise money for charity, including persecuted Christians and Muslims abroad."
         It is not enough to simply read about Islam, Ager says, but we need to engage with one another on a personal level. Fasting alongside each other "provides an opportunity for Christians and Muslims to support one another through a shared physical experience, one which has the core aim of bringing about spiritual change for the better," she adds, noting that abstaining from food for prayer is a tradition shared by both Christians and Muslims.                                         Interfaith activist and former director of the Christian Muslim Forum, Julian Bond, was one of the early adopters of the Christians for Ramadan movement. He has chosen to fast on three separate days over Ramadan on behalf of a Muslim friend who is unable to do so due to health problems. He is also reading the Quran, and tweeting a verse from it each day. He wants to "engage as deeply as possible" with those of other faiths, he says, to combat stereotypes –  particularly of Muslims – which have been growing since 9/11.                                      "It's about being able to speak from an informed position to encourage others, that they don't have to go as far as me, but if they want to – it's safe," he adds. "It's about building relationships with other people".

         My practice is similar to Julian's. I rise before dawn, read the Quran as well as the Bible, and I recite the Fatihah (the opening prayer of the Quran) as well as the Lord's prayer. These two prayers are foundational for both faiths and are surprisingly compatible. The Fatihah contains nothing that a Christian couldn't agree with, and the Lord's prayer contains nothing that a Muslim couldn't agree with. When I was in Kenya, I met a Muslim iman who was asked to give a prayer at an interfaith gathering and recited the Lord's Prayer. Incidentally, his name was Issa, the Arabic word for Jesus. When I asked Issa how he felt about Jesus, he replied enthusiastically, "As a Mulsim, I love Jesus. He is one of God's messengers, like the Prophet Mohammad." As a Christian, I feel that Jesus is more than a prophet, but I am glad my Muslim brother honors and loves Jesus. I try to reciprocate by showing respect for Mohammad and his followers.
            I honor the Muslim faith by reading the Quran not to refute but to understand and appreciate it. I don't agree with everything I read, especially parts relating to war. I also question certain passages in the Bible that seemingly promote violence. In both Scriptures, I find wisdom and truth about the nature of a loving God who calls us to live together in peace..
            As a Christian, I see Jesus as the ultimate embodiment of God's love and the guide for my life. As a Quaker,  I also see "that of God" in other people and faiths and feel called to a ministry of reconciliation--reconciling people in conflict, and reconciling God and God's children. 
           I was pleased to see the Christianity Today, an Evangelical Christian publication, ran a series of reflections by Christians addressing the question I posed as the title for this blog. Most seem to feel that fasting with Muslims is a good thing, if we do it for the right reasons and don't equate Christianity with Islam. We are all created by, and worship, the same God, and share many ethical values, but we have theological differences that shouldn't be minimized or discounted. But whatever our theological perspective, it is worth taking to heart what Rick Warren said when he was the keynote speaker at the Muslim Public Affairs Counsel:

"I love Muslims, I love Jews, I love gays, I love straights, I love Republicans and I love Democrats because Jesus Christ commanded me to love."

That summarizes for me in a nutshell what it means to be a Christian. I would add only that we are not only commanded to love, we are also created to love since we are made in God's image and God is love.
            

Should Christians Fast During Ramadan With Muslims?

Church leaders and observers weigh in on a current debate.

Compiled by Ruth Moon/ OCTOBER 26, 2009

"I would say it's absolutely appropriate, particularly if one does it for spiritual reasons, combining it with prayer and strengthening your discipline and submission to God. If there are side benefits, like showing some solidarity with your Muslim friends, that's fine too. It's best not to be bragging about it. (But) it has to be a personal decision."
Donald Wagner, co-founder, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

"The idea of Ramadan and the feast of Eid is Muslims are asking that they would encounter God more. What that means to them varies from place to place and person to person, I'm sure, and Islam has so many different manifestations, that varies dramatically across the globe. But still—that's something we can agree with, that we pray and get to know God more."
Lynn Green, international chairman, Youth With a Mission

"In order to bridge the gap between the East and West Muslim and Christian cultures, rather than condemning and criticizing, here's something very easy that we could do as followers of Jesus that's consistent with the teachings of Christ and the scriptures. Not that we're supporting every viewpoint and doctrine, no—we're supporting them as neighbors in the spiritual journey. We're all on a spiritual journey."
Mark Siljander, author, A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide

"There's such fragmentation between the Christian community and the Muslim community that it makes sense to me that we participate in something that is both inherently Christian and, for Muslims, inherently Islamic, to build bridges of peace."
Ben Ries, pastor, Sterling Drive Church of Christ, Bellingham, Wash.

"Muslims believe that fasting is an essential component during the month of Ramadan, essential to their obedience to God. So they assume anyone who is seeking to be serious about God will show that dedication by fasting as well. Muslims have a hard time understanding how Christians can be serious about wanting to follow God without also fasting during Ramadan. If Muslims see a Christian fasting, they tend to respond with a development of very positive rapport. They say, "Here's someone who is serious about obeying God as much as we are." It builds ties with Muslim friends and acquaintances."
Mateen Elass, Christian from a Muslim family background and senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Edmond, Okla.

"If we are using traditional Christian disciplines just as a matter of solidarity then we are missing the point. The whole thing rides on motive. If one is doing it just to be a nice person and identify with a Muslim neighbor, then I don't think it's appropriate, because you're using a spiritual discipline not as a spiritual exercise but as a social connection. If one is saying, 'During Ramadan, I'm going to fast too because that's part of our history and I want to be drawn closer to Christ and be more like Christ,' then it's totally appropriate."
Joel Hunter, senior pastor, Northland Church, and member, President's Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

"It depends on the attitude and the biblical understanding of prayer and fasting. We are not praying and fasting in the name of Allah. Yes, we will pray and fast with Muslims, to a certain extent; but we will pray and fast in Jesus' name, and do it for their salvation."
Ron Kernahan, joint coordinator, 30-Days Prayer Network

 "Christians may fast alongside Muslim friends, either as a gesture of friendship or in order to open dialogue, but not as part of Ramadan itself. Christian fasting is fundamentally different from Muslim fasting. Christians must make clear that their view of God, God's approach to us, and therefore fasting as part of our relationship to God, are each different from Muslim views."
Gerald McDermott, Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion, Roanoke College

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/november/6.18.html

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/why.christians.are.fasting.for.ramadan/58529.htm

Lifting the Veil on the Peace Testimony Among Pacific Yearly Meeting Friends

It is hard to assess how the Peace Testimony is faring among Pacific Yearly Meeting Friends since attendance at PSO’s monthly conference calls has dwindled to two or three besides the clerk and co-clerk, and very few reports have been received from our email blasts to clerks of Peace Committees. Some Peace Committees have been laid down. Appointed members of the PSO Committee have mostly not taken part in our calls. No minutes of concern have come to our attention, except for a minute on "Living Sustainably" from the FWCC World Plenary in Peru. The good news is that individual meetings and individual Friends are active in peace and social concerns (some doing extraordinary work), but we are not collaborating or communicating very well as a community of Friends. 

The Book of Revelation was very
important to early Friends, as Gwyn
makes clear in this important study
of George Fox

It is worth noting that the theme of this year’s Yearly Meeting, “Lifting the Veil,” is related to the word “Revelation” (Apocalypsis in Greek), which means “to uncover or lift the veil.” The Book of Revelation was written when Christians were living under oppression and persecution during the dark days of the Roman Empire. Its coded message was that the spirit of Christ would prevail over the forces of empire—a message that early Friends took to heart, often at great personal risk.  Experiencing the living Christ as their Teacher and Guide,George Fox and early Friends struggled so that there would be a “new Jerusalem,” God’s beloved community, on earth as it is in heaven.

Some questions arise: Do Friends still believe that is possible to transform our culture and system of war into a culture and system of peace? What sacrifices are we willing to make for the sake of justice and peace?

In our dark times there are some glimmerings of light and hope among Friends.  Here are a few examples:

Orange Grove Meeting has a thriving Peace and Social Concerns Committee with adult studies on peace and social justice topics, and two members attending the FCNL Quaker lobby day. Orange Grove Friends approved minutes on the refugee crisis (endorsing FCNL’s position) and the “Facing the Climate Crisis” minute approved by Pacific YM.

Claremont Meeting has demonstrated extraordinary stewardship and concern for the poor and the environment. They host a dozen homeless people in their Meetinghouse every night of the year and have helped birth the “Claremont Homeless Advocacy Program” that involved the Claremont community provides homeless people with wrap-around services. They also installed solar panels and partnered with a local group that plants fruit trees sustainably. They have reduced  their water use by replacing lawns with permaculture berms and swales that capture rainwater for these trees. 

Santa Cruz had laid down its Peace Committee but it was resurrected through the efforts of committed Friends. A retreat was held to help discern what Santa Cruz Friends care most deeply about. Adult studies were organized to explore these concerns. And the Peace Committee is now thriving again. How was this accomplished? We are eager to learn more and to help other Meetings to do likewise.

Strawberry Creek Meeting had many adult education forums (climate change Paris COP20, solitary confinement, Quaker Bolivia tour, etc.), participated in climate change events, and raised and distributed Dime-A-Gallon grants re environment. It considered Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) Priorities for 2017 and recommended focusing 1) on climate change that includes justice and sustainability concerns, 2) on economic equity that would include Native American, immigration, and racial justice concerns, and 3) on peacebuilding that includes efforts toward nuclear disarmament. Strawberry Creek Friends also approved signing an interfaith petition to the President and Congress asking for "legally binding solutions that reduce national greenhouse gas emissions" and providing "poor and vulnerable communities here and abroad support to build low carbon and climate-resilient societies."

Other Meetings may have engaged in peace-related actions but have not reported them to the clerk of PSO. The co-clerks of PYM-PSO urge Peace Committees of every Meeting to report their activities to us so we can share this news and encourage others.

In many Meetings individual Friends are doing good work for peace and justice with the support of "anchor" or accountability committees, while others are working without their Meeting support, for various reasons. For example, David Hartsough of San Francisco Meeting toured the country with his remarkable memoir "Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Nonviolent Activist" and has been invited to go to Russia this summer to follow up on peace activities he undertook there in the 1960s.  Unable to give the interest group on ending war that he had planned to lead at our annual session, David writes:

 "We live at a time the US and Russia are threatening nuclear war and we are closer to nuclear war than at any time since the Cuba missile crisis,when we are bombing seven Muslim countries and in full scale war with three - Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, when the US has over one hundred military bases in countries all over the world and the US spends ever more hundreds of billions for war and preparations for war while we skimp on funds for education for our children, affordable healthcare for all, adequate housing for our people and making the transition to a renewable energy society and world . How can Friends begin making a much clearer statement to the world with our words and our lives that we must end our addiction to the insanity of war and militarism?"

Jim Summers of La Jolla Meeting has been involved in an exciting project with Veterans for Peace: the re-launching of the Golden Rule, a ship that a Quaker named Albert Bigelow intended to sail into the forbidden nuclear test zone in 1958, and is now on a new mission for peace.

Questions worth exploring: Why are Friends reluctant to turn to their Meeting for support when they have a concern for peace and justice? How can we encourage individual Friends to work together as a community for peace and justice, under the care of their Meeting and of the Spirit?

The PSO Committee has sponsored the following interest groups with both local and global concerns:

How are Friends Helping and Serving the Community? David Brietzmann and Linnea Hanson are surveying Friends Meetings of Pacific Yearly Meeting to find out how meetings are serving and helping their communities. Their interest group will highlight some of the different ways that meetings are providing service. They would like to develop a spreadsheet that can be posted on the Western Friend website for all Friends to use to post their service activities. FCNL (Friends Committee on National Legislation) and FCL-CA (Friends Committee on Legislation—California) lobby to influence elected officials at the federal and state levels and often make ballot recommendations for us. This interest group will focus on and train us to influence our local governments, especially our school boards. Friends will also get information on campaigning for like-minded candidates and/or running for office. Conveners: David Brietzmann (San Francisco Meeting) and Linnea Hanson (Chico Meeting).

Friends Peace Teams. FPT works for peace in many parts of the world.  San Diego Meeting just gave FPT Peace in Latin America a grant to help with its work.  FPT Asia West Pacific is establishing a Peace Center in Pati, Indonesia, where people from Asia West Pacific come to a yearly conference to learn about AVP and peaceful development.  The African Great Lakes Initiative is working to hold together the peace in Burundi which is unstable because the President wants an unconstitutional 3rd term. Convener: Gay Howard (Central Coast).

67 Sueños Collective. The Oakland-based "67 Sueños Collective" ("67 Dreams," after the 67 percent of young people who would not be affected by the DREAM Act) holds monthly encounters or "Encuentros" with undocumented youth from across the Bay Area. The focus is to build solidarity, and to record their testimonies/stories in hopes to build awareness about the issues they face and to bear witness to their American experience. Convener: AFSC.

Open Your Eyes to the Wider World of Quakers: Report on the FWCC Plenary in Peru. Are you curious about Quakers from all over the world? What's it like to worship with over 325 Quakers from 37 countries? We are the children of God. We are who creation has been waiting for. We are called to reveal ourselves in our lives and in the work we do with our hearts and our hands. Although God can fill our hearts, God has no hands but ours to heal this broken world. We can be salt and light shining to the world and declaring the love of God. Conveners: Anthony Manousos (Orange Grove Meeting), Jan Turner (Humboldt Meeting), Hulda Muaka (Palo Alto), Janet Leslie (Chico) and Roena Oesting (La Jolla).

The 2016 FWCC Gathering in Peru and the Sustainability Minute. Presentations by PYM Friends who took part in this world-wide Quaker gathering, which unanimously agreed on a sustainability minute calling for specific actions by individuals and meetings. What does this minute, and the work of FWCC, mean for the Society of Friends? This minute calls for specific actions by individuals and meetings. How can Pacific Yearly Meeting Friends best respond to this call? Conveners: FWCC reps, QEW, and PSO.

A final note of hope, and a challenge: Friends throughout the world are now united around two Testimonies: Peace and Sustainability. Friends may differ theologically and culturally, we may have different approaches to worship, but we feel a unifying spirit that calls us to care for our earth and for those who are suffering from the effects of war and climate disruption. For this reason, PSO, FWCC and QEW have worked together to lift up FWCC’s minutes on Sustainability, Eco-justice and Peace that Friends world-wide are taking to heart. We are calling upon our Yearly Meeting to take two concrete actions that demonstrate our commitment to sustainability. The earth is in crisis, and we are urging our Yearly Meeting to act now.

Awakening to the Wider World of Quakers: a report on the FWCC World Plenary in Peru for Pacific Yearly Meeting

“The purpose of the Friends World Committee for Consultation is to encourage fellowship among all the branches of the Religious Society of Friends”

Dear Pacific Yearly Meeting Friends:

     Greetings from FWCC and from fellow Friends across the Americas and around the World.  THANK YOU for your support!

This January, three members of Pacific Yearly Meeting  (Jan Turner, Anthony Manousos, and Hulda Muaka) attended the FWCC World Plenary meeting in Pisac, Peru, as your representatives from Pacific Yearly Meeting.  (Jill Shook, Sharon Shen and Janet Leslie attended as open delegates.) During the plenary, 320 Friends from 37 countries and 77 Yearly Meetings (plus independent Meetings and worship groups) met together for a week in the sacred valley of the Incas.  Another 60 Peruvian and Bolivian friends joined us for the weekend.  Being among the world fellowship of Friends is an experience of profound unity in the midst of a perplexing diversity of linguistic, cultural, and religious expressions.  If you think you know who Friends are, what they think and how they worship, you might want to attend an FWCC event and think again! 

Our theme at the plenary was “Living the Transformation.”  We were challenged to sense the deep spiritual connection that animates us all and act out Spirit’s leadings both individually and collectively.  There were many opportunities for us to get to know one another in small groups as well as to worship together as a body.  Not all the worship was silent – some of it was quite loud – with singing in several languages and simultaneous translation of spoken messages into English, Spanish, French, and Aymara (an indigenous language).  In working sessions, the plenary consultations focused on four topics:  developing leadership, creating vital Quaker communities, sustaining life on earth, and equipping FWCC to serve the worldwide community of Friends.  Young Adult Friends (90 of them!) took a vital role in the plenary, and, at its end, reminded us all that they are not just our future leaders – they intend to lead now.

One outcome of the plenary is the acknowledgement that FWCC world plenaries will happen less often in the future.  What was the “Triennial” became a four year interval after 2012 and will now be even more years between world gatherings.  The trend of donations is down, particularly from North America.  Unless we have more funding, it could be as long as eight years until the next world gathering. However, other concerns also motivate the change, including conservation of the Earth’s limited resources (less plane travel) and conservation of our energy for growing other activities like inter-visitation through traveling ministry. (To find more about this program, go to http://fwccamericas.org/about_us/programs/images/FWCC_app_TravelingMinistryCorps.pdf

In the meantime, our more local FWCC Section of the Americas continues to plan consultations every other year (next year in Pittsburgh), with local events in between.  As we encourage younger Friends to represent us, we need to remember to budget for their travel in the Americas and beyond!

Environmental concerns increasingly concern Friends globally.  Following the 2012 Kabarak Call for Peace and Ecojustice, this world plenary approved a minute on “Living Sustainably and Sustaining Life on Earth,” which calls for action at the FWCC level, at our yearly meetings, and as individuals.  At the world level, the minute asks FWCC to invest its funds ethically, share Quaker experiences with other faith groups, seek ways of connecting Friends worldwide that are sustainable, and facilitate dissemination of training materials on sustainability issues.  At the yearly meeting level, the minute asks us here at PYM to (1) initiate at least two concrete actions on sustainability, (2) support individuals and groups in Meetings who feel called to take action on sustainability, and (3) support the work done on by Quaker organizations such as the Quaker United Nations Office to support sustainability.  Finally, the minute asks individual Friends to share their experiences of living sustainably on the “sustainability webpage” of the Quakers in the World Website (http://www.quakersintheworld.org/).  The full text of the minute is available at http://fwcc.world/fwcc-news/living-sustainably-and-sustaining-life-on-earth-the-minute-from-the-plenary and contains an addendum with suggested individual, monthly meeting, and yearly meeting actions.

The world plenary epistle ends with these words: “We are one.  We are one in the spirit of God which does not wash away or hide our differences, but allows us to celebrate them and enables us to move beyond the spiritual boundaries that may separate us. … Through listening deeply and tenderly to each other and to God we reached a place where we can hear and sense where the words come from even when we may not understand the tongue they are spoken in.”  Amen to that!  At one moment during worship, we all listened with rapt attention to impassioned words spoken in Aymara, the native language of Peruvian and Bolivian Friends. 

The epistle ends: “The work of FWCC depends on us all.  In order to continue it, we encourage Friends, meetings … and Yearly Meetings to contribute financially to and participate in building connections between Friends.”  This year’s plenary faced a challenge when visa issues threatened to block participation by East African Friends.  Immediate action by the world community enabled our East African Friends to arrive, but at an $29,000 unexpected expense.  FWCC asks Friends to help replenish this deficit.  See details at: http://fwcc.world/fwcc-news/special-fwcc-pisac-travel-appeal.

-          Would you like to learn more about FWCC?  Please contact Anthony Manousos at interfaithquaker@aol.com.   We are offering two interest groups during the PYM annual session about FWCC and the world plenary, one focusing on the Sustainability Minute (co-sponsored by QEW and PSO) and one focusing mainly on the spiritual aspects of our FWCC gathering.  Please come, share your experience, and learn more about what’s going on in the world-wide Quaker community.  There’s a Power point about the Peru gathering at    http://laquaker.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-world-gathering-of-quakers-in-peru.html.   There’s also video about the world plenary at  https://vimeo.com/153757538.  Please also take a look at the FWCC website (http://www.fwccamericas.org/ , and, if so moved, consider making a donation to help fund FWCC’s work bringing Friends together across all boundaries.

In friendship, Anthony Manousos, Jan Turner and Hulda Muaka

(With appreciation to Rob Pierson of Intermountain YM, who wrote much of this report and serves on the FWCC Communications Committee, which Anthony Manousos clerks)

Remembering war resisters on Memorial Day: A Tribute to Bill Lovett

I was very moved yesterday when Jill and I went to Santa Monica and saw Veterans for Peace taking down the crosses they placed there to remember those who died in recent wars since 9/11. Every Sunday, Memorial and Veterans Day since 9/11 these peace-loving veterans have faithfully placed crosses on the beach and reminded people of the cost of war.

I was also moved by Chuck Fager's essay entitled "Quaker Memorial Day" in which he tells the story of  Southern Quaker during the Civil War who paid a huge price for standing up for his convictions.

Many Quakers did go to war, but those who remained faithful to our Peace Testimony deserve to be remembered and honored on this day. On this day, I'd like to lift up Bill Lovett,  a beloved and respected member of the Pacific Yearly Meeting since coming to California with his family in 1965. A birth-right Friend whose family became Quakers in the time of William Penn, Bill was born in 1923 in Fallsington, a small rural Quaker community in Pennsylvania not far from the Delaware River. He has been a passionate pacifist all his life and served time in prison during World War II because of his uncompromising commitment to conscientious objection. Bill refused to seek CO status as a Quaker because he wanted CO status to be extended to non-religious people of conscience.  Bill became involved in helping low-income farm workers in the Central Valley build affordable homes through Self-Help Enterprises, a precursor to Habitat for Humanity. 

I came to know Bill through the Youth Service Program that I helped to start for Southern California Quarterly Meeting and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). In 1994, I took a youth group to the Central Valley to do a project with Self-Help Enterprises and we stayed at the Visalia Meetinghouse. There Bill shared with us his amazing story, much to the delight of our young volunteers. I must add that when my wife Jill heard Bill’s story at a PYM gathering, she was so impressed she insisted we stop off in Visalia and record it. The afternoon we spent with the Lovetts at Quaker Oaks Farm was an unforgettable experience, Here's the story of how Bill came to be a war resister during World War II. When the draft was reinstated, Bill was an 18-year-old volunteer working an AFSC work camp in Mexico.

While Bill was in Mexico, the draft age was lowered to 18. All American males of draft age had to register. Bill and several of his friends decided to send a letter to the Attorney General saying that they would not register for the draft. This was a radical decision since by not registering Bill could face severe penalties, including prison. If he did register, he could receive Conscientious Objector (CO) status as a Quaker and would be eligible for a deferment. At most, he would have to do alternative service in a Civilian Public Service (CPS) camp. But Bill’s commitment to the Quaker Testimony of Equality prevented him from taking this easier route. He wanted every person of conscience to have CO status, not just those who belonged to historic peace churches like the Quakers, Mennonites, and Brethren

When Bill and his friends crossed the border, they were greeted by federal agents who immediately arrested them and detained him in Loredo, Texas. This was especially hard on Bill because he was suffering from amoebic dysentery and had to be isolated. The government (and even the AFSC) tried to persuade him to register as a CO. He was told that if he were tried in Texas, he could receive five years in jail and a huge fine. Bill was adamant, and so were his friends, Arlo Tatum (of Iowa) and Tommy Woodman (of New Jersey). Finally, after some pressure from their families, these three war resisters were sent back to their home states to be tried.

They were released on their own recognizance, as often happened in such cases. Bill took a bus back to Fallsington and stayed with his family while awaiting trial. Bill was tried in Philadelphia and received a three-year sentence to Lewisburg Prison, a maximum security facility in Northwest Pennsylvania.

“Being in a federal prison was pretty educational,” recalled Bill, smiling.

Of the 1,200 prisoners, 120 were there for refusing to be drafted. Many of the other prisoners were incarcerated for violating laws relating to alcohol—they were known as “moon shiners”. One of the most famous prisoners at Lewisberg was Dave Dellinger, pacifist and advocate for nonviolent social change, perhaps best known for being one of the Chicago Seven arrested for disrupting the Democratic National Convention in 1968. Dellinger came from a prominent New England family, attended Yale, Oxford and Union Theological Seminary. Like Bill, he was imprisoned for taking what some called an “absolutist stance”—refusing to register for the draft, even though he was also eligible for a CO deferment.

While in prison, Bill and others became concerned about the treatment of their fellow prisoners. They were especially disturbed by racial segregation: blacks and whites lived and dined in separate areas.

“Just because you’re in prison,” recalled Bill, “doesn’t mean you close your eyes to racial abuse. So we went on a work strike which eventually escalated to a hunger strike.”

Initially strikers were put in solitary confinement. They communicated with other prisoners by slipping hand-printed newspapers under doors. But as their numbers increased they were housed in a dorm of 15-30 inmates. Bill refused to eat for 30 days and eventually was force-fed by prison guards.

“They didn’t know how to deal with us” Lovett said, explaining how the threat of solitary confinement or loss of good time release was wasted on conscientious objectors who planned on spending the duration of the war in prison. “We didn’t fight, but we had moral issues. We brought a little bit of democracy into the prisons.”

 They used their privileged status to get the attention of political leaders. Most of the inmates were abandoned by the families, recalled Bill, but he and his fellow war resisters had strong support from their family and their religious communities. They used these connections to pressure prison officials in Washington. The prison dining halls were ultimately integrated due to their efforts.

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