June 30, 2002 - Madison Newspapers: Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Afghanisan meet in Wisconsin
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June 30, 2002 - Madison Newspapers: Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Afghanisan meet in Wisconsin
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Afghanisan meet in Wisconsin
Read and comment on this story from Madison Newspapers that Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Afghanisan met in Wisconsin for a reunion in June at:
EX-PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS MEET*
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
EX-PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS MEET
Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI)
Published on June 30, 2002
© 2002- Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Byline: Dakarai I. Aarons Wisconsin State Journal
Fond memories and concern for the future brought a group of former Peace Corps volunteers together Saturday.
The group of nearly 70 at the Memorial Union Lakeside Cafeteria served in Afghanistan during the mid-1970s and early 1980s. They came together once again not only to catch up, but to learn how they could help restore the war-torn country to the place they once knew.
"It's been frustrating because I couldn't do anything about it," said Terry Dougherty of Ft. Wayne, Ind., who served in Kabul from 1972 to 1975. "Now there is hope that we can make a contribution."
Former Peace Corp volunteer Randy Biggers of the U.S. State Department said the United States would soon begin a program to bring Afghan students and teachers to the United States for a cultural enrichment program similar to one between the United States and countries in the former Soviet Union.
Several at the dinner Saturday said they wanted to sign up to host Afghans.
Susan Dugan of Reno Nev., was in Gruishk from 1973 to 1975 with her husband Paul. They served as English teachers.
"I wish that they can build their country back to the way it was when we were there, and I hope America can help," she said. "I don't want them forgotten."
Erik Ibele and four other Madison-area former volunteers worked for six months to put the event together.
Ibele, now a Madison lawyer, taught English to middle-school age children while in Kandahar from 1973 to 1975.
Biggers read a statement by Ishaq Shahryar, Afghan ambassador to the U.S., prepared for the occasion.
"Your continued interest is a treasured resource for us," the statement read. "In this regard, we also trust that the Peace Corps will soon be able to resume its excellent programs in Afghanistan."
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PCOL1403
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By Stan Penner (stnbmb01dc1-235-87.dynamic.mts.net - 142.161.235.87) on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 8:41 pm: Edit Post |
Congratulations, Americans, for bringing shuttle Discovery safely home. We rejoice together with you; the world applauds. You guys are good.
And, as it should be, CNN (and probably almost countless other stations) reported on the safe return of the shuttle, but then, almost in the same breath, more deaths were reported from Iraq.
Is that killing and dreadful suffering in Iraq ever going to stop? We are learning to conquer space (I find that very exciting and hope it will continue), but have MUCH to learn about living together on this planet Earth. What can we do? What should we do?
One of your own, namely Linus Pauling, scientist, peace advocate, and Nobel Peace Prize winner has some suggestions. He writes in his book No More War as follows:
“Man has developed admirable principles of morality, which in large part govern the actions of individual human beings. And yet, we are murderers, mass murderers.
Does the Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” mean nothing to us? Are we to interpret it as meaning “Thou shalt not kill except on the grand scale,” or, “Thou shalt not kill except when the national leaders say to do so”?
I am an American, deeply interested in the welfare of my fellow Americans, of our great Nation. But I am first of all a human being. I believe in morality.
I believe that there is a greater power in the world than the evil power of military force, of nuclear bombs-there is the power of good, of morality, of humanitarianism.
I believe in the power of the human spirit. I should like to see our great Nation, the United States of America, take the lead in the fight for good, for peace, against the evil of war. I should like to see in our cabinet a Secretary for Peace, with a budget of billions of dollars per year perhaps as much as 10 percent of the amount now expended for military purposes. I should like to see set up a great international research program involving thousands of scientists, economists, geographers, and other experts working steadily year after year in the search for possible solutions to world problems, ways to prevent war and to preserve peace.
During the past hundred years there have been astounding developments in science and technology, developments that have completely changed the nature of the world in which we live. So far as I can see, the nature of diplomacy, of the conduct of international affairs, has changed very little.
The time has now come for this aspect of the world to change, because we now recognize that the power to destroy the world is a power that cannot be used.
May our great Nation, the United States of America, be the leader in bringing morality into its proper place of prime importance in the conduct of world affairs!”*
Pauling speaks from the head and from the heart. Let’s take heed.
Yours sincerely,
Stan Penner
*Linus Pauling’s words are from pages 216 and 217 in his book, NO MORE WAR (Dodd, Mead, and Company NY, NY)