Letters.YOUR JULY-AUGUST 1999 issue brought sanity to your readers trying to respond to the disastrous Kosovo events. This has been the most divisive issue to come to the peace community in my memory (35 years in the peace movement). We in Kansas are impacted especially by the overwhelming presence of the military-industrial-congressional industry; we found many friends condoning NATO NATO: see North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO in full North Atlantic Treaty Organization International military alliance created to defend western Europe against a possible Soviet invasion. , if not cheering them on! Rose Marie This article is about the actress. For other persons of the same name, see Rose Marie (disambiguation). Rose Marie (born August 15, 1923) is an actress who had a career as a child star under the name Baby Rose Marie Berger is to be thanked for her comprehensive, concise piece "Begin With Disillusionment Disillusionment Adams, Nick loses innocence through WWI experience. [Am. Lit.: “The Killers”] Angry Young Men disillusioned postwar writers of Britain, such as Osborne and Amis. [Br. Lit. ." My sincere gratitude for having given us such a wise, intelligent, and profound look at the background of the conflict. Mary McDonough Harren Pax Christi Wichita Wichita, Kansas Gender and Classes THANK YOU FOR Kari Jo Verhulst's commentary ("Sex Matters," July-August 1999) on sexism against girls in our country's elementary and secondary schools. For what it's worth, a similar essay could make a compelling argument for sexism against boys, given their poor performance by so many statistical measures. In any case, I appreciate her attention to "the roots of inequality." On top of potential sexism, our current educational system yields so many other clearly unpleasant outcomes--specially for the poor. This makes support for that system--giving government schools tremendous monopoly power over parents and children, particularly those of low income--simply untenable for anyone interested in social justice. The answer? End the monopoly power by empowering the poor with educational vouchers (or some similar policy reform). D. Eric Schansberg New Albany, Indiana New Albany (IPA: [nu ˈɑl.bə.ni]) is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Ky. Hate: Our National Sport? I JUST FINISHED reading Jim Wallis' "Tears of Sorrow and Joy" in the July-August 1999 issue of Sojourners. I feel compelled to respond to some of the issues concerning the Littleton shootings that he raised. Sojourners, like so many other media outlets, keeps missing the point with respect to whom we blame for this tragedy, as well as what can be done to keep it from happening again. Yes, you can blame the gun lobby, the media, Hollywood, or all three. But that is only the surface. Scratch a bit deeper. I'm 31 years old and I still live with the ghosts of what I like to call my internment in high school. It's hellish being lonely and yet feeling like you are not wanted anywhere. It hurts. And the beautiful, well-adjusted people don't seem to grasp that. Our whole nation has turned meanness and hate into a kind of national sport. Our airwaves are filled with hate radio; our TV with Jerry Springer and his ilk. It is so very reflective of how we are raising our kids to be: self-absorbed, mean, and remorseless. Don't be too terribly shocked when the people they hurt retaliate. After all, whatsoever we soweth, so shall we reap. If we, the human race, want to keep this from happening again, the solution is simple--treat each other with respect and common decency. It's not that difficult. John Maycumber Jacksonville, Florida “Jacksonville” redirects here. For other uses, see Jacksonville (disambiguation). Jacksonville is the largest city in the state of Florida and the county seat of Duval County. Wrong School IN HER REVIEW of The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions ("Respectfully Disagreeing," July-August 1999), Susan Hogan/Albach errs when she identifies Dr. Marcus Borg Marcus J. Borg is a fellow of the Jesus Seminar and a liberal religious author. He holds a D.Phil. from Oxford University and is Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture, an endowed chair at Oregon State University. as "a religious professor at the University of Oregon The University of Oregon is a public university located in Eugene, Oregon. The university was founded in 1876, graduating its first class two years later. The University of Oregon is one of 60 members of the Association of American Universities. ." I am at pains to point out that Dr. Borg teaches at my alma mater, Oregon State University Oregon State University, at Corvallis; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1858 as Corvallis College, opened 1865. In 1868 it was designated Oregon's land-grant agricultural college and was taken over completely by the state in 1885. , where he is Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture. Also, I'm not sure what Hogan/ Albach means when she identifies Dr. Borg as a "religious" professor. Does she mean that he works diligently at his task, or that he is devout in his personal life? I think most people who know him would agree with both interpretations. Larry Hansen Aloha, Oregon Aloha is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. Its name is similar to the Hawaiian word, aloha, although the place name is pronounced /ə lo ə While Dr. Borg may indeed be a religious professor, we intended merely to indicate that he is a religion professor. --The Editors A Contest for Change THANK YOU FOR the May-June 1999 issue of Sojourners. Every article was informative, important, and gave thought for proactive ways to help. "Voice of the Voiceless" (Taking Action), by Tonita Cheatham, especially caught my attention. I will contact the Community Renewal Society in Chicago to see how I and others I know can help. Having lived in an area outside Philadelphia and close to New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , I am aware of the deplorable designs of public housing. Why not hold a contest for architects in this country to compete to develop the most affordable, durable, tasteful, and beautiful housing for the 100,000 units of public housing needed nationwide? The Chicago Coalition could be a model for others as I hope and pray they are for the Chicago Housing Authority The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is a public housing authority focusing on public housing in the city of Chicago, founded in 1937. It has built a number of public housing projects over the years. residents. I hope the article will be reprinted in Reader's Digest Reader's Digest U.S.-based monthly magazine. Founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace, it was first published in 1922 as a digest of articles of topical interest and entertainment value condensed from other periodicals. to reach a wider audience. You are making a difference to help in this world. Ann Hinderer Peaks Island, Maine Peaks Island is the most populous island in Casco Bay, Maine. It is part of the city of Portland and is approximately 5 km (3 mi) from downtown. The island became a popular summer destination in the late 19th century, when it was known as the Coney Island of Maine, home to hotels, Dangerous Double Standards MY WIFE AND I have long appreciated Sojourners, its stands on peace, the environment, personal witness, and the like. But we have difficulty with its long and labored efforts to be Christian and responsible on the subject of homosexuality. A case in point is Tony Campolo's viewpoint in the dialogue with his wife, Peggy ("Holding It Together," May-June 1999). He wants to be pastoral, and I have no doubt he has paid his dues in attempted acceptance of gay people. (Why, incidentally, can't anyone in Sojourners use the word "gay" as that community does?) If "call(ing) Christian homosexuals to a Christian lifestyle" means celibacy as "the Bible demands," then I believe he is subscribing to the same homophobic blindness that led to the suicide of Roger in Mr. Campolo's high school. The Bible has been misinterpreted and misapplied to many social issues over the years, including slavery, race relations race relations Noun, pl the relations between members of two or more races within a single community race relations npl → relaciones fpl raciales , the status of women, and more. Now the issue is homosexuality. When will we stop prostituting the Bible to our various biases? It strikes me as maddeningly patronizing for Mr. Campolo to insist that gay and lesbian Christians be celibate when heterosexual Christians (who are allowed to marry, by the way) are not. What kind of double standard is this? My wife and I know many couples who are committed and faithful Christians, their only difference being that they are of the same gender. Is this so difficult to grasp? The dialogue is fine, but a simple empathy would be better. Call it love. Robert J. Hawthorne San Jose, California San Jose (IPA: /ˌsænhoʊˈzeɪ/) is the third-largest city in California, and the tenth-largest in the United States. It is the county seat of Santa Clara County. Struggle On I'VE BEEN CONCERNED for a long time that one of the country's best peace and justice publications has not addressed the issue of gay rights--and I've written several letters to that effect. So I just want to thank you for your last two issues in which you began to struggle with this subject. There were three excellent articles. I know this is a difficult subject to address and I admire your willingness to try. Donna Acquaviva Gerrardstown, West Virginia Gerrardstown is an unincorporated village located along West Virginia Route 51 in Berkeley County in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. It was laid out in 1784 by David Gerrard and served as the site of the first Baptist church west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Prisons of Babylon AS A GRADUATE of New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Theological Seminary's (NYTS NYTS National Youth Tobacco Survey ) Master's in Professional Studies degree program at infamous Sing Sing prison in Ossining, New York Ossining is the name of two places in New York:
The good news is that the NYTS prison program exists. Seminaries across the country should use it as a prototype to bring similar programs into our prisons. Because imprisonment Imprisonment See also Isolation. Alcatraz Island former federal maximum security penitentiary, near San Francisco; “escapeproof.” [Am. Hist.: Flexner, 218] Altmark, the German prison ship in World War II. [Br. Hist. in the U.S. is becoming a problem of biblical proportions, like the Babylonian captivity, we are going to need a religious solution. Not only must seminaries become part of the solution, but churches too. They must do more than heed the biblical call to visit prisons, like the churches involved in the NYTS experience. My dream is that one day as a nation we will not need prisons. I see NYTS alumni and people of faith as active agents bringing this about, dismantling our prisons stone by stone. W.E. Waters Wallkill Correctional Facility Wallkill, New York |
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