dave@oldcolo.UUCP (Dave Hughes) (11/22/90)
Below is a gentle suggestion from a lady who asked me to herl lp
her distribute it.
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Date: Fri, 16 Nov 90 09:03:16 EST
From: hp-lsd!frisbee!sunpeaks!gatech!mit-eddie!bloom-beacon!EAGLE.MIT.EDU!bwalk
er (Donna Baranski-Walker)
Message-Id: <9011161403.AA17210@EAGLE.MIT.EDU>
To: oldcolo!dave
Dear David,
I have slightly revised the original draft summary of the "Voice through
Candlelight" message. If you are mailing this around, could you please use
the following copy?
Thank you,
Donna Baranski-Walker
hm: (603) 437-8557
wk: (617) 253-6966
_______________________________
Voice through Candlelight:
a Message to the People of Iraq
Nov. 23rd, Worldwide
Londonderry NH, 11/15 -- Last Friday evening over a thousand people across
the United States placed a light in their window, hoping to convey a message
to the people of Iraq. This quiet gesture each Friday at the close of the
Muslim day of rest, carries a simple message,"Understand that we do not want
to be your enemy. Instead of deadly war can we, as neighbors, build a just
and honorable Peace?"
Large scale warfare in the Middle East, as serious and costly as it would be,
seems more likely with each news broadcast. The standoff has turned to
deadlock; the actions of terrorists push us closer to the brink of war.
Surely there must be a way for decent people to wrest control from extremists
and reinforce their own influence over the world events that touch their
lives.
On November 23rd, the Friday after Thanksgiving, let us light a candle for
peace and place it in our window. This Friday "Vigil of Concern", this small
light in the darkness from now until the crisis ends, will shine from one end
of our country to the other, from houses throughout the world in Europe,
Japan, India, Malaysia, and in the Middle Eastern countries, too. Perhaps the
families of Iraq, having suffered eight years of great war, will also place a
candle in their window that night, for peace.
What will the lighted candle show? We, people of every type, belief,
background, race do not want to be the enemy. We offer our thoughts, prayers,
support for a fair, peaceful solution to the crisis. We will honor all
leaders and all individuals who have the courage to move this crisis towards
just and peaceful resolution.
Will it solve the problem? Certainly not - but it may open up dialogue based
on this common purpose. Would this effort undermine our leaders? All world
leaders have expressed their willingness and desire to negotiate a just
resolution. Indeed, in this people to people endeavor, a light may quietly
shine out from the window of the White House.
There is no "organization" spreading the message. It started with my family
in New Hampshire and it is carried by the creativity and energy of the people
who hear of it and take it to heart. Is that enough? In this age of the
"Global Village", a news message can reach every corner of the world within a
day. Surely we can use the vast communications network to initiate a message
in our homes and join with people the world over to reach families on the
other side.
How will the message show through to Iraq? Iraq is not an isolated country.
Through Turkish and Saudi television, the BBC and Voice of America radio
broadcasts, and perhaps even the Iraqi media, the image of hearth-light will
reach them on Friday, November 23rd.
In the past year we have witnessed great change in the world occuring with an
amazing suddenness as the initiatives of decent individuals overcame tyranny.
Perhaps we can learn from this and rally together as a world community to slow
the momentum of crisis by opening dialogue. Please join me and my family in
sending our quiet message this Friday evening.
- Donna Baranski-Walker, P.O. Box 922, Londonderry NH, 03053 USA
email: bwalker@eagle.mit.edu
_________
___________
November 6, 1990
Dear Neighbor,
Thank you for your encouragement. This simple gesture in and of itself will
not solve the region's problems, but it certainly seems to bring about a
thoughtful exchange of ideas - maybe that's the first step.
This is a people to people message being passed by word of mouth alone.
Since there is no "organization", its success depends on the energy and
creativity of those who hear of it. How can you help? Most importantly,
participate in this quiet message by placing a candle (electric candle, oil
lamp) in your window each Friday evening (7:00 - 10:00). A flier has been
created - send me email and I will FAX it to you. You may want to give the
"Voice thorough Candlelight: Message the People of Iraq" summary to your
neighbors or post it on your library, grocery store, and church bulletin
board. Send it to your out of town relatives. Fax it to people in other
offices. If you have access to electronic mail, send out copies via the
network. Do you belong to an organization? Does it have a newsletter? Could
you ask your religious leader to mention this in the weekly bulletin?
The day after Thankgiving, Friday Nov. 23rd, is the focal point for our
message, worldwide. Press releases are being mailed this week to national and
international newsbureaus. Please ask your newspaper to cover candlelighting
in your community that week in particular. Turkish and Saudi TV and the BBC
and Voice of America will be specifically asked to carry the image to the
people of Iraq on that Friday, the 23rd.
Certainly, your creative ideas are appreciated. Feel free to follow-through
in any way possible. One local merchant is putting a flier in each purchase
bag. National news coverage will increase as the newstations realise
thousands of people are participating in this effort, but it is the local
efforts that make all the difference in convincing people to place a candle in
their own window and extend this message a little further. It is important
that news stations realize this is a local story throughout the world. I
found that radio stations are particularly receptive to this idea. You may
want to call the news department of your favorite radio station and tell them
why you are lighting a candle each Friday night. Ask them to cover the story
in your community. If you can, do the same with your local TV station and
town or city newspaper.
Thank you for your help. I hope we can make a difference. Its worth a try.
Sincerely,
Donna Baranski-Walker
P.O. Box 922, Londonderry, NH 03053
email: bwalker@eagle.mit.edu
P.S. It is still to early to tell if this is having an effect but did you
notice that Congress proposed Friday as a national day of prayer for the
withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait?
P.P.S. I am receiving letters from all over the country and Canada. You may
be interested in some of the sentiments expressed:
"Saw you and your town on M/L, and was very touched, in spite of the fact that
nobody would ever call me a dove. While I doubt that it will, I sincerely
hope that your movement suceeds in bringing all parties to the bargaining
table. Who knows, you might even have a hawk in Louisville lighting a candle
on Friday nights"- Michael O. Wilson, Louisville KY
"Having lived and worked in the Arab world, I am horrified and saddened by the
readiness of many Americans to condemn the governments and despise the peoples
of the region without understanding their needs and motivations. It is easy
for many of us to dehumanize our "foes", to imagine ourselves separate and
superior and invulnerable. But if the present conflict becomes a war, the
death and destruction will be as degrading to the U. S. morally and
spiritually as it will to any other nation. I will join you in putting a
candle in the window in the hope that peace will triumph and the dignity and
integrity of all concerned will be preserved." - Ann Khaddar, Providence RI
"... a way to catch people's attention and make them think about war instead
of drifting toward it." - Mary H. Gilderbloom, Santa Rosa CA
"There have been moments in my lifetime when a thought or an idea or a phrase
or musical performance or other art work has opened up a kind of clearing; a
quiet openness in whom and where I am. I would use the word "certainty" to
describe the essence of such moments if I could divest the word of any sense
of self righteousness. Your candle light idea as reported by MacNeil-Lehrer
the other night brought on such a moment.
That quiet openness repeated when I spoke of the idea to my wife and I got
that she too was moved to .... what? Well we placed a lighted candle in the
window on Friday night. We then spoke of your idea to our neighbor. Again
that instant recognition, connection; that "arcing". It is my sense that this
"arcing" or connecting is going on all over the place.
We live in a Wisconsin woodland. Only the local bear and other fellow woods
dwellers can see the candle but it is my sense that thousands of human beings
can "see" it. Even in Iraq. Even, God help us! in Washington DC."
- David and Janette Cysewski, Centuria WI
"Your thoughtful letter to Mrs. Bush a while ago about your quiet,
people-to-people message to Iraq is greatly appreciated. The Persian Gulf
situation, as you know, is deeply on the minds of the President and Mrs. Bush
and you were most kind to share with them your idea for heightening community
awareness."
- Susan Porter Rose, Chief of Staff to Mrs. Bush