A Quaker response printed in The Guardian

[Pam Lunn]

• Re Margaret Drabble's letter on Gove's military ethos (10 December): Quakers in Britain have indeed noted, with increasing dismay and alarm, the gradual creep towards the acceptance of an insidious militarisation of our schools. Throughout our history Quakers have searched for nonviolent approaches to dealing with conflict. We have established many of the pioneering peace education projects and organisations that exist in Britain today. With efforts to militarise children and young people increasing, peace education is needed more than ever. Don't children deserve the right to learn how to solve conflict without resorting to violence? Quakers believe the use of the military to solve conflicts is a sign of human failure.
Jane Dawson
Quakers in Britain

 

 

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Pam Lunn

pam...@gn.apc.org

 

[Bill Chadkirk]

Hi

Just want to cast a ripple or two on calm Quaker waters. I have a relative who had quite a troubled background (sibling hit by a car age 7 who required all his parents energy to nurse with the result that he became quite alienated). At 16 he joined the army; a regiment renowned for it's toughness, bravery and discipline. His proudest moment was serving with the UN. Now in his late 40's he's a senior policeman and a very impressive and carefully throughout policeman at that. If by 'militarism' we mean physical fitness, toughness, bravery, discipline and willingness to fit into a hierarchy I'm not sure it's entirely wrong. Non-violent action and reaction needs all that (with the possible modification of the hierarchy bit), but certainly disaster and humanitarian relief need all that. The only real problem with the army is that it carries guns; remove those and all the personnel and equipment and training would be good for some individuals and such a body would be perfect for all kinds of relief and monitoring roles.

Bill

Philosophers describe how society works. 
The real point is to change it. Karl Marx

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[Wim Nusselder]

Dear Bill,

 

You are actually repeating the point that I also tried to make, so I agree (gladly stirring up the ripples).

 

With f&Friendly greetings,

 

Wim

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[Mary Munro-Hill]

Take heart, Friends!  The expansion of Peace Studies in our universities has been considerable in recent years. Rotary International, too, has played its part and now awards Peace Fellowships.

 

Jane states, "Quakers believe the use of the military to solve conflicts is a sign of human failure"; some Quakers would regard the presence of the military as an effective means of non-violent peace-keeping in certain circumstances. I recall hearing a most interesting lecture on this topic at BYM not so long ago.

In Friendship,

 

Mary.

 

______________________________________________

 

Mary Munro-Hill

Chaplaincy Team and Department of Modern Languages

University of Hull

 

M.Munr...@hull.ac.uk

 

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From: Pam Lunn
Sent: Fri 14/12/2012 07:30
To: quak...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [Quaker-B] A Quaker response printed in The Guardian

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[Alec]

Echoing Bill, rightly or wrongly, the military has been one of the few consistent sources of reliable employment for such broken/abandoned boys and young men (and, increasingly, members of the distaff side); offering them a sense of purpose as well as skills translatable to civvie street.

 

My problem with pieces such as being discussed is not its call for 'alternatives to violence' to be taught in schools (which I am all for) but unfalisiable nature of the wording.  Plus, the common call for military recruiters to be kept out.  So much for letting children make-up their own minds.

 

 

~alec