Young People's Forum Discusses Nuclear Issues
Episcopal News Service. June 2, 1983 [83105]
Anita Monsees, Diocese of Central New York
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (DPS, June 2) -- As guitarists played "Let there be peace on earth," the 100 teenagers and their adult leaders spontaneously linked arms in a great circle and sang. It was the closing moment of a Eucharist at St. Paul's Cathedral here, and almost the end of an afternoon and evening devoted to a youth forum on the subject "You and the Nuclear Question."
Young people in grades 7 through 12 came from all over the 14-county Diocese of Central New York to take part in the event, which was sponsored by the Youth Commission of the diocese.
The mood of the day was generally somber, with many of the participants expressing a sense of despair about their own futures and the future of the world. But there were hopeful notes too, as they considered the active steps they might take as Christians and as responsible citizens.
Following an informal get-together, the group gathered in the Cathedral at 2:30 p.m., to be greeted by the Rt. Rev. O'Kelley Whitaker, bishop coadjutor of Central New York, who pointed to the significance of their meeting on Pentecost and urged them to "get in touch with that spirit" of empowerment.
The speaker of the day was Marty Bartlett, who chairs the Nuclear Freeze Commission of Central New York. She showed a 30-minute film, "War Without Winners," produced by the Center for Defense Information (P.O. Box 141, Washington DC 20004). The film presents military and government figures and ordinary citizens, ranging from actor Paul Newman to "people in the street," responding to this "most urgent issue of our time." Both Americans and Russians were interviewed.
Following the film, Bartlett commented that the experts tend to take a myopic view of the issue, seeing only their specific niche, whereas the average citizen -- U.S. or Soviet -- is able to put the total picture together and comprehend the urgency of the case against nuclear war.
She reviewed with her audience a flip chart, prepared by the Traprock Peace Center and the Peace Development Fund, which outlines the history of the arms race and provides facts about the known world arsenal and its explosive power; the proportion of land-, submarine-, and bomber-based missles; and such other nuclear concerns as expenditures of tax money and the relationship between employment and military production.
"Non-violent movements have brought about great changes," Bartlett said. She quoted from the 1982 Diocesan Convention address of the Rt. Rev. Ned Cole, Bishop of Central New York:
"No Church gathering can afford not to raise the issue of the nuclear arms race.... If the Church is sent into the world to be a witness of the living God, then we must speak on this issue and state that there are limits beyond which governments cannot go in the use of nuclear weapons.... Children of God do not make war. Children of God are sent into the world to be peacemakers."
Following the presentation, the young people broke into smaller groups with adult moderators. Many of the younger (and more restless) participants followed an "activities track." The others discussed the film and their own feelings about the nuclear threat, as well as the positive actions they might be able to take, including signing petitions, joining protest marches, writing to elected representatives, organizing student groups, and generating more news coverage (several local media showed up for the event). Some advocated mass withholding of taxes, agreeing that, while this would probably result in going to jail, it would be worth it.
A brown-bag supper followed the discussion groups, after which the Eucharist was celebrated. The final hour of the evening consisted of conversation with the speaker.
One teenager asked her, "What could possibly dispel all this despair?"
Bartlett's reply, in part, was that the hope for peace lies in each of us taking the responsibility for being informed. "God gave us the brains to do that," just as he made us capable of developing nuclear technology. It is up to us, she said, to assert ourselves and to let the power structure know our opinions. That is the way to counter the efforts to enlarge the war-making machine.