Archive for Monday, October 17, 2005

Peace pole dedication planned next Sunday

October 17, 2005


Lawrence's seventh peace pole will be dedicated during a ceremony on Sunday.

The pole, in Veterans Park, 1840 La., is being installed in honor of Allan and Louise Hanson, longtime directors of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice. The dedication ceremony will be at 4 p.m.

The poles, a project of the World Peace Prayer Society, feature the words "May peace prevail on earth" in eight different languages.

Similar poles can be found in South Park, 12th and Massachusetts streets; First United Methodist Church, 946 Vt.; Unitarian Christian Fellowship, 1263 North 1100 Road; Oread Friends Meeting House, 1146 Ore.; Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave.; and Unity Church of Lawrence, 900 Madeline Lane.


Richard Heckler 9 years, 2 months ago

Allan and Louise are so dedicated and non confrontational. This is a wonderful expression of their never ending desire for peace and justice throughout the world. This could happen if all world leaders would put down their swords.

cavtrooper 9 years, 2 months ago

But merrill... They are not going to. Many of them would like nothing better than butcher you in your bed. Just for grins. Just because you are an American. No matter how "non-confrotational" you are. Others feel the world would be a better place if we a lived under Shria (Islamic law) and our wives and daughters were treated like cattle and imprisoned under the burka. Still others simply wish to destroy us because we as a nation represent something they hate. Freedom. We confront them now. It's a little late when they are knocking at your door. Allen and Louise are no doubt wonderful people and mean well, but they must realize that the freedom they enjoy has a cost. And that cost is often paid in the lives and blood of their fellow Americans.

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 9 years, 2 months ago

Living under Sharia Law wouldn't be fundamentally (pun intended) different from living under the theocracy that many of Bush's base would like to see.

And can we drop the "they hate freedom" sh*t? What they hate are the effects of the policies and actions of the US government and multinational corporations (often indistinguishable) on the political and economic conditions in their countries. These institutions are very heavily armed and well-defended, so terrorists go after the easy targets, American and other civilians.

While a good many terrorists are murderous sociopaths, most of them are probably very similar to anyone who would enlist in the US military-- well-meaning, but misguided into believing that their actions actually provide any positive benefits to anyone.

I most certainly wouldn't want to live in an Islamist state, such as the one about to be established in Iraq, but they are not establishing that state because they "hate our freedom." It has little if anything to do with what we do in this country. It has everything to do with meddling in their affairs strictly for the benefit of a few multinational corporations and the politicians they bought to do their bidding.

cavtrooper 9 years, 2 months ago

Just, Valid points, and I couldn't agree more on the Bush theocracy. However there are many mullahs and imams that hate and fear "Western" culture. They claim it's because its "against the word of God" and "Degenerate". I submit they hate us for our freedom. Freedom of choice, of religion, of speech to name just a few. What they fear is loss of control. As for our political policies, we used to (and still do to some extent) support "Banana Republics".... wonder what to call Iraq. Date Palm Republic!!

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 9 years, 2 months ago

I don't think the mullahs and imams are any more fearful of western (pop) culture than the theocrat wannabes in this country. Stop US government and corporate meddling in their countries, and displeasure with western movies, music and other examples of "moral depravity" would not be used as a justification for terrorism against us. I think you'd also see the development of an indigenous liberal and democratic structure once the western bogeyman is removed from the formula.

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