OPEN LETTER TO COMMUNITY

Does Society Of Friends

Offer Solutions To Angst

That Divides Our Nation?

For those who know one, or all, of us, “utopian” isn’t the first word that would come to mind. Practical, fact-based, analytical – those would be better adjectives to describe us.

Yet we can’t help but recognize, locally and nationally, the decrease of civility, neighborliness and cooperativeness in our national conscience and behavior, and wonder if there’s a way for citizens and our leadership to take corrective actions.

With that in mind, we’ve all been reading “The World We Seek,” a statement of legislative policy put out in 2013 by the Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers). It’s a statement of principle and purpose, a path to a better way and, after these past few years, a necessary reminder of how we can treat people and have our governments, from local to national, act in ways more reflective of who we are, or, at least, would like to be.

The publication outlines, in the main, goals of peace, justice, economic sharing and planet restoration as worthy long-range efforts for us all.

“The World We Seek” is a non-partisan ecumenical statement of legislative policy and the Quakers have recently recommended practical steps which local advocacy groups can promote. Is it overly optimistic? Perhaps. impractical? Maybe. Ultimately that is in our hands. Sometimes we need a reminder that our government is us, “We the People.’’

For more information, reach out to one of us and find out how to get involved. You can call Emery C.
Herman at 547-2146 for a loan copy of this booklet or go to www.fcnl.org to request your own copy.

EMERY HERMAN, JIM ATWELL, DICK DeROSA, JEFF KATZ

Cooperstown