First I want to thank “kansas” for steering me to a point of inspiration which I have been seeking. I had never heard of this woman before.
From 1953 to 1981 a silver haired woman calling herself only “peace pilgrim” walked more than 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace. She vowed to “remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food.”
The peace flyers that she distributed back then are so appropriate today. Just insert Iraq.
The first petition:
“Let the killing in Iraq (Korea) cease! Then deal with this conflict situation according to the only principles which can solve it–overcome evil with good and falsehood with truth and hatred with love.”
The second petition was directed to the President and congressional leaders requesting the installation of a Peace Department. It read:
“This is the way of peace, overcome evil with good and falsehood with truth and hatred with love. We plead for the establishment of a Peace Department, with a Secretary of Peace who accepts these principles–and with all conflicts at home and abroad to be referred to this Peace Department.”
The third petition was a plea to the United Nations and the world leaders for world disarmament and reconstruction:
“If you would find the way of peace you must overcome evil with good and falsehood with truth and hatred with love. We plead with you to free us all from the crushing burden of armaments, to free us from hatred and fear, so that we may feed our hungry ones, mend our broken cities, and experience a richness of life which can only come in a world that is unarmed and fed.”
Our approach has to change to solve the issues of today. I don’t see any other way.
Let’s bring the Peace Pilgrim back ten-fold.