Something to Read: the "Interfaith Amigos" of Yes! Magazine

For a while now, one of my favorite sources of interesting and sometimes challenging information has been Yes! Magazine. Their tagline is, "Powerful Ideas, Practical Actions" and I've certainly always found something to like in their publication and on their website.

Yesterday I took a look at their site and was happy to see that they have a new article posted by the "Interfaith Amigos" Rabbi Ted Falcon, Pastor Don Mackenzie, and Sheikh Jamal Rahman who have been working, writing, and learning together since 2001. This new article, "Head, Heart, and Hands: Breaking the Cycle of Religious Fear" by Sheikh Jamal Rahman addresses many issues and can certainly be related to FCNL's work as well as the Epistle Encouraging Quaker Engagement with American Muslims that the General Committee approved during the 2009 Annual Meeting.

If you're looking for ways to encourage interfaith dialouge, the "Interfaith Amigos" seems like a good place to start!

Happy reading.

In peace,

~Rachael

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"Rising Defense Budgets are Not a New Law of Physics"

This was the message from Dr. Cindy Williams in her testimony in the Senate Budget Committee today at a hearing entitled: "Defense Budget and War Costs: An Independent Look." Another witness, Dr. Gordan Adams, stated explicitly: "...the defense budget should not be exempt from a freeze."

In his opening statement, Chairman Conrad (ND) pointed out that Defense spending is taking an ever-growing portion of federal government spending; it is higher in the President's budget request for FY2011 than peaks during the Reagan build-up, the Korean War and the Vietnam war.

The Our Nation's Checkbook campaign led by FCNL, has been working to change this imbalance in spending. We, along with organizers around the country and a coalition of national organizations, are pushing for hearings in the House and Senate Budget Committees on spending priorities, recognizing that the budget committees are really the place where spending priorities are set. Today's hearing was not the hearing we asked for, but it was certainly a step in the right direction.

Chairman Conrad (ND) recognized the critical responsibility of the budget committees, saying: "This is the Budget Committee and we have a responsibility to take the President's budget request and rework it and turn it into a budget resolution that considers all the trade-offs that we confront." Dr. Adams pointed out the risks of a rising defense budget very clearly: "An unconstrained defense budget is likely to make draconian choices in all other areas of discretionary spending necessary." As the Pentagon budget increases, other spending priorities are being squeezed.

Human needs, the environment and efforts to prevent war are absolutely essential to create real security in this nation and around the world. These priorities cannot take back seat to more Pentagon and war spending. As evidenced by the hearing today, there is a growing movement even within Congress to reevaluate Pentagon spending. Check out recent Our Nation's Checkbook successes and join the campaign to reprioritize federal government spending by emailing Stephen at stephen@fcnl.org.

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Olympics Edition Post

I love the Olympics. I love parking myself in front of the TV and watching the Summer and Winter Games (I guess that's what separates me from the athletes; I'm a couch potato, and they're out working their butts off). I'm a huge sports fan in general, and I love watching sports like diving and ski jumping that are only widely available to watch during the Olympics (unless, of course, you have the ultimate sports cable TV package).

The Olympics brings out the best in athletes, I think. There's a certain thrill to competing not as part of a money-hungry professional sports league (like the NHL), but as a representative of your entire country. And the Olympics are a time when it doesn't matter if you're a Detroit Red Wings fan or a Los Angeles Kings fan: we can come together and be fans of Team USA.

It's sentimental, I know, but I enjoy the notion that the Olympics can be a time of peace, goodwill, and harmony between nations. I believe that sports can transcend political divisions, although I've obviously been proven wrong multiple times in past Olympics (see: 1980 Moscow Games boycott and 1984 Los Angeles Games boycott).

So, I am obviously quite dismayed at some of the reactions from ice dance competitors in response to the results of the ice dance competition. Last night a Canadian pair won the gold and an American pair won the silver. This was only the third time since ice dance became an Olympic sport in 1976 that a Russian of Soviet couple has not won the gold. The U.S. also had back-to-back ice dance medals for the first time, and this 1-2 showing by Canada and the U.S. marked a turning point in ice dance competition. North America showed it was ready for the ice dance world stage.

What should have been a time for joyous celebration for Canada instead turned sour with accusations from other teams of a home-court bias from the judges. Athletes should be gracious whether they make it to the podium or not.

When I was participating in athletics at George School, we were taught to nurture healthy competition and good sportsmanship. All athletes, no matter what their level of play or the outcome of the game deserved respect. We were taught that it was ok to want to win and to want to do well, but we shouldn't sacrifice common decency and mutual respect. It made us not only better athletes, but better people in the long run.

I know that competing at the Olympics is a definitely a high-stress moment for athletes: who doesn't dream of Olympic gold? But to lose common decency and respect for fellow athletes is, in my opinion, disrespectful of your sport and disrespectful of the Olympic spirit.

I think if all athletes kept in mind those guiding principles like I was taught at George School, the Olympics of my dreams could become the Olympics of reality.

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Meet Gretchen Hall: Clerk of the Executive Secretary Search Committee

Last week marked the end of many Committee meetings here at FCNL and since we had so many people visiting the office, it gave me the chance to ask Gretchen Hall a few questions about her connections with FCNL and other things. As FCNL continues the process of searching for a new Executive Secretary Gretchen will continue her work with the organization as Clerk of the Search Committee. To see what Gretchen said, read on - this is your chance to get to know her a little bit better!

Q & A with Gretchen Hall, Clerk of the Executive Secretary Search Committee

R: How did you first get involved with FCNL?

G: Beyond the famous (then yellow) newsletter that I'd been reading since college, my first direct involvement with FCNL was in the mid-80s. I had recently lived in a poor, rural area of the country and felt deeply the difficulties and challenges faced by many of the residents of that and other rural areas. I found myself working with Ruth FLower as a Friend in Washington on agriculture and rural issues. At the time, a debt crisis had affected many farmers and rural dwellers. Some of our Friends in the mid-west thought FCNL should be addressing the issues that so pressed upon them. FCNL had the policy but not the people power to agree. One of the better legislative outcomes was the inclusion of mediation at the state level in the bill.

R: What’s exciting about working with FCNL right now?

G: FCNL is am amazing mix of steadfastness and nimble responses. All through the decades FCNL has stayed true to its lobbying purpose and has been faithful in witnessing to the priorities chosen by Friends. At the same time, the staff and grass-roots activists have an incredible capacity to find opportunities where we can jump in and make a difference right now.

R: What are your favorite books?

G: I could not possibly name a favorite book! Recently I've been re-reading the biography of Frederick Law Olmsted, A Clearing in the Distance. Currently on my reading pile is a volume of Mary Oliver's poetry, a book about curry, The Fourth Part of the World, and a recent Pendle Hill pamphlet. Of course there's a mystery lurking as well!


R: What’s your favorite FCNL memory?

G: One of my favorite FCNL memories is speaking to the General Committee as we concluded the 50th anniversary campaign in 1994. As I looked out into the group, I could recall visiting most of the Friends present over the three years of the campaign -- enjoying their hospitality, worshiping together, sharing their love for FCNL.

In peace,

~Rachael

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Rooting DC: Getting Grounded in the Local Urban Gardening Movement

Free food. That's the way to win over any intern's heart. And the promise of free food and intriguing workshops inspired me to get up early last Saturday and head to an event called "Rooting DC," an urban gardening/agricultural forum held annually in the Capital. I was excited by the broad range of topics covered in sessions; everything from cooking with vegetables to gardening advice to public policy was addressed. This comprehensive look at how to improve DC residents' access to healthy food and gardening opportunities was a big draw, with over 500 participants. The Field to Fork network of organizations dedicated to various aspects of sustainable urban agriculture in the metro area impressed me with a similar mentality to FCNL: every person can participate in the movement to better our quality of life and protect the environment. Whether you want to grow herbs on your apartment balcony, compost your leaves and kitchen scraps, or change the zoning codes that prevent groups and businesses from having gardens in the city, you can make a difference.

Though it's only February, this forum energized me to look into volunteer opportunities in the dirt during this upcoming growing season and encouraged me to daydream about the tasty local produce soon to be available at farmers' markets. For those readers who share an itch to grow things, Sharing Backyards is a nationwide program to match folks with land with people who want to garden, or if you live in the area, there are dozens of community gardens in the District. Many municipalities and towns have similar urban agriculture networks, so now is the time to investigate ways to promote food security and sustainable urban planning.

Curbing climate change and changing federal environmental policy are daunting tasks that FCNL is dedicated to, but seeking "an earth restored" includes small practical steps as well, like reducing waste, turning vacant spaces into green places, and making our homes and offices more eco-friendly. As a year long program assistant I get to show visitors around FCNL's innovative green building, and every day I am reminded of what a unique and great environment I work in. To shamelessly promote this opportunity further, I encourage anyone interested in our internship/program assistant program to learn more (applications are due March 9.)

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Taking a Stand Against Torture

How loud does your voice have to be for your message to be heard?

On February 17, a few brave students protested against John Yoo, who had appeared as a guest speaker at Johns Hopkins. In the middle of the talk, they stood up and unfurled a sign reading, "Try Yoo for Torture." Even though they were silent, their message was heard.

This bold act of civil disobedience challenged the dominant narrative that Yoo would have his audience believe. John Yoo, for those of you who may not be familiar with his name, is one of the authors of the "torture memos" that provided legal justification for the Bush administration to torture detainees suspected of terrorism. (You can read the torture memos here.) Yoo continues to teach at Berkeley and conducts speaking events where he insists that he has done nothing wrong.

FCNL responded to the release of the "torture memos" by calling for a Commission of Inquiry to investigate US-sponsored torture. In addition, we urge Congress to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay in a way that respects human rights.

Until these steps are taken, however, people like John Yoo are allowed to continue with business-as-usual. Even a recent Justice Department report, which human rights advocates had hoped would condemn Yoo's actions, has been a wash. The report did not find Yoo guilty of professional misconduct, even though his memos justified harsh interrogation techniques like waterboarding.

I am thankful for people like these brave students who offer constant reminders that justice has not yet been served. In their quiet and non-violent way, they take a stand against torture. How can you, in your own community, do your small part to urge others to think critically about the need for justice and accountability?

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Unmanned Drones: a war on civilians?

Part of my internship requires me to research various periodicals that pertain to nuclear weapons and missile defense. One such periodical is Defense Review, which claims to be a source of, “News and information on the latest military defense, law enforcement, and tactical technologies from around the world.” For anyone committed to non-violence, this is a frightening periodical. It seemed more like a Christmas catalog for weapons manufacturers and military leaders than a magazine.

When flipping through the pages, I came across an advertisement that particularly shocked me. It was an advertisement for Northrop Grumman’s unmanned systems, or drones, and it said, “Reduce the danger warfighters face. Increase the danger they pose.” My first thought was, what about the danger that civilians face?

Daniel Byman from Georgetown University’s Center for Peace and Security Studies claims that for every militant killed by an unmanned drone, 10 civilians are killed. Approximately 600 civilians have already been killed by US drones in Pakistan alone. Byman added, “Beyond the humanitarian tragedy incurred, civilian deaths create dangerous political problems… US strikes that take a civilian toll are a further blow to its legitimacy -- and to U.S. efforts to build goodwill there.” Evidence of this is the retaliatory bombings to the drone attacks, which continue to kill civilians, some of them US citizens, in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

To be honest, Northrop Grumman’s slogan is pretty accurate. Their unmanned drones will continue to keep their operators and other warfighters safe. The operators usually pilot the drones from a bunker in Nevada or other remote locations, far from the battlefield. The unmanned drones will also continue to increase the danger warfighters pose. However, civilians are statistically the ones who face that danger more than enemy combatants.

Northrop Grumman’s slogan, and the concept of unmanned weapons, is sure to sell many drones. The prospect of reducing American casualties, while continuing the “war on terror,” would be tempting for politicians and military officials. However, with so many weapons systems in America’s arsenal that tend to kill civilians more than enemy combatants, how can we afford to increase the chances that we will continue this awful trend?

I must remind myself that weapons manufacturers and those who seek to profit from war have had much more experience at creating, marketing, and selling these weapons than I have had at trying to prevent their creation and usage. And, they have a much bigger budget than those of us committed to nonviolence do for stopping the spread of these weapons.

So, what does this mean for those of us who are committed to non-violence and prevention of war? In my opinion, it means that we must work even harder to expose the truths about these weapons and educate people about the real danger these weapons pose. There will never be a public outcry for the banning of such weapons until people become aware of the danger that they pose to civilians.

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90 day tribal consultation deadline: Did you make it?

Last November, the White House hosted a nation-to-nation conference with representatives from over 350 of the federally recognized tribes in this country. During that event, the president signed a memorandum directing all federal agencies to provide a detailed plan outlining how they would improve tribal consultation. This month marked the deadline for that plan to be submitted, but several agencies (including the Department of Homeland Security) have failed to do so. This failure has been met with disappointment from many tribal leaders, who hoped the agency heads would match Obama's level of commitment to tribes.

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Vice President Joe Biden's Speech on nuclear nonproliferation issues

Vice President Joe Biden will be giving a speech this Wednesday, February 17, around 12:30 p.m. at National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington, DC. The Vice President’s speech will focus on nuclear nonproliferation and our nation’s nuclear deterrent. David Culp, FCNL’s nuclear lobbyist, has been invited to attend the speech and will be giving a report after the speech. The speech may be broadcast on CNN and there may be webcast on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov/live/.

This will be a good opportunity to contact your senators, urging them to support the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the START follow-on agreement. People should also consider writing op-eds and letters to the editor regarding the Vice President’s speech and nonproliferation issues. To contact your senator, click here http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=14081951. For suggestions on writing op-eds and letters to the editor for your local newspaper, click here http://www.fcnl.org/nuclear/.

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Want to be an FCNL Intern? Advice from past interns, Christine, Trevor, Caroline, and Emiko

FCNL is accepting applications for the 2010-2011 internship. Applications are due by March 9, 2010 - so you don't have much more time! You can access more information about the internship, current interns, and the application by going to http://www.fcnl.org/young/intern.htm. This internship provides a different experience for each individual and offers the opportunity to work in a great environment while learning about how to affect policy change through lobbying, here on the Hill and by opening up opportunities for people around the country to lobby from home.

While we current interns have the chance to write about our work on this blog everyday,I thought I would catch up with some of FCNL's past interns about what life after FCNL is like, what their favorite parts of their internship were, what the most challenging parts were, and what advice they might have for incoming interns. Find out what Christine, Trevor, Caroline, and Emiko had to say and check back soon for more from past interns.


In peace,

~Rachael


Christine Haider

I came to work at FCNL after receiving a BA in Peace and Global Studies from Earlham College. I moved to Washington DC committed to peacemaking and the Quaker values that I had learned at Earlham but unsure about how to live those values in the 'real world.' FCNL helped me discover how to authentically and effectively practice peacemaking on a political level.

As the Field Intern at FCNL, and was lucky enough to work with Jim Cason, Kathy Guthrie and the entire Campaigns team. As Field Intern, I didn't usually spend my day lobbying representatives on Capitol Hill. Instead, I got to help bring out the "inner lobbyist' in grassroots activists across the country! The best part of my job was getting to hear Quakers, peace activists, college students and grandparents tell me why issues of peace and justice mattered to them and helping them to be more effective in their work. As a naturally shy person I was at first terrified by the idea of calling up strangers, or giving a lobby training. However, after a year and a half at FCNL that became my favorite part of my job!

After leaving FCNL, I became Program Manager at Pathways, a transitional home for formerly homeless women that is run through Calvary Women's Services (http://www.calvaryservices.org). At Pathways, I see the 'other side' of DC from what I saw at FCNL, but I still find that the interpersonal and organizing skills that I learned in my internship are invaluable in this work. Also, my experience at FCNL has inspired me to continue 'moonlighting' as a peace activist and grassroots organizer as a member of the board of directors for Women's Ordination Conference (http://www.womensordination.org) and a member of the organizing team for Christian Peace Witness in Washington, DC (http://christianpeacewitness.org).

The advice that I have for current FCNL interns is to take advantage of every moment that you're there. Make a point to attend that vigil or presentation that you were invited to, even if you feel 'too busy,' because those are the memories that will stick with you. Also, take time to learn all of the different skills that FCNL has to offer: lobbying, field work, web design, writing about legislative policy, etc. because you never know what will come in handy in the future. Most of all: have fun!


Trevor Keck

FCNL's focus on advocacy first appealed to me. Prior to working at FCNL, I had interned at a research NGO in London. While I enjoyed researching, I had always felt that too much time went into research, and not enough into advocacy. FCNL's unique combination of expertise on policy and legislative process strongly influenced my decision to apply to FCNL.

During my time at FCNL, I worked for Ann Vaughan (now in the office of Rep. Nita Lowey) and Bridget Moix. My schedule was completely different every day, another great part of my job! Some of my tasks included: analyzing and tracking legislation; policy research; scheduling lobbying visits; meetings with other coalitions of NGO; preparing fact sheets for congressional aides; writing grants; and drafting email messages to constituents.

My most exciting day was seeing Barack Obama getting sworn into office. There are many great parts about working at FCNL, but the city in and of itself is extremely exciting as well.

After leaving FCNL in July 2009, I began a graduate program at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Working at FCNL provided me important practical insights into how policy gets made, which has been extremely useful in my graduate studies. My supervisor's also offered to write me letters of recommendation, and arranged informational interviews for me with other potential employers before I decided to go back to graduate school. In short, my supervisors were extraordinarily helpful every step of the way.


Set out some goals on what you want to achieve while at FCNL. Everyone is very nice and willing to help. You will find many opportunities at FCNL, so take advantage! If you want to learn legislative process, buy David Culp a box of cookies and ask him to teach you. :) Or any of the senior staff at FCNL, all of whom are experts. Overall, have fun, Washington is a great city.


Caroline Anderson


I remember I did a sneak-by of FCNL before I started work in the green building. I had just secured an apartment in Dupont Circle, and I wanted to practice my commute. I was trying to play it cool for my mom, who had come with me, but the truth was I was deeply nervous about starting work at FCNL.

I'm not sure whether I should have been nervous or not. Of course, the work that I did at FCNL was challenging and tested my organizational and creative skills, but the people I was working with were wonderfully supportive while I worked out kinks in my Dreamweaver and html technique - not to mention while I got used to writing in FCNL style. The skills that I learned in the communications team at FCNL included web design and maintenance, writing, organization, and translation. Yes, I learned how to translate the wonderful and complicated policy briefs our lobbyists came up with into language that was compelling to an average reader. This was unbelievably challenging, but helped me learn an immense amount about communication and each of the issues that FCNL works on.

I suppose the unexpected gain from my FCNL internship was my passion for communications strategy. I'm now working towards my master's degree in media and public affairs at George Washington University, studying how the media shapes policy choices and how they are made. I am learning all I can before hopefully diving back into the world of communications strategy. I can't wait to start thinking up media strategies with a mission like I did at FCNL. If I hadn't been an intern I would not be poised to realize this dream, and I might not even have the dream itself.

My advice for new interns? Make the internship your own! Take the room that FCNL gives you to explore and follow your passions. My passions lead me to develop this very blog and to produce a podcast about legislative issues. Where can yours lead you?


Emiko Guthe


As an FCNL Legislative Program Assistant, I worked on Civil Liberties and Domestic issues. This included a VERY wide range of issues. I wrote a "Playbill" explaining the federal budget process, helped to organize coalition meetings and scheduled lobby meetings for comprehensive immigration reform, wrote biweekly updates for the federal budget listserve, updated and untangled the website, attending briefings and coalition meetings on everything from privacy issues to poverty in the U.S. Working under two separate supervisors was challenging, but I truly enjoyed the breadth of issues I was able to learn about.

After my year at FCNL I joined the Peace Corps and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan for two years. I recently returned to Washington DC and am working for an IT and innovation think tank.

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Snow-cabulary - Focus on the Positive

Well - some of us were finally able to return to the FCNL office this morning, braving the wind, 30 minute waits for the very slow (but finally running) Metro, and the crowds of people anxious to get back to work. I have to say, being from New Hampshire, I never thought so many new words would come out of 5 straight days of winter storms and blizzard conditions. All across the country you've likely heard about Snowpocolypse and Snowmagedon… but for those of us who've been stuck in our houses and apartments for 5 days, we started getting creative. So we can now add SnOMG (Snowmygod), Snowdiculous, Snowdundent, Snoverkill, and Snowgatory to the snow-cabulary list.

While these words are mostly negative and certainly do not fit well with FCNL's goals of non-military (or violent) speech - they have helped us express our frustration with the oodles of cold, white, fluff that has descended on the DC metro area.

Being back in the office now and looking out over a sunny and snow covered city though puts this into perspective a bit. Yes - it's a ton of snow and has broken all records for DC snow fall in a single winter - but it's also given this fast-paced, hard-working, sometimes-cut-off Capitol a chance to breath and perhaps reevaluate what's really important. Personally, it's forcing me to remember that all this snow (even when it disrupts the best laid plans) can be fun, and it might even remind us to look for the positive things, through the sometimes 'blinding snow'?

In peace,

~Rachael

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"Driving While Brown" Should Not Be a Crime: Take A Stand Against Racial Profiling

"Racism and racial discrimination have profoundly and lastingly marked and structured American society."
~ U.N. Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

In 2003, the Department of Justice issued a fact sheet on racial profiling that identifies many of the concerns shared by communities around the country, whose members may find themselves subject to discrimination because of their appearance, national origin, or other identifying characteristics. Racial profiling harms not only communities but also federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, which may be distracted from their real work ensuring the safety and security of the communities under their jurisdiction.

This fact sheet, available here as a PDF, addresses guidelines on racial profiling set forth by the Department of Justice in 2003. While these guidelines are an important step in the process of eliminating racial profiling, they still have loopholes and omissions that allow for some of the very behavior that the guidance is intended to regulate.

The 2003 Department of Justice Guidance Regarding the Use of Race by Law Enforcement Agencies:

• Allows for profiling based on religion and national origin;


• Includes loopholes that allow profiling at borders in the name of "national security;"


• Doesn’t apply to all federal law enforcement activity;


• Isn’t enforceable; and


• Doesn’t consistently apply to state or local law enforcement agencies working in cooperation with federal agencies or receiving federal money.

To sign a petition urging the Department of Justice to strengthen their 2003 guidelines on racial profiling, please visit the Rights Working Group webpage, available here.

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Citizens United: now what?

Scott Brown's win in the Massachusetts special election to fill Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat, followed closely by the Supreme Court's ruling that "the government may not ban political spending by corporations in candidate elections," caught much of the country off guard with the unexpected shift from the dominant political leaning of late. Both of these incidences broke not only with the change in political climate we've experienced over the last year, but marked breaks with much longer traditions. Republican Scott Brown replaced the Democratic senator Ted Kennedy, who held his position in Massachusetts for nearly half a century; the Citizens United ruling "overturned more than a century of law" (in President Obama's words) which limited the impact of corporations on elections.

Judging from my friends' statuses on Gmail Chat you would have thought the world -- or at least the U.S. -- was coming to an end. I should make the disclaimer that these are many of the same friends who broke into a spontaneous rendition of the national anthem on election night last year, after pouring out onto the street to celebrate with (most of) the rest of Haverford's student body. That is to say, it shouldn't be hard to guess their political leaning.

After the dust settled, one of my fellow Haverfordians, Alex Kaplan, revisited the Supreme Court ruling to examine it more objectively. While he notes at the outset that "the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizen's United didn't go as far in overturning...[an] essential aspect of electoral democracy as it potentially could have," he quickly states his position that "the reach, purpose, and timing of the decision is shamelessly transparent and will undoubtedly affect the already skewed balance of American elections."

The rest of the piece, which I recommend you read in full, discusses possible responses to the Supreme Court's move, which many feel puts too much power in the hands of corporations to influence the outcome of our nation's elections. I will be interested to see the responses of the administration and Congress, as well as grasstops and grassroots movements.

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Why Is Feb 1st An Important Day?

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the Greensboro Sit-Ins, an action which to many represents one of the starting moments of what became the Civil Rights Movement. This year, the day when four young men began their peaceful sit-in at the Woolworths lunch counter in Greensboro, NC is being celebrated by the opening of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. The Museum is housed in that very same Woolworths with the original counter as one of the central focuses of the exhibits.

In my senior year at Guilford College, I was able to intern at the (not yet opened) Museum and am happy to see that all the hard work of so many people is finally being rewarded with the opening of a Museum that not only honors the history of the Civil Rights Movement, but also helps people gain a greater understanding for the importance of that movement both in the towns and cities across the United States as well as in places around the world. Listen to an NPR interview with those involved in making this Museum a reality or read the NPR story here.

In the words of Franklin McCain, one of the original 'Greensboro Four:'
"[The museum] exists because there was the time that we don't want to go back to. And it also represents a kind of beacon for what's possible, and it says to people that all sorts of good things are possible if people work together and respect each other."

Today is an exciting day for Greensboro, and for history.

In peace,

~Rachael

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