Day of peace display requests social movement
By: Kelly Kendall
Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: Lifestyle
In order to illustrate nonviolence for the International Day of Peace, Andrea Miller's Current Issues in Human Relations class conducted a teach-in on Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. at the puny Muny, the steps outside of Emerson Library.
"A teach-in is something that informs the public of something they didn't know before," Miller said. "It's not a protest, but it's a way to get social movement without violence."
The International Day of Peace, occurring every year on Sept. 21, started in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. The day calls for a full day of peace and cease-fire throughout the world for one day. In order for cease-fire to commence, the "Peace Bell," made of coins donated by children on every continent, at the U.N. Headquarters in New York City must be rung. The bell was rung in 2007 by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, but was not rung in 2008.
Disappointed that peace was not declared for only one day, Miller's class set up cardboard signs adorned the set up around the Puny Muny with messages such as "You can't shake hands with a clenched fist" and "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace," signaling to passersby why the group of 20 people were sitting there.
The teach-in started with an acoustic "This Land" by Jess Mitchell, a freshman human rights major, and Kyle Whitworth a junior audio production major. However, the version they chose, the original, had the extended version of the song that is taught in elementary school.
"The real song questions whether this land (the United States) was really made for everyone," Mitchell said. "The more people that can hear the song, the more we'll know why the verses change. These lyrics might help to start a discussion."
Two whole verses were taken out of the original song. The first set of lyrics sings about a sign, one side that said "private property" and the other, blank side, was made for the singer. The second verse is about the singer seeing his people standing hungry, then asking if the land is "made for you and me."
"A teach-in is something that informs the public of something they didn't know before," Miller said. "It's not a protest, but it's a way to get social movement without violence."
The International Day of Peace, occurring every year on Sept. 21, started in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. The day calls for a full day of peace and cease-fire throughout the world for one day. In order for cease-fire to commence, the "Peace Bell," made of coins donated by children on every continent, at the U.N. Headquarters in New York City must be rung. The bell was rung in 2007 by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, but was not rung in 2008.
Disappointed that peace was not declared for only one day, Miller's class set up cardboard signs adorned the set up around the Puny Muny with messages such as "You can't shake hands with a clenched fist" and "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace," signaling to passersby why the group of 20 people were sitting there.
The teach-in started with an acoustic "This Land" by Jess Mitchell, a freshman human rights major, and Kyle Whitworth a junior audio production major. However, the version they chose, the original, had the extended version of the song that is taught in elementary school.
"The real song questions whether this land (the United States) was really made for everyone," Mitchell said. "The more people that can hear the song, the more we'll know why the verses change. These lyrics might help to start a discussion."
Two whole verses were taken out of the original song. The first set of lyrics sings about a sign, one side that said "private property" and the other, blank side, was made for the singer. The second verse is about the singer seeing his people standing hungry, then asking if the land is "made for you and me."
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