May 1997

Of Violence and Hope:
Death Undone
by Bill Wylie-Kellermann

Bill Wylie-Kellermann says that violence escalated out of control from the beginning of time--the first books of Genesis. He equates violence to the "power of death" and explores the violence of slavery that John Wesley faced; the violence of today's society that is undermined by market forces; structural violence; violence under the guise of religious significance; and our quest to follow the one "whose fidelity to God was unshaken in the midst of violence."

Parenting for Peace with Justice
by James and Kathleen McGinnis

Twenty-six years of parenting taught these authors valuable information on listening, negotiating, teaching forgiveness, and giving children non-violent alternatives. Parents and grandparents will benefit from this article. The McGinnis' suggest where to start in providing joyful alternatives for children, books and videos that can be popular and inspirational for kids, and creating peaceful projects for children.

Date Rape:
When One You Know Attacks
by Cheryl McCourtie

This article dispels the myth that "date rape is not a crime of insane maniacs. It is a crime perpetuated by 'regular' men." Cheryl McCourtie defines rape; shows a woman's chance of being raped by an acquaintance; and reveals the common factors in date rape cases. Then, she explores the steps women can take to protect themselves, fight back, and help themselves heal through faith.

Toberman Settlement House:
Working with Gangs to Counter Violence
by Frances S. Smith

Gang warfare hit its peak in San Pedro, California, in 1992. The area had the second highest murder rate in Los Angeles County. By 1996, it dropped to 15th. Full-time street workers for Toberman Settlement House helped establish a peace council to stop gang violence and get at some of the issues behind this lifestyle. This article explores this organization's mission, which includes: creating peaceful relations; tackling problems such as substance abuse and domestic violence; and running delinquency prevention programs.

Responding to
Biased Violence
by Jane Dennis

"Someone needs to remember. Someone needs to care. Someone needs to put a face on the scores of victims of violence and brutality that fill newspaper reports and television newscasts." The Women's Watchcare Network in Arkansas is organizing to counter "biased" violence against people of color, Jews, Catholics, women, lesbians and gay men statewide. This article explores its efforts to counteract violence, track it, and advocate legislatively against it.

Silence is Acceptance
Hate Crime
by Susan DeCamp

Christians need to pay attention to domestic terrorism in the United States. "Hate crimes are unlawful acts of violence or intimidation against people because of their race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation," and these crimes are on the rise. This article explores the increase in hate speech, the types of hate crimes, issues involved with reporting these crimes, and hate crime legislation. It also looks at what people of goodwill must due to respond to hate speech, because silence is acceptance.

Youth Speak Out on Violence

A Dance of Peace
by Paradise Burroughs

A senior at Baltimore City High School for the Arts, Paradise Burroughs talks about the influence United Methodist Women had on her life when they adopted her elementary school and involved them in excursions, dance lessons, reading-partner program, etc. Ms. Burroughs insists that this empowerment helped her stay focus and make the right decisions about drugs, alcohol, crime, and sex. She ends her article with advice for teens that she has used in her life.

The Sweetest Name
by Lisa Patterson

Lisa Patterson, a ninth grader from Page, Arizona, says that Christians face violence everyday. She gives examples of violence that she's encountered, including an attempted suicide in her family, and she speaks of friends who are affected by similar problems. The answer to these problems, Ms. Patterson says, is one that we often overlook. Jesus.

A Shoulder, Time and Prayers
by Ben Trammell

Ms. Beatty's son, Zac, was killed by a drunk driver. Brian was in the car with Zac, and was critically injured. Even after her son's death, Ms. Beatty stayed at the hospital often with Brian's family. The author of this article, a high-school junior from Houston, Texas, shows how his church, United Methodist Women, and Ms. Beatty reached out and dedicated themselves to servitude during hard times caused by a violent act.

Other Articles:

See also:

• Response
• Responsively Yours
• United Methodist Women
• Women's Division
• April Edition of Response