MAPping out a plan for Peace
Members hope to provide forum for discussion and support.
published in the Manchester Enterprise, Nov. 28th, 2002
by Marsha Johnson Chartrand
Manchester Area People for Peace is a group of local residents who are deeply concerned about the possibility of war against Iraq—or any other nation.
“The group started through an e-mail inquiry that I made and word-of mouth,” said Eileen Parker, a member of MAP for Peace. “I asked local people interested in forming a peace group to contact me.”
In response to Parker’s message, the group first met on Nov. 9.
“I was delighted by the number of people who showed up,” she said. “We decided to turn our anxiety and frustration over the current rush to war into a constructive grassroots movement aimed at engaging the community in a dialogue on peace and alternatives to war.”
MAP for Peace plans to sponsor discussion groups on a range of topics from war on Iraq to protection of civil liberties in a war-time environment.
“Suggested topics will be discussed at our meetings and community members will be encouraged to send topic ideas to us,” Parker said. “We want to engage students as well and hope to have special discussion groups for them.”
Parker emphasizes that the group’s disagreement is with the administration’s policies toward Iraq and preemptive attacks on other nations.
“Should an attack on Iraq come, we will continue our efforts aimed at peace and dialogue,” she said. “We will always remain supportive of the men and women of our military who are put in harm’s way by these policies.”
Manchester Area People for Peace can be contacted via e-mail at MAPforPeace@comcast.net or reached by phone at 428-0222.
The group sponsored a table at the Christmas in the Village event last weekend and was located at Klager Elementary school passing out flyers and talking to interested residents. Contact the e-mail address or telephone number above to receive information on the group’s next meeting.
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