Feature: Finding Shelter in Sherborn

By John S. Forrester

Images from Peaceabbey.org

SHERBORN - Loudspeakers blare the Adhan, an Islamic call to prayer, into a neighborhood in this small, quiet Massachusetts town. As the few scattered visitors and staff stop, silently turning toward Mecca, the sun hangs high on the three acres nestled in Sherborn as the caller's calm Arabic phrases halts all activity. Near the road behind them is a 9-feet-tall statue of Gandhi, centerpiece of the Abbey’s pacifist memorial, just a few feet from the town’s war memorial. It’s an unusual juxtaposition, but it seems to characterize the against-the-grain nature of both the Peace Abbey and its dedicated founder, Lewis Randa, a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War who has been involved in social activism since the late 1960’s.

The Peace Abbey is a multi-denominational retreat center dedicated to educating the public about pacifism, social justice, veganism, and spirituality. Along with various classes, workshops, and a multi-faith chapel, the Peace Abbey has offered sanctuary, legal advice, and first-hand knowledge to dozens of members of the military who have gone A.W.O.L or deserted since 1991.
After high school in Des Moines, Iowa, Randa headed to the University of Iowa in 1966. During his junior year, the 19-year-old, worked as a member of the student coordinating committee for Robert Kennedy’s 1968 campaign for president.

“It was that campaign that led to the work I do today," Randa said, adding that the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. influenced him to become a pacifist.

While battles raged in Vietnam, the young Iowan felt the war's impact on campus as well. “The anti-war movement was palpable in the classroom, on the campus – because of the draft. There was really nothing else being discussed,” said Randa. Earning his degree in education, Randa says he joined the National Guard in 1969 to avoid the draft and service in Vietnam, expecting to serve in a stateside capacity, such as aiding civic projects and disasters.

Arriving at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., for training, Randa knew his feelings had changed. “I believed at the time in the 'just war theory,' and I believed in the necessity of having a standing army. It wasn’t until I joined and went to boot camp that I realized I could not continue,” said Randa.

In order to leave the military based on a moral and ethical rejection of war, a soldier must clearly define in several essays what led them to reject violence. Before boot camp ended, Randa submitted his application. He then headed to Fort Drum near Watertown, N.Y., to participate in a summer training program.

“I was initially denied the 'C.O.' status I sought - and it required that I begin a fast, which led to my discharge, through the demonstration of my sincerity,” said Randa. After refusing to eat for a week and drink water for several days, Randa received troubling news. “I was sent back to Boston and told I would receive a discharge, only to be activated to Vietnam," explains Randa.

While in the city, he mentioned his situation to a few of Senator Ted Kennedy's staffers looking for help. Following a congressional inquiry, he was honorably discharged in 1971. Obtaining Conscientious Objector status 1-0, or a soldier who refuses military participation in any capacity, Randa had to complete two years of alternative civil service. In 1972, he founded Life Experience School Inc., to educate young adults with mental and physical disabilities.

“I agreed to perform 2 years of alternative service which is now approaching 35 years,” said Randa.

The Peace Abbey came into existence sixteen years later in the building next to the Life Experience School in Sherborn, after Mother Teresa - whom Randa met while volunteering in Calcutta in 1987 – came to visit him and the children. Following the visit in 1988, he was able to borrow enough funds for to create a center specifically dedicated to peaceful principles.

As Randa stands by the table where the renowned nun sat during her visit, he removes a necklace from under his shirt. “I give this to each ‘C.O.’ that processes their application. It’s the image of St. Francis of Assisi – make me an instrument of your peace – and on the back of it is a swatch of blood stained altar cloth of Monsignor Romero,” said Randa, referring to a El Salvadorian archbishop killed in 1980 the same day he urged revolutionaries to lay down their arms. “I make this available to wear during the process, it’s been worn by numerous people.”

One of Randa’s jobs is to aid in accessing a service member's values on violence and discussing options for resolving the issue with the military. He also performs services in the abbey as Massachusetts’ first Inter-faith Peace Chaplain, a pastoral role that embraces all religions.

While he spends most of his time informing strangers about activism and social issues, Randa often involves his family in his work as well. On the day that the current conflict in Iraq began, Randa and 17 other activists were arrested for civil disobedience after trespassing on the U.S. Army Soldier Biological and Chemical Command, an installation in Natick. He brought his three children, Abbey, Michael, and Christopher to watch. “Our kids are always allowed to get out of school to observe their father taking direct action, which leads to civil disobedience and arrest, but I always let them know that I do that with the belief that so long as we use non-violence to express our discontent… that it is something admirable and that they should feel good about,” said Randa.

Other than working directly with soldiers, The Peace Abbey is home to the the National Registry of Conscientious Objectors, founded by the center in 1991 – a list that people of any age or occupation can sign to declare their commitment to a life without using violence. Currently they collected over 1,000 signatures nationwide.

While not nearly as busy as other outlets of information for soldiers, such as the G.I. Rights Hotline based in Sacramento, Calif., the abbey offers services that hotlines and websites cannot: face-to-face consultation, access to legal representation, and a place to stay and contemplate while mulling over the next step, despite the fact that deserters are criminals who are subject to arrest. (left) Lewis Randa addressing a crowd at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, MA.

Here, nestled among affluent homes in Sherborn, is where a few of America’s servicemen and women have been fighting a conflict - far from the roadsides of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan - of a deeply personal nature. In a wood paneled room within the abbey, the table where Mother Teresa sat during her visit - now called “the Peacemaker’s Table,” - is where Randa and other volunteers at begin discussing issues with service members when they visit the abbey.

“We will help them sort out their feelings as to the action they took because there’s a price to pay,” said Randa.

A report published in 2002 by the U.S. Army Research Institute, said the most common reasons for desertion are family problems, failure to adapt to military life, issues with the chain of command, and financial problems. Five percent of the 12,277 deserters quarried said they left for “other” reasons.

While many deserters intend to eventually return to their unit, a few service members – when faced with the violent realities of combat – decide, like Randa, that their personal morals or religious beliefs conflict with what they are taking part in.

“They’re going from place to place, staying with relatives, college friends, and they’re living with such upheaval, because they feel a phone call or an e-mail could lead the military identifying their location. What we’ve found is that there is a sense of hopelessness, because they can’t work,” Randa says, “they’re now dependant on others to finance their movement because they can’t earn a living and they can’t continue their education…this is a serious problem and we’re here to help people take the next step, when they’re ready.”

Between 2003 and 2005, 16,408 members of the armed services were classified as deserters, or a soldier who has been away from their unit or base for more than thirty days, according to data provided by the Department of Defense. It is unclear how many remain unaccounted for.

When asked how many deserters he was encountered through his work, Randa remains mum, though he estimates that dozens of soldiers have visited the abbey looking for information. “The doors are always open for people to find solace, support, and direction here. We don’t know how many soldiers come through here out of uniform, because we don’t ask,” Randa said. When someone arrives at the abbey seeking advice about desertion, Randa shows the visitor the abbey’s Pacifist Memorial, which features a bronze 6-foot statue of Gandhi and quotes from 65 influential pacifists. “When they start to read the quotes they get a better sense of what conscientious objection is all about,” says Randa.

Randa’s job – in a sense – is to clear up any confusion about the process and aid them in accessing their values. However they must object to all wars in totality - under the terms set by the military - rather than one war specifically. If the service member seems to meet the criteria and appears sincere, Randa says, then he helps them analyze their beliefs in order to develop a thesis about why they oppose the use of violence and specifically war.

“During times of conflict it can be anticipated that there will be a number of people who legitimately request CO [conscientious objector] status, then you have others who use it as a means to avoid fulfilling service obligations” said Major Sheldon Smith, a civilian reservist with the Army’s Public Affairs division, “In my opinion it’s a very fair process.”

What the military is looking for when judging conscientious objector cases, says Randa, is sincerity.

“There’s nothing that proves sincerity than taking your uniform and returning it to the military, which puts you in violation of the dress code. And you have to be able to say unequivocally I’ll go to prison.” “We ask them to consider joining various peace groups so they can get their periodicals, so that they can learn from people who have gone down that path. They have to realize what they’re embarking on there are thousands of people willing to reach out and provide assistance,” said Randa.

Aside from postings on their website, most of the Peace Abbey’s activities are advertised through word of mouth and grassroots methods.

“My mother was a member of an organization called Military Families Speak Out, and the co-founders live in Massachusetts. They had been to the Peace Abbey and they knew of Lewis Randa’s history, so they immediately made the connection,” said Sergeant Camillo Mejia during a phone interview from his home in Florida.

Mejia, who was living underground at the time, made his way to Sherborn by busses, trains, and walking to avoid detection. Mejia, who deserted his unit while on leave from Iraq in 2004, became one of the abbey’s most publicized cases. After spending several weeks at the Peace Abbey, reading about Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, and other notable pacifists and preparing his arguments, he turned himself in at a press conference at the abbey.

“[Mejia] arrived here not fully understanding what a conscientious objection was all about. He needed to sort through for himself what this tradition involved, because when he refused to return, he knew that there were ethical reasons…but he needed to know that there’s this tradition he is part of,” said Randa. Randa later appeared at Mejia's court marshal for desertion as a character witness.

Despite potential criticism, Randa remains steadfastly dedicated to his work.

“We know that some people object to what we’re doing, they’re not all that vocal, but we know that there’s a degree of risk. We just hope people understand that we’re just helping people follow their conscience. We’re not telling people to do anything but follow their heart,” says Randa, “We’re not here to oppose anything, we’re here to support ones conscience.”

Notes on the Strange: Cuppa Elvis?

By John S. Forrester

image from elviscup.com

Working in a newspaper everyday, one is exposed to a multitude of crazy, offbeat stories and ideas that usually never see the light of day. Among the various conspiracy theories and schizophrenic rants that have passed across my desk recently, one particular item stood out magnificently in the swirl of insanity.

Wade Jones, a salesman from Belmont, N.C. has owned a Styrofoam cup once used by Elvis in a concert in Charlotte for over thirty years. Over the decades, Jones felt that he developed a deep spiritual connection with "The King"; so much that he feels he can sense what Elvis would feel about contemporary issues.

My interest perked, and I had to call.

JF: How would Elvis feel about the Internet?

WJ: I think that would be a hard thing for Elvis to fathom. Complex dishes, technology didn't affect Elvis much. I think he would be one of the older generations, kind of interested by the Internet but he wouldn't be a technology buff at all. He'd be more into technology in cars, or guns. You know, like lasers on guns or automatic rifles. I think he would like it though because he could get feedback on what people think of him, not just like a review of a show or something.... I just don't think he could fathom it.

JF: What about online music sharing?

WJ: I don't think he would feel it would be stealing. He wouldn't be one of these artists - like Madonna - that would have a major problem with it. He would have a more Grateful Dead outlook on it; it would be another matter if his manager, Col. Parker, were still alive.

JF: Have you ever considered cutting up the cup, to spread Elvis' influence and insights throughout the world?

WJ: I don't want to split the cup up; its like one of those relationship necklaces, once it's compromised it won't be the same.

For more on Wade Jones and his remarkable gift, check out elviscup.com or take a look at a more comprehensive article at: Elvis Sipped Here. Maybe.

News: Walsh, Youngest person to graduate from Suffolk
originally published in the June 7 issue of the Suffolk Journal

By John S. Forrester

Among the 1,720 Suffolk students receiving their diplomas in this year's commencement ceremony, Michael Walsh stands out in the crowd, though you might not recognize him. He can't smoke, gamble, or even vote - nonetheless he received a Bachelor of Arts in Government. That's because Walsh is a mere 17 years old; but he wouldn't want you to pay attention to that minor detail.

Growing up north of Boston in Essex County, Walsh was home-schooled by his parents for most of his education, later attending Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. There, Walsh said, he gained two years worth of college credits by the time he was 16 years old. From there, the ambitious student decided to broaden his educational horizons.

When it came time to select a college to attend, Walsh says he chose Suffolk "because it was close, convenient, a friendly and warm atmosphere. There's everything you could want there."

Knowing he wanted to study government and politics, Suffolk's reputation as a starting spot for many Massachusetts politicians also factored into his decision, Walsh said. Its close proximity to home was also a factor.

"My parents didn't want their 15-year-old son going too far from home," he explains. By the time Walsh turned 16, he was a registered student at Suffolk.

Associate Professor Judith Dushku of the Government Department, who advised Walsh his first year at Suffolk, remembers her first meeting with the young student."He was very eager, and willing to try anything," said Professor Dushku, "sort of like, don't take my age as any indication of whether or not I can get anything accomplished." In the 2004-2005 school year, Walsh was nominated for both Outstanding Junior and Outstanding Transfer Student of the Year.

Last Spring, he appeared on the Dean's List of High Honors for the College of Arts and Sciences and Walsh made this year's edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.Joining the SGA as senator during his junior year, Walsh worked extensively with the Student Affairs Committee and acted as Secretary in Student Government Association under President Alan Motenko's administration. Wayne Atkins, a senator for the Class of 2007, described the teenaged Senator as SGA's "Doogie Howser," in an editorial published this year.

"He reminded Alan [Motenko] of the rules a lot. He's a rules guy," said Atkins in a phone interview. "Being a rules guy, he tended to frustrate people and he'd take on so much responsibility that he would stretch himself thin."

According to Atkins in an opinion piece printed in the April 26 edition of The Suffolk Journal, Walsh took on so many duties and dedicated so many hours to his work with SGA that he sometimes neglected seemingly less important aspects of his secretary position, such as keeping detailed minutes of each meeting.

Two weeks before the end of his term as senator this year, Walsh resigned his secretary position, but retained his Senatorial seat. Dubbing the incident as "SGA's darkest hour," Atkins praised Walsh's significant contributions to SGA and the student body as a whole.

"I wanted to serve my class…there was no reason to leave [the SGA entirely]," commented Walsh, declining to elaborate further.

Outside the academic realm, Walsh had his fair share of social accomplishments as well."I had a world-class social experience. SGA formed the first friends that I made and the core of the friends that I continued to hold at Suffolk. But I made friends everywhere," said Walsh, describing his social scene.

When asked if there were any disadvantages to being a younger student in college, Walsh brushes the notion aside."Not really," Walsh said, "I feel like the route I took gave me every possible advantage. What few disadvantages there were, I was able to overcome with the help of family and friends."

Though nonchalant about the experience as a whole, Walsh does admit one of the initial disadvantages was "a lack of understanding of how to interact with my peers on a level playing field."Associating with students in their 20s, his "normal reaction would be to treat them as superiors. My friends and family helped me gain a sense of equality and fitting in."

One of the experiences that helped him along this process, he said, was living in Suffolk's dorm at 10 Somerset St. Living in the dorm was "amazing," Walsh said, "meeting people, being in such close quarters with individuals of the likes I would never normally associate with. It was an amazing experience, learning to appreciate people for their diversity."

Though he has learned much during his two years at Suffolk, also developing personally, Walsh said he doesn't plan to stop there. Walsh, who turns 18 on July 1, is entering Suffolk Law School next fall with tentative plans to study Constitutional law.

Opinion: Sign of the Beast or Sign of the Summer?
originally published in the June 7 edition of the Suffolk Journal.

By John S. Forrester

What a strange summer this is shaping up to be. With sweltering temperatures, torrential storms, apocalyptic undertones, convention-challenging Hollywood blockbusters and roving activist bike gangs - this could be the most action packed summer in years!

First of all, the dreaded 6/6/6 numerical date approached us and passed. Did the world explode in a burst of hellish flames? No. Did people get paranoid and go crazy? Of course. This was just Y2K v. 2.0. The only thing we need to fear is people who actually buy into the hype. At least, it was a good day to sell some heavy metal albums and horror movies.

Accentuating the frenzy is "The Da Vinci Code," the movie that everyone loves to chat about but simultaneously slam as being "not actually that good." Before we get to fact-checking the Bible, fear not: this big-budget, fictional assailment on Catholic convention is only the fourth grossing movie in the nation as of June 2. People are more interested in seeing Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston get it on than question their religious beliefs.

Things always seem a bit crazy during the World Cup which is, held once every four years. Could the fact that Budweiser obtained the sole beer vendor contract for this year's event be a sign of demonic influence? Perhaps, or it could just mean that Germany will have a huge problem on their hands when visitors from around the world realize that they're forced to slurp down mass-produced American hog sweat. There have even been articles on the blogosphere with titles like "How to Avoid Drinking Budweiser at the World Cup" and a website, www.budout.com, popped up to protest the injustice.

Don't forget, the bird flu is still knocking at our door, a new Berlin wall is popping up on our southern border, Anna Nicole Smith is pregnant and a "natural" version of 7-Up was recently released.

All of these are ominous, dark shadows on the horizon.

The political sphere can't escape the summer-borne insanity either: Bush ,acknowledging his "tough words," might not have set the best tone for the war in Iraq. There was the slashing of Homeland Security funding to major cities like New York and Washington D.C. and the recent issues with illegal immigrants and gay marriage. Condoleezza Rice is even starting to look sexy.

Things are a bit off-kilter locally too. Rumor has it a group of gay bicyclists have taken to the streets under the name "The Pink Panthas," to combat hate crimes (they're trained in self-defense), educating the public on HIV and handing out condoms. Then there's Johnny Damon (or is it Daemon?) in the uniform of the Evil Empire and Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole abruptly leaving for the top-cop slot in Ireland. Even she recognized the craziness permeating the Hub.

In Suffolk's own backyard, the Brahmins are uproarious as well. The Beacon Hill Times featured several stories and editorials blasting Suffolk's plans to build a new dorm in the area. Having more of Suffolk's 4,600 students live in a safe, supervised (and might I add alcohol-prohibitive) environment instead of forcing them to seek expensive off-campus housing? How awful! Shame on you President Sargent, everything is going to hell!

So when does the madness end? If you're feeling a spell of summer hysteria, rest assured of one certainty…come September, a greater, all-consuming sense of dread will emerge: the beginning of the fall semester. Things aren't as bad as they seem now, are they?