Peace in the Press

Our marvelous Snad made it into the paper today.

(Brother Mike and Sister Snad at our demonstration on Roan Street a couple of weeks ago).


Sandra Garrett published her review of our Creating a Culture of Peace workshop on her blog ConcernedTNCitizens, and the JC Press included it on the Guest Commentary page!

Here is Sandra's commentary:

Community needs to learn lessons on ‘creating peace’ offered at weekend workshop

Sandra Garrett of Elizabethton is a member of Concerned TN Citizens.

I am a skeptic. I also tend toward the cynical. I am not a hopeless optimist.

I also try to take advantage of opportunities particularly when such opportunities are limited. That’s why, when First Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton announced it was bringing a three-day workshop called “Creating a Culture of Peace” to the area, I knew I wanted Concerned TN Citizens to support it. But at the same time, I was concerned that it would be a let-down, that we would spend most of our time asking each other “how does what he said make you feel?”

My fears were not realized. Of course there was some hand-holding and so forth, but there was also plenty of opportunity to practice the ideas we learned.

I learned how much more effective I can be when I don’t give in to anger or the notion that I have to convince the other person of my moral superiority. How freeing! This is training that can be utilized in daily life, be it with a member of the family, at work, or in a protest line.

It is a commitment of time and energy. It is exhausting. Most importantly, it is worth the time, and it is worth sharing. There is one workshop left, April 18-20, and there are openings. I hope after you read this there won’t be. Our community needs this.

We need tools that will help us build our strength, whether it be the strength to get through another day with a pushy co-worker, or the strength necessary to get county commissioners to clean up their act, or to push our administration to end the war. We need it. And since each of you is a part of we, you need it, too.

Just give me a call at 543-7737 if you would like to attend. The cost is $20 per person, $30 per couple and $10 per young adult (14-18). The fees can be waived if necessary.

C'mon y'all, get on the peace train!