Mother's Day a call to peace

[Kire]

Mother's Day a call to peace
Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Mother's Day is not a Hallmark holiday. It is a call to peace by women who lost their sons in the Civil War. This call to stop the killing is, indeed, the message of abolitionist Julia Ward Howe, who in 1870 issued the original Mother's Day proclamation calling on women to rise up against war. "We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs," said Howe.

This Mother's Day, let's form a united mothers' resistance line in front of our local recruitment center. Or hold a vigil for the troops who have lost their lives in the war in Iraq. "Arise then ... women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts! Say firmly: 'We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.' I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality, may be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace."

KELLY PRENTICE

Easton

http://tinyurl.com/7npxp

[etherealtruth]

1. Thank you

I guess I wasn't aware of the origin of Mothers Day --- appreciate the info and the thought it stimulated.