Peace Effort Must Start Locally

By Tara Lynn
Anchor
Published: September 21, 2008

Dozens of people in the Lowcountry spent the afternoon standing up for peace.  The event “Peace One Day” is part of an international peace day in which the U.S., NATO, the Afghan government and even the Taliban pledged a cease-fire Sunday. 

The event’s message of the need for peace definitely resonates with the Lowcountry.  There’ve been several shootings in the Charleston area this weekend—at least two fatal

“We need to connect with people that are different from us,” said organizer of the event and College of Charleston professor Reba Parker.  “Then we cooperate on tasks we’re doing together and then we begin to communicate with them. Then become friends. It’s kind of hard to lash out against people we care about.”

Parker says many people hadn’t heard of “Peace One Day” so she organized this event at Brittlebank Park in downtown Charleston.  The idea—if there can be peace for one day, it can eventually last longer.  To spread that peace around the world she says we must be active in our communities and first tackle violence at home.