CLEAR BROOK — Concerned that the tone of the presidential campaign could incite bullying, the Hopewell Centre Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends recently passed a “minute,” or resolution, denouncing speech that promotes white supremacy.
The local congregation of the Religious Society of Friends, also called Quakers, has about 75 members who meet at the Hopewell Meeting House on Hopewell Road in northern Frederick County and at the Centre Meeting House on Piccadilly and Washington streets in Winchester.
A minute, though not a regular occurrence, is a way Quakers can come together to take a moral position on a topic of concern in society. Minutes are a long-standing tradition among Friends and are intended as a witness for all time, said Judia Gallinger, clerk of the congregation’s six-member Peace and Social Concerns Committee.
A member whose daughter had been bullied at school some years ago brought the issue before the Peace and Social Concerns Committee in September, “We were concerned that as the campaign went on that it was going to seem that it was OK to bully,” Gallinger said.
The minute, passed by the congregation Nov. 13, was included in the meeting’s written record with the following text: “The Hopewell Centre Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends finds unity in denouncing all speech that promotes, directly or indirectly, white supremacist ideology. As Friends we believe in honoring the Testimony of Equality. We think of all people as equal and that we should embrace one another in those terms. We see ethnic, faith, and cultural diversity in our society as strengths which enrich our perspective and teach us new ways to live in the Light. Friends are urged to test their leadings by confronting resurgent hate rhetoric whenever it occurs.”
As part of an ongoing discussion, the congregation talked about how to express the minute in their lives and what to do if they heard hate-filled speech. They also examined their own lives for any racist thoughts or behaviors, Gallinger said.
It’s hard for Quakers to face conflict, Gallinger said, but it would not be keeping with the spirit of the minute to let racist remarks pass without comment. The congregation discussed various ways it’s possible to disagree with someone without making matters worse.
“You can say, ‘I feel strongly otherwise or I see it a different way.’” Gallinger said. “But we need to be that light shining. The testimony is that everyone is equal and that there is good in everyone even if they do bad things.”
The Religious Society of Friends meets at the Hopewell Meeting House at 10 a. m. on the first, second, third and fifth Sundays of the month and at the Centre Meeting House at 10 a.m. on the fourth Sunday. There is also midweek meeting at the Centre from 6:45 to 8 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of the month.
-Robyn Taylor, The Winchester Star