Princetonians’ efforts in the peace movement were lauded Monday at a ceremony at the Princeton University Chapel.
By: Jennifer Potash
As rhetoric heats up in Washington over a potential war with Iraq, members of the Princeton Peace Network sought to rally residents to the peace cause Saturday.
Also, Princetonians’ efforts in the peace movement were lauded Monday at a ceremony at the Princeton University Chapel.
Princeton Peace Network, a Princeton University-based group, teamed with the Coalition for Peace Action to distribute lawn signs with the slogan "No Iraq War" to the public.
Over 80 people lined the curbs of both sides of Nassau Street near Tiger Park Saturday afternoon waving the lawn signs or handmade ones. By the end of the hour-long vigil, most of the lawn signs had been distributed.
Hana Heineken, a Princeton University senior and co-founder of Princeton Peace Network, said she felt compelled to become active given the stakes involved in a potential war. She said the university students, while originally apathetic to the issue, are becoming more interested.
Zia Mian, a lecturer on public and international affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School, said the response of passersby was uniformly in support of the Peace Network.
As Mr. Mian was speaking, a driver in a white Ford Explorer honked the horn and gave a thumbs-up sign.
Shawn Goldack of Montgomery has attended the weekly vigils since October with his wife, Nancy, and daughters Sierra, 4, and Elena, 23 months. He said he was concerned about how military action would devastate the civilian Iraqi population that is already suffering from years of international sanctions.
Six Princetonians were among the seven recipients Monday of the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Award from the Martin Luther King International Chapel of Morehouse College in Atlanta.
The awards were presented by Dr. Lawrence Carter, dean of the Martin Luther King Chapel, at the Princeton University Chapel as part of the opening ceremony for the Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace exhibit, which is part of the Princetons’ observance of Black History Month.
The awardees were:
Heddye Brinson Ducree, director of the Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding, Princeton University.
Dr. Peter J. Paris, E.G. Homrighausen Professor of Christian Social Ethics, Princeton Theological Seminary.
Dr. Richard O. Hope, vice president, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation and a visiting professor of sociology, Princeton University.
The Rev. Moses William Howard, pastor, Bethany Baptist Church, Newark and Princeton Theological Seminary alumnus.
The Rev. Robert Moore, executive director, Coalition for Peace Action, Princeton.
Dr. Mark Lewis Taylor, professor of theology and culture, Princeton Theological Seminary.
The Rev. Cr. Joseph C. Williamson, dean of Religious Life of the Chapel, Princeton University.
The award was created to recognize those who exemplify the nonviolent leadership of men from three different cultures: Mohandas K. Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, a Japanese Buddhist.
"We wanted this award to say to those in the world in pursuit of peace that national, state, local, racial boundaries don’t count and we want to encourage people who are involved in peace to continue," said the Rev. Carter before presenting the awards.
The Rev. Jeffrey O’Grady, dean of student affairs at Princeton Theological Seminary, noted at a time of international uncertainty regarding war, the words of Gandhi, Dr. King and Dr. Ikeda are relevant.
The exhibition, making a national tour, includes photos, quotes and historical information honoring the lives and efforts of Gandhi, Dr. King and Dr. Ikeda.
The exhibit is free and open to the public through Friday. The chapel is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. through Friday.

