_ Weber State College Comment, June 1986, page 2 Irish violence top ic of lecture in this issue: PUITINOWS ... « «< vcce desc occsececese 8 Chile, Galapagos..............6 Crystal Crestin 2.0 eis 4 ERAVGUIGS ass et ces Do you remember?...........9 Giving and Receiving.......10 CHEMICON oes inc cnewsnnceil PORY PIONS =. 222.6ieigcisuccilO Physical Education bidg......3 Ssrott Gwords ....5...52. 8-3 Plant domestication..........11 RMON a oon. bs neck co cinccennal } Accordingly, they conducted a street “We really didn’t know how many to expect,” Williams said. Ten thousand women showed up to the first rally and by the last rally over 65,000 participated. From that group of mothers, the Community of Peace People was formed and Williams’ non-violent approach to change began. A number of newspapers way, impressed lected $340,000 in Nor- by her efforts, colas a “People Peace Prize” and awarded the money to Williams. That money gave the fledgl- children are the garbage of war, or we say that a child's death is just an effect of war, we live in a sick society,” she said. She and Mairead Corrigan, aunt of the three dead children, gathered signatures on a petition of mothers calling for an end of the violence and called for a rally of mothers at the spot where the three children died. employ Irish natives, support groups, medical help and schools. Williams won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for her efforts. “Three years ago we started the first integrated school in Northern Ireland. There was a lot of opposition from the hierarchy of the church. But now the school is full and there’s a ten-year waiting list. We were just told yester- foundations orphans begin day that test results show it to be the “Women are responsible,” Williams, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy and for and the top school in Ireland. What a victory for ordinary mothers,” she said. They plan next to open a second school in the name of Ann McGuir, the givers of life. We should be the protectors of life. The “equal rights” of mother of the three children who were killed. Mrs. McGuir committed suicide women last year. ‘To lose three children all at once was just too much for her.” science, said. “We are is to fight for the right of our children and our husbands to live.” The three deaths were caused by clashes between soldiers of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and British soldiers in Belfast, Ireland. English soldiers had killed an IRA man driving a car. The car sped uncontrolled down the street killing the three children and injuring the mother as the family stood on the sidewalk. “The carnage was_ incredible,” Williams said, and the incident threw her into a rage that was still evident in the retelling. “When we get to the stage where which the ability to set up political pen,” Williams said during her lecture to WSC students. neighborhood. The result was 17 factories started by the peace organization ing organization other projects. en three children in Ire-. land died in front of Betty Williams, she decided she'd seen enough and she began a nonviolent revolt that won a Nobel Peace Prize and changed her country. “To see a child die in violence is the most horrendous thing that can hap- by street survey asking locals how they could improve situations in that “A woman reacts from the heart and works from the head. When they combine both, abandon ship.” Northern Ireland, with a population of 1.5 million, has 500,000 Catholics and one million Protestants, and the two religions are sharply segregated on Since Williams first started, she reports a 98 percent drop in violence, a rise in employment, a drop in poverty and an overall improvement in the country’s economy. “My grandfather said, “A woman reacts from the heart and works from the head. When they combine both, abandon ship,” Williams said. The media referred to the Community of Peace People as “ordinary more days than just Sunday. ‘Northern Ireland went through stages where Catholics were not allowed to vote and had to take menial jobs,” she said. That bigotry, coupled with an 84 percent unemployment rate, high housewives,” a term that infuriated Williams. There is no such thing as an ordinary housewife, she said. poverty, employees 685.people. All of the factories are cooperatives and ordinary housewives manage them,” she said. and the worst national economy in Western Europe trapped the country in a “sickening cycle of violence where we were killing each other in the name of God.” “Social violence causes physical violence,” she said. Though Williams and Community of Peace People repeatedly brought their concerns to Catholic church and government figures, (“I was not very popular with the church hierarchy,” Williams, a Catholic, noted.) they realized that any significant change had to come from the bottom up, she said. “The first factory we had was one that made glasses and there were two men who worked in it, a protestant and a catholic. Now that factory There is still much to be done to unite northern and southern Ireland, but Williams said she won't stop until war and suffering are gone from her country. “We sing for peace, we hope for peace, we pray for peace, but it’s not enough. We have to work for peace,” Williams said. “I'll do whatever it takes to achieve justice and peace. I'll go to any length, any length to achieve peace,” she added. Basketball team co-captain dies in accident eber player Signpost managing editor State Rob lost his life in accident at Jericho in the State Park on May 24. He ed to leave on an LDS following Thursday. He old. basketball “He was pleasant and easy going,” said Thomas. Crompton. A native of Roy, Utah, Thomas grew up watching and idolizing Weber State basketball. When Rob signed to play for Weber, he told assistant coach a motorcycle Little Sahara was schedulmission the was 22 years Dick Thomas was co-captain of this year’s odd accomplishment for a player who played only 10 minutes a game. But anyone who knew Rob knew why he had been chosen as captain. “He was one of those players that is on every team,” said WSC athletic director Gary Crompton. “Rob came off the bench and played 100 percent, and he gave 100 percent in practice. He to credit his coach and his team for all the accomplishments and _ successes was the epitome of hard work.” they had had through the year. Although he was known as a very ty off the court was anything but hard. that “his dream had come true.” Thomas starred at Roy High School and Snow Junior College before coming to Weber. “He always gave his best in everything he attempted, he showed excellent leadership,” said Hunsaker. Following this year’s Big Sky Championship tournament in Reno, Thomas, who could not play because of a foot injury, took the opportuninty Wildcat basketball team, probably an aggressive defender, Thomas’ ersonali- Hunsaker Rob Thomas ‘It's been great playing for Coach Farmer and Weber State. They’re the greatest.” Pe by Chris J. Miller ~ 3 a i }