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Friendly Spousal Abuse (3)

• Authored by:
• Anonymous

Dear Editor: I think Anonymous “speaks to the condition of many.” I want to share some bits of advice that might help. You can find others in your position to talk with in chat rooms, both on the phone and online. Also, make sure to get acquainted with services you might need before you are in the position of needing them.

On Teachers (September 2020)

Friendly Spousal Abuse (1)

• Authored by:
• Susan Davenport

Dear Anonymous: This is to recognize your courage to write for the July/August issue, regarding the secret of your hidden life among Friends. Dear One, you are heard, your pain is acknowledged. You are not alone.

On Teachers (September 2020)

Friendly Spousal Abuse (2)

• Authored by:
• Ann Birch

Dear Editor: The author of “Secrets in the Friendly Home” describes a life uncannily like the one would still be living without a late-life separation and divorce.

On Teachers (September 2020)

Substance Abuse

• Authored by:
• Muriel Strand

Margaret Fisher’s reminder of the “traditional Quaker testimony on abstinence from alcohol” is also a reminder of the diversity of the world of Friends. Pacific Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice mentions the general concern of addictions, particularly those that are harmful to others. Serving alcohol at Meeting gatherings is not to be done, and Friends should always provide alternatives when they serve alcohol to guests in their homes. Pot is not explicitly addressed in Faith and Practice. So I see that this testimony has a few hairs that can be split.

On Knowing (March 2015)

Testimonies of Separation

• Authored by:
• David R. Wolf

I have litigated divorce, paternity, custody, child support, and Order of Protection cases in Arizona for over three years. My work has largely been funded by a grant for crime victims’ rights. Almost all of the patterns described in this article appeared many times in many cases and do not refer to particular cases or individuals.  I have omitted all identifying information and, where necessary, have changed particularizing details to preserve confidentiality.

On Separation (November 2019)

Friendly Truth to Power

• Authored by:
• Nancy Marshall

On Division (January 2024)

#MeToo and Quaker Men

• Authored by:
• Steve Finger,
• Allen Winchester

A year ago, when the phrase #MeToo went viral, it created an opening for women to talk about negative patriarchal experiences that they have been forced to put up with for years, and it drew widespread attention to sexual assault and harassment of women in all walks of life. #MeToo actually began in 2006, when social activist and community organizer Tarana Burke created the phrase “Me Too” on the Myspace social network. Her goal was to promote “empowerment through empathy” among women of color who had experienced sexual abuse, particularly within underprivileged communities. Burke was inspired to use the phrase after finding herself unable to respond to a thirteen-year-old girl who had confided in her that she had been sexually assaulted. Burke later wished she had simply told the girl, “Me too.” On October 15, 2017, actress Alyssa Milano made a very public invitation to women everywhere to spread the #MeToo meme on Twitter. She later gave Burke credit for the meme.

On Mixture (November 2018)

Bert Kenneth Kanewske

Child Protective Services

• Authored by:
• Timothy Clark

When I was a young man, I worked two years for Child Protective Services (CPS). It’s a strange job, going to people’s homes to talk to them about complaints that other people have made about how they treat their children.

On Children (September 2018)

The Weapons We Carry (abridged)

• Authored by:
• Maria Arrington

The following note was excerpted from a longer message. The original is published here in Western Friend’s online library.

On Weapons (January 2019)