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American Friends Service Committee — Part 2
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itself in the great problems of the social order and why it
constantly endeavors to bring love to bear in their solution.
The AFSC is an instrument of communication, small
scale rather than mass, but at its best, deep communication.
All of its programs explore the requirements of 2 nonvio-
lently ordered society, or experiment with approaches to its
realization. The Committee tries to examine candidly the
implications of its religious pacifist insights, and to offer
opportunities to those holding other responsible beliefs to
challenge them.
The Committee brings this philosophy to bear in two
problem areas particularly: race relations and international
order. It does so, first, because its faith that Christ's message
can speak to the affairs of nations is as deep as the conviction
that it speaks to the affairs of individuals, and second,
because it feels the need is greatest where the gulfs are
widest. In choosing these fields of service, which are com-
plex and charged with emotion, the Committee must expect
to find itself caught from time to time in controversy, its
motivation questioned, its actions misunderstood, its conclu-
sions rebuffed.
In spite of this, the American Friends Service Commit- :
tee feels compelled to continue to witness to its convictions
both as a religious duty and as an expression of responsible
citizenship in a free society. It is precisely because the AFSC
is concerned to uphold the values that lie at the core of our
national way of life, that the Committee has exercised its
responsibility to speak freely, as con.iction may require.
This it believes to be real patriotism, bscause freedom must
be exercised with vigor if it is not to become mere form and
ritual, and lose its power. The Comittee has therefore
spoken out in opposition to loyalty oaths and security pro-
grams because it believes-they create a climate of timidity
and mistrust that chills the heart of freedom. It has sup-
ported experiments in nonviolence and public witness
because these reflect the individual's conscientious assump-_
tion of responsibility at a time when apathy prevails. °
‘
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