Sad times (From Penarth Times)

Sad times

WE STOOD outside the Library to demonstrate our desire to make our opinions known to the people of Penarth last Saturday.

This was at the end of the week of Comic Relief and with increasing talk of the impending war against Iraq, the two became entwined in my mind.

We were sad as we saw and heard of the personal stories of many in Africa and rejoiced as the millions poured in on Friday night in that very effective demonstration of the power of television.

We realised that the scenes we witnessed in Africa were the results of the unfair distribution of the world's wealth, yet at the same time our televisions were giving us pictures of the gathering might of the armed forces of the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

We could see billions of pounds being spent in our name.

If that amount of money had been directed in "repayment of Third World Debt" and an increase in real aid to these poorer countries of the world then the factors which breed terrorism would soon disappear.

Iraq in fact has very little to do with the quelling of terrorism or from events emanating from September 11.

In a recent anti-war campaign I was reminded of the text in Romans 12:20: "If your enemy is hungry feed him" and in verse 21 it concludes by claiming that you can "conquer evil with good".

Therefore we would suggest that working together for the common good is the best method of achieving advancement.

An example of this occurred very recently in the planning of our excellent Lent Lunches.

The Baptists of Stanwell were paired with the Catholics of St Joseph's, to be jointly responsible for buying the basic requirements.

This was soon solved by a couple of telephone calls.

We would wish the world's problems could be solved as quickly.

Keith Howells Chairman Penarth Cytun Stanton Way Penarth