Sally Ferrell

Wilkesboro, NC, is not a bastion of the peace movement. As in many towns around the country, support of the military is strong there.

Sally Ferrell wants to be sure, however, that people in her community, especially young people, have the chance to learn about other views and to speak their minds. When she found out that military recruiters were in the local high school nearly every day, she set up a table right beside the recruiters, using "War Is Not the Answer" buttons and other materials to educate students on alternatives to joining the military. When she felt that the peace vigil her meeting organized was not visible enough, she moved it from Saturdays to Sundays, in order to catch the attention of people leaving church. She displays "War Is Not the Answer" signs there as well.

Sally finds that this message is particularly effective in opening up dialogue on issues of peace and war without provoking a confrontation. Even when the bright blue sign elicits a snide, "Well, what is the answer then?" Sally has an answer ready: "Diplomacy and negotiation." Without the effective FCNL message, such notions might never come up in the course of an average Sunday afternoon conversation.