The STOPLight

War or peace? Your choice!

I remember the winter of 1941-42 in Conrad, our small Montana town, when we all turned the lights low and put special coverings over the windows. We were at war and there was the remote possibility that Japanese war planes would drop bombs on us. Although I was only six at the time, this memory remains vivid -- even the possibility of being in a war zone goes deep into the human psyche. At the end of this millenium, let us recognize those around us who have stood in the line of fire and seen the destruction of war. We honor you.

Today, another kind of war is being waged, one less easily recognized. It is a war where youth are under attack and their personal security is being taken away. It is a war where wholeness and tranquility are being replaced by harm and fear. Look at what's going on inside nearly every family right now. What could have been is being taken away by people out of control, everyone getting jerked around. Seen and unseen enemies are eating away at what was there. Imagine termites eating the first-floor studs in a three-story house. Silent, unnoticed, ravenous, the termites are simply doing their thing -- with no thought of the house crashing down on them. And yet, if allowed to continue, they will destroy the house as effectively as a well-placed bomb.

Are we at war in America today? Bombs aren't falling. We are not hiding in our houses. Yet remember how the ancient prophet warned of saying, "peace, peace" when there is no peace.

Take a good look and decide for yourself whether we are at peace or at war in another way -- the subtle destruction of our nation's children that will lead to disaster. We are talking about people who have knowingly or unwittingly declared war on our youth and the unsuspecting. People prey on the young, vulnerable, weary, or weakened and manipulate them into destructive lifestyles or use them when they're down.

Are they out there, in what numbers and how much harm will they do? Yes, they are out there. We bump into them every day whether we recognize them or not. The numbers of predators -- people ready to charm or entice kids at any price or take advantage of them for their own self interests -- seems to be growing. After all, our young people have money, appetites, virile bodies. What else would a good predator or user want?

Look boldly. Listen carefully. How many strangers are effectively wedging their controlling way into the lives of your youth? Is this going on even when you totally disagree with, feel dishonored by, and are scared of the consequences of their messages, their methods, and their motivation? What do you say?

Aren't we all vulnerable to being influenced through the media -- TV, movies, radio, and newspaper -- the telephone, through the Internet, by advertising, music, public personalities, and bumping into people in public places? Has there ever been a society where complete strangers have such access to the minds, hearts, and eventually bodies and lives of the youth?

Are you willing to look at what is going on? We are joining with the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in the Western North Dakota and Greater Milwaukee synods to take a good look at who and what is influencing their youth today. We invite you to look and after doing so,vote. Are we at peace or war? And if there is an army of wolves coming after our youth, just what are you or I prepared to do about it?

Are you going to run and hide or prepare yourself fully for the war before you? What we see, what we hear, what our experience has been over the last ten years is that a very devastating war is being waged against our youth. Passivity for an individual, a family, a church, or a school is not an option except to the foolhardy. We call every reader of The STOP Light to arm yourself for war. Give up resignation, complacency, cynical complaining. Be a warrior. Take on preparedness, discipline, finding good allies, training, reading the best equipping material, finding local support. Be bold in faith, love, prayer, speaking the truth with love. Put the lives of your young people before you own life and well-being as in a war.

Decide to really begin to align with us at A-STOP. Get our material, use our website, get Heidi Somerset speaking to your youth, become a prayer partner, support us as generously unless you see some other group making more headway than us and willing to be there for you more than us. Yes, and consider being bold enough to give up giving to all causes that have little at stake in winning this war.

by Al Erickson, founder and director of A-STOP

A-STOP Board of Directors

Jill Carlson - College student

Elaine Degelau - Retired, Board Secretary

Rev. Al Erickson, Founder, Director

Ina Erickson - Retired RN, Prayer Coordinator

Stuart Goldbarg - Art & Antiques Appraiser, Board Chair

Randy Gullickson - Attorney

Herb Smith - Contractor

A-STOP staff

Belle Knutson - office assistant

Konnie McDermott - office assistant

Amy Hartman, project manager

Joan Hendrickson Nitz, volunteer editor, The STOP Light

Heidi Somerset, national speaker

Catherine Yamoor, researcher

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In 2002 our organization changed its name to Adults Saving Kids. Prior to that we were called A-STOP (Alliance for Speaking Truths On Prostitution), STOP (Speaking Truths On Prostitution), or Grassroots Ministry Alliance.