The Words of the Burton Family
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The Words of the Burton Family |
Dr.
Seuk speaking on Unificationism.
In order to understand the victory of CARP's Won Hwa Do tour in Madison, Wisconsin in April, one has to recall some of CARP's history in this very special city in America's heartland. Long known for its leftist-inspired student demonstrations and a hodgepodge of counter-cultural groups nestled into the mellow neighborhoods of this affluent state capital, Madison has gained a reputation for being the "Berkeley of the Midwest."
CARP burst into the campus scene in November, 1979 under the leadership of the late Rev. Chong Goo Park, and the local leftists have been roiling and boiling ever since. CARP sisters have been spat, upon and heckled while handing out "World Student Times," and CARP rallies always drew large crowds of counter-demonstrators, some of whom physically attacked our members without provocation.
In October of last year, Elridge Cleaver's CARP-sponsored speech was shut down by a loud chorus of hecklers, who disrupted his talk for two hours. He was not the first speaker at the UW campus to be so treated: Senator Ted Kennedy's speech in 1980 was similarly disrupted and Senator Henry Jackson was spat upon by publicity- hungry career radicals when he came to Madison. Just one month prior to the date of the Won Hwa Do demonstration, CARP had sponsored
Mr. Cleaver a second time on campus, when he was able to speak, but only because of the presence of dozens of policemen.
Father recognizes the importance of Madison in terms of bringing victory in CARP nationwide and consequently victory in America. So, Madison was chosen as the fourth city of Dr. Joon Ho Seuk's "Unificationism and Martial Arts" exhibition that is currently touring campuses across the nation.
After an initial demonstration at Boston University before 1,000 students the Unificationism tour pulled out all stops in its efforts at the University of California at Berkeley on March 7. The program, held outdoors on Berkeley's Sproul Plaza, attracted an estimated 3,000 onlookers.
The most inspiring aspect for its organizers was the degree of unity manifest during the campaign. Volunteers from several Bay Area organizations, including Ocean Church and the Unification Church of Oakland, cooperated to make a thorough impact on the Berkeley campus and its surrounding communities.
The exhibition itself met opposition from both adverse weather and angry leftist demonstrators. Persistent rains had postponed the exhibition from the previous week, and leftists shouting epithets about CARP and tributes to gay rights and the liberation of El Salvador attempted to bring the display to a halt. CARP members were prepared for confrontation, however, and locked arms around the stage so that the exhibition could proceed. There was no violence despite repeated intimidation by the vocal minority in the crowd.
After Berkeley, the tour preceded to Houston, Texas, one of the most enthusiastic centers of martial arts in this country. The Unificationism and Martial Arts program at the University of Houston's Jeppensen Field House attracted a near-capacity crowd of 2,200.
A unique contribution to the Houston campaign was the interest and cooperation of local martial-arts studios. Guests from the "Flying Dragon School" of Tae Kwon-do performed in a special exercise during the exhibition. In addition, Dr. Seuk met an old friend, Master Van Binh; they had both taught martial arts in Vietnam during the Vietnamese War. Master Van Binh attended the demonstrations with many of his students.
For Dr. Seuk and the Won Hwa Do team Madison was the fourth campus at which they would perform, but in many ways it was the first demonstration for all others involved. The Midwest regional members knew very little about the workings of the Won Hwa Do tour, and the CARP IOWC which travels with the demonstration was changing with the addition of new members. The core black-belt team, led by Kensaku Takahashi, helped educate members about Won Hwa Do so that each day before we went out to give free tickets, we learned more about martial arts in general and were able to connect the spiritual aspect of Won Hwa Do, Unificationism, to the public event.
UW-Madison students had been anticipating this event for weeks and some stopped at our book tables and asked when "the karate guys" were coming. As we took a few lessons ourselves and became more confident, the inevitable test came. Several times students tried to draw us into fights. They wanted to see our "true nature of violence." It was a strong testimony to the spiritual discipline of Won Hwa
Do that members refused to be baited, engaging opponents in active debate instead.
During the week, additional members from nearby regions, the black belts from other cities and the CARP regional directors arrived. Every day the spirit grew as we made new teams, mixing regional CARP members with those of the traveling team.
This demonstration was special in many ways. The other demonstrations had taken place in large cities, but Madison, with a total population of 170,000, is chiefly a college town, drawing its vitality from the 40,000 students at the University of Wisconsin. Through combined efforts of mass ticketing, media publicity and mass leafleting, by the night of the demonstration we were able to reach 99 percent of the student body and witness to them about God and Unificationism through this event. For the first time in CARP history God's spirit could dominate the campus and town!
The extent of CARP's witnessing and leafleting campaign was not lost on its loyal opposition. The radicals didn't dare try to disrupt Dr. Seuk's speech or the Won Hwa Do performance. True, there was a handful of anti-CARP bigots leafleting and picketing outside of the Madison Civic Center, where the demonstration was being held, and one group of paranoid picketers walked in a circle, chanting, "Beat back the Moonie attack!" It was evident to everyone that this time, at least, CARP was not under siege. The presence of the leafleters insured that any person who came to the demonstration was there because he had a strong desire to see our martial arts exhibition and hear about Unification- ism.
"We love Communists" The night of the event 1,500 people came, fulfilling Dr. Seuk's promise to Rev. Moon to bring 1,000 people to each indoor demonstration. The spirit of the Madison demonstration was a mix of dignity and extravaganza, because it took place in a beautiful auditorium with a proper stage. There was no heckling during the entire event. Observers cheered with delight following the board and brick-slashing performance • Won Hwa Do black belt Daryl Clarke. A special applause went to Master Van Binh, who visited the tour in Madison and demonstrated his Kendo expertise in slow-motion sword techniques.
Dr. Seuk's speech on Unificationism was very special. At the previous three programs Dr. Seuk spoke from prepared notes, but here at Madison he spoke completely from his heart.
The main theme of Dr. Seuk's talk was the ability of Unificationism to promote harmony... bringing together people of all races, backgrounds, religions and nationalities. The reason, he explained, is that God is neither black nor white, nor yellow, red or brown... God has no color.
Dr. Seuk also commented on our attitude toward communists. We love communists, he said, because of their idealism, their desire to see a better world. They are misguided, he explained, because they try to change the world through violence and oppression rather than through harmony and cooperation.
The director of the Civic Center had told us beforehand that he was worried about violence. After the performance, he told us that he had been very impressed by the quality of the demonstration and was very complimentary. He said he had received some negative feedback from the community for housing the event, but he and his colleagues had rejected this because of their commitment to make the facility open to all members of the campus community.
The following day, April 18, CARP members marched a quarter mile down the main concourse of the university and conducted an hour-long rally at a plaza adjoining the campus. Never before had there been as many CARP members and Unification Church members in Madison at one time. Regional CARP director Michael Smith had planned the surprise march and rally to protest genocide in Southeast Asia.
The rally was an unquestioned success for CARP, swelling at one point to 500 persons. Announced only a few hours before it took place, supporters were attracted by thousands of leaflets featuring New York Times head# lines about recent atrocities in Cambodia.
Eldridge Cleaver was on hand, too, and this time he was able to speak without interruption, Cleaver railed at the students, "Anyone who believes in freedom is a Moonie, anyone who believes in justice for all people is a Moonie, anyone who believes in fighting oppression is a Moonie." Then he added, "And a lot of you communists would make good Moonies!"
The spirit is changing in Madison, and, as one television station noted in a recent news brief on CARP, "No matter what the opposition does or says, CARP is here to stay!"
Crowd
at the University of California, Berkeley, at Won Hwa Do
demonstration.
We are only beginning to appreciate the significance of this campaign and of Won Hwa Do CARP. Like babes in the wilderness we threw ourselves into the tour and the witnessing effort, and somehow, it all came together. But the skills the CARP members are learning now are bearing fruit in a new found self-confidence and self-esteem which are essential for successful witnessing in the future.
As far as the campus community is concerned, I don't think that any rally or demonstration will change CARP's image overnight, but Won Hwa Do practice will definitely enhance the lifestyle commonly associated with Unification Church members. Whether or not everyone presently loves us, more people are coming to respect us.
I think it is very interesting how God is using Won Hwa Do as a vehicle for witnessing. When I was studying for my black belt, Dr. Seuk always talked about touring around the world, of giving demonstrations in many cities and of the value of Won Hwa Do as a witnessing tool. Because Won Hwa Do was created centering on Divine Principle and out of love for True Parents, it directly relates back to True Parents. Dr. Seuk's motivation in using this is purely to bring people to True Parents.
The tour has really helped me to understand more deeply the value of being a true representative of True Parents. As a newly blessed wife, I felt the urgency of the time period and feel it is necessary for the accomplishment of Heavenly Father's desire for this country that we all are able to be mobilized in search of the true heart of America. This tour has enabled me to be a parent to many people, including our own brothers and sisters. In order to understand the heart of our True Parents, we need this experience.
The campaign showed to the public a different aspect of the CARP spirit and also inspires our members. From Boston to Berkeley, to Houston and ns Madison, Heavenly Father has been guiding us to success.
I was willing to give up my martial arts club in Atlanta, Georgia because I saw the possibility, through this tour, of establishing CARP as a more credible activity on campuses nationwide. I think the most important thing for me in Madison was to rectify the image of CARP, to show people that CARP is pro-something. People were surprised to find out that we have an actual philosophy. Won Hwa Do meets a need and an interest for martial arts and a need for self-defense in the community. Through this, people meet us, dialogue with us, learn from us and get to know what we're really about.
I was proud to have people meet my friends with whom I work on the team. Also, being able to teach, speak about our ideology at the evening programs was a high point for me, because I am very proud of our teachings, and I have the conviction that, based on historical precedent, truth actually does change culture and civilization. Finally, the tour provided another opportunity to study Dr. Seuk and his single- mindedness and devotion to True Parents.
Father said that we should be spiritually, physically and mentally stronger than the communists, so for the members, Won Hwa Do is a perfect way to do this. Young people are inspired by physical activity and self- defense, and these are important aspects of martial arts. Won Hwa Do also gives us a chance to show the peaceful aspect of martial arts, the inner discipline that is developed through study. Won Hwa Do offers a way to develop and unite the sung-sang and hyung-sung purposes.
Won Hwa Do is a vehicle through which to meet high-standard people, people who want to change themselves and better themselves. Also, CARP has gained more respect from students through this campaign. They can see the work and dedication it takes to accomplish great feats and they can respect it.
I had been pioneering a new campus in Illinois from August until this February, and during that time I came to realize the value of team work. There is no need to explain that when you are alone on campus, all the responsibility rests on your own shoulders: witnessing, media work, lecturing, fundraising. So, when all my brothers and sisters came to help with the
Won Hwa Do campaign here in Madison, where I have been since March, I could greatly appreciate the help of brothers and sisters. I could see so clearly how everyone represents a unique aspect of God and can offer this to others. I could have confidence that when I brought a guest over, he could have a deep experience with brothers and sisters. I have complete confidence that if only we can unite, we'll bring lots of spiritual children.