Vietnam-era Peace Activist Reflects on Today's Antiwar Movement

Interview with William Sloan Coffin Jr., former Yale University chaplain and Vietnam War-era peace activist, conducted by Melinda Tuhus

As the nation moves, seemingly inexorably, toward war with Iraq, a voice that inspired millions of Americans and university students in their opposition to the Vietnam War was heard once again on campus. William Sloan Coffin Jr., the chaplain at Yale University from the mid-1950s through the turbulent early1970s, came back to Yale recently to open an exhibit dedicated to peace activism.

Coffin has been at the forefront of various movements struggling for social justice for half a century. He is best known for his support of draft resistance, for which he was indicted, tried and convicted in 1967 as part of the "Boston 5," along with Dr. Benjamin Spock and three other activists. They faced the possibility of five years in prison, but the conviction was overturned on appeal. Coffin, now 78, lives in retirement in Vermont, but he remains active in the peace movement.

Coffin spoke at Yale in late February in conjunction with the opening of an exhibit at the undergraduate library titled, "Give Peace a Chance." The exhibit highlights peace movements from World War I through the late 1980s anti-nuclear weapons campaign. But its main focus is the Vietnam War, and the heart of the exhibit is memorabilia from Coffin's recently catalogued papers, which he donated to Yale. Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with William Sloan Coffin who assesses today's movement opposing a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the possibility of a revival of a military draft.

Related information The exhibit, "Give Peace a Chance," at Yale's Sterling Memorial Library, is free and open to the public. It runs through April 5. Call (203) 432-2798 for information, or visit the website at www.yale.edu

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