Survival in adversity

      THIS WEBSITE SAYS WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME

On September 14, 2011Jamie Marsella, news director of KDUP, student radio station of the University of Portland interviewed Father William Crumley.

Jamie Marsella:  We're speaking with Father Bill Crumley. Father Crumley has published a book Why We Are Always Broke: things we need to know about the economy. He has spent the last week here on campus not only to talk about his book but also the need to eliminate nuclear weapons. Father Crumley joins us now. My first question, Father Crumley, is what has been the reaction of the stucents to your presentation?

Father Crumley: Actually it has been very good. I have been walking around campus and several students stopped me to say they enjoyed the presentation. It was very informative. Several students requested copies of the book.

Jamie Marsella: In your book you mention that war is a cause of debt.

Father Crumley: Yes. A student asked me yesterday how war was a cause of debt. I didn't really give her a good answer. Between classes I had a chance to think about the question. In the next class I talked about war as a cause of debt.

In a healthy economy the money circuates. The more it circulates, the better the economy. In a war economy the money doesn't circulate. War costs a lot of money and no product is created. No new money is brought into the economy. Money is simply spent.

Secondly, war casuses destruction. As a result a lot of money has to be spent on reconstruction. That simply brings us back to where we were before the war. Also money spent on war is not available for more basic human needs: food, clothing, shelter, health care, education and basic human needs.  These are the things that cause money to circulate.

Some people say there is money in war. Some people make money. That's true. But it is a very limited group. Money does not circulate in the broader economy. 

Jamie Marsella: Do you have any suggestions?

Father Crumley:  Yes. we need to work for local solutions. The book emphasizes barter where goods and services are created without the use of money. Some people are growing some of their own food. Some even producing some of their own electricty.

We also need to work for some structural changes. I've been in contact with a group from Hiroshima, Japan. Their goal is to eliminate all nuclear weapons by the year 2020. They sponsor several programs.

1. Mayors For Peace. There are over 5000 mayors world wide who have joined Mayors for Peace. They say their city (no city) should be bombed. The Mayor of Portland is a member of Mayors for Peace. There is a supplementary program CANT (Cities Are Not Targets). This program seeks signatures of ordinary citizens that their city should not be bombed and urges their mayor to join Mayors for Peace.

2. Hiroshima Peace Studies Program.  This is a program offered to universities and colleges. They offer an extended study on the basic elements that help create peace.

3. A teleconference with victim of the atomic bombing in 1945. This is a follow up on their year long viisit to every state in the USA. They were so successful in getting the message out during that year that they desired to follow up. They could not make another tour of the USA so they chose to use the internet. Anyone can sponsor a teleconference.

Jamie Marsella: Why is greatest danger with nuclear weapons?

Father Crumley: Obvious, the great destructive and life killing potential. However, we don't often consider the economic dangers of nuclear weapons. When we talk about nuclear weapons we are talking about great expenditures of money, great debt. The more debt we have, the less control we have over our lives. We need to take control of our lives!

Jamie Marsella: Most people do not even know about these alternatives.

Father Crumley: I know! That's what I am trying to do - help people become aware of at least some of their alternatives.

Jamie Marsella: If someone wants your book how would they get it?

Father Crumley: It is available on the internet through Amazon. It is available through Barnes and Noble and other book dealers. You can order it through me at my website workforpeace.info/icsee.html

Jamie Marsella: Any closing thoughts, Father Crumley?

Father Crumley:  The major focus of my book and the work  to eliminate nuclear weapons is WE can create solutions. We look for political solutions. What is necessary is economic solutions. That is why something like barter is important. 

Jamie Marsella: Thank you, Father Crumley. We have been speaking with Father Bill Crumley. He is author of a book Why We Are Always Broke: things we need to know about the economy. The book is available through Amazon.