An Open Letter to the Peace Corps Director

Hi Carrie,

I'm currently a PCV in Indonesia and I wanted to write to you about the potential imminent terrorist attack that is being reported in the news. I think it's fascinating and terrific that Indonesia is NOT one of the countries that is being listed as potentially dangerous, despite having the world's largest Muslim population and a history with terrorism.

Having said that, the threat still exists elsewhere. Another terrorist strike would be utterly horrible, and I've already read articles that quote an Al-Qaeda leader stating that this potential attack would be retribution for the US drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen. Just as we find Boston and 9/11 to be unthinkable atrocities, the Pakistani and Yemeni people surely feel the same way about the deaths our country is causing there. It seems this violence is cyclical, self-perpetuating, and without an end in sight.

As Peace Corps Volunteers living in Islamic communities we can see that almost all Muslims are peaceful, and they are learning the same about Americans. I think Peace Corps does some nice things with Goals 2 and 3 (promoting greater culture understanding) on a more micro level (i.e. I return home and tell people how kind the Muslim family I lived with was, WWS, etc), but I was wondering what the program can do on a more macro level. I know Peace Corps doesn't come anywhere near controlling foreign policy, but we do enjoy a nice reputation back at home and the program does have a platform. Can we do more organizationally to speak out against the aggression from BOTH sides?

I'm trying to organize with volunteers here (and hopefully in other countries) to create some sort of campaign with the people in our communities to denounce the violence, call for peace, and create better understanding on a larger scale. I don't know if it will take or not, but it seems to be worth an effort. We are the PEACE Corps after all, and I feel like we need to throw everything we've got at achieving this goal, even if it means denouncing the actions of our President. America fancies itself as a global leader. If that's the case, it's time for our country to start leading by example, and who better to sound the call for peace than the Peace Corps?

Thanks for your time.

Joe Taylor

PC Indonesia 2012-2014