Paul K. Chappell was born in 1980 and raised in Alabama, the son of a Korean mother and a biracial father who’d served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Leaving the army a deeply troubled man, the older Chappell abused and traumatized young Paul, who nevertheless chose to pursue a military career himself, graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2002 and serving in Iraq as an […]
Archive | June, 2017
‘Others I have known | Immigrants and refugees among us
The United States is a nation of immigrants and refugees. Founded by Anglo-Saxon transplants, our country has been enriched throughout its history by a steady stream of “others” who have contributed everything from hot dogs and pizza to fireworks, karate, salsa–the condiment and the dance–yogurt, hummus, meditation, tacos, pierogis, and yoga. Famous Americans who were once refugees include Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein, iconic actor Charlie Chaplin, martial arts champion Bruce Lee, […]
Brock Travis, Ph.D. | Trauma to peace
Several years ago a very nice lady called me on my way out of the house, “We want you to teach mindfulness for veterans.” I said, “You know, I’m not clinical anymore.” She said, “I know, I read your website.” I said, “You know, it’s spiritual now.” She said, “I know, I read your website.” I said, “Who did you say you were with?” She said, “The VA.” I said, “Veterans […]
Mitchell Toews | The peacemongers
After a summertime ballgame, we sat in the shade of the playground’s toboggan slide and somehow the conversation wandered from baseball to the philosophical. Our Mennonite elders taught us peace and how to live in a congregation and a community. Our greatest collective efforts as a people were directed at prevention and resolution. Other, less noble, efforts concerned denial and a refusal to face the conflict that found us. Sometimes […]
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