TV Interviews
'As we want the world to live' is a series of interview programs made by volunteers for Portland's Liberty Cable Community Access Channel 7 between 1980 and 1984. The interviews were conducted by Michael Henderson, an English journalist who lived in the city for 20 years, and focused on visitors to Oregon, often friends of his, 'drawing out how people of faith can relate their convictions to the needs of their communities' and 'offering ideas on how to work for world peace.' Henderson also hosted 'World Press in Review' on Oregon Public Broadcasting TV and for 19 years did regular radio commentaries on Oregon public radio stations. Music by David Mills
Dr Kim Beazley
One of Australia’s most respected political leaders spells out what he believed in and why. When Kim Beazley entered Parliament he was the youngest member, when he left it 32 years later he was the longest serving member. He died in 2007 at the age of 90. Through his words we can see why he was so respected, why three former Australian prime ministers attended his funeral and the national paper, 'The Australian' could describe him as 'a political rarity who put his religion and moral beliefs before his political interests.' For 23 years he was in political Opposition yet it was from this position that he achieved great gains for the country. The Guardian wrote, 'In debate and in his dealings with people, Beazley had what in the present-day parliamentary climate would be regarded as a rare fault, the desire to never hurt others personally.' This interview was made in 1981. Since this time one has seen many advances nationally in Australia for Aboriginal rights which Beazley made a priority in his life, This came about because in 1953 he was chosen by his Parliament to represent Australia at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and he decided to follow this with a visit to the conference centre in Caux, Switzerland. He stayed seven weeks, because what he saw was 'extremely significant', with healing coming in international relations between France and Germany and Germany and Denmark and learned a spiritual discipline of seeking God’s will.
Tianethone & Viengxay Chantharasy
An interview with a Buddhist couple, Tianethone and Viengxay Chantharasy, at a time when their country Laos had been taken over by Communists and Tianethone as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs had narrowly escaped execution. He had been Charge d'Affaires in Washington DC, (1960-64) and in Canberra (1967-71), and Ambassador in New Delhi (1971-74) representing the Lao Royal Government . Viengxay told Michael Henderson in the interview, 'If we have hatred in our hearts we cannot have peace in the world.' They emailed him in January 2017, more than 35 years later, that despite their suffering they refuse to harbour bitterness against any countries and anyone. They instead wish friends and foes well, and continue to cherish hope for a genuine national reconciliation of hearts among Lao people. They are patiently and quietly practising with many members of their extended family the five precepts of Buddhism and IofC’s four absolute moral standards, the power of forgiveness and the secret of listening to the inner voice. 'We are sharing with those who have crossed our paths our personal humble life experiences of change, of choices and of priorities, which are the loving care for those living close to us every day at their advanced ages.'
Jim Coulter
'Tell them about your great war record where you crashed three of our planes and didn’t do any harm to theirs.' This was his son’s novel encouragement to Pilot Officer Jim Coulter to speak about his four years in the Royal Australian Air Force. Today’s interview is characterized by a light approach to serious subjects, a life which has brought Kim in touch with seven Australian prime ministers including one who, when he was wondering whether to devote his post-war life to Moral Re-Armament, advised him, 'If I were you I’d back my hunch and give it a go.' His religious education was so spare that by 18 he had only attended church twice and thought that the Sermon on the Mount was delivered in Perth’s Mount Street yet believed God saved his life in one plane crash and could even help to end a big mining dispute in Bougainville. He and his wife Rita have been an inspiration to all sorts around the world. In 2015 he was decorated for his service in the Normandy invasion by the French government.
Vilma Maritz
A young Afrikaner woman describes how in the South African apartheid era she refound her faith, lost her fear of crowds and of black people, and worked with activists in townships. She helped found a multi-racial women's organization, Kontak, some of whose members were honoured thirty years later by then President Mandela for the role women had played in building bridges and paving the way for a negotiated settlement.
Stanley and Helen Nichols-Roy
Stanley and Helen Nichols-Roy from Shillong, capital of the Northeast Indian hill state of Meghalaya. Helen is American and the two met at university in California. Stanley’s mother was also American and his father was one of the drafters of the Indian Constitution. They talk about the determination of the Khasi people to create their own state out of Assam and the way in which a change of attitude by Stanley, general secretary of the main political party, and that of his principal opponent, the Chief Minister of Assam. B.P. Chaliha, played a part in keeping their struggle both non-violent and successful.
Charis Waddy
Australian-born Dr Charis Waddy, author of 'The Muslim Mind' and 'Women in Muslim History'. She was the first woman graduate of Oriental Languages (Arabic and Hebrew) at Oxford University and taught in the Middle East in the 1930s. She underlines the importance of cooperation between people of different faiths.
John and Denise Wood
John and Denise Wood who have been living 10 years in Pasadena, California. John has been Director of Pasadena’s Skills Center and headed the city’s Centennial Committee and Denise was founder and Director of the Office of Creative Connections and author of several books including 'Growing up in Pasadena, What are our Children Telling us?' All this 'in retirement' after a lifetime of service particularly in the rebuilding of relations between European countries after World War II. Denise’s mother was French. They describe the lessons they learned in Pasadena 'listening to the city' and helping mobilize people to deal with the problems which emerged, with no name calling and no watering down of the truth, and expecting the best. One civic leader commented that their work 'relieved the city of cynicism.'