pacifism
February 16, 2023
Pacifism as a measure of citizenship
Communication professor Duane Stoltzfus presented the 2023 C. Henry Smith Peace Lecture in Umble Center on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The lecture, titled “Love of Country Distilled to a Question: When Pacifism Became a Litmus Test for Citizenship,” was intended to showcase the hardships of certain aspiring United States citizens in a post World War I society. In 1906, the government added a question to the citizenship application process that asked, “If necessary, are you willing to take up arms in defense of this country?” For many, the answer would be an unwavering “yes,” but for others, the answer wasn’t so...