Other Sides to the Soka Story

As usual, the Nov. 10 article concerning Soka Gakkai International (SGI), and related institutions SGI-USA and NSC, focused on negative comments and responses.

I recognize that this is what the news media think most readers want to read. Given that reality, please understand the special problem this creates for a religious organization which is relatively unknown to your readers.

Negative criticism, for example, of the Catholic Church by a few ex-Catholics or non-Catholics can be judged by readers from the perspective of their own experience and familiarity. In the case of SGI, however, the negative is just about all your readers ever have the opportunity to see.

Although The Times may not feel its job is to tell the whole story about SGI, I believe education is still a legitimate goal for a newspaper. In that regard, I would like to mention some recent examples of SGI activities:

In the wake of the Persian Gulf War, the Soka Gakkai responded to a request from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for emergency aid for those fleeing Iraq and Kuwait by providing funds to charter commercial aircraft for an airlift organized by the U.N. Soka Gakkai works with the U.N. as a non-governmental organization.

The anti-war exhibit “War and Peace,” organized by SGI, was shown last August in Hiroshima, Japan. The exhibit is co-sponsored by the International Bureau for Humanitarian Issues and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War with the support of the United Nations.

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda on Aug. 2 was presented the Champion of Peace Medal by the Soviet Peace Committee in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to world peace and toward the improvement of relations between Japan and the Soviet Union.”

A 201-member Soka Gakkai youth cultural delegation made a one-week visit to China in July and August to promote good will between Japanese and Chinese youth.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. There’s more to the SGI story, if anybody takes the time to look into it.

AL ALBERGATE

Santa Monica

Albergate wrote as public relations director of SGI-USA .