Witness on a Road
A recent road trip to impenetrable forests of northern New Hampshire and high peaks of Adirondacks. The Canadian plates announced our visitor status and evoked earnest, heartfelt witnessing from many Americans: they do not want the country to be in Iraq. If they ever did, they don't now. Their pain was keen, anger plain and substantial as the granite rock cuts. At least three times someone walked up to me and just delivered their piece without introduction or preamble.
In Montreal, before crossing the border, an 81 year old dinner companion said, tell me, these people are smart. Why do they put up with this war? Why is there no protest?
If I revealed that I'm an American who left during Vietnam, choking with rage, grieving for too many boys, they'd clam up.
I thought of my father, who said in the mid 70's. "When the mothers who lost their sons are too old to make noise, they'll do it all over again."
culture nonviolence protest War
Remember the scene where John Reed is asked at a dinner party about the cause of World War I? Remember his answer?
You missed the story about how I got thrown out of a movie theatre in Anchorage during the first preformance of Reds. Now it'll cost you!
"When the mothers who lost their sons are too old to make noise, they'll do it all over again."
And it just breaks my heart.
Weems
John, do you mean, "It's not happening the way we thought it would" or- other words?
What did you do in AK??? Remember the seat I sat in- wept through half of it.
Louise Bryan wrote about Reed's death, "He was never delerious the way most typhus patients are. He always knew me and his mind was full of stories and poems and beautiful thoughts. He would tell me that the water he drank was full of little songs."
Just the one word...
You might enjoy Howard Zinn on Jack Reed
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/John_Reed_HZOH.html
AK is a long and weird story. What did I do there? Saw Blade Runner for the first time. Did some claim staking. Got thrown out of a movie theatre during Reds.
I always see the "Women in Black" demonstrating on Saturdays right here where I live. Also on my commute to work I come by this gigantic military cemetery. Kind of surprises me that this is not enough warning for people. I always have to change lanes when I see cars with these "support our troops" in front of me.
people, we are all the same, are not held in high enough esteem by those who think exterior power will protect or profit them
all men are brothers but cain slew able and soon because of the war machine and things Eisenhower warned against there will be war without end (and perhaps our end) because manufacturers of weapons have an interest in it...military industrial complex has taken over...just saw a show on TV about it wonder how it got on the air...
I have some clips will post if there is interest...sobering
but we must not give into fear and must en mass begin to dismantle the war machines and the think tanks and the connection between government and big business and the people must be in charge and educated
Reds