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Post by annie90807 on Nov 21, 2008 9:33:12 GMT -8
Here you can talk about why did you join the Montrose Peace Vigil
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Post by annie90807 on Nov 21, 2008 9:40:33 GMT -8
This could have been done with the money spent on Iraq war!!
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Nov 22, 2008 14:20:51 GMT -8
There is an option that allows us to embed YouTube videos in our posts:
Click on the "Tube" button in the second row of Add Tags on the posting screen and copy and paste the video's web address between the brackets.
The only cost is that we have to accept an ad on the right side of the video, but you do not have to play that.
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Nov 26, 2008 0:34:30 GMT -8
In the spring of 1968, when I was 10 years old, I drew and cut out Eugene McCarthy campaign buttons to wear. My parents opposed the Vietnam War even though they were Republicans. We wound up supporting Nixon because he had a secret plan to end it.
His bombing of North Vietnam -- he and Kissinger dropped more explosive tonnage in December 1972 than the Allies did in all of World War Two -- shocked my conscience. The Watergate scandals broke three months later.
I got more active politically: registering voters, volunteering for phone banks and knocking on doors. I covered the 1980 Caifornia presidential primary as a newspaper reporter and interviewed Teddy Kennedy. Over the decades, I marched with Jesse Jackson down Broadway to City Hall, where we were greeted by Mayor Tom Bradley, and got myself arrested four times for trespassing at the Nuclear Test Site in Nye County, Nevada to stop underground testing. Which President George H.W. Bush did by executive order in 1992.
Anni and I couldn't find any protests to join after those preceding the invasion of Iraq. I was reduced to blogging on a message board until we discovered the Montrose Peace Vigil two years ago while driving for sushi.
By the way, my mother was on the phone early this year calling the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, trying to get them to pass along her message to the Iraqi prime minister that Maliki should request that our troops leave his country. Which he did later, essentially. And both of my parents, still registered Republicans, enthusiastically voted for Obama.
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Post by Jeanne Lavieri on Dec 21, 2008 17:49:02 GMT -8
There are a lot of things that have led me to the corner--feeling sick about the war, knowing a few soldiers, knowing that I couldn't continue to keep my thoughts to myself any longer, the receiving of a kick of holy courage.
I just came across a quote from Robert Kennedy in the John Dear's autobiography. He has been a Jesuit peace activist for many years, gone to jail 75 times and was inspired by RFK.
"Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, these ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
I am on the corner to make ripples and to encourage others to make ripples. I am honored to stand among so many centers of hope and daring.
Peace,
Jeanne
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Roberta
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Post by Roberta on Dec 9, 2009 12:08:04 GMT -8
Yesterday made me rejoice again in our coming together. Because I have come to know Nancy Hutchins at the corner I had the pleasure of attending the L.A. Braille Institute's Christmas Show. (Large letters cut out of white cotton batting said HAPPY HOLIDAY along the front wall, and there were 2 Hanukkah songs, but this old Lutheran knows a Christmas party when she's at one.)
It was extremely well-done, an amazing gathering of amateur and professional musical talent, but of course I was really there for the grand finale. And was it ever worth it -- our Nancy read a brief gem of an essay she put together on the 1914 Christmas Truce. (I hadn't realized that many of the soldiers refused to fight or fired deliberately over opponents heads, until well into March 1915 and then only resumed after harsh threats from officers.) Then all the musicians and singers led the audience in singing Lennon's Happy Christmas (War Is Over).
To join with a mixed, I would said politically mainstream, crowd in belting out "war is over if you want it, war is over now" -- priceless -- this is why I continue to connect at the corner for peace.
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Post by Nancy on Dec 10, 2009 16:07:22 GMT -8
Thank you Roberta. I love you & all of you vigil participants big time. 40 years later & peace is finally becoming hip again. The musicians at the December 8 Lennon Vigil (saw your mints on the Star Roberta - nice accent pieces) - many, if not most, of whom weren't even born when he was assasinated 29 years ago - were really first rate. Some were from the Dec. 2 Peace March & they did both Mop Top & Lennon individual - full scope - of songs. It was a beautiful day & I really think peace is gaining its proper mainstream priority. I re-read the WW1 Truce Story at the vigil & had the original Lennon "Happy XMas/War is Over" song played when I finished & it was VERY well received: pin drop while I read, musicians playing, virtually everyone singing along. We did the show at Braille again yesterday & today. Several people requested/were given copies of the truce story- one, a preist, others to read at church or other gatherings so as the actual example of "war is over if you want it" hits the critical mass, there's reason for hope ( I hope). Like John Lennon said, "it's up to us." "Bless you wherever you are" - Lennon. Peace, Nancy
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Dec 23, 2009 0:00:12 GMT -8
But what a great week for MPV with Roberta's talking our way into next year's parade, a nod from Brian's typing teacher, Nancy's part in spreading the message, and Cynthia on CNN. Our persistent presence on the corner and other activities are reaching people. I LOVE US. Let's keep going. I quote Jeanne from another thread because her words also belong in this one. This might be my favorite page on the message board, most of which is a chronicle of what we've done and learned in 2009. Collectively and individually, the folks of the Montrose Peace Vigil seem to be doing more every year to further various causes and aspirations. Even more is possible in the mid-winter of 2010 -- something big appealing to our entire community regarding Afghanistan -- so stay tuned.
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Post by Nancy on Nov 22, 2011 10:45:05 GMT -8
“Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. And however undramatic the pursuit of peace, the pursuit must go on.” ¯ John F. Kennedy
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Roberta
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Post by Roberta on Dec 23, 2011 9:51:47 GMT -8
Here's a report from my vantage point of the Brownian motion of the many seeking peace and justice.
On Wednesday noon we had *9* people at Raymond and Holly. The regulars with myself were Ed, Scott, Steve, and Ann. Norm and Pearl from Glendale Peace Vigil live in Pasadena, so are possible new regulars. A nice women who has rsvp'ed at least 3 times for previous vigils but never showed up, did. Another gentleman came up and grabbed a sign, and after introductions when I asked him which list he heard about us on, he said, oh no, he just was driving by on a day off and saw us. We handed out almost all my accumulated assortment of antiwar leaflets.
Too many people on the street think that the troops are coming home from Afghanistan, with Iraq a faded memory altogether. Corrections issued and many inspiring conversations -- everyone wants all the wars to end, when you get them to focus there.
Then Wednesday evening Pastor Paige took a full Prius (5) downtown, stashing the car near City Hall. An invigorating stroll up to Pershing Square for a program of music and readings connecting any number of faith and earth traditions to the bringing of the light in the longest dark nights. Then a not-overly organized candle-light walk (with Ferne from the Schiff vigil for most of the route til her Metro stop), to City Hall for closing audience participation, and announcements about Occupy Rose Parade. The mass circling of City Hall with candles fizzled, but we 5, plus a woman wearing a liturgical stole whom Paige knows by email, circumnavigated.
Last and most remarkably, as John, Liz and I set out for breakfast the next morning, a young man walking his dogs complimented our "We Are The 99%" sign and asked if we've been to Occupy L.A. Several times, I told him, in fact I was down there last night. And so was he! We agreed to keep it up.
Random folks in Montrose are in motion. Suburbanites, some religious, some not, are wandering around downtown at night with candles. This is something real, and I feel connects many new people ... for peace, a basic instinct of the 99%, looks like to me.
The nights get long and I get discouraged, but happenings like the above keep me coming back!
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