Vigils in January 2022

[Roberta]

Look for the email from John Pearson. Crescenta Valley Indivisible.

“There will be a candlelight vigil in Montrose on Thursday, January 6 at the Honolulu/Ocean View intersection from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Battery candles, flashlights, lighters, and smart phone lights can be used – no lit candles, please. Attendees should be fully vaccinated and masked, and distancing will be observed. Bring a sign if you can. We hope to see you there.”

[Brian]

Anni and I couldn't make it to Indivisible's January 6 candlelight vigil on Thursday, so if anybody was there, we'd love to hear about it.

Foot and wheel traffic was up at this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil compared to the prior two holiday weekends.  A passerby with a Scottish accent attracted to our signs stopped to ask about our group.  While talking to John Muir Lockhart, we learned that he's a painter, a Houston art gallery owner and a 1970's rock and roller who's here in Montrose to visit family.  A fascinating, lovely guy whose wonderful stories involving some very famous friends deserve a thread, just based upon what we heard in half an hour.  Even after 16 full years of uninterrupted weekly vigils from 5:30 to 7 p.m., you never know who you might meet on the northwest corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue!

Ten stalwarts held signs or candles -- in order of appearance:  Anni, me, Russell, Roberta, Jim, Jeanne, Bruce, Justeen, John and Nancy.  By my count, at least five vigil regulars are now staying home to be as safe as possible while reported Covid infections set new records every day in Los Angeles County.

Since October 2011, we have printed and displayed every Defense Department news release announcing the deaths of soldiers, Marines, sailors and Airmen in our many ongoing military operations around the world.  The Pentagon reported no uniformed U.S. casualties in the previous seven days.

[Brian]

The temperature was 71 degrees at the start of this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil, about 20 degrees warmer than last week.  The Christmas nutcracker statue was gone finally.  Except for the masks, the scene on the corner resembled a pre-pandemic spring evening with groups of teenagers hanging out or strolling.  Passing pedestrians were friendly and cheerful, and I don't remember seeing any middle digits or hearing any Let's go, Brandon's from the considerable road traffic. Somebody told me that a couple popular nearby restaurants were closed, presumably because of staff Covid infections.

Anni and I were by ourselves for the first half hour until Nancy, John B., Jeanne, Mary, Russell, Bruce, Jim and John the Realtor showed up almost all at once.  We totaled ten participants, just like last Friday.

In the previous seven days, the Department of Defense reported no military deaths in Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria or in any of the other named U.S. operations underway around the world.

[Brian]

The Santa Ana winds blew down that heavy plastic signboard three times during this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil -- our 833rd or 834th consecutive weekly vigil on the corner.  We haven't missed a Friday since Roberta and Nancy started in 2006 to protest the war in Iraq.  Our 16th anniversary was either January 13 or 20, to the best of their memory.  Now we've begun our 17th year of advertising for peace and justice.  And U.S. troops remain in Iraq.

Traffic was noticeably lighter than the past two weeks, due perhaps to the weather, the pandemic or the rhythms of the public schools schedule -- or perhaps all three reasons.  For the third week in a row, ten of our rotating cast of regulars participated.  This Friday's roster, in order of appearance:  Anni, me and Roberta before 5:30 followed by Nina, Jim, Frannie, Jeanne, Justeen, Russell and Nancy.  Extra kudos to Nina -- the founder of the Eagle Rock vigil established in 2002 -- for coming from Highland Park and to super stalwart Justeen from westernmost Van Nuys.

No U. S. military deaths were reported in the previous seven days.

[Brian]

The sun had yet to reach the crest of the Verdugo Hills at 5:15 when Anni and I drove to this Friday's Montrose Peace Vigil, so the first 15 minutes of the vigil was conducted in twilight. By the end of February, only the last few minutes before 7 p.m. will be dark.

In order of appearance:  Anni, me, Roberta, Jeanne, Russell, John the Realtor, Bruce, Nancy and Frannie came to the corner this week.  Although some regulars have stayed home because of the current huge surge in Covid cases, vigil attendance was much better this month than during last January's pandemic carnage:

• Jan. 7 - 10
• Jan. 14 - 10
• Jan. 21 - 10
• Jan. 28 - 9

This month's weekly average rounds up slightly to 10 participants, after averaging 9 in December, 10 in November, 12 in October, 22 in September and 30 in August (when we were joined by anti-recall demonstrators), 11 in July, 17 in June, 11 in May, 10 in April, 9 in March, 8 in February and 7 in January 2021. Twelve peaceniks was our average attendance for many years before the pandemic.

For the 22nd week in a row, the Pentagon reported no U.S. casualties.