Brian
Administrator
Posts: 3,794
|
Post by Brian on Oct 21, 2011 23:00:30 GMT -8
Everybody had heard the news by vigil time at 5:30. A woman rolled down her window at the stoplight to exult, "Our troops are coming home!" I had to answer, "But what about Afghanistan? Come and join us!" Before I got to the corner, four teenage girls walked up and joined Montrose Peace Vigil. Then Anni saw a young man, age 5 or 6, lead his Mom and younger sister to the sign bag after they finished their frozen yogurt -- he was old enough to read and pick his own sign. Just before 7, Jeanne said that the two teenage boys who participated told her they did it because two of their friends had associated with the three gentlemen across the street -- essentially, they were counter protesting the counter protesters. And boosting our attendance: - Oct. 7 - 15
- Oct. 14 - 9
- Oct. 21 - 18
Mike hoisted his custom auxiliary flagpole for the fourth consecutive week. This Friday, he taped a flyer at eye level to explain why our flag was at half mast: it identified the four U.S. soldiers who died in combat since our last vigil and where. One of them was killed in Iraq on Monday.
|
|
|
Post by Jeanne on Oct 22, 2011 20:37:29 GMT -8
Some tidbits of observation here -
The girls that Linda recruited were lively. I asked one if she had been following the Occupy LA news and what she thought of it. She said that she likes to stay away from the news. I told her that she was making news at that moment.
The family is from CVUMC and they often stop by. Riley and his sister Leah held signs as well as their mother Stephanie. Leah was sporting her tutu fresh from dance class.
The young men from CV were sweet and sincere. One asked why we're still in Afghanistan if we "got" Osama. I suggested they listen to Dylan's God on Our Side and Masters of War.
A very scary interaction was with a woman who raised the Hitler question yet had no interest in my response. She was holding her 9 year old daughter unnaturally tightly and at one point held a finger to her daughter's head to illustrate the point that if someone were to hold a gun to her daughter's head, she would not be a pacifist. I think acting it out in fantasy is not helpful.
|
|
anni
Administrator
Administrating Designer
Posts: 1,607
|
Post by anni on Oct 23, 2011 14:35:04 GMT -8
Thanks for the clarification/musings/scary early Halloween warnings, Jeanne. It's cool to see how different the individual experience of the corner is. To round out last Friday's event, I'm adding a copy of Mike's list of military deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq just last week. Posted on our temporary flag pole, explaining why our flag flew at half mast. Attachments:
|
|
Roberta
Member
Vigil founding member
Posts: 1,030
|
Post by Roberta on Oct 23, 2011 19:18:56 GMT -8
How great is this, having all your reports posted here of the vigils I missed!! Such wonderful gentle boldness, my rain hat is off to you all.
We are just back and have much to take care of, most immediately our dear old Bunny whom we will be taking to our vet down the street at first light. Will keep you posted with more later.
|
|
Roberta
Member
Vigil founding member
Posts: 1,030
|
Post by Roberta on Oct 24, 2011 22:28:09 GMT -8
Our smallest vigiler Bunny hasn't been able to walk to the corner, or even stand for long lately, but I'm sure regulars remember her. She died very quietly at home early this morning. She enjoyed 15 and one-half excellent dog years and will not be forgotten here at the Queen- Medfords.
Jeanne and Jim have moved that fellow to see himself as the solution to too few peace vigilers. Mike has taken our outreach to a whole new level. I can't wait for Friday, thanks for all the updates, I feel like I was there.
This Thursday at noon we are curve-balling at Raymond and Holly, delivering Brian's message, what about Afghanistan?
|
|
|
Post by Jeanne on Oct 25, 2011 5:45:27 GMT -8
Our smallest vigiler Bunny hasn't been able to walk to the corner, or even stand for long lately, but I'm sure regulars remember her. She died very quietly at home early this morning. She enoyed 15 and one-half excellent dog years and will not be forgotten here at the Queen- Medfords. She was so gentle and lived and died peacefully. Rest in Peace, Bunny.
|
|
anni
Administrator
Administrating Designer
Posts: 1,607
|
Post by anni on Oct 25, 2011 17:45:35 GMT -8
Oh dear and precious Bunny...such a good guuuurrrrrrrl. We miss you little miss Sunshine...
|
|
Brian
Administrator
Posts: 3,794
|
Post by Brian on Oct 28, 2011 23:00:12 GMT -8
Returning to Montrose Peace Vigil this Friday were Roberta from her vacation in England, Bill from his new home in Glendale and the peace vigil there and Elaine after a too long absence. We had no spontaneous participants. However, I noticed a man in a wheelchair watching us for awhile before coming over to say our troops needed to come home for a multitude of good reasons. Jim's a Vietnam War vet. I can't count him since he didn't want to hold a sign, but we talked for the last half hour. At 7, he said he might be back next week with his own sign linking his situation with choices being made today. The census for October: - Oct. 7 - 15
- Oct. 14 - 9
- Oct. 21 - 18
- Oct. 28 - 11
Average weekly attendance for the month was 13 participants after averaging 15 in September, 13 in August, 12 in July and 9 in June. The average for October 2010 was 17, the highest mark since I started compiling our numbers in November 2008, right after this message board was launched. Mike arrived on the corner earlier than usual with his engineering feat, the auxiliary flagpole that replaces the American flag that the shopping park association takes down every Friday to protest our vigil. This time, I made a large type edition of his tribute to the soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past seven days -- three letter size pages with ten names, ages, hometowns and their military designations that I taped together on the temporary flagpole to explain why our flag was flying at half mast.
|
|
|
Post by Sharon W on Oct 29, 2011 8:26:19 GMT -8
The Glendale Peace Vigil met during our vigil last night and voted to join the Montrose Vigil in the Montrose Christmas Parade - thanks for the invitation! We can pay our share of the contribution at the GESJA meeting Wed. We stand by for details of when/where to meet up. We'll bring the wagon with maybe the lantern for the caboose - last year's was too elaborate.
|
|
Roberta
Member
Vigil founding member
Posts: 1,030
|
Post by Roberta on Oct 29, 2011 9:48:38 GMT -8
Excellent! I will prepare info on the parade along with an invite to gather before, as last year, here at my home, a very short walk from the starting point. Solves the parking problem and makes for a good launching pad for the Peace Train 2.0. And approaching like a bullet train on the schedule -- Halloween! Sharon and I will be dispensing candy and GPV pencils, and whatever peace leaflet I may come up with by Monday, at the Montrose "Spooktacular". All welcome! www.shopmontrose.com/spooktacular.htmlMy own personal goal is to see how much candy one needs to make it all the way to 8:30pm. Smart & Final, here I come!
|
|