Peace Vigil # 37, October 2, 2007

Like last week, it was dry when we started the vigil, but raining when the hour was over. The wind out of the South was brisk enough to keep the flags flying. It was around 70 degrees. This was the first week of the newly established meeting time, 4:30 p.m.

We had 11 people show up today. Many horn honks and waves, peace signs and general approval for our message. I did see one man give us the finger and another man stopped his car in the middle of the street and rolled down his window to say something to us. He said, "You know people died so you idiots can be out here doing this?"

I've heard this kind of stuff before. I immediately thanked the man for calling us names. He drove off.

I came to a realization some time ago. This man just reinforced my realization. It is evident that there is war in the world, there is hatred and violence, largely due to the fact that many people are willing to "attack" others if they don't believe the things as they believe them. If someone disagrees with them, they are more than willing to be totally intolerant and not accept another persons point of view.

In this case, this man, a total stranger, was willing to attack us, by name calling, because he didn't want us to have a different opinion about being involved with the war in Iraq than he had. Willing to attack, with words this time, but willing to attack another human for what they think. The man who flipped us off was willing to attack as well with his gesture.

You know, I'd have no problem with someone stopping and engaging us in a dialogue and telling us how they think. I can still think what I want and hope that I could convince them that the way I thought was a better way to think about things, in this case, the war in Iraq. I want to believe that I would not call another civil person a name or gesture to them that I am hateful.

Even though the horn honks and waves and support out numbered the gesture and name calling at a rate of at least 60 to 1, I get upset that another human would attack. I get so mad, in fact, that I want to attack them. I want to shake them and find out why they won't accept the the fact that another person might think differently than they do. I'm not mad that they have a different opinion than I do. Like the guy said, people have indeed died so we can be free. Too bad he thinks we are idiots if we exercise that right our Veterans fought so bravely to secure.

Oh well, nothing I can do about it. I want the war to end. We that stand on the corner on Tuesdays want the war to end and our troops to come home. I'll be back on the corner next week with my American flag, the one I fought for.

The women that came last week and held the pro life banner didn't show up today. No one knows if it was a one time deal, or if they will be back. We'll accept their point of view. But if they come back, we will ask them if they will cooperate and keep the issue a single word, peace, and not dilute the Peace Vigil with other issues.

Peace to All.