It was
just like "being there".....
By Pame^
It was like "being there".....Like going back some 30+
odd years to MY roots, back to a beginning. I really didn't want
to, but HAD to...
On January 20, 2003, at 1:00 pm I marched along with an estimated
8000 to 10,000 other assorted people in Atlanta's MLK Day's annual
march...I straddle the line since Dr King's philosophy of Peace
for Mankind has always been a personal philosophy of my own and
my own love of this country and what it stands for....
I teamed up with the Fulong Gong group (since I couldn't find my
own group in the sea of people)...More peaceful and loving group
of folks, I can't think of off hand....Their "peace within"
was refreshing and lent a very nice atmosphere to the march...Going
down the "canyons" of Peachtree St (one of the oldest
in Atlanta) I thought about how "War" had almost destroyed
beautiful Atlanta...
The march lasted just over an hour down to the MLK Center....The
marchers were not like so many years ago when I marched to end the
Vietnam War...This group was savvy, eloquent and mainly young ....Young
FAMILIES this time, women with babies in strollers, young children,
young upper middle class people... No dirty, long haired hippies
this time...There were college students and fraternities and sororities....It
doesn't appear to be a "rich man's war" this time... There
were Veterans for Peace and some older grandmotherly type women...
A group with a common heart, a common voice, a pressing cause....
The day was perfect with the exception of the wind.... It was cloudly
on and off all day, 59 degrees with high winds.... The wind was
so strong it took my sign and blew it out of my hands as I stood
waiting for the train... That sign sent MY message and echoed Dr
King's philosophy....It simply said "I Have A Dream....No War"....
I saw signs that echoed my own at the march, including one hand
made sign that started off with "War is not good for children
and other living things" .... An old friend seemed to be there
I remember that from my Vietnam War protesting days.... A kindred
spirit with a like mind and a like heart....
For the most part the march was silent.... With just an occasional
"Stop the War Now!".... Or an old familiar "Give
Peace a Chance".... Orderly and profoundly moving was the order
of the day.... This was serious, deadly serious and we meant business....
The march ended as it had begun.... Quitely, orderly, without incident...There
was more then enough "Press" to cover it, but largely
it went unnoticed and unreported... That didn't matter, WE knew
we were there and we knew the "silent" message we sent...
The whole world is watching.... and not all of us agree...
Stop the War NOW!
Altanta
March for Peace 2003
Video
of the Atlanta March for Peace(Quicktime)
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