TrulyGrace

Anti-War Rally

A few minutes ago the Thomas Merton Center-organized Peace/Anti-War Rally passed by Hillman Library, the main library of the University of Pittsburgh. The rally started at Penn and Highland Avenues in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh and was escorted by mounted police. Earlier in the day, when I caught a bus to Squirrel Hill, there was talk of bus route detours, and I saw a large State Trooper truck which probably carried the human resources to ensure that the Peaceful demo remained so.

Taking a bus home, I spoke with a woman (who had marched in the rally) whose grandson had joined the Reserves as a minor. She told me that he was sent to Iraq, only to "spend time sitting on a Humvie with his gun pointed at a bunch of old men and children....Nobody's child should have to spend time doing that...Now he [just] lives in [her] daughter's basement." Many people who return from war are like that. [He may have post traumatic stress disorder.] She is fortunate that he is still alive.
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I went to dinner and dancing with two couples who recently had got engaged--Mike I. and Rebecca, and Jen F. and Brian. Congratulations went out from all corners of the dance floor, and the two couples were radiant. I chatted and danced with friends, and had a chance to meet someone who lives in my neighborhood! A fun time was had by all.
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So, I recall my first-ever visit to the Philippines--with my elementary school-aged cousin Gaby walking around with a "Make Love, Not War" placard on the street he and his parents lived. The theme for this posting seems to be "Make Love, Not War."

posted by Grace @ 3/18/2006 03:55:00 PM