The company that I needed to go home to plan for on Friday were two women, Josie and Danielle from Ohio. They were in Chicago to walk for three days on the 450 mile Witness Against War:2008 sponsored by Voices for Creative Non-Violence (VCNV.org for more info and updates) The walk is to include civil resistance in Racine WI, Ft. McCoy and at the Republican National Convention where the walk ends in St. Paul MN. The total walk is to be about 50 days with a day off each week. Kathy Kelly said that they have places each night and almost every night they will make a presentation to a group offering hospitality.
I cannot walk all of the walk but I committed myself no matter what was happening in my personal life, to walk this first segment of the walk. Yesterday we walked a "day before" walk of 9 miles from Daly Plaza to St. Gertrude's in Edgewater Chicago. I had never walked from downtown to home (as St. Gertrude's is 5 minutes from my apartment) About 50 were in attendance at the rally in Daly Plaza. (Fox News reported on it but I couldn't find a site today. Also heard from folks that it was reported on the radio many times during the day.) This included an Imam who spoke at the rally and a good number of IVAW against the war, VFP also including Ray Parrish a counselor for vets who have been receiving calls from soldiers in Iraq who want help in getting out of the military. Someone had written his phone/name in Baghdad.
About 1 PM we started our walk North. The weather was cloudy off and on but the threatened storms did not appear. We had plenty of water as the humidity was very high and I honestly sweated the whole way. We had a police escort(lots of police on those golf cart thingees) all the way up the Magnificent Mile, then a much smaller -one car, one police person on a sequeway through Lakeview, then only the police car all the way to St. Gertrude's. They did stop traffic at each intersection which is a blessing for the "slower of us."
Only three negative incidents one on the "magnificent mile"
A twenty-something was shouting at us, "______the Iraqis" I replied, "My son lost and eye and arm in Iraq." The man had the decency to say "We are from the United Emirates." As if that explained his behavior. The seeds of violence planted, grow and grow.
As we were crossing the street heading toward the MM, a policeman was calling, "Hurry up, hurry up" obviously not looking at the group crossings the street. At 65, I was one of them but my friend Barbara a lifelong peace activist nearing 70 years must now walk with a cane. She was being helped by a friend and accompanied by her developmentally challenged son age 31. I looked at the policeman and said, "Look who you are trying to hurry up, I am 65." He was quiet after my words.
We were on the sidewalk in Lincoln Park-a Gold Coast neighborhood. At each intersection, we would gather letting those who couldn't walk as fast catch up. Then all of us would proceed across the street. We were "blocking" the entrance to an office building. The manager(?) came out "Move on YOU are blocking my building, people want to come in." A person had entered the building but we had easily stepped aside. I am sure he complained and the manager went out to "move the rabble." However, the manager upset our police escort on his sequeway. You don't mess with the Chicago police, "These folks have a right to be on the sidewalk, they moved out of the way and will move out of the way so people can enter." Basically "don't get yourself in a twit." Police officers cannot afford to live in the Gold Coast. He shook his head and we continued across the street a few minutes later.
Spent the time talking to folks along the way. This walk the horns were honking to support us, many gave the peace sign, many folks said, "We are with you." Everyone was surprised that we were walking to MN and the RNC as a Witness for Peace.
We ended the evening with a potluck for about 50 people in the fellowship hall. Kathy Kelly spoke again along with some folks who had made multiple visits to Iraq since Voices started in 1996. I had snuck home to take a shower and to take an Advil. My feet hurt so much as I have old tennis shoes that have no support left. I thought, "Why didn't I wear my true hikers?" Josie and Danielle came back to the apartment, took showers, had some tea and it was lights off at about 10. We needed to get up at 7-7:30 to start our Sunday.
I hope to catch up with Voices in MN. I plan to take the train over on Friday a couple of days before they arrive. Before that I will be attending my sister's 62 birthday in Detroit next weekend and the ordination of a woman friend in Lexington KY in August. So the summer still has days of being with family and friends to look forward to.
Dow is in Australia to August 9, Jason is in school working on his MBA.
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