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Work 4 Peace,Hold All Life Sacred,Eliminate Violence! I am on my mobile version of the door-to-door, going town-to-town holding readings/gatherings/discussions of my book "But What Can I Do?" This is my often neglected blog mostly about my travels since 9/11 as I engage in dialogue and actions. It is steaming with my opinions, insights, analyses toward that end of holding all life sacred, dismantling the empire and eliminating violence while creating the society we want ALL to thrive in

Monday, September 06, 2004

Justice, Wise, and War, West Virginia


We left D.C. about noon today, Monday, and what a joy driving thru Virginia! The enthusiastic 'yeahs' to 'fuck you's' were 36 to 2; we got 2 thumbs down and one fellow held his veteran's military hat out the window pointing to the insignia and stripes on the hat. I leaned out the window and yelled “Which means….?????” He sped off in a cloud of fumes. We didn't count him as a yeah!
We had decided it would be fabulous to begin our video in West Virginia  at a few towns named "Justice", "Wise", and "War" but our first West Virginia  stop was in Beaver, West Virginia, a tiny old town snuggled in the curves of the Appalachian Mountains. We stopped at a gas station and met two white wimmin, probably in their late 20's, both single mothers, both christians, and both registered to vote but both saying they were NOT going to vote.
Chris agreed to allow us to video her - she was totally amazing. She spoke of how she wasn't going to vote because politics and the politicians running, including the president, made her sick. She was confused, disenfranchised, and disgusted. Even if she did want to vote, she could not decide who to vote for. Karen nodded her agreement and support thru-out Chris's venting.
She will be on our video so I’ll not say too much here except that by the end of about 20 minutes of talking, Chris agreed not only that her vote was important, but also agreed at the very least to NOT vote for bush – and so did Karen!!!
Another younger white womon, Belle, also approached us at that gas station, loudly agreeing we need to get rid of bush. She is also on video and was a joy to meet and talk with.
Then, as we were outside talking with Belle, a young white man in a pickup truck shouted 'fuck bush' from across the parking lot and our anti-bush party went up a few notches!!!
It was a great way to come into West Virginia!