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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, January 10, 2005

atlanta is definitely kerry country

i drove my truck around atlanta today, mostly on the freeways where folks drive like maniacs still. atlanta voted for kerry & it is obvious - tons of kerry stickers on cars, signs still in front lawns and on bill boards, as well as lots of 'war is not the answer' and 'peace' signs in people's yards, empty lots, in front of lots of churches as well.
as i drove, tons of people beeped their horns, raised their fists, made the peace signs & i love you signs and in general were so happy to see the message on the truck. again, consistently, mostly african americans and some white folks responded enthusiastically. the few negatives responses i got were consistently from white males and a few white females. i got one fuck you, and the rest thumbs down or vigorous shaking of the head; one young white woman driving a huge suv on my right, pulled in front & made the you're crazy sign w/her lazy finger going round & round and then pointing to me. i think she stuck her tongue out also but it might just have been her lip - she dashed off the freeway after that.
i went to get biodiesel also and was pleased to see the white man who told me the last time i was there that we should kill all iraqis was no longer working there. the young man who filled my truck w/biodiesel (at $3.00/gal - 70cents a gallon cheaper than in berkeley) was so against bush & this war - and was also the only african american who worked there.
it has been hard to keep up with the number of u.s. soldiers dying - every day i have to repaint the truck. today i pulled into a huge parking lot filled w/cars & repainted the numbers. a young white woman with two children, one on her hip, the other holding her hand, watched silently. she told me when i was finished that her cousin was over there for the 3rd time & his wife didn't think he was going to make it back this time. i could only say i'm sorry and that we have to stop this war. i told her about military families against the war - she just looked really sad & walked away.