Code Pink Journals CodePINK Journals

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

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Icy roads prevail

When I spoke with a cp'er early this a.m., she told me Dallas schools and roads were closed. As I drove to Dallas, the roads were fine, except occasionally there were tractor trailers toppled into the center strip, usually on their sides or snuggled closely with another trailer.

Until 7:00 came, and I was almost to Fort Worth. I began to see flashing blue and red lights, tail lights too. Coming over the rise, I feel my truck flirt with the edge of the road, but for such a short time I would have thought I was imagining it except there were vehicle carcasses on the shoulder in the middle of the highway.

As I proceeded slowly with my emergency blinkers on, cars and trucks sped past me to slam into each other a few yards up the road.

Once again, I’m forced to go to a hotel – why are people so crazy, making the roads so dangerous, as if they’re not dangerous enough. grrrrr

Tomorrow 8:00a.m. Joe and 11:00a.m. Jeb - then off to Shreveport LA - providing weather permitting!

The idiot driving that truck....

I am very sad I have to buy diesel for this trip but the weather is so cold, even my water freezes!

I exit the double glass doors of the filling station, holding the door slightly open so it doesn't hit the older white man who is entering.

He takes the door, peers at me, and then asks me if I'm the idiot who is driving that truck. He motions to my truck that is parked in front of us.

I ask him why he has to call me names? He grunts and stares. I ask him again, why he has to call me names.

He has nothing to say. I tell him I am not an idiot, he doesn't know me. My temper flairs so I tell him I am smart, well-informed, and compassionate.

He is incensed that I should call myself compassionate - so incensed he is forced to say “compassionate” as he waves to my truck.

I ask him to discuss the matter with me, instead of calling me names. His face has turned brighter than the pink shirt he has the nerve to wear. He glowers at me, still not able to express himself, except to mutter “compassionate” once again. He stalks into the gas station, refusing to talk.

PINK SURGE!

I was going to spend a couple of hours this a.m. catching up on my blog – I’ve had a wonderful, inspiring trip thus far and many stories to share – but I just got a call from Dallas saying the city is shut down due to ice and snow.

I had to stay in a hotel last nite at Van Dorn Texas because they had shut I10 to the east down due to ice.

I don’t do ice or snow! So I need to head out now while it is daylight and there is less chance of ice than at night and more of a chance of seeing the ice before encountering it!

Thus far, the trip has been so amazing and inspiring because of the women I've been meeting and the actions we've been doing...

..and so very disconnected from the knowledge of war lurking in my consciousness, kind of like remembering that folks are steeped in ice while our skies are bright and blue and sunny: so it is hard to remember that bombing and violence is happening also a neighborhood away.

I haven’t been able to keep up with Democracy Now or KPFA and all the internet information I usually am on top of.

But meeting other CodePINKers, talking with Congresspeople’s staffers, speaking live on El Paso TV and getting the word out through other media sources has been so inspiring and rewarding.

The very best though has been the wimmin I’m meeting who are looking me in the eye and saying with such heart-felt sincerity “I’m seriously considering coming to D.C., yes, I'm coming to D.C.”!