Pro-War bikers invade our city of Berkeley

The moon was bright and full, the paling night sky dotted with tiny, fluffy clouds we don’t normally see with our Bay Area dawning, and the air was pleasantly cool.

4:10a.m. and three police cars are lined up in front of the MRS when Zanne drives by. The police have put up “no parking” signs from 4:00am until midnight today along both sides of Shattuck Ave.

The pro-war bikers are invading our city once again today at noon.

When Judy arrives at the MRS, she is told by police she is not allowed to chalk the sidewalk! Those particular police have left by the time other activists arrive who chalk the sidewalk without harassment. Julia films everything and B takes pictures.

We chalk peace messages along the whole block from “Peace and Love to Recruiters and Bikers” to “Recruiters out of Berkeley, Soldiers out of Iraq”, adhering the chalk to the sidewalk with hairspray.

We scatter beautiful flowers in front of the door to the MRS, through the gate. Judy, with her fabulous aim, throws a bunch that stick right on the handle of the door! Sadly, almost instantaneously, that bunch begins browning up, for the closer the flowers are to the door of the MRS, the quicker they appear to be dying.

Becky steps forward to begin performing the ritual Marie has prepared for us, grounding ourselves in the energy of peace, justice, harmony and kinship; and focusing our energy on our responsibility to build the world we want to live in, a world without war, violence, tyranny.

We call to the directions and then chant:

We are the rising sun

We are the change

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for

And we are dawning.

Let it begin now

Let it begin with each step we take

And let it begin with each change we make

And let it begin with each chain we break

And let it begin every time we awake.

We are the power in everyone

We are the power in everyone

We are the dance of the moon and the sun

We are the hope that will not hide

We are the turning of the tide.

For those of you who missed the ceremony, come by the MRS and continue chalking! World Can’t Wait is gathering 9:00am on the east side of Shattuck Square.

CodePINK Critical Mass is gathering 11:00am at MLK Park, Center and MLK streets to PINK-UP our bikes! (There are a few extra bikes – and please bring extra bikes if you have them!) Then we will be peacefully riding around the square in time for the noon pro-war rally the motorcycle bikers are holding at the MRS.