What good does it do?

Today a short, older womon speaking with an accent I cannot identify, asks me what good are we doing out here in front of the MRS?

Before I tell her about the amazing dialogues I’ve had with those in danger of being recruited, before I tell her about the soldiers who come up to me and whisper an emotional “thanks” into my ear, before I tell her about the survivors of other U.S. invasions who come to express their gratitude, before I tell her about the mothers who come frantic with worry despairing about their sons’ vulnerability to the dazzle of these recruiters, I ask her what good does she think we’re doing out here?

She tells me people will be angry at us for making a scene. She tells me there will always be war. She tells me we should be more concerned about health care for Americans. She tells me we cannot change men and their violence.

I tell her all the ways in which I disagree, most are already apparent in this blog. I tell her maybe she doesn’t know what good it is to have a peace presence in front of a recruiting station but we for sure know what good it does to have NO presence.

I ask her to join us. I tell her it is conversations like this one that we need to be having. I tell her it is only together, working together, standing together, making a scene or dismantling one together, will we have change in our country.

“What good will it do?” she wails. I say well, we got to speak together – and that has been good.