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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

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

White men...

Why do white men, strangers you've never before laid eyes on, feel free to approach you and think they can tell you what to do?

This is of course a rhetorical question

McDonalds and white men

McDonald's has contributed to my cross-country journeys now that they have free wifi. They're a back-up if the library is closed or if I can't find a Starbucks or Whole Foods to write at. Plus they are usually right off the exit within feet of the roads I travel on and open close to 24 hours daily.

Although I love the exposure my truck gets to folks that wouldn't necessarily see it, I don't want anyone to think I would give McDonald's any of my money nor consume any of the the poison they are selling.

But the bathrooms tend to be clean (although not all the time), there tends to be empty booths where one can sit comfortably, and best of all, free wifi!

Today, I dash in to write, check messages, and use the bathroom. When I'm leaving, I see a skinny biker gearing up to approach my truck. He is white, male, and has that professional biker look, equipment, stretchy uniform, and lean body.

He immediately starts lecturing me about racism, informing me in his macho male confident voice that I know will not listen to me nor want any kind of dialogue. He informs me that Black people can be racist, so can Mexicans and Chinese.

I interrupt him with my question "how do you define racism then?" I have succeeded in stopping his tirade for a second and he actually turns his head so he's finally looking me in the eye. He stumbles a bit then continues "You need to take that false message off the back of your truck right now and stop spreading lies."

Really? I tell him he needs to listen to what I'm telling him instead of telling me what to do. But he doesn't bother. He jumps back on his bike, pedaling off as he throws over his shoulder "Take those lies off your truck!"

At least he sees I'm driving a truck.


I made it!

I’m soooooo proud of myself – I finally made it to the Y, first time in a couple weeks! I ran for 30 minutes, 4.0 mph, and then stretched & exercised on the mat for about 20 minutes.

I’m in Gainesville, FL and traveling thru rush-hour this morning, I happened to pass the University of Florida – probably why so many positives, horn honks, waves, curious smiles!

Parking at the Y, a skinny old white man tells me in what I think is a sarcastic tone “Quite a truck you have there” I just jovially and loudly agree.

I stand with Black and brown people against police brutality and racism


3:10a.m. and the pleasant, light rain has stopped. It is still warm and muggy, dark starless sky behind a few blaring street lights illuminating the rest rooms. As I head back outside toward my truck, I read “I stand for the national anthem” on the t-shirt back of an older white man standing in the doorway talking loudly to the womon I had noticed through the window of the guard shack when I went into the bathroom. She was standing patiently, listening to him talk.


As I pass, I say “I don’t stand for the national anthem”. He calls out “thank you” with so much sincerity I question for a second if I read his red, white, and blue t-shirt correctly. I look back at their happy, grinning faces and tell him again “I do NOT stand for the national anthem”.

“I stand for the national anthem” he declares proudly. “Of course you do,” I retort. “Look at you, you are white and male.”

He ignores me, throws  up his hands and yells “why don’t you stand?” I firmly tell him through the misty dark “I stand with Black and brown people against racism and police brutality.”

He defiantly tosses back at me, “I fought twice for our nation and...” I interrupt him and declare “no you didn’t, you fought for our corporations to gain access to other people’s resources and nation”. 

 “And I was injured twice,” he continues, not listening, indicating his slightly bowed naked-from-the-knee-down legs that seem to glow in the dark.“I did it for you, I fought for you” he insists. I want to get up in his face so he can clearly see my eyes but I stand, turning around to fully face him as I say “You NEVER fought for me.”

“God bless you” he smiles that superior smile that is evident from even the 20 feet away from him that I am now.

“I don’t need your god’s blessings” I tell him, “but I’m sure you are going to be needing that blessing from your “Thou Shalt Not Kill” god”.

I’m livid men can still be so blindly ignorant and obedient, especially with tRump blowing war horns.