Thanks for the memories Pace e Bene

Peace & All Good Indeedy

Glitter Gulch, Sin City, Las Vegas – my home for 26 years. The last weekend in September when I visited the ‘entertainment capital of the world,’ a man chatting me up in the gym asked why I’d left. My reply: I was finished in LV. I realized throughout my stay I miss the people but not the city.

Pace e Bene (PeB) celebrated its 20 anniversary. A long time ago I volunteered in the PeB library filing various newsletters. That job was like surfing the net in hard copy. The article that’s stayed with me discussed how many leaders or former leaders of Israel are/were Holocaust survivors. That piece of information filled in a gap in my thinking about Israel’s government and its actions.

My experience with From Violence to Wholeness happened within a short time of my Gandhi studies: a hand to glove situation. As a non-believer in God in any of her incarnations save the natural world, I find the need to have a spiritual/god figure as the guiding reason for working for justice difficult to understand. How can we organize our behavior by offering it to a being, spirit, force we cannot see? Perhaps people think of this as a ‘gut feeling’ or a ‘heart feeling.’ Of course though, since PeB has Franciscan origins I’d be disappointed if some divine force weren’t involved.

I love being part of a community in which I am lovingly welcomed even after I’ve been gone for a number of years. Leslie, Julia and I reveled in the joy of our quarter of a century of friendship while in pursuit of compassionate justice. We also swapped silver-hair styling tips with KMS blue shampoo, Fructis Shine spray, and Grecian Formula tinting topping the list. We’re cultivating the cool long-time social activists’ look. We were in Andre Agassi territory, and he did once say for Canon Camera “Image is everything.” Seeing, hugging, and talking with everyone once again revealed to me how rich my life has been. Another example of the loving community arrived when Allen remembered me as a person who brought meals to the peace walkers.

When I realized Alain would be at the celebration, I yelped with joy that filled my heart because I’d be seeing “Zee Gray Wolf.” Our ride home from the NV Test Site (NTS) allowed us the time to catch up. Financial Dictatorship – Alain’s idea in process. Our conversation did make me wonder what I’d see if I looked deeply into the ways money worldwide is used , who the main cast of benefiting characters around the world is, and what their connections are. I got a huge kick out of Ken’s rendition of Alain’s ‘I’ll be truly nonviolent 15 minutes after I die.’ What a joy! Speaking of joy, when Ken shows pictures of his new baby daughter he simply vibrates joy.

My first real introduction to Vincent Harding was his interview on KNPR Friday morning of the weekend. Dead air on the radio makes people nervous both in the studio and in the audience. I loved how after the host asked his question, Vincent paused, considered, and then answered. Maybe this approach to having a dialogue would give politicians the time to develop deeper thoughts as they consider, perhaps reconsider, their responses. Talk show hosts and guests could think about this approach, too. President Obama as a brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, son – that’s how Vincent thinks of our president. He believes as family members of a loving family we need to remind Prez O where he comes from so he can continue to blossom along that path and not be overtaken by the weeds of realpolitik. Maybe the Nobel Peace Prize is one of those reminders.

At Saturday night’s yummy dinner, we saw three kids from a community center located in the historic Westside. One guy played drums and all three of them gave oratory. Vincent was also to receive his peacemaker award. I kept thinking about how during the day, he’d discussed his assignment to write our bro/son/etc Barack Obama a letter as a reminder of where his roots burrow into the soil of a more just world. As these boys performed, I thought about how the message from these kids would make a mighty addition to that letter. Powerful ideas.

SUNDAY IN THE DESERT

Even the idea of Predator and Raptor drones flying over Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Iraq to deliver their bombs makes my stomach lurch and my heart ache. On January 23, 2009, Prez O authorized the first drone bombing of Pakistan of his administration. My bumper sticker with the green peace symbol for the ‘O’ in Obama came off my car and into a letter to the Brand New President with a note reminding him of his public promise to Sasha and Melia about the use of USA force in his open letter published in Parade Magazine. I interpreted the message to mean a very definite last resort. Creech (formerly Indian Springs) Air Force Base is creepy. It still looks just like it did before guys sat in rooms at the controls of drones and their bomb activators half way around the world as seen on monitors. I marvel at people who can do this kind of abstract violent destructive work and then return home to their families and a suburban life. I felt good being out in the desert considering the fragile life, plant and animal, that thrives in that harsh environment, and the harsh consequences unleashed by humans in that same desert.

When I go to the NTS, memories of many events meld into a collage that could be called ‘The Dance of Facing One Evil Humans Can Produce and Defend.’ I remember finding Peg and her boys almost at the entrance my first time out there. My girls and I drove right up to the gate, realized it wasn’t the place to meet, turned around, and drove toward the 95 until we spied the clutch of folks on the right standing in the desert. At some point recently, my daughter, Sydney, told my granddaughter, Eris, about our exploits at the NTS. As Eris and I sat on the floor, face to face with her legs wrapped around me, I told her about the December 31, 1999 – January 1, 2000, candlelight procession. I told her I had this conversation with myself: ‘Get arrested? Not get arrested? What to do?’ Then I said I thought about this new little granddaughter I’d just gotten the end of November and how I wanted a more compassionate world for her so ‘Get arrested’ won the night.

I remember the time, probably an Easter season, when Louie was saying Mass. I could hear the Wackenhut guards talking and laughing. I may not be religious but I do know a little Bible. ‘Roman soldiers at the crucifixion,’ popped into my mind. The last two times I’ve been to the NTS, a guard has stood to our left on the other side of the line as we approach, usually beside a sign post. He’s packing two rods, one Velcro-ed to each thigh. The German Shepard is a sobering addition, too.

Code Pink women joined us at Creech, the goddess temple, and the NTS. I am thankful people continue to have a presence on that long lonely stretch of highway. I feel like all of us who work for peace with justice are like iron filings scattered across the country and the globe. Ken once told me to remember we are not alone; others share our work. I wonder when the big magnet will be strong enough to gather us together, united in the solidarity of compassionate humanity. Probably never since fear seems to trump all other emotions, but luckily for us, everybody can use a good hobby. Let’s face it; what’s a hobby if not involvement with our vocations? Pace e bene & peace with justice!

MY BIG THANKS

I was so pleased when Peter told me the Pace e Bene crew agreed to let me show From Hiroshima to Hollywood and Why Not War? I’m thankful some of my pix found new homes. The set up and break down benefited from the ‘many hands make light work’ theory. The guys at Christ Church helped me out with the large wooden easel Myron made for me. Richard stayed late and set up early, cutting the time in half. Anne said seeing so many images together impressed her. A few friends from LV stopped by too. What a joy!

Happy Birthday, Pace e Bene! Many thanks for all I have learned from Rosemary & Klaryte, Louie, Alain, Ken, Leslie, Julia and Peter to skim off the top of my thoughts.

Peace and all good, most def,
Stevi
October 11, 2009
For more information about Pace e Bene, go to paceebene.org