Something is very wrong on this Fourth of July, when the vast majority of America's citizens and the rest of the world want our occupying forces out of Iraq immediately, yet the oligarchy that is trying to squeeze the last dollar out of the world's oil supply is not allowing that to happen.
Their greed and short-sightedness is going to be disastrous for us all, and at this point all we can do is bear witness, as this mostly Quaker group in front of the Golden Gate Avenue Federal Building reminds us every Thursday at noon.
I joined the group for lunch at the Golden Kim Tar Restaurant on Larkin Street, where the busboy was wearing a very funny T-shirt.
I asked Stephen Matchett (above) what he was doing for the Fourth of July, and he replied "Going to jail." It turned out that he was giving a Quaker "Alternatives to Violence Project" workshop at the San Francisco County jail in San Bruno. "Is the program just for prisoners?" I asked, and he said, "No, there are Community workshops too, but they can get really contentious with people screaming at each other. I much prefer the prison ones."
So on this Fourth, here's a wish that humanity learns to stop murdering and torturing and screaming at each other, and instead learns how to behave before we completely self-destruct.
3 comments:
Amen, amen and again, amen. I fear for the future of my country - and the world - unless the spiral of violence, greed and illegal behavior is curtailed. But there's one good thing that happened today - Jessie Helms is dead! Dead! Dead and dead! I was telling a friend of mine that I hope he is greeted at the gates of hell by a gay black Satan who will then proceed to ram his pitchfork up into Jessie's nether regions. Normally I don't believe in hell and I'm totally against torture but I'm prepared to make a few exceptions!
Dear Nancy: I agree with you on the one hand, but really, we're trying to promote non-violence here, and that includes even thoughts about Jesse Helms. In other words, a belief in reincarnation is helpful. Mr. Helms is going to have quite a bit of learning in his next lifetimes to do.
Dear Mike: you are a better person than I am for I vividly remember being hosed on a civil rights march and seeing that sob get up and proclaim how clubbing men, women and children marching to vote (!!!) was one of the glories of Southern culture - or maybe it was civilization, I forget which. You be evolved; I'm over here rejoicing because there's one less of his ilk alive in the world today. On the other hand...reincarnation...hummmm... interesting possibilities.
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