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| March 30, 2011 at the Corner of Broadway and Providence |
Honk for Peace?
I’m absolutely against any type of preemptive war. As a young child my most vivid dreams involved birds and war--not together! Now, remembering a dream even 15 minutes out of bed is unusual. But the bird and war dreams were lifelike, sleepwalking dreams.
But back to the honking.
If one ever passes the corner of Broadway and Providence late Wednesday afternoon, every Wednesday for the past ten years (actually 9 1/2), you know the folks bearing anti-war, honk for peace signs. Twice in recent months the honkers have jarred me. Normally, I come south on Providence from Stephens College and they are in plain sight but driving north on Providence toward Walnut Street offers a different perspective. If not stopped at the traffic light, one enters an unexpected and startling honking zone.
I’ve slammed on my brakes before. Really. Once, I thought someone was honking to get my attention; the other because I was flat out startled by the chorus of honks. My first thought, "Is an ambulance or fire truck headed this way?”
Is Honking for Peace a waste of time? I don't know. On one hand, there is way too much silence about the warS in the general public. The honking is not meant to influence politicians but rather to get the attention of people like you and me. Grassroot efforts can make a real difference and effect change.
For 9 1/2 years a dedicated but small group has used this tactic to no avail (need I remind you of Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Libya). Perhaps it may be the time for Peaceworks to evaluate the value of continued honking.
As a pacifist, the honks just don't do it for me.
I’m absolutely against any type of preemptive war. As a young child my most vivid dreams involved birds and war--not together! Now, remembering a dream even 15 minutes out of bed is unusual. But the bird and war dreams were lifelike, sleepwalking dreams.
But back to the honking.
If one ever passes the corner of Broadway and Providence late Wednesday afternoon, every Wednesday for the past ten years (actually 9 1/2), you know the folks bearing anti-war, honk for peace signs. Twice in recent months the honkers have jarred me. Normally, I come south on Providence from Stephens College and they are in plain sight but driving north on Providence toward Walnut Street offers a different perspective. If not stopped at the traffic light, one enters an unexpected and startling honking zone.
I’ve slammed on my brakes before. Really. Once, I thought someone was honking to get my attention; the other because I was flat out startled by the chorus of honks. My first thought, "Is an ambulance or fire truck headed this way?”
Is Honking for Peace a waste of time? I don't know. On one hand, there is way too much silence about the warS in the general public. The honking is not meant to influence politicians but rather to get the attention of people like you and me. Grassroot efforts can make a real difference and effect change.
For 9 1/2 years a dedicated but small group has used this tactic to no avail (need I remind you of Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Libya). Perhaps it may be the time for Peaceworks to evaluate the value of continued honking.
As a pacifist, the honks just don't do it for me.
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