Contents of this page:
(Disclaimer: this page is going up in a hurry to satisfy the demand for the
news and pictures of the event. Sorry it is so text-heavy, the stories are extremely
interesting though)
Our "Official"
Press release to Indymedia (Philly & NYC)
http://www.phillyimc.org/article.pl?sid=02/10/22/1833215&mode=thread
At approximately 8.27AM Monday morning (October 21, 2002) on the steps in front of the statue of our first president taking his oath of office, a man dressed in black, holding a megaphone, stepped out. He proclaimed news of another way of doing life, in stark contrast to the example shown on Wall St. As he proclaimed, “Let the Celebration begin!”, a Shofar, or ram’s horn, was blown, ushering in the ancient Torah tradition of Jubilee. Seemingly out of nowhere, bills began to fall and three banners were unfurled reading: “Love.” “Stop Terrorism… Share” and quoting the forefather of the nonviolence and alternative economics movements, Gandhi, “There is enough for everyone’s NEED, but not enough for everyone’s GREED”. At the same time, about two-dozen pedestrians emptied their pockets and bags of thousands of dollars of coins. Both homeless and professionals alike scrambled for nickels, dimes and quarters while others stood back and watched astonished that thousands of dollars were littering the corners of Broad and Wall Streets.
Soon songs broke out amongst shouts of celebration and posters began to appear,
echoing the statements of the banners. The source of the money was hard to pin
down, from the briefcases of business folks to the handbags of older women to
the thermoses of sporty tourists and the shoulder bags of bike messengers, all
types of people from different walks of life joined in the redistribution. The
entire street between corners was filled with coins and bills. As one area would
clear up, another load was dropped somewhere else. People walked away with bulging
pockets, listening to the intermittent jingle of change.
Even before the event, homeless individuals began exercising their first amendment
right to assemble. This increased presence of the homeless garnered the attention
of security and police officers. The police approached the homeless and ordered
them to move on, stating the event was, “a hoax” and “probably
illegal”. Many homeless had flyers that they showed the police. The yellow
flyers stated that there was a court victory over the unlawful arrests of homeless
people in New York City during then-mayor Giuliani’s crackdown on the
homeless population. Ten thousand was won in that settlement and the flyers
contained a dollar from that lawsuit. The police held another flyer, leaked
before the event, that said the currency to be redistributed was donated money
that had been invested in the Stock Exchange. Early Monday morning teams carrying
hundreds in two-dollar bills stashed them in the area around lower Manhattan.
This redistribution was meant for everyone.
After the initial money drop, the police called for backup and formed a line
that confronted the merry-makers, pushing them east down Wall St., away from
the Stock Exchange. One organizer was arrested and taken to the 1st police precinct.
He was not charged and released in a matter of minutes. Songs and chants, bubbles
and flyers filled the air as a curious Wall St looked on. With increasing pressure
from the police, organizers decided to stage the second wave of redistribution
of change at a different entrance of the Stock Exchange. With a cry of, “Let
the celebration continue!” hundreds more in change stopped traders from
entering the building until after they picked up a pocketful. The beauty was
in the secrecy. No one could distinguish who was dropping the money, or who
was in charge. As the money was dropped, all participated in gathering up the
change. One man remarked to passer’s by that he could now “get his
prescription filled.”
With the message of sharing and liberation on their lips, organizers decided
to declare a victory of Jubilee and leave the area. Many people voiced their
support as people entered the subway and side streets. One woman was so overcome,
that she bought a bag of bagels and started handing them out to whoever was
hungry.
In all, the organizers were happy with the outcome. “The thought of ten
thousand dollars with ‘LOVE.’ written on them circulating throughout
New York City is exciting to me,” one organizer claimed. Many people were
overcome by the amount of sharing and the proclamation of a different way of
life. It truly was a contrast to the way in which those on Wall St. act and
behave. "Building a new society in the shell of the old."
If you would like to contact the organizers of this event, please e-mail love_dollars@yahoo.com.
Text of our flyer (handed out before & during the event, mailed out to organizations w/$100 attached)
Who are we?
Some of us have worked on Wall Street and some of us have slept on Wall Street. We are a community of struggle. Some of us are rich people trying to escape our loneliness. Some of us are poor folks trying to escape the cold. Some of us are addicted to drugs and others are addicted to money. We are a broken people who need each other and God… for we have come to recognize the mess that we have created of our world and how deeply we suffer from that mess – Now we are working together to give birth to a society within the shell of the old.
The money for this
Jubilee Celebration was formerly invested in the Stock Market.
Over $10,000 has been set free, poured out --
To be shared with our sisters and brothers in need.
This money belongs to the the poor, the workers, the refugees, the homeless…
to all those who have suffered most from the wreckage of the current system.
May we return it with joy, with our heads bowed in repentance,
And with our hearts lifted in Jubilee.The Mess We’ve Created
From 1996-2000 Eighty-Six percent of the stock market’s advances went to the wealthiest ten percent of our world. In 1965 the average U.S. worker made $7.52 per hour while the average executive made $330.38 per hour… but over the past 20 years the average US worker’s wage has slumped to $7.39 per hour while the average CEO wage has skyrocketed to $1,566.68 per hour, the transfer of wealth from the increasingly poor to the increasingly rich. Today the average executive makes 419 times more than the average blue-collar worker. If the hourly worker’s wages had risen at the same rate as the CEO’s, the average worker would be earning $110,399 per year instead of $29,267. Now 358 people own the same amount of assets as 45% of the world’s population. The richest 20% own 80% of the resources while the poorest 20% own 1.4%.
Enough.
Another world is possible (and necessary).
Our Biblical ancestors called it “The Jubilee” (Leviticus 25). The early Christians called it “The Way” (Acts 9, 19, 22, 24). Jesus of Nazareth called it “The Kingdom of God” – where the last are first and the first are last, where the poor are blessed and the mighty are cast from their thrones, where the peacemakers are the children of God and the people beat their swords into plowshares and study war no more. We have come today to celebrate this ancient vision, this covenant with God and with each other… recognizing that when one child starves to death every 6 seconds, over 35000 children each day… while 1% of the world owns 49% of the wealth… something is wrong.
There is another way of life. Join in the Jubilee celebration, today, everyday – hide dollars in wierd places, blow bubbles on the subway, give flowers to strangers, write messages on money, give your jacket to someone who’s cold, invite someone in a suit to have lunch with you in the soup kitchen, dance and sing as if no one were looking. Fight terrorism by sharing… for the world will never be safe as long as the masses live in poverty so that a few people can live as they wish. And above all… love.“There shall be equality. As it is written: ‘The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” - Exodus 16:18 and 2 Corinthians 8:14-15
(more to come...)
Blurb from mikebrix and Shane of the simple way
The event went fantastic, better than we could have imagined. Over 75 people were involved in organizing or helping behind the scenes. On the day of the event, we joined nearly 100 homeless folks with a crowd made up of activists, formerly homeless community organizers, clergy and religious people (including a nun who ushered in the celebration by blowing a Shofar). A few police began by trying to coerce the homeless to leave the area, but our “undercover” pedestrians continued to let them know that something was about to happen. As soon as the call was made and the money began to drop, police were quick to respond. In a matter of minutes, they had over two dozen fully armed patrol officers (eventually, there were more that arrived with semi-automatic machine guns) that prevented the crowd from blocking the entrance. We were able to keep a very passionate but peaceful presence as we sang, danced, blew bubbles, and decorated the street with sidewalk chalk. One organizer was taken into custody (1st precinct) about halfway through the event as an attempt to disseminate the celebration. Of course we were prepared by having multiple shared leadership. The celebration not only continued, but we were able to do a second “wave” of money being dropped near another entrance of the Stock Exchange. Who knows where we will go from here!!!
Jubilee and Justice: Celebrating Sabbath Economics
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
When Abbie Hoffman and his "Yippies" did it 35 years ago, they did
it inside. Stock brokers and activists alike will remember the scene from the
New York Stock Exchange in 1967, dollar bills floating to the trading floor
and traders scrambling to grab them. Hoffman called it a "money drop."
When a group of evangelical Christians did it on October 21, 2002, they did
it outside, in the street, where traders were hurrying past a crowd of nearly
100 homeless New Yorkers who had gathered for the event. Shane Claiborne, a
member of the group who used a bullhorn to announce the scattering of $10,000
in coins and small bills, called it a "celebration of Jubilee."
In a flyer that was distributed after the celebration began, the group explained
who they were: "Some of us have worked on Wall Street and some of us have
slept on Wall Street. We are a community of struggle. Some of us are rich people
trying to escape our loneliness. Some of us are poor folks trying to escape
the cold. Some of us are addicted to drugs and others are addicted to money."
Most of those involved were members of Christian communities such as the Catholic
Worker houses founded by Dorothy Day, Communality in Lexington, Kentucky, Mosaic
Community in Omaha, Nebraska, and The Simple Way, the community in Philadelphia
that actually organized the event. The Simple Way invited others to join them
by letter, stating, "A Jubilee Celebration will interrupt the usual activities
of Wall Street. In the face of hoarding we will give money away to folks in
need." Each invitation was accompanied by a $100 bill with "love."
written across its face in red magic marker.
Mike Brix, a member of The Simple Way, talked beforehand about their hopes for
the celebration. "We want to share love," he said, "with homeless
people living a tough life and stock exchange workers living a tough life and
police officers with guns living a tough life." Claiborne, also a member
of The Simple Way, continued: "We don't want to block the entrance or shut
the NYSE down like Abbie Hoffman and those cats. We trust that the way of life
weíre celebrating is simply more attractive."
"Official invitations" to the celebration were distributed to homeless
men and women on the streets of New York, inviting them to "join together
with us as we declare the possibility (and necessity) of another way of life,
a way that we call the Kingdom of God." In his speech before the money
was scattered, Claiborne further explained why the group had gathered: "From
1996 until 2000, eighty-six percent of the stock market's advances went to the
wealthiest ten percent of our world. Today 358 people own the same amount of
assets as forty-five percent of the world's population. The richest twenty percent
own eighty percent of the resources while the poorest twenty percent own one
and a half percent. Enough! Another world is possible. Another world is necessary."
When Claiborne finished there were cheers from the crowd as Sister Margaret
McKenna of New Jerusalem, a recovery community in Philadelphia, sounded the
beginning of the celebration with a shofar. This ram's horn was the traditional
instrument used by Jews to proclaim the Jubilee, a periodic redistribution of
wealth commanded by God in the Torah and picked up by Jesus in the fourth chapter
of Luke's gospel. "The Spirit of the Lord is on me," Jesus declared,
quoting Isaiah, "and he has anointed me to proclaim the year of our Lord's
favor," that is, many New Testament scholars contend, to proclaim the Jubilee.
While this biblical tradition may not have been familiar to everyone in the
crowd, the cloud of cash and the clinking of change on concrete was enough to
draw their attention.
"You're not going to believe this, Honey," one man said as he held
a cell phone against one ear and stuck a finger in the other. "These people
are throwing money everywhere." Then, after a pause, "Oh, I hadn't
thought of that. I mean, we have enough money." Perhaps greed was not as
wide spread as had been assumed. A trader going into the NYSE suggested otherwise,
however, when asked what was happening: "I think they're saying that the
stock market is greedy. And they're right."
One observer noted that the greed of the stock market was not limited to the
people in business suits. "I think those people scrounging for change are
representative of what's going on inside [the stock exchange]." Indeed,
one man who emerged from the crowd with a fist full of change confessed, "I
feel like we fell into the greed thing."
Still, a number of people felt that greed was disarmed as it was exposed. James
Taylor, a member of New Jerusalem, talked about how exciting it was to take
a hundred one dollar bills in his hand, and then let them go into the wind.
"I just stood there and watched them float for a few seconds. And then
I bent over and picked up a few," he added. "I mean, I ain't got no
money either." One security guard gave a similar response. With pockets
bulging he remarked, "Just another day in New York City," reminding
himself not be surprised by anything in this town. "We're all just trying
to get by."
Unlike a conventional protest, the lines between those in the group and those
outside were blurry at this celebration. A number of the organizers were in
business suits while others were dressed as super-heroes (one wore a Christmas
tree on his head and called himself Kid Christmas, "bringing the gift of
justice year-round because Jesus has no season.") Some looked like tourists
and some more like bohemian types from Greenwich Village. Maria Kenny, a member
of Communality from Lexington Kentucky, talked about the tension that she felt
within herself. "On the one hand we're here saying that this system has
to change; on the other hand, my salary is paid by a foundation that generates
revenue by investing money in the stock market."
Andy Peifer, a former Catholic Worker resident and experienced protester, said
that he appreciated the spirit of this event. "We're not holding signs
and shouting at them. We're celebrating a new world that is possible for all
of us." This new age that Jesus proclaimed is both coming and has already
come, Christians confess. While we have been saved and justified before God,
we know from experience that we are not yet perfect. Though we exist as a community
called out of the world, we grieve that much of the world is still in and among
us. We live "between the times," as some theologians say. And we confess
that God is with us in the in-between.
At its best, this is the good news of Jubilee; the hope that God is with us
and he is in control. Therefore, we don't have to worry; we can obey his instruction
to rest. Thus the rich are encouraged to give without expecting anything in
return (that is, to be willing to give high risk loans.) Likewise, the poor
man is instructed to repay his debts faithfully, to give the shirt off his back
if his creditors ask for his coat. This notion is what theologian and activist
Ched Meyers has called "Sabbath economics." It is, he believes, the
new economic order that Jesus proclaimed.
This does not, of course, mean that Christians do nothing in the world. "He
who does not work does not eat," Paul says. Grace is not a license for
sin. Instead, the grace extended to us by our heavenly Father is cause for celebration,
the pursuit of justice and the periodic redistribution of wealth that we learn
in the ancient practice of Jubilee. To dump $10,000 on the street every day
would be irresponsible. That this group of Christians has done it once, however,
is cause enough for us to ask how the church might practice gospel economics
more faithfully in this age of advanced capitalism. In our homes and in our
churches, may the celebration continue. *JW-H
On that Monday morning on Wall Street, my role being chiefly that of photographer, I had the good pleasure of watching the events unfold with a sort of journalist's eye, and, standing on the opposite side of Wall Street from 'ground zero,' expressing surprise, alarm, and a keen interest in the coming of the jubilee. Indeed I was able to almost, almost, see the events as my 'character' (viz., the-unsuspecting-tourist-with-fun-saver) would see them.
My character, then, let's call him Adam W. (to maintain his anonymity),
saw that morning, around 8.00 am, at least two-dozen folks overtly making their
presence known there on Wall Street, waiting anxiously for something to go down.
Yes, the police, probably installed since 9/11 (our symbols for money certainly
worth protecting with assault rifles), were all about us, some uniformed, some
undercover, some bearing arms, some bearing (and selling) newspapers.
But I also saw, milling about around eight o'clock, about three
score of folk who also didn't 'belong,' folks whose skin tones and/or dress
contrasted sharply with the innocuous whites and grays we've come to associate
with the Wall Street crowd. Yet--surprisingly and refreshingly--none were
being hassled or bothered; we all existed in a sort of solemn peace, yet not
a true peace, for it was heavy with anticipation.
Then, around 8.30 am, just under the larger-than-life person of
George Washington (in cold, black bronze), there stepped forward another black-clad
figure, who, on a shaky, distorted bullhorn proclaimed the jubilee. Another
blue-clad figure commenced the celebration by sounding the antique instrument
that yet brings down the walls of Jericho.
And there, with a wave of currency cast to the streets, the jubilee
was done. With the writing with sidewalk chalk on Wall Street and the
display of banners and posters, justice was done. With the gathering of
money by rich, poor, white-, blue-, dog-, and the-ability-to- -collar alike,
equality was done. With the blowing of bubbles, celebration was done.
With the singing of songs of freedom, liberation was groaned for. With
the interaction of less-than-warring parties (traditionally opposed, now engaged
in dialogue), stories were made. And, with the redistribution of that
which was not ours to begin with, love was done.
A surprised tourist / undercover journalist / awkward participant
(with, I suppose, some foreknowledge of the day's events), I dumped a handful
of nickels out of my bag, took a few bad photos, and marveled at the whole spectacle--mostly
at the non-antagonism and sheer interest of all parties involved--honored, as
I suppose everyone there was, to be a part of something so much bigger than
ourselves, having the privelege of helping facilitate that which He had already
instituted long, long ago to our ancestors. And I was delighted at the
non-antagonism of all parties involved, delighted that the police force were
unexpectedly permissive, delighted that folks were slow to grapple over the
spilt currency, delighted that stock brokers and other passers-by were quick
to ask for and receive literature about our tankfully undistorted message of
peace, delighted in the personal liberation that comes with celebrating the
jubilee, and mostly delighted that al! l present (ourselves included) were radically
awakened to an alternative (I say alternative because it's hardly new) vision
to the patterns of this world which govern our days.
by Adam W.
Perspective from "the ween"
the moment before the coin drop was so exciting. i had spent the last thirty- five minutes or so stashing two-dollar bills in battery park and the shoes of sleeping homeless folks and starbucks bathrooms. on the way to the stock exchange i would walk by people buying coffee at venders and slap bills in front of them. i then bought some banannas with a fistful of coins and began handing out bananas to the "strangers" outside the stock exchange. it was so exciting, all these brilliant and loving folks gathered to celebrate. i sat down with my harmonica to watch everyone slowly creep up to the scene, their clandestine money-filled bags that would soon be decorating the streets of new york city, layers of clothes that would soon be layed down for anyone in need. there was such dense air of excitement and anticipation, the knowledge that a humdrum moday morning in greedy old nyc would soon become a jubilant time of singing and dancing and loving and sharing. and it! did. oh my gosh, did it ever....
The following is an account of the redistribution of several thousand dollars in New York that occurred and little over a week ago. It truly was an amazing event.
It's time for change on the Stock Exchange!:
As many of you are aware, several cities throughout the United States have
passed sidewalk ordinances, which makes it "illegal" to be homeless.
The police have the right to arrest people for sleeping on the street. A couple
years ago a friend of ours went to New York to protest one of these ordinances.
He was arrested for sleeping on the street. To make a long story short,
he sued the police of New York for wrongful arrest and won $10,000. Instead
of storing it in the bank or buying milkshakes for all of his friends, he decided
to give it back to the homeless people of New York.
For months we have been planning a creative way of redistributing the wealth.
Last week we distributed the funds via a celebration at the Stock Exchange on
Wall St. of all places. The week prior Shane and I handed out hundreds
of flyers (each with a dollar bill on them) inviting people to our celebration.
We had an amazing time handing out the flyers/invitations and we learned many
lessons that prepared us for the actual event.
For the redistribution we had a couple thousand dollars in paper money (including
$1,200 in $2 bills that were hidden throughout the Wall St. area (in coin slots,
newspapers, etc.), and a thousand dollars in quarters, in dimes, and in nickels.
At approximately 8:20am Monday morning Shane addressed the crowd standing in
front of the Stock Exchange, which included over a hundred homeless people,
several business folks, the police, and about fifty of us blended into the masses
ready to help with the "distribution"/ celebration. Shane explained
the origin of the money and that we desired to experience a new world.
No longer do we want to associate ourselves with the hoarding of wealth, and
the violence that it so often leads
to. Instead we want to desacralize money, share money, and celebrate the humanity
of all people, whether they have money or not. The Bible talks about "Jubilee,"
which was a time when debts were forgiven, land and resources redistributed
among the poor, and slaves were set free. We now proclaim Jubilee for
our day in age. We desire a world where people are
as concerned for their neighbor as they are for themselves. Immediately following
his speech a ram's horn was blown signifying the dawning of a new age, an age
of love and sharing.
Immediately after the blast of the ram's horn (which was also used to signify
the year of Jubilee) thousands of dollars in cash were thrown into the air,
while thousands of dollars in change were dumped to the ground. It was
beautiful. It was kind of like bursting open a Piñata full of candy,
there was enough for all. The streets were silver, and there was not a
single incident of violence among us. Just the opposite, people were happy
and many were even hugging. There were also several bottles of bubbles
that were handed out. I saw one homeless man, whom we
had met earlier in the day, who spent as much time blowing bubbles as he had
gathering money. It was amazing. He was a veteran of the Gulf War,
dying of cancer as a result of his service to our country, and he felt that
"the system" didn't care. After talking with him it seemed as
if
the whole celebration gave him hope. He was ready for change. I believe
that the joy and the love I felt in the air that day was not so much the result
of "free money" but that someone actually cared. I talked to several
people who thanked me for what we represented. There
were people who reassured us that things should change, and that there is enough
for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed. One man stated that
he was able to gather enough money to purchase his much needed prescription.
Someone else went and purchased bagels and
started handing them out. It is my prayer that this was not simply an
isolated event. I hope that the spirit of the whole thing continues.
I am not really sure where things will go from here. Maybe we will start
a campaign for people to set up "Jubilee Jars" to collect funds to
be redistributed on an annual basis. More importantly I hope people catch
hold of this vision for a new world. I leave you with this:
2 Corinthians 8:13-15:
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed,
but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will
supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.
Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did
not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."
by C. Lahr
Kid Kristmas: Adventures at the NYSE
by Kid Kristmas
I appeared on the scene at approximately 8:20 in the a.m. the morning of the
21st. Wall street was awash in a sea of hurried faces and dark suits. I appeared
from behind a fruit stand as my dearest human friend, Ben White, fled the scene;
it was time for the work that only an antihero could perform. I was entrusted
with a large sign that read "FREE." My mission, which of course, I
had chosen to accept, was to cross the street and establish an outpost for clothing
donation. The multifaceted jubilee included not only money but also the much-needed
warm clothes that winter demands. As I waited for the signals I experienced
the source of my power charging me for the task ahead. People smiled and many
began laughing as they saw my unfamiliar ware. Bringing joy to the population,
I sat leaning against a stone building, sinfully indulging in my overwhelming
ability to procure the classic double take. These people, trapped in the monotony
of the life America lives, were cracked by my hilarious appearance. When I first
came to this place, I was very sensitive about the way people reacted to me.
Where I came from I was normal. Here I was the laughing stock. I soon realized,
however, that it was in my lack of normalcy that I found my antihero power.
With humor, I can disarm the general populace and speak justice to a world so
practiced in ignoring such cries. I'm Kid Kristmas and I give the Gift of Justice.
On October 21, giving the gift meant throwing a party, and the best kind of
party at that: a party with free stuff! Back at 8:20, I was poised and ready
for action, my friend Shane announced the celebration and the Shofar was blown.
That was the signal so I whirled into action. In literally less than a New York
minute, my sign was in place. I shouted, "Throw down your coats. We have
others at home!" Those who had planned to donate that were among my group
of celebrators did so. Immediately, my sometimes arch nemeses and sometimes
heroes in blue were on the scene, the 5-0. The officer instructed me to pick
up my clothes, and under the guidance of my partner in antiheroism, Beauty and
Safety, I obeyed. I abandoned my sign but before I left, I asked the officer
if he wanted any clothes. He declined.
I entered the crowd and instantly felt warm among the shouts and smiles of those
still shocked by the fact that money was fluttering through the air and coins
were carpeting the street. People danced, people sang, people blew bubbles and
once again, people smiled. Even the men and women in suits on their way to fight
for shares on the stock exchange floor dropped their game faces to enjoy the
jubilee.
When I got on the subway, literally less than a New York hour later, I was filled
with the joy of justice. For I knew that justice was not in the hustle and bustle
of the street. It wasn't in the lives of many of the people who stared at my
six-foot figure with two-foot Christmas tree growing out of the hat on my head.
But justice was in the jubilee of Jesus Christ for whose mass I am named. "There
is another way," read the sign of one of my companions. That other way
is where justice lies, and as the train rumbled uptown, I hoped that I had been
able to show that truth to those who saw me celebrating downtown and prayed
for it to spread.
Note well the milling about of actors
pretending not to notice each other
in the calm before the storms of jubilee.
Here we will entertain a solemn peace.
Note well the sounding of the op’ning bell—
the exterior one, rung only by
words of liberation and Joshua’s horn—
for here we entertain a solemn peace.
The celebration begins, and, Oh! Now
Wall Street is covered in the currency
that’s fought over inside, but not out here,
for here we entertain a solemn peace.
Inside and out folks are scrambling for change.
Rich and poor alike—all are listening
and watching, hearing and seeing—trying
all to understand this age-old message.
This is a wildly solemn occasion,
and all are invited to be a part
of this and the freeing Way that follows—
the freed life of a jubilee people.
The sung songs of freedom, the blown bubbles
and the colorful, written words of peace,
are hardly sights and sounds Wall Street has known,
sights and sounds, now through prophets, seen and heard.
In among the active participants
is one reluctant fellow, torn by the
imperatives of love, yet somehow calm,
for here we entertain a solemn peace.
He’s torn by charges of obedience.
Trying to reconcile the rules of state,
the action, and of love, which he can do--
for here we entertain a solemn peace.
The sung songs of freedom, the blown bubbles
and the colorful, written words of peace,
are not sights and sounds he has ever known,
sights and sounds, now through him, uttered and known.
by Adam W.
***As with all acts of celebration and protest, the simple way, inc. does not
imply endorsement, though individual members of the non-profit may participate
and organize of their own free will.***