F15 Dublin Crowds (photos)

by Dorothy segar Mon Feb 17, 2003 19:31 dsegar at sbcglobal dot net 818-706-2397

I couldn’t sleep this past Saturday night – February 15, 2003. The elation and pride and overwhelming gratitude for the millions of voices that echoed the unified plea for peace flooded my being. To realize that a global grass roots peace movement of this magnitude, unprecedented in world history and taking place before the first bullet is fired or the first bomb is dropped, is indeed amazing. A tremendous global movement of amazing grace. The current tally – eleven million people throughout the world take to the streets of virtually every major city to say NO to war.

It’s only the beginning, the tip of the proverbial iceberg. For each of the marchers that actively took to the streets this past weekend, I would venture to say there are at least 2-4 people at home who did not come out. THIS TIME. And how many more millions who may be on the fence are now being persuaded to stand for peace? Each and every one of you who protested this weekend have shown us a new way, have inspired us with the necessary courage and strength to join you, to take action and to make the next global day of peace a day of even more strength, unity and magnitude. My hero, John Lennon, would be so pleased.

I read a comment by a journalist who observed that many of the US protesters this weekend were mainstream Americans. “Bush must really be messing up to bring out the mainstream”, he mused. I had to laugh, because I, as a middle-aged working, college educated woman, living in relative comfort and wealth in Southern California, with no history of political or social activism, certainly fits that mainstream label. But I, too, like many of my mainstream counterparts, have been so outraged by this administration’s callous actions and arrogant words to the world, that I cannot no longer sit by on the sidelines and stay silent.

I had a vision of what God would be seeing looking down on our dark, dark world this weekend. An angry, violent, desolate place this planet of ours must often appear to be. But then twelve million bright, glowing little lights throughout the earth begin to shine out of that darkness, reaching up to the very heights of the heavens above. Blessed are the peacemakers.

So I say thank you, thank you, you blessed eleven million souls who are lighting our world with hope. Each of you is so very precious, God bless you, and may many millions more be inspired to shine their lights along side you.

Dorothy Segar
Agoura Hills, Ca

PS I am first generation Irish-American so always am interested in what is happening in the homeland.