Peace Demonstration No. 263, 3/30/11

"Good Job, Good Job," called out a 50 ish man from his red sedan as the vigil was being set-up. We made eye contact as he was bursting with things he wanted to say and he tried to stop his car to talk but the Pacific Coast Highway traffic was too heavy.

"It's a wonderful thing you're doing," were the approximate words of an 80 ish woman as she walked up and read the sign. "It's something we can all agree on," she added.

Last night's vigil was joined by a 38 year old Cambodian refugee who as a child witnessed the "Killing Fields" that murdered many of his countrymen. Today, as a well read individual and an accountant and money manager, he is proud to be an American and enjoys his freedoms.

But he is seriously concerned for the decisions the U.S. is making and skeptical of President Obama's speech earlier this week and troubled by the U.S. going to war in Libya.

He referenced Mr. Obama's comment about the U.S. being "exceptional" and then he spoke of wars in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan and questioned what "exceptional" means. He added, "But America was built on the genocide of 30 to 40 million Indians. It enslaved Blacks and then for 100 years after slavery ended, it had Apartheid followed by the Civil Rights Movement which finally ended it."

Then with a sigh, he asked, "Are we still exceptional?"

And he continued, "Only in America could we fight three wars. We are so damned bankrupt and we still go at this thing. We have allies in Yemen, Saudia Arabia and Bahrain. They are not as extreme as Gadhafi in Libya is but they are killing their own people. What did we do? Nothing! Even the U.S. news media doesn't cover it. Watch the news. All you'll see is Libya."

As for China, "I don't like the Chinese Communists very much but in the last 30 to 40 years, they brought 400 to 500 million people out of poverty. They deserve some credit but instead the Nobel Committee awards prizes to a Chinese dissident and an American President. Both of them haven't done anything. They don't do what they stand for."

He also spoke of Israel. "America will be weaker in the future and they won't be able to come to Israel's aid. Jews claim to be the 'Chosen People' but their conduct is so human. They should have been giving to the Palestinians." Instead "the Jews agitate." He feels this is caused by the elder "Ultra-Conservative" Jews. "They're gung ho and don't seek peace treaties." And they send young people off to die for their Ultra-Conservative beliefs, in this man's opinion.

As he left, it was time to conclude the vigil. But just then, a 56 year old woman who joined the vigil a few weeks ago walked up, smiled warmly and gave me a big hug. "I'm engaged to a 62 year old Doctor," she said. "A man who served in the Army in Vietnam." She spoke of how proud of him she is and of her caring for today's military veterans. She then smiled and gave another hug. What a lovely way it was to finish the vigil.

Dick