His green peace flag flapped in the breeze, as one man sat alone among the heavy traffic in front of him at Pacific Coast Highway and Knob Hill in Redondo Beach, CA. This man is 78 year old John Fortier, a Korean War veteran and a husband of 54 years, a father, grandfather and a great grandfather and a retired school teacher who still volunteer teaches.
On display at knee height was a blue sign that read "WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER" and a second sign with a white background above the first sign that read, "Veterans for Peace." John relishes each horn honk or wave of support he receives from the speeding traffic as he hopes to effect peoples' thinking and bring the U.S.'s wars to an end.
Is he being foolish? After all, hardly anyone else in America raises their voices against the wars, even as men, women and children continue to die in them, the latest instance being a U.S. soldier who snapped and killed 16 Afghan civilians as they slept, most of them women and children. John began his peace vigil nine years ago in March, 2003 just before President Bush ordered the invasion and occupation of Iraq and 1 1/2 years after President Bush did the same in Afghanistan. As a result of the President's actions, thousands of Americans and allied forces have been killed or maimed and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Afghans and Pakistanis have met the same horrific fate.
And yet America is largely silent. Priests, Ministers, Rabbis, Imams and other local religious leaders regularly drive by John's peace vigil, but none get involved or offer words of support. Virtually none of them raise their voices among their congregations to stop these wars, because that would be controversial, their religious teachings aside, and it could offend the Boards that employ them. Given the teachings of Jesus from The Sermon on the Mount, it is the silence of these and other religious leaders across America that is the worst silence of all.
So there John sits every Friday, appealing to the consciences of others, with very little support. If you are in Redondo Beach on Pacific Coast Highway on a Friday between 4 pm and 5 pm or now with daylight savings time, even as late as 6 pm, wave to him or honk your horn in support. For John has given thousands of hours to this cause for peace, rain or shine, and has adjusted his schedule hundreds of times to be there to welcome you.
I joined him briefly last Friday, with my wife Anne, returning from the San Fernando Valley, and afterward he sent me the following email:
Your pleasant surprise visit reinvigorated me, and I ended up staying an extra half hour. Gerri came by shortly after 5 and gave me a great monster cookie from the Subway shop across the street.
On display at knee height was a blue sign that read "WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER" and a second sign with a white background above the first sign that read, "Veterans for Peace." John relishes each horn honk or wave of support he receives from the speeding traffic as he hopes to effect peoples' thinking and bring the U.S.'s wars to an end.
Is he being foolish? After all, hardly anyone else in America raises their voices against the wars, even as men, women and children continue to die in them, the latest instance being a U.S. soldier who snapped and killed 16 Afghan civilians as they slept, most of them women and children. John began his peace vigil nine years ago in March, 2003 just before President Bush ordered the invasion and occupation of Iraq and 1 1/2 years after President Bush did the same in Afghanistan. As a result of the President's actions, thousands of Americans and allied forces have been killed or maimed and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Afghans and Pakistanis have met the same horrific fate.
And yet America is largely silent. Priests, Ministers, Rabbis, Imams and other local religious leaders regularly drive by John's peace vigil, but none get involved or offer words of support. Virtually none of them raise their voices among their congregations to stop these wars, because that would be controversial, their religious teachings aside, and it could offend the Boards that employ them. Given the teachings of Jesus from The Sermon on the Mount, it is the silence of these and other religious leaders across America that is the worst silence of all.
So there John sits every Friday, appealing to the consciences of others, with very little support. If you are in Redondo Beach on Pacific Coast Highway on a Friday between 4 pm and 5 pm or now with daylight savings time, even as late as 6 pm, wave to him or honk your horn in support. For John has given thousands of hours to this cause for peace, rain or shine, and has adjusted his schedule hundreds of times to be there to welcome you.
I joined him briefly last Friday, with my wife Anne, returning from the San Fernando Valley, and afterward he sent me the following email:
Your pleasant surprise visit reinvigorated me, and I ended up staying an extra half hour. Gerri came by shortly after 5 and gave me a great monster cookie from the Subway shop across the street.
It was nice seeing Anne, and she didn't look like she had just finished a substantial drive at that time of day.
I even managed to haul all my gear to the car in one trip by myself. Amazing what one can do when one has no option.
Is he foolish to do this? You judge. Were Presidents Bush and Obama right to fight these wars or is John right to oppose them. What do the results of these wars tell you? And while you ponder that question, perhaps you could offer those U.S. war veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan who are in need, a helping hand, for an estimated 7,500 veterans live on the streets of Los Angeles County and tens of thousands more live on the streets of America.
Dick
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