What's so Radical About Peace?

My partner A. gave me a short lecture this morning before I left for the Peace March. She reminded me that we were leaving for Italy on Wednesday, and if I were to be arrested on charges of spreading peace, I might not be able to leave the country before my court date. Not such a small issue, since we have been planning this trip for two years, and I have been dreaming of gelato and picci for a long time now, and if someone else eats my pasta, well...I won't be very happy. That pasta has my name on it.

Neil and Mary Beth and I set off determined not to become incarcerated today. I wondered as we walked to the subway, how peace had become such a crazy idea anyway. What is it about peace that disturbs people? Don't we all want it? Don't we all need it? Are we, the most powerful nation on the planet so afraid of a handful of extremists in bathrobes and shower caps, that we have to wage an all out blitz on a third world nation armed with outdated rifles and homemade explosive devices? I didn't want to get arrested and miss all of the good food I have planned for my vacation, and I certainly didn't want my partner A. to be pissed at me for all of eternity for getting thrown in jail and missing our time together.

When we got to the march, the little blue voices huddled among a group of harmless looking suburban women from CODE PINK. They were really the best looking women of the protest, and I have to admit that I voted loudly in favor of marching behind them. Marigolds seconded my motion and we stood behind these lovely pink women for like two hours before the march even began (can you tell that it was organized by a bunch of Democrats?) As luck would have it, a group of older women in bonnets marched up singing to the tune of "Yankee Doodle Dandy", "you can take this stupid war and stick it up your ass sir!" They were the Raging Grannies. How fortunate of me, an America hating, peace loving, liberal to become sandwiched between a group of suburban moms wearing pink, and bonneted elderly women singing American songs with lyrics for the current century.

Which one of us is the radical?

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