Oh my god! Amazing experience yesterday!

I participated in my first Peace Rally ever! Yeah, I know, starting abit late at my age. But ... yah know ... what the hell! You don't have to be young or in college to participate in a protest or rally. No way! If you feel very strongly about something, well then, go out and participate or volunteer with a particular organization. There were all ages there yesterday. Folks with their children, as well as people on up thru their 60s. All race's and religions too. Had a interesting conversation [while waiting on line for bathroom in Mexican restaurant] with a small group of Buddists [co-ed]. Also met up with a really nice couple [David & Carolyn] from MA [about 60 years of age] who basically took me under their wing. They met at a protest during Nixon's 1972 inauguration and been involved in events ever since then. Mostly conversed with Carolyn and her personality is so infectious, bubbly and sincere. I orginally started out on 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street at 11:45am. Already there was a huge gathering and we were walking uptown. At 3rd Avenue near 56th or 57th Street the cops pulled back the barricades to let us cross to 2nd Avenue. While walking down the residental street students were chanting "who owns the street" and the response from all was "we do". Then we headed up 2nd Avenue and stopped at 63rd Street. We refused to budge until finally the cops opened up the barricades and we marched down towards 1st Avenue. It was amazing and the spirit of it all was very high, despite it being bitterly cold. Down the avenue, near 58th Street, we viewed a huge video screen, which was displaying the speakers at 50th & 1st Avenue platform. Some gals near us had huge boomboxes atop their heads. From the boomboxes a radio station was broadcasting it all live. [The speeches were all very inspiring.] There was OVER 200,000 people on 1st, 2nd and 3rd Avenues within a 20 block stretch. All I can say is WOW!!!!!!! Give peace a chance and dump Bush's government. Eat some duct tape you goddamn twisted cowboy!!

Check out ... http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

[Say NO to an America bent on destruction of the UN. And YES to an America committed to work with international institutions, appointed to improving them to the betterment of the world and the achievement of peace. Say NO to war with Iraq, with or without UN blessings. Say YES to containment, negotiation and disarmament.]