Wednesday June 29

Four people to start the hour, about ten at the end. An uneventful and pleasant day at the vigil -- "no news is good news".

Tuesday June 28

Three at the start, to a high of 18, with fourteen people at 6:00PM. Today's visitors included three people from Monmouth and two dogs. There were several younger folks, which we always appreciate.

Monday June 27

Half a dozen at the beginning, fourteen at the end, including two visitors from Portland. In one car, an enthusiastic female passenger flashed her breasts. We think that what she yelled was "F... War", but the men at least were in no condition to testify.
Some vigil-ers remember that in 2001 and 2002, supporters of the US wars several times mooned the vigil.

Sunday June 26

Today was as animated as Saturday was quiet. Four people to start the hour, thirteen at the end. Some vigil-ers brought snacks, which made the hour even more a social event than normal.

Saturday June 25

A quiet day at the vigil. Four of us kept a presence for the entire hour.

Friday June 24

One person present at 5:00, and he started the hour by taking wedding pictures for a couple who had just gotten married at the courthouse. By six there were nine -- and a few strawberries left from the just-picked contribution of one of us. :)

Thursday June 23

Three people at the beginning, about ten at the end. Toward the end someone drove by with an impassioned plea: "I SUPPORT THE TROOPS!" So we continued the discussion of, what does it mean to support the troops? and do we? One popular answer is that we want to support the troops by bringing them home, but some vigil-ers think that answer somehow misses the point.

Wednesday June 22

Three people to start the vigil, eight when the courthouse clock struck 6:00PM. I repaired a worn-out sign today -- WAGE PEACE. And, like yesterday, another lost comment, this one from a passing bicyclist.

Tuesday June 21

The first day of summer. Three present at five o'clock, eleven or thirteen at the end. One woman driver passed shouting passionately and angrily. We heard only the end, which was perhaps "... live with no war". It is too bad that we did not hear, but someone pointed out that indeed we would like to live with no war.

Monday June 20

Five people at 5:00PM, a dozen when we ended at 6:00. One person commented, the vigil really doesn't have a sign to express my feelings about today's wars.
Some folks driving by were happy to see us, and we were glad for them.

Saturday June 18

Four when we started, six at the end. Conversation moved from Michael Gruber's novel The Good Son to questions of at what age and move from an individual house to a residential facility.

Friday, 17 June

Blustery winds sent me scurrying to catch blowing trash.  Bright sunshine and seasonably warm temperature sent us all to the shade for the first time this year.  For varying amounts of time 8 stood the vigil  - 3 of us for the whole hour.  A significant number of people passing in pick-up trucks wave and signal with horns and 'peace signs.'  School is out and the traffic is less - do I notice those friendly truck drivers more because there are fewer vehicles overall?  One angry young man in a sporty red car jabs his middle finger skyward and, when I wave, he lays hard on the horn....clearly miffed that 'the old lady missed his message.'  What part of our presence inspires such hostility?

Thursday June 16

Three people at 5:00PM, eight when the courthouse clock struck six. There was a birthday celebration with snacks.

Wednesday June 15

Three people at the beginning, eight or ten at the end. Just before 6:00PM we were joined by a man who crossed the street "to join the winning side". We hope so.

Tuesday June 14

Four people to start the vigil, about a dozen at the end. We had a couple of visitors, one a woman veteran now living in Albany and one a man who sat on the bench to hold a sign and to study at the same time. We were happy to have them.

Monday June 13

A cool sunny afternoon at the vigil. Four people to start the hour, fourteen at the end. It was a quiet and friendly time, made more sociable by the usual Monday cookies.

Sunday June 12

A rainy summer afternoon. Half a dozen people at the beginning, fourteen people at the high point, and about nine at the end.

Saturday June 11

About eight people present for most of the vigil. Toward the end a young woman came by to ask what we were doing. To a couple of the vigil-ers, not to the entire group, she voiced strenuous disagreement with the vigil's basic positions: in her words, as best as I can, she is a Republican; war is good because only by making war can we stay free; and President Obama has greatly damaged the country by spending money elsewhere, instead of working to repair the economy of the United States. Whatever one thinks of her arguments (I agree with her to some extent), I think that the heated "conversation" did not build bridges or change minds. But I do not know whether that is why the vigil goes on.

Thursday, June 9

A quiet start with 4.  A man stopped, saying that he sees us all the time & wanted to ask if we knew why we were at war.  His answer was international bankers funding both sides.  The government has to be taken back from those banking interests.  Well, just wanted to know if you knew why we are at war.  And, off he went with his guitar case.

Some conversation arising from Wednesday evening potluck for peace.  Wellstone Action Project was outlined for us.  A few of us are inspired by what we learned.

We finished the hour with 8.

Wednesday, June 8

Slim numbers, but still we stand - I made 5 when I arrived a few minutes past the hour (delayed by my I can do one more thing habit). One of the four was new, a woman with an ideological agenda adrift from  the intent of standing for peace or even the inverse of being against these wars.  But,  free speech and all such rights.  Recently a few of us talked about signs held that were counter to our intent - especially when the individual clearly identifies as being part of the vigil.    A curious quandary, one that we might need to visit again.  Three more brought us to a brief 8 and we closed with 7.

Tuesday, 7 June

As I note the date two thoughts arise: first, "Already?"  followed swiftly by "Again!"  The Tuesdays - like all days, really - pile up into a somewhat staggering accumulation of vigil hours.  And, I'm only 3/4 through my third year here.  A few have been here night upon night for nearly a full decade.  Today makes it  roughly 500 Tuesdays (and Wednesdays through Mondays)  of what I think of as bearing witness to the nation's choice to make war upon innocents.
14 people; no one brought dogs.  Stories slip between us.  It is noted that we've a variety in our wardrobe this breezy June day - bermudas next to winter jacketed people, shirt sleeves, sandals, fleece, a wool hat, turtlenecks and windbreakers.  A truck passes with a friendly driver who cranks up his stereo in greeting; as he stops at the signal we note in the back of the truck are monster speakers - about 15 inch diameter in a wooden box.  What a peculiar culture we inhabit.

Monday, June 6

15 of us by the half hour - good to have a strong turn out.  Two dogs for peace were there as well.  Ice cream bars for the early birds!  Some conversation about what "support the troops" means.  Some of us think that we do not support "troops".   We support peace.  what if there were troops of people engaged in non-violent work?   many friendly waves punctuated by one angry single finger salute; prompting a comment that he's the the person we are there for not those who support us.  By seeing us the angry man is confronted by different ideas and opinions.  I think we are also there for those who believe in peace - the steadfast presence of the vigil affirms their position.

Saturday, June 4

Bright sunshine on our first hot day brought out 12 people and one peaceful dog (who may have had a pass with poison oak and did not get her usual loving pats).  Fresh strawberries were an delightful treat.  An "older" man pulled his car to the curb near where our newest regular was standing.  They had a long conversation through the window.  We all agreed it was good it was our youngest vigiler as none of our knees could have sustained that posture.

Sunday June 5

There were ten to thirteen people present during most of the vigil. We had a couple of visitors, one from Lebanon and one a young man who comes occasionally. Just before the end a young man stopped his car and walked up to ask what we were protesting. We said, maybe this is a vigil, not a protest, but the vigil-ers agreed that we are generally against war. The young man was a soldier, recently returned from Iraq and about to deploy to Kandahar in Afghanistan. He said that the vigil's signs made him feel that we did not support him. Someone explained that we "support the troops by bringing them home", but I think that was not satisfying to him. Six o'clock cut the conversation short. I very much respect his courage in stopping to talk. I wonder if we could have responded more effectively? or more sympathetically?

Friday June 3

Four people at the beginning, eight or nine at the end. Just after 5:00 four high school students from Corvallis borrowed one of our peace flags and took it off to use in composed photographs. During our conversation someone commented that the courthouse vigil had been present for much of their growing up. They also grew up with the most recent installment of the United States' permanent war.

Thursday June 2

Ten or eleven people for much of the hour. There was even more support for "no war" than usual; we happily wore ourselves out waving to acknowledge the encouragement.

Wednesday June 1

We had eight people for much of the vigil. The day had been very very rainy, and our umbrellas were out, but we were fortunate to stay mostly dry.