Wednesday, July 18

Cloudy Wednesday.  Two of us to start, with no signs, we stand, our hands upraised with the two finger "peace sign".  A gratifying number of passers by reply with their own V or friendly waves.  Soon we were 4 and by the later half we were 9.  One of the group was holding an American flag hung upside down on the pole - an always controversial statement.  Today a local taxi driver who has often waved in support of our intention drove up in a roar of threatening haste, slamming to a stop by the flag holder and shouted angry words demanding that she restore it to the upright position. He drove off in a fury.  I am conflicted.  I understand the message of distress signaled by the inverted flag; for surely our militarism imperils our country.  Yet, we are rarely able to appropriately respond to the pained anger this provokes.    Near the end of the hour an man across the street stepped out into the street to shout somewhat incoherent imprecations at us or maybe they were intended as exhortations to greater action.  WalMart  was clearly heard and something about 90 million and war is only ended (something about wealth)by taking to the streets and storming the Bastille.  We ended the hour discussing our confusion over his message.