"I hate war," said a 70 ish woman as her eyes narrowed in anger and her voice rang with intensity. "All the time Bush was in office I found it very upsetting because of the horrible things he did.
"When Obama took office, I thought it would be better and I tuned out. But now he wants to escalate the war in Afghanistan. I may get active again."
These were among the comments of a woman who came to see the vigil she had been told of by a mutual friend and to introduce herself. She impresses me as being bright, energetic and driven and she could make a difference if she gets involved again.
Meanwhile in Baghdad yesterday, a bomb hidden in a cafe exploded, ripping the place to shreds as it killed 9 people and severely wounded 31 others. Only 2 days earlier, bomb blasts in Baghdad and Mosul killed 22 Iraqis and left 43 more severely injured.
But these losses are far worse than the statistics tell us. These powerful blasts devastate families, leaving them in agony and to struggle with the sudden loss of their loved ones. It's like a descent into Hell.
A family abruptly loses its principal provider and is left to exist with no income. How will they pay the rent or put food on the table? Who will pay the bills? Where will the family live?
A family suddenly loses the wife and mother. Who will take care of her husband and children? Who will take care of her parents? Or a child loses her parents and now has no home. Who is going to give her a place to live? Is she now an orphan? Who is going to love and nurture her?
These and other questions are left unanswered by the perpetrators of this war, including President Obama, none of whom take responsibility for the horrific results of their actions.
But thousands of miles away, at a busy Los Angeles area intersection, the vigil was joined by a 63 year old Haitian man who often participates and later by a 45 year old woman who I've known for years. She'd never seen the vigil before and wanted to be a part of it.
And there were numerous horn honks and waves of support. The most notable was near the end of the vigil when a 40 ish woman in a beige Volkswagen bus idled her vehicle in the right turn lane stopping traffic.
For a moment, she clasped her hands together in prayer, her finger tips touching her chin, as she lowered her head and closed her eyes.
In the rear of the vehicle was a 6 year old boy. His little eyes opened wide as he saw the vigil and he waved vigorously with both hands, affected by what he witnessed.
This was a lovely way to end the vigil, one which had begun with the echo of thunder exploding in the heavens and lightening bolts tearing through the darkening clouds as a storm swept through Southern California.
It rained heavily until just before the vigil started and then the rain stopped as did the thunder and lightening, creating an idyllic for the vigil as we held dear in our hearts, all of the people who have paid such a severe price in this war.
Dick
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