Catching up -- Peace, Torture, Susan, David, AIDS Walk

I've been quiet here but spring has been been beautiful and busy and I've been more vocal on Facebook and Twitter -- such is the evolving social media stream. Peace work involves calls to the White House comment line: 202-456-1111. And in the related end torture/shut down Guantanamo work, I wish I could join Matt Daloisio in Washington for the 100 Days Campaign but I can't get arrested and I have much stuff here that I must accomplish for personal peace, which aids world peace in its own way. There's that but yes, I have been enjoying cheering on Susan Boyle and checking out more Britain's Got Talent stuff on YouTube. In the forefront of much of my spring, however, is my participation in AIDS Walk NY in memory of my big brother -- David J. Pfister. I thank my sponsors and urge you to join them in memory of David and/or another to benefit this good cause.

AIDS Walk New York, the world’s largest AIDS fundraising event, benefits GMHC and over 30 other tri-state area AIDS service organizations. GMHC is the nation’s oldest and most comprehensive AIDS service organization, serving approximately 15,000 people living with HIV and AIDS and their families each year, and countless more through its prevention and advocacy work locally and nationally.

To donate, click here or the scrolling gadget in my sidebar.

Thank you so much, and

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Kate Anne and David, circa 1989

Beyond War, A New Economy is Possible

Yes, there were thousands (not hundreds as AP and Reuters reported) at the United for Peace and Justice April 4th National March on Wall Street, with its commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Beyond Vietnam speech by presenting his vision of a world without poverty, war and racism through the message, "Beyond War, A New Economy is Possible". Long sentence and a long busy week but I have finally uploaded my photos of the march to Flickr and have documented some other good pictures on Flickr from the day because the corporate media did not provide much documentation.

Of particular note is Diane Green Lent's Beyond War set. And Wesley Chen had some great photos in his National March on Wall Street set. Tom Davis from Wilmington DE had some beauties in his set, also entitled, National March on Wall Street. [Be sure to check out his other stuff: wow!] Okay, it was Toronto but Jason Ainsworth documented a Toronto April 4th peace march/anti-war protest. And covering the Friday Wall Street event was a graphic arts student Hushable, who included some National March on Wall Street April 3rd pix along with some pillow fight 2009 pix in her NYC set, but directly at this tagged link.



Howard, Margaret, and Pierre

As for me, on the actual day I was happy snapping photos and happier still to meet up with fellow NYFOR member and playwright Howard Pflanzer. He introduced me to Margaret and Pierre from Baltimore and I wish I had their picture of both of us together but we have a photo of them with Howard. On the march Howard also clued me in on the Stella D'Oro cookie factory strike and boycott, so appropriate to the message of the day and there were members of their union marching. [See strike website for further info.]





NY Fellowship of Reconciliation's Kate Anne

Reaching Battery Park, we encountered Button Buddha (and Buddhist Peace Fellowship member) Ruth Klein who was having trouble displaying her wonderful buttons with the 30 mile per hour gusts of wind. My friend needed me so that is where I ended my march and it was a good place to see other marchers enter the park: thousands, not hundreds. Ah, the corporate media. But let's speak up for truth and a peace economy which values and benefits the working people of the U.S.A. (and the world) more than corporations.




Ruth Klein and button lover
We need money less for Wall Street and more for healthcare, education, and non-armament industry U.S. jobs. If there is no new war then we can shut down some of those armament plants -- and couldn't we put the employees to work doing something else that is life-giving and/or life preserving? We need a good trade policy that keeps good jobs here. Let's demand it. We did on April 4th and we must continue this righteous demand for Martin Luther King's dream for a better America and a better world, without war, poverty and racism.

Amen! And peace hugs,
Kate Anne

PS Just found another good Flickr set from April 4th, that of Michael Borkson of Boston.