Day 2: Jeju Peace Walk Update

• Day two of the Jeju Island peace walk in South Korea was another hot one.  We did 13 miles and everyone was very tired by the end.  One man who specializes in fixing blisters was quite busy from morning until 8:00 pm helping the walking wounded.  I developed just a tiny blister on the back of my heel from the rubbing of my sandals.  Going to have to wear socks and shoes today which I have dreaded doing because of the heat.
• In the photo above you can see the dish washing operation back at Gangjeong village.  They make three meals a day and bring the food out to the walk in trucks.  Then the dirty dishes are brought back to the village and washed.  Remember that there are two walking groups - going east and west - so this is a major logistical undertaking.
• Last night as we lined up for the supper meal - served outside - I was transfixed as the long line of people began singing together, accompanied by guitar and flute.  The walkers come from across the country and are activists from various movements including labor, church, human rights, Korean Green Party, alternative schools, peace and more.  Quite a few Catholic priests and nuns (dressed in their grey habits) are also walking.
• It's amazing to experience 150 or more people constantly singing as we walk along (yesterday we began at 8:00 am and finished at 5:30 pm.  We took 90 minutes for lunch and took a 20 minute break every hour).  The singing helps keep the tired and hot feet moving along nicely.

I just learned that the court arraignment today of the Zumwalt 12 in Bath, Maine resulted in a pre-trial motions hearing of September 7 being set.  Everyone declared 'not guilty'.  The Zumwalt 12 were arrested on June 18 at the 'christening' of the second Zumwalt class destroyer at the Navy shipyard in Bath.  The 'stealth' destroyer's job is to sneak up on China and blast it with new electromagnetic railguns which can fire a shell the size of a car the distance from New York City to Philadelphia.  These warships would likely be deployed at some point at the new Navy base in Gangjeong village.  We felt it important to get the Navy crew used to seeing protests so that when they arrived in Gangjeong village they understood the message!  The trial story was covered by local and national media including the military newspaper called the Stars & Stripes.  You can see more on this here