MB and I arrived at the home of dear friends Ken and Melody yesterday just outside of Asheville. They used to live in Maine but moved south almost 10 years ago. We've visited with them before and they often return to Maine so we see them fairly often.
Today Ken took me on a 4 mile walk along the Swannanoa River. We got a nice view of the Smoky Mountains in the distance - visible in the photo above. The river has risen quite a bit due to recent rains in the area.
At 4:00 pm Ken and I made our way to a bridge over Hwy 240 in Asheville to hold huge banners that he had made and were joined by 16 others during 1 1/2 hour protest in support of Palestine.
At the same time Melody and MB went downtown to do the same at Pack Square in the heart of the city. They had 35 people there.
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| Photo by Pamela Mumby |
While standing on the bridge we witnessed a good reception from the thousands of cars driving by that was about 10-1 positive with our message. One woman who saw the protest parked her car and joined us. It was a good mix of young and old together.
MB and I felt so happy to be able to stand for Palestine today. Since leaving Maine on December 20 we have been missing our regular weekly vigils in Brunswick in support of Gaza and the West Bank.
While on the bridge I got a warm hug from old Florida friend Clare Hanrahan who now lives in Asheville. We got arrested together in Titusville, Florida on August 9, 1985 at the McDonnell Douglas cruise missile plant in that city.We were observing the 40th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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| Photo by Pamela Mumby |
Thirteen of us were arrested that day for attempting to talk with aerospace officials about converting the plant to peaceful production. Two hundred folks were present to witness the action including two Hibakusha from Japan, survivors of Washington's attack. They spoke to the assembled at our rally before we were arrested.
On Monday I do an interview via Iran with a couple others and then we hop back in the car and begin the long drive home.
On most of the trip we have been taking back roads to avoid trucks and heavy traffic. This slower route allows us to truly see the country and how small towns are holding up under Washington's disinvestment of virtually everything except military production and endless war.
Free, free Palestine!
Bruce
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