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Report from Faith Fuller
(510) 655-6555
faithfuller@sbcglobal.net
Bob Lyons, Cedar Spring, and I are walking from Boston to
New York (between the Democratic and Republican conventions)
with a group of political activists. The experience has been
incredible. I encourage people to come join us: we are celebrating
community grass roots organizing as an antidote to the heavy
corporate influence on our electoral process. I want anyone
who this reaches to know they can join us for a portion of
the march. To find out exactly where we are, call 812-219-1711.
The marchers will be in New Haven on August 16th and 17th,
and stop the following nights in Bridgeport,Westport, Norwalk,
and Stamford Connecticut, arriving in Manhattan on August
25th.
The marchers average about 10 to 12 miles a day. We are accompanied
by volunteer medics, support vehicles, and fed by "The
Seeds of Peace" bio-diesel kitchen that follows the marchers
in a yellow bus, cooking up free meals all along the route.
When the group stops at night, they have teach-ins, concerts,
training, story telling, workshops planned. We have been sleeping
on farms (in tents) and in schools and churches, and work
on cleaning urban parks, public art projects, and other activities
to reach out to each town that has given them a place to rest.
All along the route, hosts have praised the group's energy,
passion, and respect for the localities. The reception at
the local level has been amazing.
During the Democratic National Convention in Boston last
month, many of us were engaged in nonviolent rallies and performances
to get out the message. "The federal government, and
both political parties, are not paying attention to the needs
of our local communities. This includes our health, our children's
education, childcare, adequate jobs," said one of the
participants from BPF. After the convention a group began
the 28-day 280-mile walk from Boston to New York City joining
a coalition calling itself DNC2RNC (for more information and
the route, visit www.dnc2rnc.org).
"Meditating and walking are traditional ways for Buddhists
to bear witness to our own suffering and the suffering of
the world - which are not separate - and to act in the spirit
of liberation. Our hope is that the delegates can listen to
us, and that we can listen to them," said Maia Duerr,
BPF Executive Director.
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