Gathering Draws 100

The commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of Nuremberg Action's to protest the shipment of arms to Central America, and resulted in a Naval train running over Brian Willson severing his legs drew about 100 people. The event made the San Francisco Gate with an article nice article by Bob Egelko.

The thing that is most uplifting for me is the courage and commitment of these activists for peace. Brian and others who were protesting for peace in 1987 are still active today in current pressures for peace.

I have students who want to know what to do to fix things. Most of them think they can do one thing - some short term burst of energy - and they will be successful. Most look very dismayed when I tell them that making the world a better place is a life long commitment. They can't just go to a rally, or recycle their plastic drink bottles, or write a letter to their Congresspersons. If they want a better world, then they will being working at it for the rest of their lives.

What Nuremberg Actions, and Brian Willson show is that the peace and justice battles of the 1960s and early 70s were not won. They were carried on in the 1980s and 90s. They are carried on now.

I go to demonstrations and marches and I see a lot of grey hairs and not a lot of cherub faces. I see a lot of light skin and very little dark skin. I worry about the peace and justice movement of the 2020s and 2030s (assuming we aren't struggling to survive resource exhaustion and climate chaos). Will that movement be more diverse and span the age spectrum?

I hope that the efforts to the tens of thousands of dedicated activists help to inspire the current and next generation.