Albany NY
Protest Tues. Feb. 4
The Capital District Greens helped to organize a local Protest War for Oil on Tuesday Feb. 4th at noon at the gas station at the corner of Lark and Madison in Albany.
There were 5 corners at the intersection where we held the protest.
Dave Hunt (Eco Dave, Dave The Ecologist) also a Hiroshima Flame Walker was on the main protest corner where most of the protesters gathered.
Liz Pearson, a Hiroshima Flame Walker, was on what I call the sign corner.
And on one of the other corners were high energy drum shakers and chanters.
There were a number of people "protesting" the protest at the gas station itself.
On the corner where I decided to go there were 2 policemen mounted on giant black horses. I sat in silent meditation with 2 red hearts around my neck. I do not believe anyone else wanted to be on this corner with these policemen and their horses since I was the only one on this corner.
As the music on drum corner reached a cresendo I whipped out my flute and played amazing grace and everybody heard it. This attracted to me two other protesters, one who was very interested in my point of view, that being that I was not holding an anti anything sign and wouldn't, that peace within was my objective as well as acceptance of police and anti protest individuals. The 2nd protester came by interested in the pretty young lady next to me and bad mouthing the various pro war individuals at the gas station and driving by. What ensued from this was a long dialog that continued well after the protest about our different points of view on how to go about peace.
For him to verbably attack those who were verbally attacking us would be warfare for me. To accept him as he is and to accept the man who said "nuke em all" while driving by is my way to peace! The dialog we had within earshot of the policeman is our way to peace!
Tyler Vega reporting