Saturday, August 27, 2011

Conclusion

We've all gone our separate ways.  Margarita and Linda are back in their homes near Livingston.  Joanie is in Callifornia.  Tantoo is in Seattle making another movie.  Margie is stuck in the Salt Lake City airport, still trying to get home.

The Tar Sands Protest continues in Washington, DC.

On the 25th, we went back to the White House and stood on the other side of the street cheering, singing, chanting, and thanking each new protester as he or she was arrested and loaded into the paddy wagons.  The beautiful sunny weather we had experienced ended and the protesters that day were drenched by rain as they stood waiting to be handcuffed and led away.  We did our best to shout encouragement to them through the deluge, to offer support.

We had a chance to say one last thank you to the young organizers who had taught us so many lessons in tactics, attitude, love and happiness.  We all felt sad to leave, but so worn out and ready to go home that there was no doubt it was time to head home.

The next morning, as we parted from each other and from Kay and CB, who had given Joanie, Margarita and Linda a welcoming, comforting home to stay in during the week of our protest, we knew that the next group of protesters was getting ready - having their rally in Lafayette Park, marching to the White House gates and singing while they waited for the Park Police to arrest them.  And today as I write this, it is happening again.  Tomorrow, they have canceled one day of the protests in deference to Hurricane Irene, but on Monday they will be back. Each day next week another group will step up and sit down and be arrested. We hold them in our thoughts and our hearts and hope that President Obama hears the daily cry: Stop the Tarsands.  Stop the Pipeline.

Here is the "anthem" of the tar sands protesters that we sang as we sat on the sidewalk:

Never would have hitchhiked to Washington
If it hadn't been for love.
Never would have protested the tar sands
If it hadn't been for love.
Never would have fought this climate war,
Put myself behind the jailhouse door
If it hadn't been
If it hadn't been for love.

May our love for each other, for the earth, for the generations to follow, be the force that saves us from ourselves.