Yesterday morning , Ezra stumbled upon a peace demonstration on the Commons.
At first he wasn't sure what it was. A group of no more than 10 people- all huddled together in a tight circle under the large pavilion close to the Ithaca Center. At first glance, it might have been a yoga class, some kind of drumming circle minus the instruments, the contra dancing steering committee, or street people showing unity on a damp, cold, rainy morning for all Ezra knew. Until Ezra spotted a sign that one of the members of the circle was holding rather casually.
"All Life is Sacred," the sign read. The pro-life underground? Ithaca is a Planned Parenthood stronghold. Fetuses beware!
Other people kept arriving to join the tight, closed circle. Finally, the whole group broke up and reassembled in a larger version of a ring, standing together in the big open space in front of Juna's. More people showed up, including a couple of junior reporters, one carrying a notebook, the other a camera. That's when Ezra spotted a few more obvious anti-war signs.
Ezra hovered a few feet away, utterly ignored and unwelcomed within the circle - and utterly fascinated by what was happening. Even more people arrived including a hulking 6'5" dude with a gray Rasputin-like beard, clad in black like an Eastern Orthodox priest and a six year old blonde girl wearing a cute, home-made costume like the dove of peace or something. At least, it was white and she didn't have bunny ears.
As the jackhammers on the Commons grumpily rat-tat-tatted in the background, each member of the circle seemed to be making a personal statement. Ezra couldn't hear all that well due to all the construction noise. But Then someone started handing out pieces of papers and what appeared to be newsletters. A woman in her late 30's, holding a stack of flyers, glanced over at Ezra, scowled, then proceeded to distribute them to the group. Not offering one to Ezra. A few moments later Ezra heard the same woman announce herself to be a member of the Catholic Workers. In an officious, no nonsense tone, she rattled off news about a coming peace march that would actually circle the whole city of Ithaca.
What is this preoccupation with circles, Ezra asks? Are they talking about a march or a marathon? Peace demos are about density, crowds, bodies pressed together, phalanxes of protesters grabbing all the attention they can get. Right? And these people are heading out to Buttermilk Falls? Bring a picnic basket?
Ezra has learned a little over time about the people who comprise the peace movement in Ithaca. They're cliquish, they take themselves extremely seriously, and they tend to be what Ezra would define as sanctimonious stalinists. With a small 's." You start with a Leninist elite, a cadre of sorts and you combine it with a small town Rotary mentality, push that into overdrive because Ithaca is a very small community after all and you end up with a dictatorship of the do-gooders. There's no give or take, no sense of inclusiveness, no act or expression of welcoming. It's more like a mafia than a mass movement.
Should it come as any surprise that the peace movement in Ithaca is dominated by a couple of activist families. We're talking about the Gradys and the Ritters. Read about any act of civil disobedience within a 50 mile radius and you'll find that a Grady or Ritter was one of the first to be arrested. Gradys have taken over the Cayuga Mall recruiting station twice now, the last time, throwing blood on an America flag - an act of outrage which really got the Ithaca Journal worked up this time! A Grady was arrested in Oswego trying to do a spot inspection at the plant of a defense contractor. Gradys have been arrested in front of the White House. Grady's have been at the forefront of the SOA protests. Gradys have been to Viesques. A Ritter recently declared in the IT that Ithaca was " a creative and politically engaged community."
It reminds Ezra of a progressive Sopranos.
Not to take away from the work they're doing. He thinks they're great! Somebody has to do those things! It helps though that the breadwinners in those families have jobs like soup kitchen coordinators so they can get off for jail time. Ezra is counting the days to retirement so he can lead a life full of rage and riot too. He will most likely chain himself to Dick Cheney's front porch. He's the real Darth Vader behind this whole mess., isn't he? That other dude is just the front man.
Probably what distinguishes the Gradys etc. from the rest of the peace movement is the cutting edge stuff they do. They grab the headlines, force other people to take sides. The everyday mundane work the peace movement does in Ithaca is to preach to the converted. That's important too, isn't it?
Incidentally you can upgrade your lawn signs at Autumn Leaves. They're selling a paste-on lettering kit so that you can change the No War in Iraq to Stop the War in Iraq. That way you don't have to buy another sign.
Hey, we're living in Ithaca. What do you expect? Maurice Hinchley doesn't have to join the Congressional Black Caucus in an act of political courage at what they call the well at the House of Representatives , damning Bush for his stupid war,to get re-elected. He can just convene a town meeting back home, deliver a few remarks and get all the votes he wants from this politically engaged community.
Comments invited at: ezrakidder@gmail.com - Peace, Ezra at 5:59 AM
