Monday: A Day of Rest for Jason

Jason must have had a good weekend with Jodi or he didn't sleep well last night. When I returned to Mologne about 4 PM Jason told me that he skipped PT this morning. Kyla his therapist was not in today so he slept till 10:30. He did have a discussion with the Sgt. from Med Hold concerning his not coming to roll call on Friday, the day after surgery. They settled their differences of understanding Jason's medical condition.

I had stopped in Silver Spring before returning to WR and called Jason asking, "What would you like from Silver Spring for dinner?" He replied, "Go to the Noodles and Company and get buttered noodles with extra parmesan cheese." I had been planning to go to Whole Foods to buy Jason a Jamba juice so it was easy to stop and fill his "dinner request." It makes me feel good to be able to purchase something that brings Jason pleasure.

I woke up early today and returned from the Peace rally so exhausted I fell asleep after Jason and I had eaten dinner. I have never been able to fall asleep with the TV on so I am learning a new skill. :-) When I awoke Jason commented, "You slept for 3.5 hours." Waking early, walking and being outside all day let me sleep "like a baby." I told Jason that I was not used to watching so much TV, he said, "Neither am I." I continue to be astounded that he has seen all the movies on TV and he is presently watching all the Law and Order and StarTrek shows. I think the second of the Star Trek series, the one with Data.

Katy's Monday
Some of you know that I have been a life long peace activist. Since coming to Walter Reed I have not been involved in any activities and have kept political discussions out of Jason's room focusing on prayer and healing support for his many wounds recieved in combat. But this weekend was different, I could not in good conscience not participate in prophetic witness to the American community. As you know this is the 3rd anniversary of the Iraq war, the beginning of its fourth year. I told Jason of my desire to go to the event and he replied, "Go for it."

A group of peace and justice activists met at 9:00 AM just south of the Lincoln Memorial. It was a beautiful blue sky day but quite cold, we all wore hats, coats and mittens. I would guess about 100 persons were gathered and many media including a large international presence. I am very proud to say that the leadership of this day were long time Roman Catholic peace and justice activists. I was interviewed by two reporters; one from Dubai and another from Japan. Cindy Sheehan and Nick Berg's father; both loosing their sons in Iraq were present and interviewed by reporters. We sang songs and listened to life long organizers and activists speak including Vietnam Vets who are now peacemakers.

After 10 we began our walk to the Pentagon, I am not familar with the route but we walked on a bike path surrounded on both sides by huge beds of daffodils in full bloom. We were accompanied by a Buddhist temple bell being struck to the beat of our walking. Two persons carried geese puppets, cleverly made with paper mache heads and silk "wings" that flapped in the wind. Folks were dressed in oversize puppet costumes with "Resist" on their chests. I believe persons from 25 states were present. Quietly, we paraded with a "coffin" covered with the pictures of soldiers to commemorate USA men and women killed in Iraq. We were given bags of ashes to represent all those who have died, civilians and soldiers in Iraq. I spread mine to the winds as we walked amongst the daffodils and by the river, holding each life lost forever as precious in my heart.

We stopped in a parking lot before crossing the river, the other side closer to the Pentagon would be barricaded and forbidden to us. Some persons were pledged to civil disobedience including my friend Laurie from Chicago. We listened to words of peace making-Martin Luther King and Ghandi and Thic Nan Hanh (spelling) who won the Nobel Peace prize for his witness against the Vietnam War.

As we crossed the bridge those who were to "cross the line" walked first. Many media and photographers were present. We were met by a steel fence, portable and in sections, keeping us from continuing on the walking path. On the other side of the fence were Pentagon police in their day uniforms, no extra gear of any kind. (I thought of the police in riot gear and plastic face masks and body armor and rifles when we marched against the Vietnam War here in DC.) I was not at the front of the group so I do not know the actual conversation that was taking place. With a fence in the way, I did not know what would be done. A requested meeting with Sec. Rumsfield was denied and persons began to climb over the fence; one or two at a time. Immediately, each person was handcuffed and escorted by a police officer to a gathering place near the buses which had pulled up. We all sang verses to "Down by the Riverside; We shall overcome; and Peace Now." Laurie and Fr. Joe Mulligan SJ from Nicaragua, I had met him at St. Aloysius on Sunday, went over the fence and were arrested.

I held a poster with pictues of persons hurt and killed in the war including a young man, I assume an American soldier, with two prosthetic legs given to me by a woman from Wisconsin. The words were "The Suffering of War--Stop the War Now" I pressed close to the fence held up my poster so that the officers could see it if they desired:

I wept for our country divided, a country at war, for those who have died and are injured. I wept for my Jason, my son who carries this war in his body and psyche forever and for Jodi who is walking beside him.
I wept for being separated by a fence when we are one, all children of this land and wanting the best for all of the people of our country.
I wept for dreams unfulfilled, for the legacy of this war for my children and grandchildren and all the generations to come.
I wept for our system of justice, our constitution, our democracy, of who we are as a nation.
I wept for peace with justice for all the people of our nation and all the nations of the world.
All of this suffering and I thought of Jesus hanging on the cross.
I wept.

We got a call about 1/2 hour after the busses left as to where those arrested were being processed. Each person has a supporter who holds personal belongings etc. Alison was Laurie's so she and I would separate at this time. One of the marchers knew where the Arlington Metro station was so we walked to the metro together discussing, "Why is it a surprise to others when we say, "I am a Christian peacemaker."

I was honored and began to cry when Gary of Jonah House in Baltimore introduced me to Elizabeth Berrigan. She like her husband, now deceased, are icons of Christ the Peacemaker for me. The Berrigan Brothers and friends committed the Plowshare actions during the Vietnam War protests; one which touched the nation and you may have seen was the pouring of blood on draft card files. Elizabeth assured me that Jonah House prays for Jason's healing.

Later Laurie called and left a message that she had been released about 4PM and said, "The Pentagon police could not have been nicer treating us with respect. I was prepared for the tactics of the Chicago police, I was wrong." I honor the policemen yesterday who performed their duties with kindness towards those who were civil disobedient, our prophets to the People of the USA.