"START, HOW IS IT GOING?"

"How is it going?" Well, as might say the extremely compassionate, 150% committed, statistically typical father of 10 in Iraq...

• 7 of whom are chronically stressed (stuttering, bed wetting),
• 1 of whom is US Prison for 3 years now incommunicado,
• 1 of whom is kidnapped for ransom,
• 1 of whom is dying from sectarian violence,
• 3 of whom died from US food sanctions (forced starvation) in the 1990's,
• all of whom are "starved" for housing (they are among the 2-4 million displaced from their homes by sectarian violence now that Sadam is gone),
• all of whom are starved now of electricity (2 hours per day in these 120 degreed days),
• all of whom are starved now of clean water,
• all of whom are starved now of education,
• all of whom are starved now of future opportunities,
• all of whom are starved now of safety,
• all of whom are starved now of human rights and dignity...

... I'm doing everything I can think to do in the face of Hellish emergency. Therefore, I'm good."

More specific to Start (photo and story at my beloved sister Patricia's blog Sept 11th):

• Monday I ceased all intake but water and vitamin, opting to cast my vote to Congress with my body for as long as it lasts to not-bomb Iran and to End the War to steal Middle East Oil.
• Monday - Thursday I vigilled11 hours per day at the Cannon House-of-Congress Office Building on Independence Ave.
• Friday - Saturday the vigil moved to Lafayette Park / White House in encouragement of the demonstrators descending from all over the country for Saturday's march.

Beginning Monday I will attempt M-F round the clock at the Cannon Office Building. My body is not as strong as it used to be and I'm not sure how the police will respond. From moment to moment I'll have to try and chart how I can best serve our world-family. NOTE: This Monday and maybe Tuesday I'll be helping my sister that is going in for an outpatient procedure.

I've never felt more joyful, or better used. I'll guess that I deliver maybe 10 heart-bunker-buster images (mine) per day: some to pedestrians - average joes, some to Congress. The location has terrific drive by morning, night and lunch, and people much closer to the "Bomb Iran," and "Don't Extort Iraq / Meat-grinder US Forces" launch buttons than I can personally reach. I am also through my witness encouraging already heroic activists that need to jump (Col. Ann Wright, Code Pink, The Critical Voice, Artists Against the War, Laurie Arbeiter, and so many others) to an even more heroic level in the hopes of then each igniting 10's or 1000's of people around us to a sane level of action in these days where everything humane is on the line.

Well, that's all I have the energy for right now.

Thanks for asking.

With much Loving, Start