March of a Million
People in Egypt Today

Today when I was asked to pick up medication for a friend at a hospital pharmacy and to drive another friend to the same hospital for an appointment, I thought I could get two things done for the price of one. When I was in the direct mail advertising business the strongest and most popular coupons were ones of two for one price. However, the fine print always stated that the free one was that of the lesser price.

The same two for one situation was true today at the hospital. The visit to the pharmacy took only a few minutes but waiting for my friend who had an appointment was over an hour and half. At least I got some reading in on a novel.

A greater lesson than the cost of ‘two for’ was learned today as I reflected on a lesson learned from the Egyptian uprising. I wrote a letter to friends in the peace movement expressing what I learned about nonviolent struggle and how it may apply to us here in Milwaukee. Here is edited version of the email:

When the Egyptian government pulled the police off the streets of Cairo earlier in the week some speculated that was a move to encourage looting in the streets and make people long for a return to law and order. They were not only right but it turns out that many of the looters and those encouraging violence were police.

Now the protesters on the streets check the ID of anyone entering Liberation square. With the decline of violence the power of nonviolence has gone up. Now there are talks of police going back to the streets and Israeli planes carrying crowd dispersal weapons arrived in Egypt: Rights group.

Let’s hope that is not true, but once the power of nonviolence is unleashed it cannot be stopped; only delayed, by violence, as long as people work together.

We can learn some lesson in our battle against war and for human rights here at home. If hundreds, if not thousands, would march down Wisconsin Avenue demanding that MU Teach War No More and that Rep. Gwen Moore be held accountable for her war spending votes and to say No More Money for War do you not believe that, like with the draft and civil rights issues in 1968, there would be changes?

I have this dream of nonviolent change right here in Milwaukee; all people of peace and justice working together making a difference. I think many share the dream but are discouraged that it will not work and make a difference. It may or may not but is worth trying. The MU administration and Rep. Moore are good and kind people which make it harder for us to stand up to them for what we believe and to be true to our conscience. But, like in 68 in the civil rights marches and Milwaukee 14/Anti ROTC actions which took a stand contrary to good people, do we have a choice?

Working Together, We are the Power of Nonviolence.

I learned two lessons today for the cost of one day.

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