In my previous writings I talked about how people in the peace and justice movement are always on the defense and how we needed to be on the offensive. However, this is hard to do since we live in an age when the ‘powers that be’ throw so much at us, teaching killing on campus, destruction of the environment, endless wars and the lists goes on.

Looking at the causes I am involved with, stopping the multimillion dollar thrift store of St. Vincent de Paul in the suburbs, slowing down the traffic on Wells Street Speedway, ending military training at Marquette University, eliminating racial segregation in Milwaukee and they are all ‘against something’, negative or defensive. Yet they all have positive sides, locating a SVDP thrift store in North Central Milwaukee over suburbs, making Wells Street safer, making Marquette a school of peace not war, civil rights for all in Milwaukee.

I guess an issue can be negative and defensive or positive and offensive, depending how you present it. For example, tomorrow I hope to start my personal campaign to close the “Wells Street Speedway”, from 45th and Wells to Hawley road. I tried complaining to alderman’s support and community support without many results. Now I will start my offensive campaign by placing a sign on grass strip on front of my house that reads: “Wells Street Speedway Is Closed, 30 MPH Strictly Enforced”. This will be followed by checking speeds of cars going up and down Wells street. I have some primitive means, Speed App, and clocking cars between two points but I hope to obtain a full scale speed gun. The third step will involve some method of stepping on the street to slow cars going 40 mph plus. I have not yet figured out the other steps but the campaign may get attention of media, neighbors and speedy cars.

We would consider the ‘civil rights movement’, getting basic human rights for African Americans as positive, but some could say it was a negative movement, working to change law and practices of discrimination. So negative or positive, defensive or offensive, the important thing seems to be taking nonviolent action, appealing to hearts, for change.

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