Being Peace

The meditation was powerful. About a hundred people participated, led by Rev. Jayna Gieber who invited (rang) a temple bell made from shell casings collected in Viet Nam. Her statement on Facebook about the event says much of what I felt:

"Feeling pensive tonight after facing potential violence in downtown Portland’s clash of the Alt Right “Trump Free Speech” rally, social justice coalition “United Against Hate”, and local anarchists which could’ve resulted in more tragic loss of life for this suffering city. But it did not and for that I am grateful. As our circle gathered I called in my teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh and felt him sitting with us. Touching the Earth, I asked for her strength and grounding presence. Great trees protected and surrounded us as witnesses. It was an honor to invite the temple bell from Viet Nam and to meditate with close and new friends, not only “for peace", but "as peace” even while the roar of the crowds escalated. Perhaps our intention that all would be safe, helped as we’d hoped it would? Especially touching were the passersby who thanked us, cried, stopped their hurried walking and came to sit with us. Most moving was the man with scarf-covered face, a young anarchist who chose to sit the entire time with us. I felt his heart and desire that people be treated equally and the willingness to put himself on the line. I wonder in my heart if this may be what we all want ~ to share the same rights as everyone else, justice, to be free, to be heard and seen, and most of all, to be loved? In the days and weeks ahead I will do my best to keep choosing peace in a time of non-peace and give thanks for those who're helping hold this golden thread…"--Rev. Jayna Gieber.

The police did become violent, but not until just before 4 p.m. They fired rubber bullets, tear gas, and flash-bang grenades, and they used pepper spray to attack the anarchist/Antifa group, forcing them to disperse. Police defended and protected the white supremacists, aiming their weapons at those who opposed the Alt Right group.

Given that there were thousands of people milling around in a four-block area, and given that there was a large group of Trump-supporting white supremacists in one park, a larger group of anarchist/Antifascists across the street from them, and a third group of progressives larger than either of the other two groups, it is a relief to us all that--as far as we know at this moment--it appears that no one was grievously injured or killed. As I glance through Facebook, I see that many of the young people were bruised, gassed, sprayed with horrible chemicals, and slammed around by the police; but they're alive and well and reporting their status on Facebook. It could have been so much worse.