WORDS INTO ACTION

(Granddaughter Audrey in white T-shirt on left)

Lest someone think that I endorse just sitting back and "imagining" the things you would like to have or see done in your life, I must say that, of course, I believe that any dream you imagine can and will come true if you back up those words and images with action! My oldest granddaughter, Audrey, who is a junior student at SMU in Dallas, is a perfect example of one acting out her dream. Since she was a young teenager and witnessed brutality at a local slaughter house, she has been a vegetarian. Wanting to make a difference in the treatment of animals, she has been active in animal rights groups, participating in protests and marches. She is now an intern in the group Mercy For Animals (MFA), which recently marched in the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade in Dallas. I found it interesting that the banner MFA carried had the quotation "No One Is Free When Others Are Oppressed". This is primarily a Gay Rights parade, and those participating show their support for each other... and that is a good thing! There were many different organizations as well as politicians in the parade... particularly those seeking re-election or election!

I wrote Audrey to tell her how very proud I am that she is willing to take a stand

for her beliefs. I did tell her I was a little concerned, though, when it came to protesting at the opening of a new McDonald's! (She and other members of MFA gave away free vegan samples..right in front of the new restaurant!) That and their stance against egg producers worried me. Dallas is a big city, and there are rabble rousers at any protest. She assured me that at every event there is good police protection surrounding them. This young woman never ceases to amaze me with her accomplishments. She is an A student, studying Environmental Science, and is also a gifted violinist and dancer. She and her cousin, Cameron, also a junior student at LSU in Baton Rouge, are good examples of the kind of young people who will be making changes in the world of tomorrow. Cameron joined in a protest against drilling for oil in the Gulf shortly after the infamous BP oil spill. He also excels in school, majoring in music (he sings opera), and he's interested in making a mark in the world as well. For someone so young, he is quite a philosopher. He impressed me so much with his dreams of the future when he came for a brief visit this summer.

I do not know where these two young folks got their taste for activism. Maybe it's a sign of the times. Even though I have always been outspoken about my own beliefs, I really never got into activism. During the late sixties and seventies, I was busy raising children.. usually by myself.. and didn't have the time to participate when women were taking to the streets and burning their bras! I cheered them on from the sidelines, though.. (and I even threw away my bras, much to my mother's dismay and not that anyone could tell!)

Once, I did campaign for a presidential election. I wrote a protest song or two with a young musician/singer against the Vietnam War. So when Barry Goldwater made his famous statement about dropping a nuclear bomb on Vietnam and putting an end to the war, I cheered him on. I even recorded a book he wrote for a blind music teacher I took guitar lessons from. (Nope, I never really learned to play -- and I had to sell my Gibson guitar to pay my rent a few years down the road!) Boy! Am I glad Goldwater didn't win that election! I was very young, you know.. 24 or 25 at the time. I laughed out loud several years later when my husband at the time called me a "bleeding heart liberal"! And I always thought I was a conservative!

Funny thing, nowadays if you say you are against the war, you are accused of being unpatriotic.. Maybe even too liberal!

I say to my grandchildren, and all the young people willing to stand up for their beliefs today..

"You go, kids!"

Love and peace,
Marilyn