BEYOND WAR (1 of 8 study sessions)

Highlights of “BEYOND WAR” Study
Session I: An Introduction to Beyond War – June 2008
Social Change—how it happens, historical examples

(This is a compilation of “headlines” and excerpts from the 37 printed pages of Section I, “Beyond War”. Rosemary Doyle, Group Facilitator, Citizens for Peace, June 10, 2008.

Participating as a Change Agent, Gayle Landt(Change our way of thinking to build a world of beyond war). What would need to happen in the minds and hearts of how many citizens in order to achieve long-term, life-affirming change? Session I introduces the cornerstones of “a new way of thinking” and puts the work of building a world beyond war into historical context. People who are active in Beyond War are responding to Einstein’s 1946 quote “Everything has changed, save our modes of thinking, and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe.” The thinking that Beyond War promotes is that war is obsolete in the nuclear age—and it is an ineffective response to terrorism—and that we all live on one planet and the means are the ends in the making. These are the ideas that people must adopt in order to build a world beyond war.

Beyond War: A New Mode of Thinking: (Make the shift and give up the habit of war.) This will require knowledge, decision and action…time has come to give up the ancient habit of war…war is here, not just over there…problem is our mode of thinking…change our thinking that war is inevitable…we are connected through our common needs and cannot separate ourselves…what is fear’s role in war…we must be the change…our intention must be nonviolent, nonwar…education is the most effective action…educate on the values of not having a war system but a peace system…history shows that governments and leaders will respond to the will of the people…to resolve a conflict, I must have an attitude of goodwill…I cannot preach peace while waging war at a personal level. THE SHIFT IS A PERSONAL ONE—A NON-WAR ATTITUDE.

(The Section I discussion group responded to the question of “Was there a point in my life when I began to question whether war might not be an option to resolve conflict?” with “during the Korean War; Vietnam War, current war, some were unsure, others never thought about it, and there was commentary on government integrity as it relates to ending wars.)

Beyond War is a revitalized organization which peaked in the 1980’s with over 24,000 members in 23 states and several countries. In 1991 it shifted its focus toward cultural and environmental issues and formally became the Foundation for Global Community, 1991.

Optimism of Uncertainty, Howard Zinn: (Super Powers have failed to accomplish their goals because they were unable to control what seemed to be the “powerless”.) (Headliners) Don’t let those who have power intimidate you…understand that the major media will not tell you all of the acts of resistance taking place every day in the society…power is fragile, it depends on obedience…see engagement as an ongoing struggle with victories and defeats…what leaps out from history of past 100 years is its utter unpredictability…Rosa Parks refused to move from the front of the bus…the Russian revolution to overthrow the Tsar startled most advanced imperial powers with its results…the Chinese revolution…Spain became an astonishment…the end of WIII left two superpowers, U.S. and Russia…the failure of the Soviet Union to have its way in Afghanistan…the U.S. sent an army into Korea but could not win…apparent power has proved vulnerable to human qualities less measurable than bombs and dollars: moral fervor, determination, unity, organization, sacrifice, wit, ingenuity, courage, patience…no cold calculation of the balance of power need deter people who are persuaded that their cause is just…there is a tendency to think that what we see in the present moment will continue…pessimism becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; it reproduces itself by crippling our willingness to act…the bad things that happen are repetitions of bad things that have always happened…the good things that happen are unexpected…people are not naturally violent or cruel or
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greedy, although they can be made so…revolutionary change does not come as one cataclysmic moment but as an endless succession of surprises, moving zigzags toward a more decent society. (This article appears in the book, The Impossible Will Take a Little While, copyright 2004, Paul Rogat Loeb.)

The Process of Social Change, Professor Everett M. Rogers, (Stanford Research Institute, Diffusion of Innovations, Third Edition, New York, MacMillan Free Press, 1983: (The phases of a new idea being adapted.) Studies at Stanford University tell us that when only 5% of a society accepts a new idea, it is “embedded”. When 20% adopt the idea, it is “unstoppable.” The studies also
show that it normally requires 50% of the population to be “aware” of the idea in order to reach the 5%
who will adopt it. (Related website: http://www.ogc.org/traubman/)

Examples of the Process of Change, Leon Friedman, Civil Rights Reader, 1967; Alan P. Grimes, Equity in America, 1964: (A historical perspective of major social changes, time, and individuals who started the momentum.) It took 200 years to abolish slavery; women’s suffrage, 80 years; Civil rights: in 1896 with Supreme Court held that “separate but equal”; in 1954 the Supreme court ruled that “separate but equal” was unconstitutional; in 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed; in 1965 President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law.

Dancing With Systems, (Donella Meadows, professor, Dartmouth College. The Sustainability Institute that she founded before her death will publish her uncompleted book: (Do not assume that technology and data analysis will predict and control results.) People in the industrial world are likely to make a terrible mistake in systems analysis, in interconnection and complication, and the power of the computer if they think that there is a key to prediction and control…The goal of foreseeing the future exactly and preparing for it perfectly is unrealizable…The idea of making a complex system do just what you want it to do can be achieved only temporarily at best…We can never fully understand our world, not in the way our reductionistic science has led us to expect. Our science itself, from quantum theory to the mathematics of chaos, leads us into irreducible uncertainty…The future can’t be predicted, but it can be envisioned and brought lovingly into being…We can’t surge forward with certainty into a world of no surprises, but we can expect surprises and learn from them and even profit from them…We can’t impose our will upon a system. We can listen to what the system tells us and discover how its properties and our values can work together to bring forth something much better than could ever be produced by our will alone…We can’t control systems or figure them out. But we can dance with them…Get the Beat…Listen to the Wisdom of the System…Expose your Mental Models to the Open Air…Stay Humble, Stay a Learner…Honor and Protect Information…Locate Responsibility in the System…Make Feedback Policies for Feedback Systems…Pay Attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable…Go for the Good of the Whole…Expand Time Horizons…Expand Thought Horizons…Expand the Boundary of Caring…Celebrate Complexity…Hold Fast to the Goal of Goodness.

What Is The Price of Peace?

At the Midwest Regional Conference June 20-22, 2008 in Chicago the participants were asked to write something about peace within a 10 minute time period. The content was to come from the heart. It's been reported that there were several excellent pieces submitted and read to the group.

George Mills, the Citizens for Peace, Public Relations board member, submitted the following piece. George claims it's the first draft. For myself, I'm not sure this gem needs polishing. Colleen Mills, George's wife, said her tears flowed as he read his words from the heart.

June 24, 2008

WHAT IS THE PRICE OF PEACE?

Peace for Sale! Peace for Sale! For a nickel or a dime you can buy the price of peace.

I used to teach in the inner city—second grade—where students came to school eating

dry Cheerios from their coat pocket. Nickels and dimes was all it took to spark a

school breakfast program. No need any more for teachers to maintain a stash of peanut

butter and crackers for classroom snacks.

Peace for Sale! Peace for Sale! Two bits, four bits, even six bits will do—to shelter

a homeless person in a warming center and provide a meal or two.

Peace for Sale! Peace for Sale! See what a buck will do. Get friends and neighbors

behind you with this one—and give those battered wives and children a safe warm

haven.

Peace for Sale! Peace for Sale! Let’s raise the ante just a bit—say five billion dollars—

the price of a sleek new killing machine. The cost of Katrina would be covered in a

heartbeat by the cost of just one or two.

We could go on and on. But you get the idea. No matter what the cost the price of peace

--it’s worth it. We are living in the alternative.

2008 Calendar June through August

Join the Citizens for Peace this summer at our meetings (second Tuesday of each month). We meet at Unity of Livonia at 7 PM.

Please mark your calendar & share this email with your friends.
Here's the schedule:

June 10 Citizens for Peace host the Beyond War Study Series. Group discussions include:1) Intoduction to Beyond War & Social Change, 2) Communication Skills (How to talk to people who think war is a good idea), 3) War is obsolete, 4) We all live on one planet.

July 8 Citizens for Peace host the Beyond War Study Series. Group discussions include: 1) What to do instead of war: Nonviolent Conflict Resolution Processes & Appropriate humanitarian Foreign Aid, 2) International Law & Cooperation between nations, 3) Practical experience in talking about what people & nations can do instead of war, 4) Effective Advocacy.

To read about the Beyond War Study Series--it's three guiding principles, three core practices and it's history click here.

August 12 Citizens for Peace present the film The Power of Forgiveness. You will be inspired & motivated to forgive after viewing this film.
Everyone is welcome.

"I Stand for Peace" Campaign

CommonDreams.org News Center have posted a Peace Alliance press release announcing the "I Stand for Peace" campaign. Click Here to read the press release.

Also Peace Alliance posted a 30 second psa on YouTube to announce the campaign. Click Here to see the it.

Film Series Spring 2008

Madonna University, Schoolcraft & Levan

All films shown at 7 p.m.

Donation: $5.00 per event. Parking in large, free, well-lighted lot.

“WAR MADE EASY” April 18 Click Here for trailer. This film shows that since the Vietnam era, the corporate media has played an integral part in building public support for military adventures. (Narrated by Sean Penn and features Norman Solomon). Science Lecture Hall

“BELOVED COMMUNITY” April 25 Hitting close to home, this film looks at Sarnia, Ontario who faces the toxic legacy of Canada’s petrochemical industry. Sure to generate discussion around the questions of how industrial communities can arrive at a healthy balance between a community’s economic livelihood and health and environmental impact. Science Lecture Hall

“AMERICAN BLACKOUT” May 2 A 2006 Sundance Film Festival winner, this film examines the contemporary tactics used to control our democratic process and silence voices of political dissent. Just in time for the 2008 election, this film chronicles the recurring patterns of voter disenfranchisement while following the story of former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. Kresge Hall

“THE BIG SELLOUT” May 9 This political documentary depicts the stories of the everyday life of those who have to deal with the effects of privatization failures. Basic public services such as water supply, electricity, public transportation, and even health care are examined. Kresge Hall

PRESS RELEASE March 10, 2008

MUSICAL STORYTELLER-POLITICAL SATIRIST

CHARLIE KING TO APPEAR IN LIVONIA APRIL 5^TH

Livonia—Charlie King, “One of the finest singers and songwriters of our

time, according to folk legend Pete Seeger, will perform Saturday, April 5^th at

Unity Church of Livonia.

A musical storyteller and satirist for 40 years, King sings and writes passionately

about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. As one of the pillars of American folk

music, his songs have been sung and recorded by other famous artists such as Pete

Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Peggy Seeger, Chad Mitchell, and Judy Small.

King and his partner, Karen Brandow, have been performing together in support

of numerous groups working for peace, human rights, and alternatives to violence. She

will not be accompanying him for this performance.

Peace Action of Michigan and the Livonia based Citizens for Peace are hosting

King as a fund raising event. Both groups have a combined membership that covers

most of Southeastern Michigan.

Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Students, $10. The performance

begins at 7 p.m. Unity of Livonia is on Five Mile Road between Middlebelt and Inkster

Roads.

For tickets or additional information, please call 248 548 3920 or 734 425 0079.

Submitted by Colleen Mills, 734 425 0079

A Special Valentine for YOU!
Kathy Henning will lead us in meditations on Love & Blessings at our Citizens for Peace meeting Tuesday, February 12th. at Unity of Livonia. Kathy has been meditating and studying the writings of spiritual masters for over 30 years. Meditation has been proven to improve both physical and emotional health. If you have never tried meditation, this would be a wonderful introduction. We will start promply at 7 pm, so don't be late.

Military Spending

The president's $3 billion fiscal year 2009 budget request is put into perspective by Ben Cohen's Oreo cookie analysis.

"Livonia Observer"

Today the "Livonia Observer" newspaper features Citizens For Peace (CFP) on the front page.

The article's three major points:

1. Rudy Simons, songwriter and music publisher, will speak at the CFP January 8, 2008 meeting about his recent trip to Iran with the group "Fellowship of Reconciliation".
   
2. CFP works for the passage of a Department of Peace and Nonviolence, HR 808.
3. The Peace Collection with books about peace and nonviolence are now in the Livonia Library.

To read this excellent article, Click Here.

Peace for All in the New Year

It is up to all of us to create a more peaceful world. The latest research on energy gives the responsibility and power of creating the type of world we live in to each individual! The time has come for each of us to use our collective intelligence to bring forth the world we want for us and future generations.

The Citizens for Peace are dedicated to accepting the responsibility and using our collective power to create a Department of Peace and Nonviolence in our federal government. We are part of the vision that began with the founding of our country. The creation of a Peace Department was suggested in 1793. It seemed logical that a Peace Department was needed to balance the War Department. Unfortunately, despite many attempts through the years, that vision never became a reality. The time is crucial now.

The change will occur when enough individuals realize that what we focus on grows. If we want peace, we must focus our attention on the programs that address the root causes of violence with effective solutions. We must fund the creative and practical programs that have proven to decrease violence.

With our increased scientific knowledge, we have the rationale to support our efforts to create a Department of Peace and Nonviolence. If we can find our own inner peace, educate ourselves and others, use tools such as Nonviolent Communication & Restorative Practices, and join the ever growing network of peace seekers; we can bring about the vision of peace into our government and the world!

We invite you to join us on our journey to create the peaceful world that is possible. Use the power you have within to create this world. Accept the responsibility to “Be the Change you wish to see in the world”! Join the Citizens for Peace and start creating the peaceful world that only we can.

Have a beautiful Holiday Season!

2008 Citizens For Peace Calendar

Colleen Mills, President, Citizens For Peace reports:

Our monthly meetings are open to everyone. Please invite your friends to help us create the culture of peace we desire. Here is the list of monthly meetings:

January 8th - Rudy Simons will report on his trip to Iran!

February 12th - Kathy Henning will lead us in meditations on Love & Blessings!

March 11th - we will view & discuss the video "Beyone War"!

April 8th - Robert Weir will present "Incentive & Instruction from Christ, Gandhi & King"!

May 13th - Professor Michael Whitty will present a talk on Inner Peace and Outer Peace!

With your help, we will make 2008 a year of peace!
See you Tuesday!

Peace, Colleen

Year 2007 In Review

Citizens For Peace President Colleen Mills made these comments and review of 2007:

Thank you to everyone who helped in any of our activities this year:

1. Tabling at Eastern, Schoolcraft, Body, Mind, Spirit Festivals, Nagasaki Day, the DoP Film Festival, the Spring & Fall Film Festivals, the Restorative Practices Program, the Dinner for Peace, the Royal Oak Main Theater, Muruga & the Global Village Band’s show, the Bake Sale, and Swami Beyondananda’s show!

2. Helping with the Fundraisers at Max & Erma’s, the Dinner for Peace, the Bake Sale, the DoP Film Festival, the Walk for Peace, and the MCHR Film Festivals.

3. Assisting to make the Nagasaki Day event a success.

4. Supporting the library Peace Collection.

5. Attending the Department of Peace Conference in Washington, D.C.

6. Delivering the Peace Pizza and requesting the “Peace wants a piece of the pie”.

7. Developing a Peace Speakers group.

8. Practicing Nonviolent Communication.

9. Attending the monthly meetings.

10. Participating in the Arlington Midwest vigil.

11. Being the change we want to see in the world!

What a year! THANK YOU!!!

We have a new year coming up & I know our seeds of peace will bear fruit!

December Meeting

Hi everyone,
Our December Citizens for Peace meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 11th at 7 p.m. at Unity of Livonia. Click Here for map. We will have a guest speaker from the Michigan Peace Team, Loretta Johnson. She will inform us on the activities of the Peace Team, and share information about her trip to Palestine. Bring a friend!

Cheers,
Colleen Mills, President, Citizens For Peace

International Day of Peace September 21

Today has been designated as the International Day of Peace. Everyone is asked to reflect on peace at twelve noon today. For more information regarding this day click here

What if you should read this post after today? Well, designate that day as a day of peace.

Citizens For Peace 2007 Fall Film Series

All films shown at 7 p.m.
Madonna University, Schoolcraft & Levan in Livonia
Donation: $5.00 per event. Parking in large, free, well-lighted lot.

For more information on each film, click on it's title.

“Why We Fight” Friday, October 5 “an unflinching look at the anatomy of the American war machine.”

“Who Shot My Brother?” Friday, October 12 “As filmmaker German Gutierrez searches for the gunmen who tried to kill his brother, he exposes the root causes of the violence in his native Colombia.”

“China Blue” Friday, October 19 “A powerful and poignant journey into the harsh world of sweatshop workers. Shot clandestinely, this is a deep-access account of what both China and the international retailers don’t want us to see: how the clothes we buy are actually made.”

“Independent Interventions” Friday, October 26 “Focusing on the human costs of war, this film contrasts corporate-controlled media coverage of the invasion of Iraq with independent media reports of the brutal realities on the ground. WARNING: This film show images from war.

PRESS RELEASE—For immediate release July 16, 2007

Livonia—A unique mini-film festival of peace and nonviolence themes is guaranteed to rejuvenate the social consciousness of all those who attend. Featuring more than a dozen full length and short films, the non denominational showings will provide the viewer with the insights of outspoken advocates of civil rights, best selling authors, religious and spiritual leaders, contemporary thinkers, and enlightened teachers.

The films will be screened in three viewing rooms Saturday, September 15, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Madonna University, Levan and I-96 in Livonia. The festival activities will be sponsored and hosted by the members of the Citizens for Peace.

Some of those being featured are Marianne Williamson, Howard Zinn, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Rev. Michael Beckwith, authors Gary Renard and Mathew Kelly, the Surfing Rabbi, Nachum Shiffren and many more members of the cultural evolution towards peace and non violence. Also to be shown will be the stories of two ordinary men thrown into extraordinary circumstances of forgiveness by the loss of a child; one whose daughter was a victim of the 9/11 tragedy and the other, whose son was murdered, became best friends with the murderer’s guardian, and together they launched a nationwide crusade.

Some of these films have not appeared on television or in theaters. The lineup:

Theater I

Living Luminaries (12:30 & 3:30) A young man’s quest for happiness leads him

to seek out some of the most inspirational

thought provoking minds of our day. A

Michigan premier!

The Secret (2:00) How to achieve success, by those who did it.

Humanity Ascending (5:00) Discusses how to transform ourselves to

achieve our vast potential.

Theater II

The Peace dvd (12:30) A call to join others worldwide in the struggle

for peace and justice.

Howard Zinn: You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train (2:45) One of the

pillars of the civil rights movement, this extra

ordinary man has been a catalyst for pro-

gressive change for more than 60 years.

Peace One Day (4:00) Shows the power of one man who, in a

remarkable 5-year journey, persuaded

the United Nations to create a global day

of peace, a day of non-violence.

Theater III

Critical Mass (12:30) Follows a young woman’s developing

awareness of the need for a Department

of Peace.

Highlights from the Department of Peace Conferences from Washington, D. C.

(all day)

Forgiveness is the theme of Azim Khamisa’s heart wrenching

story.

Remembering 9/11 – John Titus of Schoolcraft College shares his

thoughts on rising above personal tragedy to create peace.

Marianne Williamson presents a powerful argument for the

creation of a Department of Peace.

Rev. Michael Beckwith, featured in “Living Luminaries,” and

“The Secret,” presents his views on the Spirit of Peace.

Patch Adams, a practicing medical doctor, uses humor to show

how to give unconditional love.

Admission to all three viewing sites, all day, is $15 per person. A one site viewing pass, good for all day, is $10.00. The proceeds are to benefit the Peace Alliance in its efforts to create a cabinet level department of peace.

-end-

Department of Peace Fundraiser Film Festival

Saturday, September 15, 2007 12:30pm - 5:30 pm

Madonna University 36600 Schoolcraft Rd. Livonia, MI (Levan & I-96) Map

Theater I -

"Living Luminaries" (12:30pm & 3:30pm)

"The Secret" (2:00pm)

"Humanity Ascending" (5:00pm)

Theater II

The Peace dvd (12:30pm)

"Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train" (2:45pm)

"Peace One Day" (4:00pm)

Theater III

"Critical Mass" (12:30pm)

"Highlights from the Department of Peace Conferences" (all day)

Sponsored by the Citizens for Peace & Madonna University

Proceeds to benefit The Peace Alliance

All Day Pass to All 3 Theaters: $15.00

One Theater Pass: $10.00 (For information: 734-425-0079)

The Human Factor

Part I

Look what we have done to the people of Iraq. How will we ever rectify a military invasion of a country that was and is absolutely no threat to the United States? There are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and grandchildren that were or will be injured or killed as a result of this invasion and occupation. There are the brave men and women in our military, who have or will come home in caskets. Many others will survive with physical and mental injuries that will deeply affect their quality of life. The numbers are hard to comprehend, so I put the statistics in human terms and I feel so very sad for these people. There is no justification for what our government has done.

Last summer I attended the regional conference of the Department of Peace Campaign. I talked with Congressman John Conyers from the 14th Michigan congressional district. I asked him if there was some classified information our representatives and senators were given that convinced so many to vote for the invasion of Iraq. He looked at me and said, "We all knew Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with September 11th." I had the need to hear the truth from someone in Congress. I thanked him for his honesty.

Since the massacre at Wounded Knee, South Dakota on December 29, 1890, our government has ordered 132 military interventions in the United States and throughout the world. Since 1922, there have been twenty one instances of military action in the Middle East. (1) Is our world a better place? Do we feel safe?

Our country is always poised for war. We have a huge military industrial complex that creates thousands of jobs manufacturing and selling weaponry to our military and other countries. We have more nuclear bombs than all other countries combined. Is our world a better place? Do we feel safe?

The United States accounts for 47% of the world's total military spending. The United States spends five times more on the military than China, and eleven times more than Russia. Our government also out spends Iran and North Korea by a ratio of seventy-two to one. (2) Is our world a better place? Do we feel safe?

We need a change of consciousness; it is time to take a stand for waging peace. Martin Luther King explained it so well when he said, "True peace is not merely the absence of some negative force----tension, confusion, or war; it is the presence of some positive force---justice, good will and brotherhood." We have the resources and expertise to become a nation that works for the end of human suffering. It is up to us to create the political will to make it happen.

____________________________________________________________________

1. Ziauddin, Sardar. Why do People Hate America; New York, MJF Books; c2002; pp. 92-101.

2. Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation; www.armscontrolcenter.org

The Human Factor

Part II

Political Will

Throughout history there were individuals who took a stand for human rights. There were the abolitionists who saw the evil of slavery and worked to end it. The 13th amendment to the constitution was ratified in 1865, the 14th amendment, stating the rights of citizenship was ratified in 1868, and the 15th amendment gave men of color the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul disagreed with the status quo and worked to change our consititution so women could vote. The 19th amendment to the constitution was ratified in 1920. Martin Luther King, Jr. took the leadership role that resulted in the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which created the means to enforce the 14th, and 15th amendments to the constitution. In spite of many obstacles, these people had the political will to work for change.

If we truly want our government to change direction, then we the people must make our position known. With a cabinet level Department of Peace, existing programs will be used and new ones developed to promote peace, social justice and care of the earth here and throughout the world. This will go a long way in changing the self-destructive path that our political leaders have set for us.

Our world will be a better place when we help our cities, small towns, rural areas, and countries around the world to develop broad-based economic development that will enable people to earn a living wage.

Our world will be a better place when we help institutions of civil society become effective providers of education, health care and other needed social services.

Our world will be a better place, when our foreign policy supports governments around the world who are responsive to the needs of their people.

Our world will be a better place when we work for improving water resources around the world.

Our world will be a better place when our public officials support the work of environmentalists.

Our world will be a better place and we will feel safe when it is understood how "we are all related."

The Human Factor

Part III

We are all Related

"It feels like my brothers and sisters are buried here," I said as the tears ran down my face. My friend Leatrice responded, "that's because they are." I was standing by the mass grave in the Wounded Knee cemetery in South Dakota where I draped prayer ties over the surrounding chain link fence.

The cemetery is on top of a hill overlooking a road, a grassy plain and then Wounded Knee Creek. I sat with my friend, looking at this tranquil view, picturing the tragic event that had happened here, and thought what an incredible journey my husband and I have traveled. We volunteer at a Boys and Girls Club on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation located in the southwest corner of South Dakota. We live in a suburb west of Detroit, Michigan. The physical journey is 2200 miles round trip; the spiritual journey is infinite.

My husband, Rick, first visited the Wounded Knee cemetery when he went to the Reservation in 1997 to work on their first Habitat for Humanity house. When he returned home, Rick told me what he had learned about the massacre that had happened there in December 1890, the mass grave, and how people come and leave various tributes: He saw flowers, bouquets of sage, bird feathers, and a teddy bear.

He also told me about the SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club. The Club was located in a converted factory building with half of it being the Happpy Town restaurant and the other half for the Club. The restaurant was the primary source of financial support.

SuAnne Big Crow was a natural leader, an outstanding student and a South Dakota basketball star, still holding the state record for scoring the most points in a game. She led her team to the state championship in 1991. Tragically, she was killed in an automobile accident in 1992. SuAnne always wanted a place for the children. A safe place where they could play and learn together and support one another and it would be called "Happy Town." For more about SuAnne see www.suannebigcrow.org.

My husband and I were deeply touched by the stories of SuAnne and her family. Out of a personal tragedy Leatrice Big Crow, SuAnne's mother, her family and the tribe took the daugher's vision and made it a reality.

In the spring of 1998, Rick was told that the Boys and Girls Club could use some help. He learned that the restaurant kitchen was in need of many repairs to bring it up to code. Without these repairs, the restaurant, which was the financial source for the Club, would be closed. We managed to raise money for materials and recruited four other people to go with us.

Rick wanted to take a tribute to leave at the Wounded Knee cemetery. He decided to have a wood carver construct an eagle feather. He told Leatrice what he would like to do and she contacted a medicine man to meet with us during our time at the Club. Will Peters sat with us and held the carved feather. He told us in his way about the massacre on December 29, 1890.

The Big Foot band of the Oglala Lakota people agreed to come live on the reservation. It was a group of primarily old men, women and children. They had little food, many were sick and so they surrendered at Wounded Knee to the 7th Calvary. The soldiers demanded they give up their weapons and when they tried to explain that they needed them for hunting, their reason was ignored and the soldiers started shooting. A mass grave was dug for those who were injured and left to die in the snow along with the dead. These people never had a proper burial, and so their spirits still wander there to this day.

I sat and listened to his story and it felt like it had happened yesterday. Will Peters agreed to perform a consecration ceremony at the cemetery. He said that the person who carved the feather has a good heart, and he believed the same of my husband and me. The carved eagle feather was put in a box top surrounded with bouquets of wild sage. Each bouquet was tied together with four strips of cotton cloth in the four sacred colors of white, black, yellow and red. I was given the honor of carrying this offering up the hill and presenting it to Will Peters.

We stood around the mass grave. Will Peters stood by the head stone and started to chant. My eyes filled with tears and ran down my cheeks and I was surprised at my reaction. I reasoned that my ancestors had nothing to do with this. My grandparents came from Europe to Michigan in the early 1900s. As he continued to sing, I continued to cry. His song came from his soul and he was praying that the spirits find a resting place. He then motioned to me to give him the carved feather and his chant continued.

At the conclusion of ceremonies and prayers, Will explained that in the Lakota tradition, everyone joins in and says "mita kuye oyasin." The translation is "we are all related." By the end of the ceremony, I had pulled myself together, pushing away what I felt and started helping people set up and serve the food we had brought.

For two years, I was drawn to the Wounded Knee cemetery. Leatrice came with us. She invited us to pray, she showed me how to make prayer ties, and we were invited to ceremonies. God, Yahweh, Spirit or Higher Power gives us many opportunities for growth, and I truly believe my higher power was not going to let me go until I understood in my soul the meaning of "we are all related."