A SECOND PEACE VIGIL IN BALTIMORE TO SUPPORT UKRAINE AND THE UKRAINIAN DIASPORA

 A SECOND PEACE VIGIL IN BALTIMORE TO SUPPORT UKRAINE AND THE UKRAINIAN DIASPORA

  On Sunday, March 27 from 1 to 2 PM, Maryland Peace Action organized a peace vigil at 2401 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore 21224 in Patterson Park across from St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church.  In response, sixteen concerned citizens came out on a very windy and viciously cold afternoon.  Representatives from Pax Christi, the Open Door Community, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and Peace Action chapters in Baltimore City, Howard County and Frederick County braved the difficult weather to say no more killing in Ukraine.  Unfortunately, Lauralee Humphrey, long-time member of Physicians for Social Responsibility, was unable to attend because of health reasons.  She joined the peace vigil on March 6, and wants to be at the next vigil.

 Unlike March 6, when many members of St. Michael Church joined the peace vigil, church members this time only gave thumbs up to us as they departed.  A WJZ TV [CBS] camera person came out to take video and to do two interviews.  The first interview was with Michaela Buc, the granddaughter of Ed Loring of the Open Door Community.  After she eloquently spoke on behalf of the children, her grandfather spoke on behalf of the vigil.  See https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/video/6217784-russia-out-of-ukraine-peace-vigil-takes-place-in-southeast-baltimore/.  On Monday morning, WYPR also gave a report on the vigil to its listeners.

In the press release sent out by Maryland Peace Action,  Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, was quoted: "Come from your offices, your homes, your schools and universities. Come in the name of peace." In that video address, posted on social media, he added “Come to your squares, your streets. Make yourselves visible and heard." Maryland Peace Action responded.  The WJZ report of the vigil showed a video of President Zelenskyy making this plea.

  As the vigil came to a close, participants asked when we will gather again.  Another vigil will be planned for some time in April, again outside St. Michael. The horrible assault on the people of Ukraine, including against senior citizens, pregnant women, children and those with serious health problems, will continue sometime into the future.  And of course President Putin’s chilling threat to use nuclear weapons makes all of us fear that the unimaginable might happen.

No to War in Ukraine; and Yes to Negotiations and Peace. Unfortunately, the indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and strikes on protected objects such as hospitals continue. The Russian military has shown disregard for civilian lives in using inaccurate ballistic missiles in densely populated areas. Members of Maryland Peace Action want to show solidarity with the brave Russian people speaking out against the invasion and members of the Ukrainian community, including the parishioners of St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church.

If you need any inspiration, watch the video of a child, Amelia Anisovych,  now a refugee in Poland, who sang the Ukrainian national anthem in an arena in Lodz on March 20. Wearing a white folk dress embroidered with red, white and blue flowers, Amelia took center stage and sang Ukraine's anthem, “Ukraine has not yet perished: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXyQ3xBfxkY.

 It should be noted that on Tuesdays, from 4:30 to 5:30 PM, the Baltimore Nonviolence Center holds a Putin, Stop the Killing vigil at 33rd & North Charles streets, across from John Hopkins University.  JHU is the #1 nuclear weapons contractor among colleges and universities.  On Earth Day, April 22, Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland will organize a protest at Northrop Grumman, the #1 Nuclear Weapons contractor.  That demonstration will begin at 3 PM at a site near Baltimore-Washington International Airport. For more details, contact Max.

Donations can be sent to Max Obuszewski, Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Apt. 206, Baltimore, MD 21212.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs