Archivo

End of the Gulf War essays…on to something new.

“Taking Back the Night”

Leonard’s reporting on a gathering in Battery Park of the Anonymous Women for Peace and Chelsea Against Nuclear Destruction United (CANDU), two women's “peacenik” groups. The groups camp (usually at Madison Square) three times a year to protest for peace. They usually get no media attention and Leonard was the only reporter at this particular event.

He writes beautifully about the group lighting candles and assembling on the waterfront to sing We Shall Overcome. A black saxophone street busker stops playing and comes over to ask the women “Why are you singing my song?”  Leonard writes, “The women explained why and who they knew themselves to be. ‘Peace’ he agreed and returned to his sax…Well, this is a little too good to be true, which is exactly what we need a whole lot more off…”

New word: Speaking Bitterness = a process in China after the agrarian reforms of 1950, where peasant farm tenants could publicly denounce, beat or (in some cases) execute their former landlords.

New learning:  As far as I can tell neither organization still exists. The internet makes no reference of Anonymous Women for Peace and the only reference to CANDU is a vintage button for sale on EBAY and references to Eve Ensler (Play Write) who worked for CANDU in her youth.