"All Aboard!" the Peace Train, 2013

I love engaging the public on the issue of gun violence and peace.  This is because the vast majority of citizens, including gun owners, support the main arguments of the gun violence prevention movement (hundreds of national polls show it, HERE).

One of my great joys each year is the annual Eugene Celebration parade, which makes its way through the heart of downtown Eugene, Oregon, and features nearly every aspect of our community and diversity.

One of the yearly entrants to the parade is the Peace Train: a brightly-colored, human-powered train engine followed by train cars, each of which bears the name of a local organization dedicated to peace and nonviolence.  This is the third year that I and Ceasefire Oregon have had a train car in the Peace Train (here is a link to information on last year).  Other organizations included in the Peace Train this year were Million Mom March, the Democratic Party of Lane County Peace Caucus, The Peace Center of Eugene, CALC, Veterans for Peace, and Beyond War.

The route, as always, was lined the entire way by throngs of area people.  This year the applause and cheering was deafening for the Peace Train, including shouts of encouragement for Ceasefire Oregon.  

See below for videos, posted on YouTube, taken by people along the route...

Here (at timestamp 19:08):

and here (at timestamp 3:09):

It warmed my heart to see and hear the response, but we need more than cheering.  Pro-gun activists work nonstop to make our communities less safe and undermine our attempts to reduce gun violence, in pursuit of their love of guns.  We have to work together to create a new trajectory for our nation away from gun violence.

Ride The Peace Train 2012

The Peace Train (image from Democratic Party of Lane Co.)

Last Saturday was the annual parade for the Eugene Celebration, in Eugene, Oregon.  Once again, one of the entries in the parade was the Peace Train, a colorful, human-powered train engine followed by train cars, each decorated with the name of a local peace and non-violence organization.  As with last year, Ceasefire Oregon was proud to have a car in the Peace Train.  I love getting out and engaging the public, particularly at events like this one.

We had a number of volunteers help out, either in the march or to help with preparations.  Besides Ceasefire Oregon, other organizations included Million Mom March, the Democratic Party of Lane County Peace Caucus, Skipping Stones multicultural magazine, Veterans for Peace, a group that holds peace vigils, the Eugene Department of Peace, Beyond War, the Eugene Mennonite Church, WAND (who was protesting unmanned drones), CALC, Women in Black.  A city councilwoman was also in the group.

Here is a video of the train, at the staging area just prior to walking in the parade, which I filmed.  Ceasefire Oregon's train car is the one immediately after the engine:

Here is another good video.  Go to timestamp 1:35 - 1:50:

Here is another image of me and the Ceasefire Oregon car, from the KVAL news site:

The parade was very well attended, with thousands of people cheering and clapping for us the entire route.  It is very satisfying to see the level of support our organizations receive here in Eugene.

On to next year!

Ride the Peace Train

As I’ve said previously, I greatly enjoy getting out in public and promoting our message of reducing gun violence.  It’s a chance to connect with others, the vast majority of the public, who share my concerns and wish to do something about the violence.  As I pointed out in my last post, shootings in my area are increasing, year by year, and we have already met the number for last year’s record.  All the more reason to engage others.

Last Saturday (August 27) was the parade for the Eugene Celebration, an annual festival held here in Eugene, Oregon, to celebrate the diversity and people of our town.  Over the course of three days (Aug 25-28) they close off several blocks of downtown Eugene to motor traffic and set up all sorts of tents and music stages.  The parade is one of the highlights of the event.

This year I wasn’t able to get around to setting up a table for Ceasefire Oregon, but I did at least have a car for Ceasefire Oregon in the Peace Train, in the parade.  The “Peace Train” is a mock train engine, colorfully decorated, behind which trail a number of wooden train cars, each decorated with the name of a local peace and non-violence organization or chapter.  I painted and pushed the car for Ceasefire Oregon.  Other cars and marchers represented Million Mom March (which is part of the Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence), Veterans for Peace, Beyond War, Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC),  the Democratic Party of Lane County Peace Caucus, Women in Black, Commissioner Rob Handy, Eugene Mennonite Church, WAND, and others.

I am happy to say that there were also a couple additional volunteers there to march alongside and help with things (thank you!).  My two young children rode the entire way inside the engine.

All along the parade route we got constant shouts of encouragement, thumbs up, and peace signs from the crowds.   It’s incredibly encouraging.  (It was good exercise, too).

HERE is a link to a video of the Peace Train that was made by one of our volunteers (thank you, Neil).

HERE is a link to the official parade video.  Go to time 13:41 to see the start of the Peace Train.  I didn’t attach a sign well, and it fell off just before that video was taken.  Luckily, a volunteer (Neil) carried it alongside at that point.

I’m the guy in white in those videos, pushing the green Ceasefire Oregon car.  I look forward to doing this again next year.

I’ll leave you with the song that is the namesake of the Peace Train:  “Peace Train” by Yusuf Islam (previously named Cat Stevens):  LINK

Peace.