If you’ve ever been at the corner of Fulton and Division late on a Monday afternoon you’ve probably heard a whole lot of honking going on. The cacophony is likely caused by drivers responding to the signs people nearby are waving: “Honk for Peace,” “Violence is never a good solution,” and “Pray for Peace.”
Sometimes the noise level is such that you can hardly hear yourself talk.
“We’re getting a lot more honkers than we used to,” said Corinne Carey, a self-declared “peacist” and member of Peace Presence, a small but dedicated group that’s held the weekly vigils for more than six years now – since the U.S. declared war against Afghanistan and just after the 9/11 attack in 2001.
Grand Rapids has a reputation as a quiet, docile, hyper conservative town. And it's true, there's not much confrontation, public demonstration, or civil disobedience going on. But the city also has a distinguished record of engagement in state, national, and international affairs. And people aren't afraid to speak up when they feel the time is right.
The Institute for Global Education (IGE) first initiated the vigils at the Gerald R Ford Federal Building downtown. But Peace Presence later moved it to the “the heart of Grand Rapids,” explained the group's founder Ilene Van Bruggen. “We felt we’d reach a greater number of people here because of the busier traffic.”
“We’re just trying to get our message out,” Carey said. “There are a lot of people who believe peace is patriotic. It doesn’t mean you’re against the troops if you’re against the war; some people don’t understand that. My son just retired from the Navy and every once in awhile he’ll say to me, ‘Keep it up, mom!’”
Blessed are the Signmakers
So, every Monday, no matter how hot or cold or windy or rainy it is, this little group, some of whom are in their 70s and 80s, appear with their signs, many of which were made by Van Bruggen herself. Being the sign person is not an easy job, as she lugs two very heavy plastic bags (also handmade) out of the back of her car and hauls them down the sidewalk to put them up or give to the vigil-keepers.
“I try to keep them positive,” she said of the messages printed on each one. “And I try not to offend anyone, either.”
Carey said when the vigils first started there were three kinds of reactions: “There were those who wouldn’t look at us all because their own emotions were so strong. Others would kind of half look. And the third were the ones who actually honked. We’re getting a lot more of those people these days, up to 450 an hour.”
“We had a really cool thing happen a couple of weeks ago, when everybody just started honking all at once, like a big chorus of horns,” said Nancy Davis, a resident of Cannon Township who first joined the walkers in January and has come ever since.
So what makes these vigil-holders so…vigilant?
Retired Grand Rapids Public School teacher Steve Holye said the reason he comes every Monday is that “there are a lot of people who disagree with the war, and if they see people expressing a stand, they’ll know they’re not alone in their thoughts; maybe it will encourage more and more people to respond. They’ll see it’s not just some lifeless polls; we’re here doing what we can. Hopefully it’ll build from that."
“On a personal basis,” he added, “I feel I have a moral obligation to do this; I have my conscious to answer to. You know, do the right thing.”
Nancy Davis said she, too, feels like she represents others who may not have the time to come each week or who maybe can’t make the commitment for some reason. “Friends will say to me, I’m so glad you’re doing this.’”
On the other hand, she thinks there’s way too much silence about the war in the general public.
“You never hear anybody talking about it when you’re out at the grocery store or at your kids’ school or wherever," she said. "There’s this stone silence about the war. It’s the big elephant in the room."
“So I think people are using their freedom of expression by honking their horns,” she continued. “They’re not afraid to honk, and you should see how many people flash us the peace sign! It’s invigorating for us to see that there are so many people in their cars supporting peace.”
And neither the honkers nor the vigil holders are alone. Indeed there are more than 80 peace organizations throughout Michigan, most of which are members of the Michigan Peace Network, an alliance of organizations dedicated to peace and to social and economic justice.
The Grand Rapids-based West Michigan Coalition of Justice and Peace, is one of the largest member groups. It consists of some 35 area organizations, including Peace Presence and IGE, who are all working with some type of mission that opposes war and supports peace.
Or, as Ilene Van Bruggen puts it on her newest sign, "HONKERS, Thank you!” and “NON-HONKERS, peace to you too!"
Photos:
Ilene Van Bruggen
The Peace Presence crew on Fulton
Corinne Carey along Division Ave.
Photographs © Brian Kelly