Love-In-Action
Photos by Bill Moeller
In 1949, Picasso captured the horrors of war in his painting, Guernica, depicting a town devastated by bombings during the Spanish Civil War. Haunted by similar devastation occurring in Palestine, our Love-In-Action Network group in Taos, New Mexico, painted a seven by fifteen foot adaptation of Guernica, incorporating images of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Art is powerful. The “theatrical” elements of the procession, the black clothes, red hands, and powerful, huge painting evoked strong responses from the public.
During the demonstration, we encountered both support and animosity. Cries of “You’re wrong! Wrong! Wrong!” and “Long Live Israel” came from bystanders. One woman viciously attacked us verbally, refusing to listen to anyone or engage in a calm conversation.
I am very grateful for the courageous, nonviolent discipline of these demonstrators. They held their ground as noble human beings, refusing to argue back with our hecklers, maintaining dignity and forbearance. At the end of the procession, we spoke with some of them. We listened with compassion, but responded with truth. The demonstrators today showed courage, humanness, and nonviolent discipline.
“Blood is on our hands. Shame is on our faces. We wear black in mourning. In our hearts is the courage to speak out against war crimes funded by our US tax dollars.” – Rivera Sun
Read more here.
