The Oct. 17 peace rally in Albany was a bit of a disappointment with only about 150 to 200 people in attendance. Joe Loembardo estimated the crowd to be at 250, but I think 150 is a generous estimate.

And, as usual, we were preaching to the choir. It was like "old home week" with us diehards showing up. Well, us and the FBI and Homeland Security agents anyway. I like to think they're glad to be there; it gives them a chance to speak out against our government while under cover.

A couple of news media were there -- channels 10 and 13 gave brief coverage to the event. I'm not sure there were any print media there -- at least I didn't see much in print. Well, other than Leland Lakkritz's letter to the TU editor decrying the lack of coverage.

I wore a T-shirt to the rally that I picked up during my last trip to D.C. It has a silk screen of a bomb on the front with the word "Obamba" in the middle of it with the question, "Is it really OK if Obama does it?" The back has a list of the crimes that are continuing to be committed under the Obama administration as they were under the Bush administration.

As I was leaving the house to go to Albany, my husband looked at my shirt and said to me, "I'll say one thing -- you're fair."

"Fair's fair," I said.

I was ready to have people give me a hard time over said shirt. One of my beefs with the peace movement has been that there is a portion of folks who have traditionally held Democrats to a lower standard when it comes to peace issues. To my surprise and delight, several people complimented me on the shirt and asked where they could get one, with one gentleman saying that he just had to have one. A couple wrote down the Web address on the back so they could order one. FYI, it's www.worldcantwait.net

Anyway, we rallied, sang and marched with our signs. I had a moment of disappear where I wondered if this was doing any good. As a Christian I am called to be faithful, not successful, but some success would feel real good about now -- like if we didn't send more troops to Afghanistan and we actually started to bring troops home from Iraq -- even if it was one at a time.

The charges in the Oct. 5 arrests in front of the White House were dropped for every one. That's good and bad news. The good news is: the charges were dropped. The bad news is: dropping the charges is a good way of keeping the opposition to the war quiet.

The charge was a violation – not a crime. It's like getting a traffic ticket but you have to show up in court. Some of the other violations listed on the appearance ticket were “No Fishing License,” No Vendor License” and “Unrefrigerated Food." We all got quite a laugh out them. We could just imagine a police officer saying, “OK, store that cream cheese properly or you're going downtown!”

A couple of Sundays ago, I spoke to a couple at the church I've been attending who have been very supportive of my peace ministry. The wife just doesn't think she's ready to get arrested yet. She admitted that she has a vested interest in stopping the war because her son is about to be deployed to Iraq. For some odd reason, I held my tongue and did not yell, "For the love of God! If this isn't a good time to start, then when would be a good time?"

I let her know that we can always use good support people for those of us who do risk arrest and cautioned her to get involved before she is involved on the level of a Cindy Sheehan.

I noticed in the Oct. 21 edition of The Saratogain that the Wilton Town Board was honoring their "Deceased Veteran of the Month." I wonder when they honor those who work for peace, dead or alive? I have not seen anything listed for that honor.

And finally, many thanks to David Gerhan of Scotia for his thoughtful response to Mr. Mark Audino, who smugly asked in a recent letter to the editor of The Gazette where all the peace demonstrators had gone to and assumed that with the change in presidents we had all gone home. David told him we are still out there, where to find us and generously offered Mr. Audino the opportunity to witness with Schenectady Neighbors for Peace at their weekly vigil. (Given the short shrift -- when they actually receive shrift -- peace actions get in the media, one can forgive Mr. Audino, to be fair to him.)

I've had the honor and blessing of knowing David Gerhan for almost 30 years through the Quaker meeting in Schenectady. He has been working for peace for probably more than 40 years, starting in the 1960's with the Peace Corps and being active in the local peace community.

If I ever get my peace museum, David will have a place in it.