Along the Walk

Rocky Flats, Colorado About 80 of us walked from Boulder to Rocky Flats ...all in single file ... the Buddhists, drumming and chanting their peace mantra; the Native American sponsors of the walk with their Pipes; other peace walkers... We began with a prayer circle and finsihed at the gates of the center where plutonium triggers were made for most of the US nuclear arsenal... They do not use the plant anymore, and so it is now one of the most contaminated sites in the country. We had a prayer vigil at the gates, and were greeted by a young Native American boy, about 7 years old, drumming and singing as we finished our 11 mile walk. It was very powerful reminder that this work is being done for the children, to give a chance for them to live in a safer, cleaner and saner world. -- Ralph Evans

• Photos from Rocky Flats: Site of former nuclear weapons trigger production, now contaminated.

Palmer Lake We are staying at the Mennonite church, here in Palmer Lake Colorado, it is a high altitude place over 7000 feet above sea level, it made the mostly uphill 18.3 mile walk today interesting. On February 20th, we walked from Lockheed Martin to a beautiful Jesuit retreat half way.. At Lockheed there was a string security presence. We had our prayer vigil at the point where the highway turns into the entrance of the Colorado operations -- a company photographer busily took our pictures from multiple angles. At least that our presence is acknowledged and there is a chance that some will hear the message we are trying to get across. -- Ralph Evans

• Colorado Photos: Photos from Boulder and the Palmer Lake area.
• Peace Message: Photo of Rocky Flats from the Westminster Window
• FSTV World in Crisis: Real Player video coverage of the Flame Walk in Colorado. featuring clips of the walk and the voices of Tom Dostou and other walkers. This video was also included in the Indy Media News Real for April, 2002.
• Public Eye: The walk comes to Colorado Springs with a vision of peace.
• Flame of Forgiveness: The walk in Colorado Springs, home of the space command.
• Hiroshima Flame on the Continent of America: Article in Japanese about the walk.
• Rest: A photo by Andy Mantinog of a tired walker on the road.

Walking to Los Alamos

• New Mexico: Andy Matinog's notes about Colorado and Los Alamos.
• Walked Blocked in Los Alamos: Los Alamos security prevented the walk from using any street that crossed the lab property.
• Demonstration: Front page photo in Los Alamos.
• Peace Walk in Los Alamos: The walk comes to the site where atomic weapons were (and are) researched and developed.
• Flame Means Peace to Pilgrims: Hiroshima flame comes home to Los Alamos.
• Walking Toward Santa Fe: Photo from the New Mexican.
• Prayer for Peace: The walk in Santa Fe on the same day that the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved the doomsday clock closer to midnight.
• Los Alamos / Santa Fe: Photos from the local press.
• Redeeming an Unholy Fire: Reflections by Steve McFadden on the New Mexico walk.

Walking to Oak Ridge

• Peace Pilgrims Arrive in Huntsville: Short announcement from WAAY-TV.
• Warm Welcome: Southern hospitality and a circle of 100 in an icy wind welcomes the walk to Huntsville, Alabama, and the Marshall Space Flight Center.
• Huntsville: Report by Andy Matinog on the trip from Albuquerque and people along the way.
• Postscript to Huntsville: Andy Matinog acknowledges two people who were with the walk.
• Tennessee: The walk enters Tennessee, finding a mixture of Confederate flags, bikers, and Southern hospitality.

Alabama to Tennessee We walked through Alabama for 4-5 days, walking about 16-19 miles daily. Alabama was great, song birds, warm-hot weather, very friendly people, and wonderful southern food. We did not encounter any intolerance in Alabama -- as some on the walk had worried about -- and received pretty good media attention. Tennessee has been a little more wary of us, no doubt we look strange as we approach, a diverse looking group of people, 25-30, usually walking in single file down the road or highway, led by a Native American, followed by three Bhuddist Monks, beating their prayer drums and chanting. About ten more Bhuddists follow, drumming and chanting, and all of us are praying in our own way or chatting amongst ourselves, with flags and banners. This is not a sight the average Tennessean might be used to seeing and many people just stand and stare. But whatever the case, we meet those who are ready or receptive. . . . -- Ralph Evans

• Sewanee: Photos of walkers resting.
• Flame Travels Tennessee: Brief note from Memphis.
• Peace Activists March Through Roane: The walk in Tennessee.
• Church Hosts Flame Walk: Unitiarian Church hosts the walk in Oak Ridge.
• Vigil at Y-12: The walk comes to the Oak Ridge Y-12 nuclear weapons plant.
• Oak Ridge:Walking for Peace at the Y-12 facility.

• Oak Ridge Report:: Reflections by a walker as the walk leaves Oak Ridge Tennessee.
• Walk for Peace: Flame taken to Kingsport, Tennessee.
• Long Walk for Peace: Photo from the Kingsport walk.

Lakeway

Atomic Bomb Flames Light Hope: Through Lakeway area in Tennessee. Mixed Reaction: But reaction to the walk is generally positive. Peace Marchers: Brief coverage by WSET in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Virginia We have continued walking through towns like Colleen, Banco, Marion, or Amissville. It is very hot, there is a massive heat wave and temperatures are just under 100 degrees F. It is another world from St. Adolphe (Canada). I am using lots of sun screen, which is only so effective. We are still in possom country, and so we hear them form time to time, with their very distinctive ringing call. Pople are sometimes friendly to our message and sometimes not. Last week we walked by a couple men holding a poster saying pacifists are traitors and thanking God for *daisy cutters" (the largest bomb in the conventional arsenal). But most people are sympathetic and supportive to the message and prayers of peace and reconciliation. Some openly wish for this and all we can do is keep praying and keep walking. The walk is headed for Washington and we ask for prayers to to help us walk and act and be and pray in the right way. -- Ralph Evans

Fairfax, Virginia

• Northern Virginia: The walk continues to Washington, D.C., through record heat and the threat of thunderstorms.
• Fairfax: Photo gallery from Fairfax.

Washington, D.C.

• Washington, D.C. Gallery: Photos from the events in the capitol, including the April 20th actions for peace.

Letter to the Editor Following the march in Washington, D.C., several newspapers ran a photo of a sign equating Judaism with Nazism. As one who was there, I can attest that such displays were rare. . . . Few [papers] mentioned the day's speakers: Philip Berrigan, a representative of Veterans for Peace; the Raging Grannies singers; relatives of those killed on Sept. 11; and Martin Luther King III. Not a word on those leading the march, Buddhist monks carrying a torch lit from the Peace Flame in Hiroshima. Margie Davis South Bend Tribune, Indiana. May 6, 2002

• Notes from the Walk: Ralph Evans writes about the walk from Washington, D.C. to Princeton, New Jersey.
• Peace Flame on way to Ground Zero: The walk travels through New Jersey.
• New Jersey Gallery: Photos of the walk by Louise Dunlap.

New York City As the walk approached New York City, it held a prayer vigil in Staten Island at the site where the remains of the World Trade Center have been taken. That Friday, it visited a mosque in Brooklyn and continued through New York the next day. The walk ended on Sunday, May 12th, at the United Nations and the Ground Zero site. One walker describes the final day of the walk: I met up with the walk at the UN ceremony and the walk to downtown. The walk was joined by many Buddhist monks and nuns including Kato-shoni and Claire Anjusan, who traveled far to partake in closing ceremonies. After a brief break at Union Square walkers continued till we arrived at the old church next to the WTC site where we viewed the memorial of photos, paper cranes, hats, gloves, poetry, signs, banners hung in remembrance of 911. Prayer continued with a walk around the four corners of Ground Zero, honoring each direction. After a small break, over 100 people gathered before an altar of flowers, incense and beauty. Prayers, silence, bells, music, flute, guitar, singing, reading of the original 1878 Mother's Day proclamation in English, Hebrew and Aramaic -- from Smitti an honor to the youngest marcher, 15 year old Annie from Honolulu -- to the elders that joined all along the route -- to Jun-san who never missed a beat, had an eye on everyone and everything, a big thank-you to everyone who assisted, drivers, folks who made meals. Incense offering, hands held high in peace signs and then African drumming signified the walk completion and everyone including Ichibachi-shoni and Jun-san were dancing in the streets. -- Jonnie Dale Lieberman

• New York Diary: Louise Dunlap's description and photos of New York City, showing a very personal side of the walk.
• New York: The closing ceremony at Ground Zero.
• Ground Zero: Pictures of Ground Zero and the walk in New York.
• World Trade Center Photos of the walk at the United Nations and World Trade Center.
• United Nations to Ground Zero: Photos of the walk at the United Nations and the closing ceremonies at Ground Zero
• Closing Ceremony in Seattle: Friends of the walk returned to Chief Seattle's gravesite, where the walk began, to mark its ending.
• Wiping of Tears: Albert Runningwolf on walking to Ground Zero in New York.
• Tom Dostou's Message: To the walk, to the Indigineous People of this land, and to all those who support the message of peace.
• On the Line: The end of the walk was featured in the July 2002 issue of the Progressive
• Symbol of Peace: The flame was taken to the Grafton Pagoda as a symbol of peace, made from the ashes of destruction.
• Flame Extinguished: The flame was extinguished May 18th at the Grafton Peace Pagoda, and a new fire of peace is to be born.
• The Last Embers: The flame was extinguished in a final ceremony at Big Mountain with the support of people who are in struggle there. A day of healing and remembrance.
• Jun's Story About the Walk: Reflections about the walk from Jun Yasuda, the Buddhist nun who was the walk's main organizer.
• The Prayer for Peace Continues: News photo of Buddhists praying for peace in Bethlehem, May 2002, during a siege by the Israeli military as Palestinians occupied the Church of the Nativity.

• Walkers: Photos of some of those who walked.