This morning I was thinking about where I was when the U.S. initially began striking almost three years ago, this is not a memory that can easily be forgotten.

I was participating in a peace rally on a cool, brisk Sunday afternoon in October. The quiet rally began in Union Square where we listened to a wonderful selection of speakers made up of Nobel Peace Prize Winners and professors. They talked about why world peace is so important and how we can all make a difference.

There were about 30,000 people in attendance and everyone was motivated and looking forward to a long-term commitment and struggle for peace. Unfortunately our long-term commitment only lasted about 1 mile and a half.

As everyone entered into Times Square, we noticed the large three-story high video-tron and saw what looked like lime green confetti falling against a black background.

We watched the screen and looked away as our hearts sank. One minute we were all one unit and the next minute we were confused because our voices hadn't been given a chance.

Were we too late? Were our voices not heard? Did they not care? What about our concerns?

This took place in October of 2001 and at the time we did not have the answers to these questions. It's almost three years later, our voices are louder, our concerns are greater and "they" still don't care.

During the rally, a journalist from The Christian Science Monitor approached me and asked me a few questions. He then asked if I would write my name and email, so he could send me the link to the article.

Remember this was almost three years ago;

A small but vocal minority, however, is not pleased with the US response. At peace rallies in various cities, people have gathered to voice opposition to the strikes. Violence, they say, will breed only more violence, and they are concerned about Afghan casualties. "I strongly believe that there are other ways to resolve conflicts without taking innocent lives," says Elizabeth Carmody, who attended a rally in Times Square Sunday wearing a leather jacket with a pink sticker: "An eye for an eye only leaves the whole world blind."

Here is the rest of the story.

url: The Christian Science Monitor - http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/1009/p2s2-uspo.html