Hope

From the last song on the last album by the resolutely gloomy band Bauhaus: "'Cause your mornings will be brighter/ Break the lines, tear up rules/ Make the most of a million times no."

HoW, who gets around, happened to be at the Peace Park in Hiroshima on the day that war started in Iraq. In fact, that's where HoW learned that the war had started. As we entered the Peace Park, there were a small number of older protesters holding pro-peace signs, and an even smaller number of media taping their silent protest. We continued through the park towards the "Genbaku Dome," the structure from near the epicenter of the blast that amazingly is still standing. We walked past it and toward the other end of the park. Here, there were many more protesters, making speeches, holding signs, and singing songs. There were more media was well. There was also a group of young protesters who had started a hunger strike. After seeing the museum at the Peace Park, a sobering experience under any circumstances, as we were leaving the museum, we saw that the museum staff had placed a sign in the exit saying that the bombing had started. They also had the front pages of several newspapers in different languages announcing this fact. Again, more media, and also a comment book for collecting thoughts. The book was absolutely filled with comments expressing a deep sadness, and sometimes anger, from around the world, and from many, many Americans.