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Show The Signpost Page 10 Wednesday, August 31, 2005 Letters continued from page -1 Apurplesemi-truckemblazoned with the logo Plum Crazy blocked one lane of southbound traffic as it intermittently blasted long, sonorous honks. Searching for the most idyllic spot, I wandered about the park .reading protest signs while I tried to hear the speakers above the cheers made by the appreciative crowd. Returning to the sidewalk, I approached a small group waving signs at passing traffic. "Do you rnind if I stand nearby and play my bagpipes?" I asked. A woman turned Two young children sat on the curb behind her. "Sure," she said. "Have you ever heard a bagpipe before?" I asked the quiet children. Clear, blue-gray eyes blinked in response. "I don't think they have ever - heard a bagpipe," the woman said. "Well — they are really loud," I said, as I removed my pipes from their bag. When F looked down at their clean, expectant faces, I remembered a Time magazine picture of two equally young Iraqi children, splattered with the blood of their recently killed parents as they screamed in anguish. "Here it goes." One long, clear note flew past the sounds that pounded around us. The little boy ran to his mother with a look of terror on his face. "It's scaring them. I'll go play in the trees," I said. "No. You stay here. They've had enough anyway," replied the woman, as she gathered them against her legs and turned to leave. "You stay and play." As I played, I saw images of despairing children; women keening over their dead; and faces of U.S. and Iraqi military personnel, sometimes etched with the senselessness of violence or hope. Rather than honking in support of peace, a man stopped before us. He rolled down his passenger window and screamed, "At least I'm brave enough to go!" While he and one of the sign men raged at each other, I wanted to interrupt their passionate argument and say, "Let him speak: He is brave to go." People began to gather nearby as my music roved between yells and honks. Finishingatunethatencouraged dancing, I couldn't remember how to play the next song. "Excuse me, but do you know how the song goes that they play at funerals?" I asked a man standing nearby. '"Taps'?" He paused before he hummed some notes. "Thanks," I said. "I want to play it for the veterans and ail of the people who have died." I played "Scotland the Brave," accompanied with a prayer for our country to be brave and truthful enough to ask, "Is this the best that we can do?" As the notes of "Amazing Grace" and "The Battles O'er" streamed to the four directions, I prayed for succor, independence for the Iraqi people. I prayed to play "Well met and Welcome home" for our military personnel. The sign men turned as I packed to leave. "I expected some drums, but not pipes," one said. "That was great!" "Thanks guys! Have a safe day!" A police officer suddenly appeared and directed us to stand on the curb, not the street. "You have a nice day, too!" I yelled. What the See something unbelievable? Call the news desk at 626-7655. Then read the news section of The Signpost every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to learn more. DIALOGUE presents "New Voices" FROM THE DESK OF RON McBRIDE Greetings from Wildcat Country! I'm so excited to be the new football coach at WSU. This is a dream come true for me. I love the state of Utah and have missed being here. I want to help build a tradition at Weber State that the players, students and community can be proud of. I vow to make the Wildcats contenders in the Big Sky Conference and on the national level. I need the support of the students to help build this program. Your attendance at our games is crucial to our success. I look forward to seeing you at our home opener on Saturday at 5:30 pm. RON MCBRIDE COACH INC HICHLI6HTS +88-63 record at the University of Utah. + Bow! victories over Arizona, Fresno State and USC. + Led Utes to post season ranking of #8 nationally in 1994. +40 years of coaching experience. A Cash Awards Program for Young Writers We will consider manuscripts based on dissertations, theses, research-based articles, completed term papers, senior or graduate projects, personal essays, short stories, poetry, and visual art. See our w e b s i t e for complete details, • Submissions accepted for review receive a free year's subscription to DIALOGUE. >fc Pieces accepted for publication are awarded $300. Submissions office e-mail: dialoguemss@aol.com Never heard of DlALOGUF:? It's almost forty years did. Discover this progressive, peer-reviewed, independent quarterly journal dealing with Mormon history, social science, humanities, religion, science, and art. To help with your studies and research, buy our new DVD containing all articles in volumes 1-37 STUDENTS FREE w / Student I.D. card! Help us break the all-time attendance record! www.dialogue journal'* cam. |