lent, day 16

the walk this afternoon was three long passes and a short pass, for a total of about three and a half miles.

it was mostly uneventful.

there was one friendly beep, two turnaround drivebys, and a woman who pulled alongside and rolled down her window to speak to me.

i am always afraid when they stop, always afraid when i know the reason they have slowed down is to do or say something. i am always afraid that one of these days one of them will beat the crap out of me.

what would i do? get a new sign? a new camera?

the thing is, though, that if you're going to march, you have to be open to what comes. so far nearly every person who has stopped me has been supportive, and every person i talk to is an opportunity to let the light in on the assault and the coverup.

the woman who spoke to me today said more to me than i could hear, but i was to afraid in the moment to engage her. all i heard was "call the free press". i don't know if she was declaring intent to do so in some kind of solidarity or if she was being derisive. it felt dangerous to me.

meanwhile, i've learned that the methodist church's response / intervention team is going on a retreat this weekend.

isn't that nice?

you know what i've heard from the united methodist church in the months since i sent my letter to the district superintendent?

nothing.

that's why i'm out on the streetcorner with the sign, every damn day.

because the united methodist church response to the coverup at the williston federated church is silence.

and the united church of christ's response is to send a student pastor.

to study how to make coverups, i guess.

and the lilly foundation is subsidizing that pastor's conveniently timed sabbatical. and also the choir's european package tour vacation.

can you afford a european vacation?

i can't.

but the williston federated church can, because they're gotten a grant from the lilly foundation.

figures.