Well, after being near prague for a few days, basically buying time as i was a few days early, today marks my last stop, Wenceslas Square. it has been over three weeks, but well worth it. today is going to be different than i thought. My arrival coincides with a demonstration against the United States and their efforts to build a military base in Czech that would contain weapons that could, in theory, intercept missiles coming from the Middle East of North Korea, the latest version of
Reagan's Star Wars Programme that has caused billions of dollars and never even can close to working. So, I was asked by these groups to include this "Anti-missile march" protest in my ride. Which I of course immediately confirmed that I would. I think that this effort by the US government shows once again our great arrogance to the rest of the world and a total disconnect to how we must begin to work for peace through other ways that superior firepower. I am appalled on many levels about this issue as we continue to believe that violence is the best way forward for us
rather than trying to understand "why they hate us" and develop peaceful methods to end this hatred.
I am being received by two antiwar groups. one, the Czech Peace Society and the other
International Peace Movement, Czech Republic. It has been an interesting negotiating period with these groups. I went in very naive regarding peace groups in Czech as the term "Peace" was often hijacked by the Right Wing so called "Communist Party" . So, I was cautioned by several people that not only could i be received by Stalinists, but there would be a good chance that I would have a
reception of red hammer and sickle flags, which is not a bad thing unless these flags represent a totalitarian party who believe Stalin was a good person. I was told that the Communist Party might want to use my action as a media event for them and that this would cause significant harm the effort against the bases. Most people in Czech Republic (83 percent) are against the bases now. But about the same number of people also are against the Communists. Today at 3pm, there is to be a drum parade (sort of a small march on sidewalks) to protest the bases that will be leaving the lower part of Wenceslas Square. My new friend, Jiri has set up some woman
to greet me in the square in the traditional Czech way. It should be fun and olourful.So, I have no idea what to expect, but I hope my arrival at this important time can help out in some way. I am meeting a small group of demonstrators a couple of kilometers away from the square, where I will hand out my last bells to the group so that we can all 'ping' our way to the square. I cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!!
I am really looking forward to this ending of my bicycle journey and, well, the "War on Terror", this horrible appalling lie which has caused death and destruction throughout the world and truly made us less human.
In peace and solidarity,
Matthew Hahn
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