STEPS

I NTERNATI ONAL PEACE WALK

USSR/USA, WALKING TOGETHER ,
LENINGRAD to MOSCOW, 1987
St ep--
. We are warmly welcomed in ever y state and city by local
Soviet officials and citizens. Food and accomoda t i ons are
adequate t o excellent . Our arr i val to walk for friends hi p
and peace 1s met with friends hi p and peace equal to our own.
Step, step, ste p--
The huge, magnificent stat ue of Mot her Rus s1 a looks
down on the bea utiful well - cared f or grounds. Sovi et
ci t i zens join us in our walk, in the r ain, t o thi s solemn
place.
A Sovi e t lady walked over to me , silently shar i ng her
umbrell a . The talks were l ong, i n t wo languages , as I
l earned that the defenders of Leningrad are bur ied here in
a mass grave. For 900 days t he y were under sei ge- - s hot - -
bombed--frozen and starved. 600 , 000 of t h e m ~
The silent lady with the umbrella wept , and s o di d
I. The talks over, we forced a smile at each other , then
hugged each other, and parted.
We must stop forever this needless inhuman waste !
Step, step, step--
On the walk to Peter the Great's palace I was as ked
to carry a student's homemade peace si gn--wld c h I did .
The s t uden t kept pace over close to the curb , inf ormi ng
the people along the street about the American carryi ng
his Russian Peace sign. They were pleased and cl a pped,
and I could feel the warmth of friendship growing.
step, step, step--
We look a lot like them. They look a lot l ike
us. Neither of us look, or act, like en1mies.
All Humankind are relatives, friends, neighbors ,
partners and customers.
step, step, step- -
A fiery young r edhead, in Russian costume, grabbed my
wrist and pulled me into the dancers' square, indicating that
I was to dance wit h he r and the group. I'm shaking my head-_ ,
She is nodding her head- - yes l She is smiling,
and her feet are fl ying to the fast beat of the music. She
let go of my wristfI can't just stand here forever. The lar e G
crowd is laughing and cheeri ng--her? Or me ? Her graceful
and irresistible manner unl imbered this r eluctant old peace m
mar cher , who then did a Nebraska Stomp with t hem, unt il 'I used
up my quota of ava i lable air and energy , and had to scoot 1nto
t he standing crowd to sit down so she can ' t find me : I' m gulpin
huge amounts of air , and the crowd i s shout ing and poi nt ing to g
where T Rm h::t di ng 8 0 she could COUle to get me !
Rested , I stood up and took a picture of her as I left. She
smiled, waved and danced a cheery good-by. You lovely creature :
Step , step, step- -
TODAY, I HAVE MET THE EVIL EMPIRE--
THE MYTH , AND THE VICI OUS LIE.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NO MORE EVIL
THAN YOU OR I.
(They want peace more than we dol)
step, step, s tep- -
An old lady stares in disbelief as this old Ameri can peace
marcher advanced toward her--I open my arms as if to embrace--
and I do. She is surprised and resists for a moment, then she
returns the embrace. Her tears begin to flow (mine, too). She
speaks rapidly in her native tongue, pouring out her desperate
need for peace. Then she lets go of me, tears running down i nto
her wrinkled smile, as she turns and walks away. I am a hero
who came to helo the Peace. She is as human and peaceful
-
as my mother.
These old women have lived through three terrible des t r uc-
tive wars--their entire life full of suffering --loSS , and
rebUilding. Their men, long dead--or they didn't have one.
They are desperate for For the Young, t he
tiona to They won't let go of my hand, as they jab r
furiously in their strange language that I can't understana.
But I DO understand, and they know I understand .
The evolving human spirit will overcome t hi s madnesS.
Step, step, step--
School children line the streets waving peace SlOgan;hey
they bad made 1n school, welcoming the friendship Older
are unafraid, wholesome, curious, friendly and beau
groups are lively and awake, giVing their splendid ren
of singing and dancing in their nat1ve
Tbank you, much, for caring and sharing.
..
Ste p , ste p, st e p- - - 3-
In my lifeti me t hre e t
occ ur red here. t e r r l ble , devast at ing wars have
r uction- - Sor r ow- - Re bul l d. War - -
Rebuild . EN OUGH! I th
Ui l d
Wa r , De s t r uc t i on , Sorrow- -
for enjo i n s er e no t i me for l i ving , f or gr owi ng ,
y g ? Enough of senseles s, needl es s wars, of ha te,
of f ear, of s orrow, of killing and be ing killed. Huma nki nd
i s no t our ene my- -War is our enemyl
St ep , step, ste p--
Old men , ve t erans wi t h t heir metal s gladl y a c cept my
ha nds hake , t hen the y "re t aliate" with bear -hugs ,
sometimes ki s s e s, and of ten--tears. The i r f or peace
is obvious and re a l. '-'
---and. I underst and, now.
Step, step, s tep--
A small mischievous boy stepped off the curb as the last
of the peace marchers went by . He had s potted a s mall puddle
of water left by the r ain, and he dar ted out and stomped it
good . I charged for anot her puddle and s t omped it. The sma l l
bo y s miled big, like--"That old bugger really knows how to
playl" And we took off to stomp ot her puddles. This spontaneous
activity continued for almost t wo blocks. The peo ple on both
sides of the road laughed and clapped at t he old peace marcher
and the young Russian boy having Borne fun together.
Step, step, step--
I remember:
My long talk with two young people very much in l ove ;
the beautiful ladies that kissed me; the many hugs; t he
abundance of flowers and presents; the hand shakes; signing
autographs. You, the parents, showing off your lovely children.
The Volga Cruise; the beautiful land, and rivers, and cities
and people. The kindness, the love, the cari ng, the doing.
---No more war
---No more fear
---No more hate.
ember to thank all the special people
ways, made this important friend-
The following le t ter was received on April 14, 1986 , by Dale
k f rom his s on, Ron, whi l e Dale, age 69, was pa rti ci pa t ing
Mall
ec
G t Peace Mar c h f or Global Nuclear Disarmament across
i n the rea
the U. s. A .
"Hel l o , Dad!
M lled last night at 11: 30 p. m. to s a y s he llad J unt talked
to wa s she I couldn't te l l if she goi ng t o
dance--or cry--or both! She s aid if I wr i t e ri ght away , t ili s shoul d
t h
ill
L 3 S Ve
a a s . \'10 a ll have wonde red '1.' 11.'1 t I s .zo l n a ll
cae Y0 II 0 ' -: - '
Afte r Mom hung up, I La Ld in bed t m nk i ng e nd pr a y l.ng for yo u- -
d it occ urred to me that for c e nturi es fathers have s en t thei r
of f t o war . I have a f at he r that goes off to "war !3. l)ai nst
war " to save his s ons. I i ma g i ned this role revers al in gre at de -
t ail, compar ing it wi t h other past wars
Is mv fa ther s afe?
Is he in battle now?
Where is my fat her now?
Li ke "fathers " of t he pas t, I hear only b I t s a nd pieces a bou t
yo ur "regi men t" . I he a r onl y fragments:
I hear 10 coll a ps ed f r om e xpos ure my fa ther was not a mong
t hem.
I hear of those that we r e br-oken and d e f e a t ed at Ba r s t ow..
my fa ther was not a mons them.
I hear of t hose that s acri fic ed themsel ve s s o my father and
ot hers c ould go on.
I hear of yo ur regi ment's deter mi na t i on on TV, s a yi ng , "\'Ie're
goi ng even if we have to e at g r a s s a l ong the r oad a nd dri nk water
from the creeks!"
I he ar how yo ur su pply l1ne wa s cut . . . h ow c an I he l p my f ather
n ow? Wai t - a new address! But is it r i ght?
I pra y t ha t my fa ther i s saf e .
I pray t hat
lye a l l wi n .

In the morning I l ook a ro und for news t hll t my t'a t he r wou l d e n j oy ,
His Y0W18es t grand - dEl ug ht er- 1 s Le a r-rnng t o mare 1'1 t oo, a ver ae;l Il g 1/2
mile a day--four feet at a time. In be twe e n , ehe pa t -a- ca kes, wa VBS
bye-bye, and be ar huss the cat. His e ldes t i s still
c hallengi ng, still testins, Bnd doi ng wond erfu lly i n It inderga rt s n.
She collects the spring flowers, whether the y be orc hi c1 f3 or dande-
lions, and tapes them lovingly to the headboards above eac ll of our
a My father's daughter-in-law ge t s mo r e bea utiful eo c h d n y- -
Bl a.-.naflce, in love, and in service. Today her "gi f t " is horns-
a for breakfast! She runs the f ami l y muc h now,
e s R ia werking more now and going to col l ege t oo.
I'VE GOHE TO HELP
THE KID3 CHASE BUTTERFLI ES!
Love you,
Ron"