The Journey of the Magi, March Against Anti-Semitism, #NoHateNoFear #MarchForSolidarity

No hate. No fear. NYPD...why so many barricades? — in New York City, N.Y.

Jackie Ruden, photo and caption, “The whole world is a narrow bridge, and the essential thing is not to be afraid.” — Rebbe Nachman of Breslov -- Thank you Steven Goldstein. #NoHateNoFear #TikkunOlam #BrooklynBridge #MarchForSolidarity."

Once upon a time in the east village with Leon, Jimi and baby c — at East Village, Manhattan.

New years, new rallies.

Sunday, we slept in and read about the horrors.

War looming.

Australia burning.

The climate heating.

Which blowback will come our ways?

What kind of horrors await?

Still, the sky is blue.

The  little one and I make our way to the March Against Anti-Semitism in Foley Square in Lower Manhattan.

Five stabbed during Hanukah just a few days prior, t

he whole city reeling and rallying against the hate.

If it gets too crazy out there make sure you have your eye on an exit, I advise the little one.

Crowds of people were there.

Politicians.

Police.

And lots and lots of barricades, corralling people like cattle, only one way in.

No way out.

Everywhere we turn there were more barricades.

We zig and zag up and down a few blocks.

The NYPD has a special skill at making participation in our democracy feel demeaning.

Barricades at each entrance to the Square, we finally make our way.

“Shalom  Motherfucker,” declares one sign. “JewishResistance,”

Hoards of police and people in all directions, we slid out to go to Judson.

I can’t believe I’m saying this but let’s go to Judson, says the little one.

“Happy epiphany, lets find some new roads to take,” preaches Micah, interpreting the  story of the three wise men on their way to Jerusalem.

“Epiphany is a manifestation.

Three visitors search for the child.

After they find him.

They leave by another road.

A road less traveled.

Herod responds with vengeance.

There is always another way in front of our eyes, notes Micah.

Looking at my phone, Jamie Leo has posted:

“i’m too invested in worrying about family in Iran to be sleeping well the last few days. It felt good (and moving) to see a number of trusted colleagues and remarkable activists I’ve known for decades heartily participating in yesterday’s Times Square rally in response to Trump’s volatile Act of War. But one aspect of the rally yesterday was really disconcerting —hearing various people from leftist organizations praising, and some speakers completely canonizing Soleimani. The Soleimani I know (from Iranian writers, friends, and colleagues) was a covert operator and hardliner, a monster responsible for the deaths and imprisonment of countless Iranian students, educators, and journalists. I even slightly heckled one of the speakers, waiting for a silent moment to simply respond to an accolade with, “And Soleimani was a butcher of many Iranians. …During the 1999 student revolt in Tehran, Soleimani was one of the IRGC officers who signed a letter to President Mohammad Khatami. The letter stated that if Khatami did not crush the student rebellion the military would, and it might also launch a coup against Khatami. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasem_Soleimani…).  The situation with Iran is incredibly complicated; but as many of us Americans feel held hostage by the coup d’état of the courts, the gerrymandering, and the rigging of elections, it is important to remember that the people of Iran have been held hostage by hardliners for two generations.”

“There is always another way in front of our eyes,” repeats Micah.

Trust the open road of our expansive vistas. 

Herod killed the babies on some roads.

There are multiple roads.

Don’t back away. 

See points of the map where you’ve never been. 

Where are you going?

Where are we going in 2020?

Making another road together.”

“Sometimes you can only find heaven by slowly backing away from hell,” he quotes

Carrie Fisher.

Modern testimony from Journey of the Magi by T. S. Eliot:

“A cold coming we had of it,

Just the worst time of the year

For a journey, and such a long journey:

The ways deep and the weather sharp,

The very dead of winter.”

And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,

Lying down in the melting snow.

There were times we regretted

…

With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,

And three trees on the low sky,

And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.

Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,

Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,

…

And I would do it again, but set down

This set down

This: were we led all that way for

Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,

We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,

But had thought they were different; this Birth was

Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.

We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,

But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,

With an alien people clutching their gods.”

Sitting reading, listening, the teenager drops by.

We sing together, hoping for some faith in the road,

On The Road Again

Willie Nelson

On the road again
I just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is makin' music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again

On the road again
Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again
And I can't wait to get on the road again

Here we go, on the road again
Like a band of Gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turnin' our way”

Old Willie reminds. 

And we leave together.

Making our way down East Fourth.

Saying hi to old friends.

Through the park,

Down 12^th.

Walking all afternoon long.

Today, I’m on my way to DC.

Once more into the breach.

On the road again.