" A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.(1967).

A paid holiday celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. is something we bargained for and won in our Local 250 Union contract. How should one spend this day of freedom? Would an extra day of skiing or attendance at a Target Houseware Sale inspire suitable contemplation of MLK's life?

As it happens this year, a war against Iraq is being planned by our country's President and any other event must be seen in the light of this eventuality. Mindful of this, a coalition of groups wishing to celebrate Martin Luther King and protest impending war united to demonstrate their opinion in cities across the country, most notably in San Francisco, CA and Washington, D.C.

How does a celebration of MLK interface with an anti-war protest? And how does the Labor movement fit into it all? Well, as in all things, there is a "personal" and a "universal" truth, and one embarks on the first to find the second. That is what Woods and I did on our trip to SF on January 18th, documented in the following pages.

The "personal": This is our former neighbor, Salvatore Victor. He is the first of many people we were to see on the S.F. trip that was not "who we would expect to be there." A formerly apolitical artist, Sal was assisting Sacramento-Yolo Peace Action in its committment to transport 17 busloads of interested persons from Sacramento to the S.F. demonstration.

Everyone has their "flashpoint" -- the moment when they can no longer sit idly by as personal, local, or national events accelerate to intolerable levels, and Sal had reached his as war seemed increasingly imminent. The "universal": There were many people at the S.F. demonstration who had reached this "flashpoint". Some were "those you would expect" but a large number were stepping into this mode of protest for the first time.

Bus "8" held the Sacramento Local 250 contingent: Sharon, Sherri, Ellen (me), and Mary flashing the peace sign as we roll on to S.F. Though not an "official" Union contingent, our concern about impending war and diminishing civil rights inspired us to attend. The Union idea that employees have a right to participate in work place decisions translates here to "the citizens of a country have a right to participate in national decisions" and we are exercising this right.

"So what civil rights are diminishing?" some might ask. As always, that depends on who you are. If you hail from the wrong country, you may already be detained for "an indefinite period" if there are problems with your immigrant visa. If as an "ordinary citizen" you want to take out a loan, the newly legislated "Patriot Act" will require more personal documentation than previously required If "Homeland Security" decides that demonstrators fall into the "potential terrorist" category, protestors could be detained until the President declares that the "War on Terrorism" is over. We on the bus #8 do not wish to see this happen.

The Sacramento Local 250 Three (with the fourth taking the photo) at the bus drop-off at Embarcadero Plaza. The day was sunny but the brisk Bay Area weather required jackets and inspired the immediate procurement of coffee. Thus the opening moments of the demonstration were spent looking for Starbuck's, then waiting in endless lines while people ordered elaborate drinks. One had to measure their need for caffeine against the knowledge that restrooms would be minimal and the lines for them endless during the ensuing hours-long procession.

How the mundane requirements of the body conspire to undo the elevated aspirations of the heart and mind! Still, after these prosaic needs were satisfied, we were free to join the many thousands in demonstrating our hope for Peace and Justice.