by Karen Johnson

 

Linda Henderson, Michigan State Coordinator, received a call from WYOU television, a CBS affiliate in Wilkes-Barre, PA, asking if she could be on their WYOU Interactive news segment for the Memorial Day show. They would offer 20-30 minutes throughout 1-1/2 hours of broadcast news, live, tying it into Memorial Day and veterans. She said, "Yes."

 

Linda called me, the point person for the Midwest regional conference that would be held in Illinois a couple weeks later (the second regional conference she and I worked on together); I don't remember if she invited me or if I shouted out "road trip" before she had a chance. As life often works for me, I was noticing just the day before that I had absolutely nothing scheduled for the Memorial Day weekend. And today, Pennsylvania called. I had literature to select, bags to pack and spiritual work to do. This could be big.

 

When we were on the set of WYOU television four days later, Linda quipped that the gentleman who had called her said it would take four hours--we had just driven seven hours together (after she drove two hours and I, four hours to a rendezvous spot in Ohio). We were declared the people who had traveled the farthest to appear on their show. We were forewarned that often holiday weekend call-in shows receive few, if any calls.

We had four call-ins; some opposed and some in favor; all with great questions or concerns. To our surprise, WYOU also conducted an internet survey asking, "Would you support or oppose legislation that would create a 'U.S. Department of Peace'"?

We had been mulling over a side trip to see the Liberty Bell--it now seemed almost necessary to commemorate this wonderful news event. We would head for Philly in the morning--and have a picture of us taken with a Department of Peace banner in front of the Liberty Bell! We sent a few emails letting people know about the show and survey and went off on an adventure to see what there was to see in Wilkes-Barre. Much recorded history there, too.

You can see the survey results online as well as show clips.

 

We arrived in Philly just before noon--we were going to get a quick picture, have lunch and be on our way. When the guard near the Liberty Bell said no signs were permitted in front of the Liberty Bell without a permit, our momentum was temporarily lost.

 

After a bit of back and forth and a pause, he offered the phone number of the person who could grant us the permit. We were granted permission over the phone and had our picture taken.

 

We ended up staying and speaking with the guard for several minutes about Benjamin Franklin. He was a big fan; he was interested to hear he supported the Plan for Peace idea back in 1792, and we were interested to hear a small piece of what he knew of the man. The picture is that much sweeter for the communication we had in the process.

 

Karen Johnson and Linda Henderson stand for peace with the Liberty Bell