There were 13 of us gathered at the Northwest corner of Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia, Washington yesterday in order to bear vigilant witness to the crimes and human rights abuses that are being committed by members of the Government of the USA.

Participants gathered, also, to bear a message of hope and peace, that the problems of the world, the violence and ecological/environmental degradation, the greed and exploitation, etc. - these problems and others - can be solved. There is a better way.

But it will require thinking outside of the box to find better ways and to implement them into practice.

Some say that idealism has no place in politics and only pragmatism and practicality hold sway - only the raw and brute forces of economic drives and necessities give our public servants cause for decision making.

But the status quo of current decisions are leaving humanity and the Earth in an increasingly precarious and perilous posture. Pollution and environmental degradation are killing the planet and many of its diverse species of plants and animals.

Ultimately, if the current path of destruction that humanity treads is carried to its final destination, there will be nothing left, only barren and poisoned land, air, and water.

Some of the signs that the vigilers held read:

"Peace is Possible"

"Bush's Wars Recruit Terrorists"

"Violence is the problem, not the solution."

"Talk with Iran"

"It's about oil."

"To save our republic, stop our empire."

"Choose Peace"