A Sign of the Times by Deena Dawn Larsen

This afternoon I went and spent some time at Peace Corner, carrying a sign and sharing a message. For many, that location name probably doesn't mean much. For all I know, I am the only one who calls it that. The location is near the submarine and the new fountain. Years ago, Linda and I belonged to Lakeshore Peacemakers. For years, during the time of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, a small group of us marched for peace every Friday for an hour. At the conclusion of the hour, we paused to remember all of the Wisconsin people who lost their lives in the wars. We would read their names one by one. I dreaded the weeks when more names were added to that list. And over the years, we got to know those names all too well. At the time, I was able to recite much of the list from memory. Whenever I walk or bike past that spot, I remember the times, the people who made the ultimate sacrifice, and the many people who spent their time walking for peace week after week.

I knew I wanted to go back to that location and walk with a message. Choosing the right message took some thought. I wanted people to construct their own knowledge and I settled on, "We Deserve Better." I wanted something that would prompt some thought and even confusion. My hope was that I created a dialog, perhaps within a person's mind, or perhaps with the people in the vehicle. I looked through the cardboard recycling and I found a couple pieces of white cardboard. With some sharpies, a dowel and some duct tape, I was able to construct a simple sign, suitable for raising awareness.

One of the tasks that currently is occupying some of my time is organizing my LP records. Six or Seven years ago, I was

at a crossroads: I either had to dispose of my vinyl records or find something decent I could use to listen to them. I opted for the latter. As I've been cataloging the records, I've been listening to many of them. I like the pleasant surprises when the B side of the record is every bit as good as the A side. Similarly, I had a decision to make with my sign. I felt I should have something on the back. Rather than repeat side A, I opted for something less thought-provoking but hopefully somewhat inspiring. When I worked at Washington Junior High, I worked with some amazing people! (I know it is currently Washington Middle School but I'm referring to days of old). Our principal was an incredible leader. We looked at learning through the lens of Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) My teaching partner and learning teams were tasked with analyzing our craft. We had observed each other's teaching and had long conversations. We strived to create learning spaces that fostered an environment where students sought to question and learn based on exploring evidence in response to their inquiry. It wasn't teachers having students memorizing and spitting back answers. For a little over an hour this afternoon, that cold winter sidewalk was my classroom.

Within the first five minutes, one person yelled out his window. The phrase, "Let's Go Brandon" hit my ears and I lost a little faith in humanity and figured it would be a long and perhaps futile outing. It reminded me of the student in the back of the class, not really following along and calling out to gain attention. Like any seasoned teacher, I opted to ignore the remark. At fifteen minutes, a young woman who worked in a nearby store came running over. She asked me what I was protesting? I showed her the phrase and charged her with telling me what she thought I was doing out there. She said, "Local government?" I replied, "That could be." She hesitantly added, "The economy?" I said, "Sure! It is whatever you want it to be." It was only 18 degrees with a windchill and she didn't have on a jacket. She thanked me and went running off back inside. There were 2 - 3 enthusiastic honks that helped me to feel I wasn't wasting my time. And then about 45 minutes in, a woman pulled up to the red light, rolled down her window and yelled to get my attention. She called out, "A better WHAT?" I told her I didn't know and that it was for her to decide. She seemed like she wanted to get the right answer and responded, "A mayor?" I met her with silence and as the light was turning green she began her turn and called out, "World!". Just before her window went up she hopefully heard me say, "There you go!"

Sometimes I prefer solo walks in the quiet of the woods. Sometimes I prefer walking with a friend to get lost in conversation. Today, I wanted to be seen amidst the traffic of a busy afternoon. I've been doing a better job being active and today most of my exercise was pacing along the same stretch of sidewalk. And as I walked, I thought how I was not only exercising my body, but I was also exercising my mind in thought and exercising my 1st Amendment rights.

Since I chose to leave facebook, I felt I had to go old school to let my thoughts be known to the world. I'm hoping that some of the people heading home for the weekend took note and reflected a little.

If you had a blank piece of cardboard and were going to march along a busy street, what would your sign read? What comes to mind in response to "We Deserve Better"?

For my first venture out, it was important to me that I do it solo. But I am going to do this again. Any of you in the lakeshore area, if you want to join in, I'd love some company. For those of you elsewhere, I encourage you to do this where you live. If you do, let me know of your experiences. After all, I'm not trying to corner the peace market.