Early one morning in 1970, my mother, the artist, insisted that I create a painting to enter into the community art show. I was not interested in that. My mind was busy thinking about the things happening in and to the world around me as I prepared to enter college in the Fall. Seven college students had just been killed by our own military, including some who were just walking by on their way to class. I had just been to the State Fair with a group of friends and had noticed that no matter where we went, there were always armed men in uniforms watching and following us. A friend of our family had just informed us that I was on some kind of a “list” being kept by the local police department. My mind was busy with those things and not interested in “painting”, but my mother was never one to take “No” for an answer.

I finally walked to the garage, grabbed a board and a couple of cans of spray paint, and three minutes later had my “painting” ready to enter the art show.

My painting won first place in the show.

After the judging, someone from the newspaper asked me what my painting was called and what it meant. I didn’t think it sounded all that good to say I created it to shut my mother up, so I paused and made something up. I said that my painting was called “Peace Survives”, and shows how, even with all of the fires burning around us like they are today, and even when peace looks really blurry and difficult to see, peace always survives and overcomes. They seemed to accept that.

That painting still hangs on my wall and is as appropriate today as it was then. The fires are burning. We are hearing of plans to use our own military and other forces to, once again, target our own nation’s population. People are being watched and followed, and lists are being created. It is becoming more and more difficult to see “peace” in the midst of all the fires and smoke.

I believe this is one of the reasons so many no longer want history to be taught in our schools. There are people who do not want us to remember Kent State and other things, because it might cause us to disagree with things those people want to do today. The smoke from the fires is growing. Peace is becoming more and more difficult to see.

My old painting has now become my message. I will use that old symbol as my sign that I do remember the past and am calling for peace in place of the fire and smoke being planned.

Peace! Peace! Peace for all!