Peg's Background

MY BROTHER JO

He played college football. He slept all through his Christmas vacation. The Dr. called it sleeping sickness (from kissing?) - mono. He flunked out.

He didn't like our father's insurance stuff. Made friends with longshoreman on the docks of NYC Consulted Roger Baldwin (ACLU) about becoming a Union leader. Went to Highlander Folk School. Moved to Youngstown, Ohio. Organized SWOC (first CIO union of steelworkers). Joined the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. They were volunteers for liberty. They fought the first fight against fascism. They understood that their country was part of the world, and that its citizens had responsibilities to the international community. Surviving veterans continue the struggle for liberty, social justice, and democratic values even today.

MY HERO

I scoured New Orleans looking for something to do in Jo's name. I found Gordon Mclntire one evening, standing tall under a single dim light bulb in a YMCA hall, describing the work of the Louisiana Farmers Onion. He looked down at me with amazement. A Vassar city girl wanting to help? Why? What could she do? Type, edit, hold down the office while he was away signing up members, organizing locals. I proved my ability, and my love. The "onion" grew into a union and became an important part of the National Farmers Union. NFU president was best man at our wedding in 1940. In 1949 and 1950 our children, Jil and Jo, were born. We moved to Rome, Italy, where Gordon was employed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Our happiness was shattered by a letter of termination. McCarthyism The UN Director General yielded to pressure from the U.S. State Dept. We lost even our U.S. passports. But Gordon fought back for five long years, and was totally vindicated. His private struggle inspired and strengthened McCarthy victims in UN organizations in many other foreign countries. Human rights issues were linked to liberty, social justice and democratic values.

MY MENTOR

I attended a NOW Convention in San Francisco in 1988 (50 years after my brother's death, 30 years after my husband's). That's when I first met the late Barbara Wiedner, founder of Grandmothers for Peace Int/l. She invited me to her home in Sacramento and quickly assembled a pool-side party in my honor. Introducing me, she said she knew I had been "involved" in Peace and Justice issues for many years. I was standing at the outer edge of the diving board, in an ankle-length Indian cotton cocktail dress, and I jumped into the water. Dripping wet, I corrected Barbara's statement. "I have not been involved," I said. I'm committed. "

Some of you may recognize this as a take on a Martina Navratilova quote. When she was asked the difference between the two, she answered. ,”Think of a ham and egg omelet. The chicken is involved, the pig is committed."

Once back in St. Augustine I started Grandparents for Peace: Our program includes alternatives to violence, and environmental issues. I think the greatest expression of love a grandparent can make is active participation in efforts to
(1)eliminate nuclear weapons,
(2) convert military bases, munitions facilities and research sites into peacetime purposes,
(3) promote and assist development of peace curricula in our schools, including conflict resolution techniques, and
(4) help children realize a greater awareness of and responsibility for our very beautiful, but fragile, planet.

That is why EARTH DAY is being celebrated in St. Augustine. Held at the Amphitheatre on A1A South, back to back with the Farmers Market, residents and tourists of all ages are urged to attend ... to learn from the educational exhibits, to enjoy the art and craft exhibits, to have fun playing, drumming, dancing and singing with each other. Grandparents for Peace together with St. Augustine Volunteers for Earth (SAVE) regard this as a special opportunity to see this community event as inte-rgenerationalism in action.

EARTH DAY promises to be a very meaningful experience for young and old; leading to greater respect for each other, and for Planet Earth

MY CO CHAIR, Paul

I cannot close without acknowledging the talent and initiative of Paul Archetko. You may know him as the artist behind Skinny Lizard t-shirts. I met him through Ancient City Entrepreneurs (ACE) and he has been a friend and my EARTH DAY co-chair since then. Thank you, Paul And thanks to all our St. Augustine Volunteers for Earth friends.