s country turning to their neighbors and neighborhoods for community-building. We see military families becoming more outspoken against the war and occupation in Iraq, and we see many people even less satisfied with politics and policy that call for the occupation of Iraq and the further destruction of Palestine. Most of all, we see people challenging not only the spin but the silence.

As it stands, the coming month or two will take us through Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Nevada and California. We'll exit California in mid-January to head eastward through southern Nevada, Arizona, etc...visit www.justicewheels.org for schedule, speaker bios, etc...see you soon.

We have picked up endorsements from Veterans for Peace, Jews Against the Occupation, the Pacific Life Research Center, Montana Peace Seekers Network, the Helena Peace Seekers, and the Ronald Reagan Home for the Criminally Insane.

Below is an update from tour member Dan Winters of Boulder Colorado. Dan has been to Iraq numerous times, the Occupied Territories on occasion, and even was an observer in East Timor a while back. Have a read.

Wheels of Justice Keeps Rolling

by Dan Winters

I was the driver and one of the speakers (Aug 13 - 31) for the current bus tour which will finish in May of 04. The bus has traveled over 50,000 miles and visited over 400 locations during the past 3 years. I was in Iraq for the third time this January with the Iraq Peace Team of Voices in the Wilderness. In addition to myself there was Doug Johnson who was in Baghdad both prior to and during the recent "war" and was able to share his experiences with very real slides which were at times difficult to watch. Sharona, the bus manager, was the third member of our group - she is a recent high school graduate who felt it was better to work for peace instead of attending college this semester. At different times we were joined by one or two other speakers - who were Palestinian or of Palestinian heritage.

The purpose of the tour, for the past 3 years, has been to bring information about Iraq to the people of the US. This recent tour will also inform attendees about the situation of the Palestinian people.

We left Chicago on Aug. 13 for Green Bay and points west. Stops included Minneapolis/St. Paul, St. Cloud, Brainard, Morehead, Fargo, ND, Bismark, Ft. Yates, Pine Ridge, SD.

Having spoken at many group, college and religious venues I was prepared for a positive response from the audiences. We were not disappointed. However, I was not prepared for the wonderful outpouring of fellowship and love we received from the places we visited. We were especially taken aback by the graciousness of our local hosts in the cities we visited. Our hosts provided for sleeping arrangements either cooked for us or took us out for a meal - and would not hear of payment.

I wish to describe just of few of the wonderful moments we shared with our hosts. From a farm house in Wisconsin where we had a great farm breakfast and then watched the goats stand on their hind legs to much apples from the tree - to a 3 day stay in the big city of Minneapolis - to a Benedictine sisters mother house - to a stay with a North Dakota doctor and his family - on to South Dakota where we stayed on the Pine Ridge reservation (of wounded knee infamy) and were honored to be invited to a sweat lodge - everyone made us feel so welcome and at home.

At times those in the peace movement feel as if there are so few of us that we become somewhat (or very what!!) discouraged. It is easy to feel "down" and difficult to gather our strength and continue to fight, to agitate and to persevere, in this "World According to Bush". However, the people we met, and the sense of community they shared with us and the message that we could bring to them - that yes there are many who think and feel and act as they do and that they are not alone - served to remind us and them that the fight to illuminate wrongs and to speak and act when we see injustice is worth the price - yes, "the price is worth it". As volunteers we gave of our time - but we were repaid, many fold, in ways that made us strong and yet did not give us the hardness and brittleness of steel.

As written above, the tour continues until May of 04 and has yet to visit most of the US. Please contact Ceylon at 917-567-5048 ceylon@vitw.org and see if your village, town or city can be added to the tour.

Dan C. Winters Boulder, Colorado USA e-mail dancwinters@yahoo.com

Sincerely, Ceylon Mooney for Voices in the Wilderness PMB #634 5315 N. Clark ST CHICAGO, IL 60640 917-567-5048 ceylon@vitw.org "I think all foreigners should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq." - Paul Wolfowitz

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