V-Day, Peace, possibilities

Another long week. What is it? The weather (cold), the time of year (dark), the semester (mid)? Oh, well - it's Friday, and most of my colleagues are gone. I'm just about out the door, off to a work meeting, believe it or not, and a weekend of papers to grade. Ahh, the glories of professing.

We did our bi-annual V-Day program here - a special, benefit performance of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues," to raise money for a local shelter that fights violence against girls and women (Eve's purpose in life) - Peace, basically.

But, little did I know that the performance would enrage a person - not because of the sex, sex parts, vulgar language, etc., but because of the political implications of a few words, words that innocently and ignorantly fell from the lips of student performers, who had no idea that names of places can elicit anger, sadness, rage, homesickness...

After some thoughtful discussions with the person offended, and an engaging communications class this morning, I pulled up a world map, and really looked (sort of like Bob in the "Vagina Monologues" piece, if you know what I mean). What I saw were many names and places I have not one iota of knowledge about, even though the names were familiar and the places identifiable. I had no idea what was really going on in someone else's backyard, and dammit, I should know. I am supposedly an educated person. I know much of the world keeps an eye on North America. Why don't I see other places, spaces, borders, boundaries, hardships, cries for justice? Isn't Ensler's piece as much about love and peace as it is women and respect? Aren't someone's daily fears of bombings, rapes, mutilations my fears, too?

No. Not in peaceful middle America. And, understandably so, not every day, or hour, of my life. But, I am seriously considering broadening my daily responsibility to peace and care to a more global awareness, a broader view. My backyard is endless. I needed someone to remind me, something to jar me out of complacency.