In Honor Of Pat McGuire-Our Fallen Sister Of The Anti-War Streets-RIP

In Honor Of Pat McGuire-Our Fallen Anti-War Sister of The Streets-RIP

I, frankly, was hesitant to write the message. I had not known Pat McGuire well or long, mainly since the Occupy and Smedley Butler Brigade-Veterans for Peace anti-war street actions last fall. I, for example, did not know much of her personal history. I am not always careful of such things. I knew little of her medical problems, except the obvious and debilitating ones. The times frown upon public comment on such frailties. I knew little of her politics, past or present except that we stood shoulder to should on the mean anti-war streets of Boston. She thus stood on the right side of the angels.

I do know this about Pat McGuire, and I know it well. I know that at our Veterans for Peace June meeting she unhesitantly volunteered, despite her own medical problems, to help in our outreach program to help feed homeless veterans. I know that she attended and marched in the Occupy-initiated June 16th march against austerity despite the fact that she could not march the whole distance. And a few weeks ago, at a time when she must have known she was failing, she stood shoulder to shoulder with us at our weekly stand-out for Private Bradley Manning in Davis Square, Somerville.

Know this too. When we are snubbed by some in a hurry passer-by who refuses our desperate anti-war leaflets, when we are footsore or disappointed when the masses are not we us after some ill-attended march or rally, or when we are ready to make a deal with the devil to get some long-winded planning meeting over with think about Pat McGuire and what I have mentioned above. Yes, think about Pat McGuire our fallen sister of the anti-war streets. Pat McGuire-Presente