Read For Peace!

On Monday 03/03/03, members of the Indian community staged a reading of the ancient Greek play, Lysistrata. This event was performed under the auspices of the Lysistrata Project.

Lysistrata Project is a worldwide grassroots campaign for peace and to end acts of aggression, violence, and war. Theater artists the world around used the stage as an avenue to demonstrate the cause of peace. Enactments and readings of Aristophanes’ comedy, Lysistrata was simultaneously staged the world over (including Kochi (Kerala), Paris, London, New York, and Boston) on, Monday 03/03/03 as an act of dissent against war. This unique and synchronized staging is aimed at creating a global resonance of peace.

We gathered in Bedford MA, at the First Church of Christ Congregational as a community to add a voluminous voice to the protest and strengthen Indian values of non-violence. Though the poor turn out disappointed the participants, it did not stop them from adding a throaty protest through the tremendously hilarious lines in the play.

Through the reading of this play, we submit a plea for peace. Lysistrata is the story of a group of women from opposing states who unite to end the Peloponnesian War. Athenian, Spartan, and Corinthian women join forces, take over the Acropolis where public funds are kept, and rise to end the war by withholding sex from their partners. Finally, physically restless and frantic for intimacy, the men agree to lay down their weapons and work towards achieving diplomatic peace.

We are not in effect suggesting that these tactics be used to end this war, Lysistrata provides a humorous entrée into a healthy community dialogue: What CAN we do on a local level to understand if war is indeed a way to achieve peace and how can we help to stop unnecessary violence? A silent refrain ran through the reading that voiced hopes of not having to resort to “Lysistratian” tactics, or any other tactics for the sake of peace. That indeed peace will prevail without having to take up arms or lose lives.

This play also brings up another interesting notion. That common people can influence poignant events of the world. Women are speciously typified as all that is week and yielding. These very women unite and muster the strength to hold out and, although in an underhand way, make the men-the warriors, seek alternate solutions at achieving peace. This should tell us that ordinary people whose every day lives do not touch political makings, can make a difference. United, we can compel the leaders to seriously consider issues of aggression and war.

The message of our protest is directed at all governments and leaders of the world, including President Saddam Hussein. The event should not be misread and our Protest must not be misconstrued as support for President Hussein’s government or its activities. By willfully and systematically undermining the spirit of his people and the peoples of the world, President Hussein is earning the singular wrath of the united nations of the world. Understanding our message means understanding each other’s desires and opinions as friends and amicable partners and not through violence and war.

NB: Parts of the information presented here comes from the Lysistrata Project website. For more information about the project, visit http://www.lysistrataproject.com.

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