Peace Elves on the Hawthorne Bridge
author: Enji Elf
 e-mail: enji@earthlink.net
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Peace Elves spread a message of message. Includes 1 min video file.
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As I approached the peace elves, I recorded the two who were there on time, Dancing Elf Tina and Peace Elf Herself, Emily. The peace elves meet at least one time a week, more often two or three times, on one of the bridges of Portland to deliver a message of peace to the morning commuters. They do this during the likeliest commuting time, from 8-9 am. They started in December, and therein lies the origin of the group's name. Emily, the coordinator, comes prepared for stragglers like me, and brings a quote or saying that can start small and expand. So when I arrived they carried the message "Peace Now", I tacked on the peace sign, and by 8:30, Robin arrived and the message became "World Peace Now." The peace elves are committed to providing a positive message for peace and letting people out there know they are not alone in their wishes for peace in the world.
Afterwards, I asked a few questions of the other three before they hurried off to their respective jobs:
*What keeps you coming back?
To make Emily feel better. [laughs]
It seems like it makes a difference. Everything you do matters, and it's a positive thing.
*What's the worst thing that happened to you?
One person got hit by a bike. We get the finger sometimes, but... .that's ok. It's kind of funny actually.
We get rained on.
Some bikers tell us we're really annoying. That's sad, because I'm a biker too.
Some have said to me 'get a job'.
*Can you think of something that stood out as the best thing?
Getting the little plastic soldier.
The best thing was someone giving us cookies on the Hawthorne Bridge. Well, we had cookies twice, once Tina brought some (internal cookies), but these others were external cookies.
*Tell me about the plastic soldier.
On the Burnside Bridge, almost every Friday morning, there's this delivery truck that goes by, going the other direction. Who knows if the driver knows what our signs say, or if he thinks "those damn peaceniks", but he drives by, rolls down the window, sticks out his fist, and shouts, "Go US Air Force!" A couple weeks ago he threw us a little gift, which Robin collected, this plastic army man who had been hand-detailed. With his face painted on and his beady little eyes, he doesn't look happy about his occupation. He knows it's not right livelihood! Now I [Tina] put him on my bike handlebars with a big flower.
*Anything else you want to add?
Be a peace elf. The more the merrier.
[contact  peaceelf@yahoo.com to get on the list]
As for myself, I do it for Emily too. I've come to feel it's important to help others in their efforts for peace, because they also come and help me, and together we create something larger than when we're doing it all separately. Also, I feel it's important to be a witness for peace. Just this morning, more than one person walking or biking by said "Thank you." People are grateful that SOMEONE is out there giving an alternative message to the more prevalent warmongering. Maybe this act right now is not making changes in the actions of our government, but as Emily said, it makes people happy to see us there. Like the Burma Shave advertisements, our advertisements stick in people's heads, and while they thank us today, or honk, or give us the peace sign, tomorrow they may be reminded to let their Representative know they want a Department of Peace in our government. While today they may give us the finger, after months of seeing our dedication, they may have to wonder, and look into what drives us to get out of our cars and hold these signs of peace.
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