Between the airport pickups and shuttling folks and food to their needed destinations, along with the walking and vigiling and blogging, the rush and blur of each day, has created a sense of joyful weariness. The desert remains breath taking.

Yesterday at our Creech Air Force Base vigil, I had an intriguing and borderline crazy conversation with several counter protesters and Las Vegas Metro Police. I left our group which was engaged with the Stations of the Cross near the main gate at Creech Air Force base and walked to talk with the counter protesters at the south gate. As I walked along the fence I took several photos of the base as I went. Soon I was at the South Gate.

Since I had served in the USMC from 1965 -69, I introduced myself as a veteran and was cordially received. Things were good until I honestly stated I was with the peace walkers.

I had no interesting in deceiving or spying but wanted to talk with these folks and simply listen to their point of view. Sometimes I actually am interested in hearing other points of view and simply listening. The men I was speaking with were also veterans so we shared a common experience.

After telling them I was with the other group, they politely informed me that the police had told them they weren't allowed to speak with me and asked me to leave their designated area. I said look, we are all veterans and have served to defend the Constitution. What about freedom of speech? Isn't this a little crazy that you can't talk to me? Their leader said they felt obligated to follow the police instructions. I said what if officer in charge gave them permission to speak with me? Would it then be possible to talk a little? I looked directly at their leader and said, "Look, you guys have a lot of good ideas and I would like to hear them." To his credit he acknowledged the peace walkers had some good ideas too and said he would talk with me if he got permission. We called a police officer over from Las Vegas Metro Police. The police officer asked what the problem was and I explained the situation. He offered that he wasn't allowed to talk to anyone either but would call the officer in charge. Eventually the officer in the charge arrived and he asked what the problem was? I explained I was a veteran and was hoping to talk with these men however their leader stated he needed permission from the police to speak with me.

At this point an Air Force security man arrived and said he wanted to be part of the conversation. The LV Metro police officer said this was a private conversation and waved the Air Force man back. The officer in charge said that he made it clear to these folks that he wanted things peaceful and uncivil dialogue was strongly discouraged however it was fine with him if we spoke civilly. I explained to him I was just trying to go through the chain of command so that everything would be acceptable to everyone. I asked him to give the seemingly needed permission to the counter protest leader and then offered to buy them lunch at the nearby casino in Indian Springs. The officer went over to convey my invitation then soon reported back that it was declined. Their leader did come over to thank me for the invitation to lunch but said he wasn't interested in eating lunch.

In the course of my conversation with the Las Vegas Metro Police Officer I also learned of the Creech Air Force Base Paranoia. This came out innocently enough when I asked the officer if he minded me taking a few photos of him and his men. He said that was fine and was our right. He also said that I was making the Air Force folks really nervous when I walked along the fence on Highway 95 and took a few pictures of the base. They think everyone is a terrorist he said. (These pictures may be seen on my face book page in the Creech photo album. ) He also mentioned that Air Force security had asked him to make me stop taking photos however the officer said he told the Air Force it was my right to take these photos from outside the fence and that if they were that concerned they would just have to move their base to a place no one could get too.

I also learned that the arrests if any at Creech would be Federal as the LV Metro Police Officer said the base would be making the arrests and not LV Metro.

The vigil itself, from 3 pm to 5 pm, was a very mellow vigil, sunny and windy. The police were very cordial this day and we were all amused at how I made the Air Force so nervous with my little camera. Maybe it was because it was a Canon. There is so much fear. Truly we need to begin speaking to each other again.

PS: If any of you all a happen to be riding through Indian Springs, please stop and take a few pictures of Creech. You can watch the drones fly overhead like vultures. What has happen to the Air Force? What has happened to my country?