Marie, Marie, Hold On Tigh
Marie, Marie, Hold On Tigh (第1/3页)
HenryMackie,EdwardAsherandHowardEttlebravedarainstormtodemonstrateagainstthehumanconditiononWednesday,April26(andMarie,youshouldhaveusedwaterproofpaint;thesignswereamessafterhalfanhour).TheybeganatSt.JohnthePrecursoron69thStreetat1:30p.m.picketingwithsignsbearingtheslogansMANDIES!/THEBODYISDISGUST!/COGITOERGONOTHING!/ABANDONLOVE!andhandingoutannouncementsofHenryMackieslectureatthePlaymorLanesthenextevening.Therewasmuchinterestamongbystandersinthevicinityofthechurch.AmanwhosaidhisnamewasWilliamRochestercameuptogiveencouragement:"Thatstheway!"hesaid.Atabout1:50afat,richlydressedbeadleemergedfromthechurchtodisputeourrighttopicket.Hehaddewlapswhichshookunpleasantlyand,Iamsorrytosay,didnotlooklikeagoodman.
"Allright,"hesaid,"nowmoveon,youhavetomovealong,youcantpicketus!"Hesaidthatthechurchhadneverbeenpicketed,thatitcouldnotbepicketedwithoutitspermission,thatitownedthesidewalk,andthathewasgoingtocallthepolice.HenryMackie,EdwardAsherandHowardEttlehadalreadyobtainedpolicepermissionforthedemonstrationthroughafortunatebitofforesight;andweconfirmedthisbyshowinghimourslipthatwehadobtainedatPoliceHeadquarters.Thebeadlewasintenselyirritatedatthisandstormedbackinsidethechurchtoreporttosomeonehigherup.HenryMackiesaid,"Well,getreadyforthelightningbolt,"andEdwardAsherandHowardEttlelaughed.
Interestinthedemonstrationamongwalkerson69thStreetincreasedandanumberofpeopleacceptedourleafletandbegantoaskthepicketsquestionssuchas"Whatdoyoumean?"and"Wereyouyoungmenraisedinthechurch?"Thepicketsrepliedtothesequestionsquietlybutfirmlyandinasmuchdetailascasualpassersbycouldbeexpectedtobeinterestedin.Someofthewalkersmadetauntingremarks——"Cogitoergoyourass"isoneIremember——butthedemeanorofthepicketswasexemplaryatalltimes,evenlaterwhenthingsbegan,asHenryMackieputit,"togetalittlerough."(Marie,youwouldhavebeenproudofus.)Peoplewhocareabouttherightsofpicketsshouldrealizethattheserightsarethreatenedmostlynotbythepolice,whogenerallydonotmolestyouifyougothroughtheappropriatebureaucraticproceduressuchasgettingapermit,butbyindividualswhocomeuptoyouandtrytopullyoursignoutofyourhandsor,inonecase,spitatyou.Themanwhodidthelatterwas,surprisingly,verywelldressed.Whatcouldbehappeningwithinanindividuallikethat?Hedidntevenaskquestionsastothenatureorpurposeofthedemonstration,justspatandwalkedaway.Hedidntsayaword.Wewonderedabouthim.
Atabout2P.M.averyhigh-upofficialinablackclericalsuitemergedfromthechurchandaskedusifwehadeverheardofKierkegaard.Itwasrainingonhimjustasitwasonthepicketsbuthedidntseemtomind."ThisdemonstrationdisplaysaKierkegaardianspiritwhichIunderstand,"hesaid,andthenrequestedthatwetransferouroperationstosomeotherplace.HenryMackiehadaveryinterestingdiscussionofabouttenminutesdurationwiththisofficialduringwhichphotographsweretakenbytheNewYorkPost,NewsweekandCBSTelevisionwhomHenryMackiehadalertedpriortothedemonstration.Thephotographersmadethechurchmanalittlenervousbutyouhavetohandittohim,hemaintainedhisphonyattitudeofpoliteinterestalmosttothelast.Hesaidseveralratherbromidicthingslike"Thehumanconditionisthegiven,itswhatwedowithitthatcounts"and"Thebodyissimplythetemplewhereinthesouldwells"whichHenryMackiecounteredwithhisfamousquestion"Whydoesithavetobethatway?"whichhasdumbfoundedsomanyorthodoxreligionistsandthinkersandwithwhichhefirstwonus(theotherpickets)tohisbannerinthefirstplace.
"Why?"thechurchmanexclaimed.Itwasclearthathewasradicallytakenaback.&q
（本章未完，请点击下一页继续阅读）