Woke up early this gray morning, so I held a vigil on the public sidewalk in front of our local hospital in Gaithersburg, Maryland, for a couple of hours, watching dawn become daybreak become morning. I held up a sign “CEASEFIRE NOW” and stood near the driveway of the main entrance. (See photo of sign.) I walked in little circles to get exercise and to stay warm. I returned home at 9:00AM, feeling invigorated, not drained.
Why hold a vigil near a hospital?
* TIME. I can easily do this vigil solo, or with a group. Schedule my own vigil at any time. Several regional hospitals are just a short drive away from my home. No planning needed. Just do it.
* PLACE. Most every public hospital has a large public sidewalk close to its main entry and parking lot. That’s a legal spot for holding up a sign. I’m exercising free speech in a public space.
* AUDIENCE. Hundreds of adults from all walks of life, class, and ethnicity drove past in two short hours, many giving me a thumbs up. (There were just a few frowns and one middle finger.)
* AMA. The American Medical Association (AMA) and several other medical profession groups in the United States are lethargic, AWOL when it comes to calling out the genocide in Gaza. The profession needs a wakeup call.
If any pedestrian (there were a few) asks for details, I have on hand an OCHA Infographic (here’s from Feb 19, 2024) or perhaps a printout of the “Urgent Health Update” from the Jewish Voice for Peace Health Advisory Council.
Today, I’m sick of seeing video after video of doctors, nurses, other hospital staff, and patients of all ages and their family members fleeing down the hallways, under fire from Israeli soldiers using U.S. munitions. War crimes day after day, month after month, in Gaza. 148 days of this. It is unbelievable.
When hospitals are no longer sacrosanct, then humanity itself is being killed. Neither I, nor the hospital staff and patients, nor my particular city are being bombed at the moment. So, among other advocacy, I'll vigil now and again–at the hospital.
Steven Sellers Lapham
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Steve at a Congressional candidate forum in January with a former Delaware state representative and community members.
