AR-News: Hawkish Bush ironically lays wreath on tomb of dove

[D. Roth]

Give the rock dove [aka pigeon] its due

Sean Gonsalves - Cape Cod Times

01.19.04 - Paying homage to America's most revered apostle of
nonviolence, President Bush provided us with an interesting image of
irony last week.

I'm referring to the news photo of our hawkish chief executive laying a
wreath at the tomb of the dove, who was not only instrumental in
bringing forth a new racial paradigm in America but has become a
powerful source of inspiration for peace and social justice movements
around the globe -- the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Though our president claims to be a Christian man of peace, the
contrasting philosophies of Bush and King are hard to ignore. In fact,
those who dare to utter King's words and thoughts in our post 9-11 world
are branded by Bush-backers as "anti-American."

And those courageous enough to follow King's example of nonviolent civil
disobedience run the risk of being labeled an "enemy combatant" subject
to the sweeping powers of the Patriot Act.

But now that the symbolic birthdays of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and
King, the American Gandhi, have passed, the hawks will be at it again,
preying on doves.

Of course, to the chagrin of hawks, doves are nowhere close to
extinction due in part to the fact that doves are an incredibly
resilient species with a long history of service to humanity. Did you
know that the dove (including the popular white dove -- the
international symbol for peace) is a close relative of the pigeon? In
fact, there is virtually no distinction between the two species.

It was a dove (or pigeon) that Noah sent out of the ark to see if the
flood had subsided, according to the eighth chapter of Genesis. And it
was a dove that descended on Jesus at his baptism, according to Mark's
gospel.

Though the Christian right believes that "God was not a politically
correct dove," in the words of the Rev. Jim Croft, it is beyond dispute
that Christian theology considers the dove symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

And despite the dove's reputation for being a peaceful bird, they have
proven themselves as courageous warriors on the battlefield.

The Romans used the homing pigeon in 43 B.C. as a military aid,
delivering important information to soldiers. But it wasn't until the
Franco-Prussian war that the homing pigeon received international
acclaim, credited with delivering 150,000 pieces of official
communication during the four-month siege of Paris.

The Office of Strategic Services -- the forerunner of the CIA -- used
pigeons in the Korean War. And just in case electronic communications
were knocked out, pigeons were even sent along with our troops to Iraq
last March, though the World War II-era Signal Corps Army Pigeon
Service, which included 3,000 enlisted men and 150 officers trained in
the use and handling of pigeons, is now defunct.

Why are pigeons and doves so useful? Because of their unique
characteristics. "Pigeons are excellent flyers, capable of speeds
greater than 50 mph. They can (also) outmaneuver a hawk if they see it
coming," according to Nature writer Michelle Stripling.

Doves and pigeons are also excellent examples of stable and egalitarian
family life. "Both male and female go through prolonged courtship
behavior. Both birds help to build the nest. Both birds incubate the
eggs. Both birds feed their young," according to Auburn University
zoology professor Jim Armstrong.

Known more for its amazing homing ability, stamina, intelligence,
adaptability, speed and cooing gentleness, the pigeon (or rock dove, as
they are sometimes called because of their tendency to nest on rocky
cliffs and now skyscrapers) are not without power. Ask an architect
about the damage they can do to buildings with their droppings alone.

Symbolically and literally, we have a lot to learn from our pacifistic
feathered friends, which, I imagine, is why Jesus himself, regarded by
Christians and non-Christians alike as a supreme wisdom teacher,
implored us to be "as wise as a serpent but as harmless as a dove."

I know. Unless they are white and flying out of cages at weddings,
pigeons are considered a nuisance species by many people, especially
urban dwellers. But considering the bird's revered history and symbolic
ethical significance, give the rock dove its due.

Even Bush hawks are made to genuflect at the feet of doves.

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