Should Grandmothers throw stones?

How the underline appeared and why I can't delete it is a mystery. My apologies!

While visiting the West Bank in 2004 our group, Women of a Certain Age, participated in a non-violent protest against The Wall. It was a beautiful day, blue sky, music courtesy of scout bands,filled the air, hundreds of people: Israeli, Palestinian, Internationals....everyone was filled with energy, excitement and a commitment to peace.

Soldiers were watching from the top of a nearby hill...so what! We weren't threatening or causing trouble....we were peacefully walking. Suddenly tear-gas filled the air (from canisters marked made in the USA) sound bombs replaced the music, rubber bullets whizzed by....we ran for cover. Palestinian shopkeepers motioned us into the safety of an arcade. The soldiers continued with tear gas, sound bombs, rubber bullets....there would be a lull and then it would start anew. This went on for what seemed like hours.


Outside, Palestinian boys...young men.... began burning tires, making it more difficult for the soldiers to see. And the boys had stones, lots of stones....they began throwing them with all their might towards the Israeli soldiers, who were much to far away for a stone to reach...However they must have known bullets from the soldiers' guns could easily have reached them.

My reaction to the stone throwing shocked me....For a few seconds I wanted to stop them...then I realized I admired those boys; their bravery, their spirit, their defiance, their actions saying they would not give up. And much to my surprise, I wanted to join them, I wanted to throw stones....throw them as hard as I could toward those soldiers...but I didn't. My actions would have been an insult to those young men, which I certainly didn't want. Plus, I was participating in non-violent directing action, a practice I believe in and do my best to maintain. Isn't stone throwing considered "violent action"?

Throwing stones at Israeli soldiers, their tanks, jeeps, personnel carriers...is tempting the fates. The soldiers too often shoot to kill. As a mother and grandmother this causes me fear! I wouldn't want my son or grandsons to take that risk and I'm know I would try to stop them; lock them in their room, block the doorway, beg, plead!

However: If grandmothers could throw stones without causing insult; if they were able to trade places with young Palestinian men throwing stones.....I wonder what I would do.