"Don't you dare honk--I don't want them to think we support them," my mother warned me.

I was driving the car with her in the passenger seat. A group of around ten women and men, some children, people were standing farther down by the side of the roadway with signs.

Signs had slogans such as:
'War is not legal'
'Bring the troops home now'
'Honk for peace'

Honk for peace? Is it that easy? A small utopia then must bubble up around the Holland Tunnel entrance each morning and afternoon rush hour when traffic comes to a stop. Los Angeles must be a free and easy city of love with all the honking that traffic causes there.

"No, don't do it," she warned again.

"Why not? Are you for war? If you aren't for peace, then you must be for war?"

She sighed. "Keep your eyes on the road. And it's not that simple. You didn't live through Vietnam!"

Which is true, but somewhat irrelevant. I kept that to myself. Conversations in automobiles can be so disjointed. Neither participant can look the other in the eye. Random interjections can disrupt the conversation's momentum. Verbal destinations are harder to arrive at. On the other hard, that is a saving grace.

"There's a strip mall there now? Didn't that used to be an old house?" I asked.

"That was torn down months ago. The supermarket is good though..."

Bbeeepp! I hit the car horn as we passed the suburban protesters. Well, peace certainly isn't that simple or even attainable. But as far gestures are concerned, honking is as simple as its gets.