PORT TOWNSEND — While mothers across the country were served breakfasts in bed Sunday or received beautiful bouquets of flowers from their children, the Port Townsend group, The Raging Grannies, were urging mothers to act in the manner Mother’s Day was originally intended — to stand up and demand peace and tolerance.
Donned in shawls, bonnets, half-lens glasses, knee highs and aprons, The Raging Grannies gathered Sunday at Adams Street Park on Water Street in Port Townsend taking turns on the microphone to recite the 1872 “Mother’s Day for Peace” proclamation written by Julia Ward Howe, author of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
The Raging Grannies, who have made a name for themselves around Jefferson County by dressing in traditional grandma attire and singing well-known melodies with lyrics altered for peace messages, repeated Howe’s proclamation for two hours, asking passing mothers to participate.
“Arise then, women of this day,” the grannies recited.
“Arise, all women who have hearts, whether our baptism be that of water or of tears.
“Say firmly: ‘We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause.
“Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.”‘
