By Steve Thornton (courtesy of Homefront) – It’s August 6, 2009. On this warm summer night, the Diaz family is walking through Riverside Park in Hartford. The kids are thirsty and they’re on the way home across the highway to their house in the new Stowe Village.

About one hundred people are walking to the river with lit candles.  The family is curious; one asks a guy carrying three of the candles what it’s all about and if they can help.  He is glad for their assistance and gets them their own candles.

Each candle is in a cup which is attached to a square of thin wood.  They  are being put in the Connecticut River to remember the people of Hiroshima.  The family asks more questions and the guy tells them: during World War II, our government dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombs killed many people and hurt many more. We remember those victims, and we are here to remind people that it should never happen again.

You know, the guy continues, some people say it was right to drop those bombs.  But when we drop them on others, they want to drop bombs on us.  Where does it end? The older family members nod their heads.  Nine people have been murdered in their neighborhood so far this year.  The two kids just want to know how to launch the candles.

Earlier in the evening, the event featured food and speakers and music.  The community chorus sang, a hip hop artist performed, someone played the flute. They heard from a peace activist who had been to Iraq many times, a union leader, and an African man who heads up the local United Nations Association. A member of the City Council reads a resolution remembering Hiroshima and calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Leading the procession to the river is a young woman from Brooklyn who plays the accordion and sings original compositions.

The Diaz family follows, and with some hesitance walks down the long shaky dock to place the candles in the river.  Look, says the young girl, mine is way out on the water.  The boy launches three candles, as the adults hold their breath and try to make sure he doesn’t fall in.  I’m okay, I’m okay, he says.

Do you do this every year? they ask the guy.  Yes, we do. Thanks for letting us join you.  No, thank you.

More information: Hope Out Loud