Philipos Melaku-bello Holding Picture Of Donald Trump And Vladimir Putin At Peace Vigil

Title

Philipos Melaku-bello Holding Picture Of Donald Trump And Vladimir Putin At Peace Vigil

Artist

Cora Wandel

Medium

Photograph

Description

In the waning days of Donald Trump's presidency, I stopped by the White House Peace Vigil which is across the street from the Executive Mansion on Pennsylvania Avenue. My friend Philipos Melaku-Bello proudly held up a picture of Trump being ridden, as if he were a fat horse, by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Philipos Melaku-Bello manages the historic White House Peace Vigil, which is plastered with signs for the vigli''s many causes, the most important of which is ridding the world of the threat of nuclear bombs and war. Established in 1982 by William Thomas, who died ten years ago, the face most people associated with the vigil until her death in January, 2016, was that of Concepcion Picciotto, and there are several photographs of her in my gallery. But throughout the years Melaku-Bello was one of the main backbones of the vigil, particularly following the death of Thomas. After Picciotto died, Melaku-Bello took control of the vigil and manages its affairs, and schedules from among the few people assisting him the "who and when" of sitting at the vigil, for the federal government insists it must be manned at all times, 24/7, or else it will be dismantled. At all times means, literally, "AT ALL TIMES" despite the hottest, coldest, and rainiest of those times --- and this included the historic blizzard in Washington the weekend Picciotto died in 2016. Melaku-Bello is a great face for the vigil, he is congenial, soft-spoken, and extremely intelligent and fluent in many languages. He has traveled the world. And people who come to Pennsylvania Avenue to view the White House often stop by the plastic tent to converse with him. I have been in his presence many times when these encounters have occurred, and regardless of what part of the world the visitors are from, he often speaks with them in their language and conveys an air of empathy for their lives and the issues and causes that are important to them. And he is equally conversant with all Americans, for he grew up in southern California, and has traveled the country extensively, just as he has traveled the world. So if you see Melaku-Bello in the door of the vigil's plastic tent, stop by and talk with him for awhile, and call him Philipos. He is a first-name guy. And if you speak with Philipos, ask him to show you the picture he has of Vladimir Putin riding a fat horse with the face of Donald Trump.

Uploaded

February 22nd, 2021

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