Okay, to make you feel a little better

AP reported a few days ago on

[t]wo teens from opposite coasts [who] are marching across the country for peace, hoping to gain followers and attention with each step.

Ashley Casale, 19, of Clinton Corners, N.Y., and Michael Israel, 18, of Jackson, Calif., had hoped others who oppose the war in Iraq would join them on their 3,000-mile walk from San Francisco to Washington. ...

The two met 10 minutes before beginning their journey. Casale just finished her freshman year at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and Israel recently graduated from high school. ...

On Wednesday, the two stopped for lunch in Montezuma[, Iowa]. Wearing T-shirts and displaying deep tans, the two described the blisters and achy knees they have endured as they crossed the western deserts, the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains.

"We've never thought about quitting, but there are parts of the country that are so isolated and towns are so far between we feel like we're alone without any support, but then we come across a town and see the support we have and it helps," Casale said. ...

Israel said he felt good about what he and Casale have accomplished.

"I hope it inspires people to be more vocal and politically active and become more aware of what's going on around them," he said. ...

"Our message is about ending the war in Iraq, but it's more than that," Casale said. "It's about cultivating peace in our daily lives and responding to things in a peaceful, nonviolent way."

The pair - actually now the trio, as they picked up a third go-the-whole-way walker in Iowa - crossed the Mississippi River on Tuesday and hope to be in Washington DC on September 11. This is the kind of action that usually gets very little national press but can generate boatloads of local coverage. You can follow the progress and offer support at www.marchforpeace.info.