Eating for peace

I’m too lazy to be an activist, but food is always a great motivator for me. That’s why my friends Mike Murphy and Sharon Lockhart were able to convince me to attend last Saturday’s “Breaking Bread Together: A Dinner with KC Area Iraqi Refugees and Iraqi War Veterans,” hosted by the American Friends Service Committee.

The dinner, which was attended by more than 200 people, was held in the basement of Community Christian Church. The meal was prepared by members of Kansas City’s Iraqi community, overseen by my friend Bonnie Winston, one of the most talented chefs in town. “The food is incredible,” Bonnie whispered to me before her volunteers began laying out, buffet-style, huge platters of dolmas, tabbouli, eggplant salad, onions stuffed with beef, chicken, rice biryani and a half-dozen other dishes that were all incredibly delicious. If only all church-basement suppers could be so good!