Who is Concepcion Picciotto ?

What ? You never heard about the " passionaria" of nuclear protests. The mother of all nuclear activists. She briefly appeared in Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11

Conception, alias Connie or Conchita for her friends was born 64 years ago and she is protesting every day against nuclear tests and weapons in front of the White House since 28 years. Her home is a tent that she installs on Pennsylvania avenue in front of the White house every morning. She has no other home and is living in the street. The story is that she was born in Spain and moved to the United States when she was 18. She briefly worked for the Spanish consulate in Washington, got married and divorced from an Italian man and then started her protest when she was 36 years old.

Her slogans displayed on big posters often make reference to biblical themes : " Ban all nuclear weapons or have fun on judgement day", " Who lives by the bomb will die by the bomb"

Tourists from all over the world come to have a picture with her in front of the White house . She defines herself as a citizen of the world, tells many stories, probably half true half lie. For example during the day she was a big helmet as she says that she would have been beaten several times by the police...As she lives in the street she is not a model of cleanliness. For some she is an heroin, for other just a poor fool!

Who ever she is: a fool or a saint; her 28 years crusade for peace cannot leave indifferent. The fact that in the US you can carry on with this type of protest for 28 years without being arrested or sent to a psychiatric hospital is also thought provoking ...