The Nuclear Resister
E-bulletin, March, 2011
IN THIS E-BULLETIN:
1) TWO TO 15 MONTHS PRISON SENTENCES FOR DISARM NOW PLOWSHARES
2) DEMONSTRATION FOR BRADLEY MANNING’S FREEDOM RESULTS IN 31 ARRESTS
3) INVASION ANNIVERSARY ACTIONS LEAD TO ARRESTS IN D.C. AND HOLLYWOOD
4) TWELVE ARRESTED AT LOCKHEED-MARTIN MISSILE PLANT
5) REFLECTION ON FUKUSHIMA, by Fr. Louie Vitale, OFM, Lompoc Federal Prison
6) WRITE A NOTE OF SUPPORT TO ANTI-NUCLEAR & ANTI-WAR PRISONERS
7) UPCOMING NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTIONS – As the Fukushima catastrophe unfolds on the eve of the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl, there is growing interest in public demonstrations calling for an end to nuclear power. Plan anti-nuclear actions and demonstrations now for the Chernobyl anniversary.
BREAKING NEWS:
Two to 15 months prison sentences for Disarm Now Plowshares
by Bill Quigley
Two grandmothers, two priests and a nun were sentenced in federal court in Tacoma, WA Monday March 28, 2011, for confronting hundreds of US nuclear weapons stockpiled for use by the deadly Trident submarines.
Sentenced were: Sr. Anne Montgomery, 83, a Sacred Heart sister from New York, who was ordered to serve 2 months in federal prison and 4 months electronic home confinement; Fr. Bill Bichsel, 81, a Jesuit priest from Tacoma Washington, ordered to serve 3 months in prison and 6 months electronic home confinement; Susan Crane, 67, a member of the Jonah House community in Baltimore, Maryland, ordered to serve 15 months in federal prison; Lynne Greenwald, 60, a nurse from Bremerton Washington, ordered to serve 6 months in federal prison; and Fr. Steve Kelly, 60, a Jesuit priest from Oakland California, ordered to serve 15 months in federal prison. They were also ordered to pay $5300 each and serve an additional year in supervised probation. Bischel and Greenwald are active members of the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, a community resisting Trident nuclear weapons since 1977.
What did they do?
Read more here.
Demonstration for Bradley Manning’s freedom results in 31 arrests
Three hundred and fifty activists rallied and marched, and 31 were arrested at the U.S. Marine Base at Quantico, Virginia March 20, demanding freedom for Army PFC Bradley Manning. He is accused of leaking secret U.S. government documents to the WikiLeaks website. Manning has been held in solitary confinement for nine months; recently, even his underwear has been taken away at night because authorities claim he might hurt himself. He presents himself outside his cell for inspection each morning unclothed.
Read more here.
Invasion anniversary actions lead to arrests in D.C. and Hollywood
D.C.
From Art Laffin: At noon on March 19, the Stop These Wars coalition, led by Veterans for Peace, sponsored a rally and protest at the White House that was attended by over 1,500 people calling for an end to U.S. warmaking in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and now Libya, and the release of truth-telling whistle-blower Pfc. Bradley Manning. One hundred and thirteen people, including many veterans and yours truly, were arrested in the “picture post-card zone” in front of the White House as we made yet another appeal on behalf of the victims to end our government’s criminal and sinful warmaking and to instead spend the nearly $1 trillion currently allocated for war and national security on meeting urgent human needs.
Hollywood, California
Eleven military family members and veterans were arrested for civil trespass March 19 in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where they staged a sit-in on the 8th anniversary of the occupation of Iraq. They brought with them the photographs and boots of soldiers who have died in Afghanistan and Iraq. The family members brought a block of wet cement with them. As they sat among the hand and footprints of Hollywood legends, they pressed the foot prints of an empty pair of combat boots into the cement, signing the footprints ‘Forgotten Dead’ as the legends do when they get their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Read more here.
Twelve arrested at Lockheed-Martin missile plant
About sixty people came from as far as Albuquerque, New Mexico and Poulsbo, Washington for a two-day retreat of the Pacific Life Community in Menlo Park, California.
The retreat culminated with a two-hour vigil at the gate of Lockheed-Martin’s nearby Sunnyvale missile plant. Twelve people representing the faith-based network of activists who are dedicated to “ending nuclear weapons and war making through nonviolent direct action” walked past the gatehouse to bring their message directly to workers. Their path was soon blocked, and when they did not leave, all were arrested.
Read more here.
Reflection on Fukushima, by Fr. Louie Vitale, Lompoc Federal Prison
…Periodically, like this month, humanity is jolted into a new awareness of the dangers posed by nuclear energy. Most of the time, however, we sleep on, while a relative handful of us are perennially aware of the looming, largely unseen danger that the perilous, ongoing life-cycle of nuclear power production poses daily to all living things.
It is time to awaken from our nuclear sleep.
Read more here.
Write a note of support to anti-nuclear and anti-war prisoners
They’re in there for us; we’re out here for them!
A regularly updated list of imprisoned military refusers, anti-nuclear and anti-war activists is available on the Nuclear Resister blog.
Upcoming nonviolent direct actions (click here).
Take part in a nonviolent civil disobedience/civil resistance action, play a role in supporting those who do, carry signs and banners… be part of the movement for a peaceful and nuclear-free future!
Plan now for Chernobyl anniversary anti-nuclear actions & demonstrations!
please share on websites, with listserves, in newsletters
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR A NUCLEAR-FREE FUTURE
April 26, 2011, 25th Chernobyl anniversary
It’s time for groups and activists all over the world to plan protests and actions to mark the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe.
Each year, the French anti-nuclear network Sortir du nucleaire has issued a call to action on Chernobyl Day. In support of this call, U.S. organizations Nukewatch and the Nuclear Resister invite you to organize public protest and/or nonviolent direct action/civil resistance in your area, or participate in other events or actions being planned on or around April 26. It will be a day to declare, together with millions of others around the world, NO to nuclear power, nuclear weapons, nuclear testing, uranium mining and radioactive waste and YES to a nuclear-free future!
Read more here.
Click here to sign up for the Nuclear Resister E-bulletin
To unsubscribe, send an email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line to nukeresister@igc.org
This E-bulletin is a monthly supplement to the print edition of the Nuclear Resister newsletter. For the only comprehensive chronicle of information about anti-nuclear and anti-war related arrests and peace prisoner support, please subscribe to the print edition of the Nuclear Resister.
Also look for the Nuclear Resister on Facebook!
http://www.nukeresister.org/