Megan Rice 88101-020
MDC Brooklyn
Metropolitan Detention Center
P.O. Box 329002
Brooklyn, NY 11232
February, 2015
Dear Sisters and Brothers in solidarity with our shared movement towards transforming our world into a nuclear-free world worthy of being passed on to the “seventh generation”,
2015 has begun with a plethora of gifts of the wisdom so many have shared during this 1st month already. So, before much more comes in, I’m going to try to honor some of it (with help from Felice and Jack’s judicious editing!), passing tastes of it on to you now. It is my effort to respond to and thank each of you for what you have sent just over the past 2 or 3 months. I hope the energizing I received will inspire each of you in a way that may meet and enlarge your own many gifts and insights.
Someone included John Pilger’s article on War by Media and the Triumph of Propaganda: “The world is facing the prospect of major war, perhaps nuclear war – with the U.S. clearly determined to isolate and provoke Russia and eventually China. This truth is being turned upside down and inside out by journalists, including those who promoted the lies that led to the bloodbath in Iraq in 2003.” Pilger quotes Edward Bernays calling propaganda an “invisible government” but Pilger now feels it is the government, ruling “directly and without fear of contradiction” and a “surreal assembly line of clicks and false assumptions”. He concludes by calling for a new perestroika: “an insurrection of subjugated knowledge.” He calls this “real journalism”! Pilger ends finally with a quote of 100 years ago by David Lloyd George, “If people really knew [the truth] the war would be stopped tomorrow, but of course they don’t and can’t know.”
I won’t try any selecting from Francisco of Rome’s splendid eleven page message of humble teaching entitled Nuclear Disarmament: Time for Abolition – A Contribution of the Holy See, released on the eve of the Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons and the great work of theInternational Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) in early December, and anticipating the forthcoming April/May Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review gathering at the United Nations. You’ll find this, as I did, the first really understandable message of all that needs to be said, and with which our hearts and minds can truly resonate – coming in our century from such a source. Thank you, Francis, for a truly timely and clearly articulated message all people of faith consciously or unconsciously have been looking for these 70-odd years! (Thanks, Megan Finnerty, for the copy!)
The National Interest printed on November 18, 2014 another gem: Atomic Anxieties: Tough Choices Ahead When It Comes to America’s Nukes by Adam Mount (of the Council on Foreign Relations). Lots of oxymorons! “The men and women that operate and safeguard the U.S. nuclear arsenal are stewards of a uniquely dangerous weapon, which exists so that it may never be used.” An article to invite broad popular reflection and response in action as well as in dialogue, it might seem.
While regretfully not able to share many more of the amazing items (which I can and often do share with others here in the “village” room of 115 women at MDC Brooklyn) and thank you personally for what you took time to pass on or to write to me recently, I’m ending again with one complete article attached. Its sender is anonymous at this point. Thank you, whoever you are!
Lovingly and gratefully,
Megan for the Transform Now Plowshares, and to and with all previous plow/oughshares resisters here and around the Planet over these 35 years
Following are links to the complete writings Sr. Megan refers to, and for information about some timely actions you can take this spring to promote citizen action for nuclear disarmament.
War by Media and the Triumph of Propaganda by John Pilger – http://bit.ly/Pilger0215
Nuclear Disarmament: Time for Abolition by Pope Francis – http://bit.ly/Pope0215
Atomic Anxieties: Tough Choices Ahead When It Comes to America’s Nukes by Adam Mount – http://bit.ly/Mount0215
The dangers of our aging nuclear arsenal – http://bit.ly/Dangers0215
The Peace & Planet Mobilization for a Nuclear-Free, Peaceful, Just, and Sustainable World represents the efforts of a broad coalition of organizations to be present as a voice for abolition at the 2015 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference at the United Nations this spring.
You are invited to participate in and support the following Mobilization activities:
- International Peace and Planet Conference (April 24-25, NYC) – Registration now open!
- Rally, March, and Peace Festival (April 26, NYC)
- Interfaith Service (April 26, NYC)
- Global Wave (April 26-27, Around the World!)
- Petition for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: Sign and distribute today!
The Mobilization will again provide the platform for thousands of people from across the United States and around the world to urge that this Review Conference mandate commencement of “good faith” negotiations for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, as required by Article VI of the NPT.
Recognizing the moral and strategic imperatives to build more integrated movements, the Planning Group is committed to addressing five major themes throughout the Mobilization:
- Abolition of Nuclear Weapons;
- Confronting Global War Crises;
- Move the Money and Economic Justice;
- Climate Change and Environmental Justice; and
- Racial Equity and De-Militarization of Policing
If you’re involved with groups that are working on these issues, please consider signing on as an organizational endorser along with the over 90 organizations already participating in this way.
With our numbers, speeches, signs, costumes, chants, songs, hope, creativity, and humor we’ll impact the diplomats and political leaders in New York for the NPT Review Conference and build and reinforce our movements. Thank you for joining us once again as we work for a nuclear-free, peaceful, just, and sustainable world!
Information about all of these activities, conference registration and link to sign the petition can be found at www.peaceandplanet.org/