The Nuclear Resister

Photo by Lin Romano

Report of Holy Innocents Retreat and Pentagon Witness in Honor of Dan Berrigan

by Art Laffin

On December 27 and 28, over 50 members from the Atlantic and Southern Life communities, and other peacemaking friends, gathered for a retreat at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Church and a nonviolent witness at the Pentagon to commemorate the Massacre of the Holy Innocents – past and present. This year we honored in a special way, our friend and mentor, Dan Berrigan, SJ, who died on April 30, 2016.

CPI(M) leader Ch. Narasinga Rao being taken into custody at Kosta junction in Srikakulam district — Photo: Basheer

Police foil CPI(M) protest against N-plant

from The Hindu

CPI(M) [Communist Party of India – Marxist] leaders and activists were arrested at the Kosta junction in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district on Sunday, November 13, when they tried to launch a padayatra [“(Hindi, lit. journey by foot) is a journey undertaken by a politicians or prominent citizens to interact more closely with different parts of society, educate about issues concerning them, and galvanize his or her supporters”] to register their protest against the proposed atomic power plant in Kovvada village.

Toby Blomé, Pamela Osgood, Shirley Osgood and Mauro Oliveira, just after being released. Photo by Janie Kesselman

from Occupy Beale Air Force

In the rainy, dark early morning hours of October 25, nine Northern California activists stood with large banners and blocked the main gate at Beale Air Force Base (AFB) for over 30 minutes to protest the ongoing extrajudicial and secret U.S. drone killing program. Traffic was backed up for over a mile, while one activist approached the drivers, most of them airmen. Leaflets were handed to each driver, informing them about the horrible consequences of the drone program and the execution last month of 15 Afghan civilian men who were illegally killed by drone missiles last month in eastern Afghanistan while sleeping in their beds.

Scott Schaeffer-Duffy arrested at Creech drone base, photo by Felice Cohen-Joppa

by Felice Cohen-Joppa

On Sunday, October 9, 120 people from 17 U.S. states plus Mexico, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands concluded a Catholic Worker gathering in Las Vegas with protests at the nearby Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly known as the Nevada nuclear test site) and Creech Air Force Base.

A morning liturgy was held in the desert just outside of the main entrance to the nuclear test site. An activist marching band then led the group as they carried signs, banners and colorful butterflies down the road to the gate. Thirty-one of the activists crossed onto NNSS property and were arrested for trespass. They were soon cited and released.

photo of Laura-Marie Taylor (holding a sign quoting Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day, taken by Ming Lai

The Nevada Desert Experience hosted a Justice for Our Desert event during International Peace Day weekend, September 24-26. For several days, participants gathered for music, discussion, meals and community building before going to the Nevada National Security Site (formerly known as the Nevada nuclear Test Site) on Monday, September 26. Six of the seven of those present were moved to cross the boundary line onto the site. Laura-Marie Taylor, Ming Lai, Susan Dillion, Clementine Cat, George Killingsworth and Robert Majors were arrested for trespass and released on site.

Then, following lunch at the Sekhmet Temple, the activists held a peaceful vigil at Creech drone base.

The group spent the weekend together with the intent to “Invest in PEACE, not war-making and nuclearism! CELEBRATE the advances in nonviolence and the protection of life in our precious desert region! Dance, Sing, Play, Pray, Love enemies, and bring about long-awaited environmental justice to our desert.”