Monthly Archive for December, 2013

From Radical Art for These Times

by Flora Rogers

In the last few years, as news of Drones Warfare perpetrated by the United States has reached my ears, my heart has been opened to exactly what it is I can do to take responsibility for mending this pain.

I have been so fortunate to unite with folks who actively work to heal this issue that we as Americans face today. Those people are a core group of members from Veterans for Peace, Grandmothers for Peace, Code Pink, and generally well practiced activist elders. Until recently I was the youngest regular participant at age 40. We vigil monthly at an Air Force Base near my home and we call ourselves Occupy Beale Air Force Base.

Update December 14:

Kimberly Rivera was released from military prison on Thursday, December 12, after serving over seven months of a 10 month sentence, with credit for good behavior and performing extra work.

Compiled from reports at FreeKimberlyRivera.org

Katie Rivera joins demonstration for her mom’s freedom outside military brig in San Diego, December 1,

PFC Kimberly Rivera gave birth to her son Matthew on the evening of November 25. After last-minute pressure from outside supporters and her attorney, husband and father Mario Rivera was allowed to be present for the birth.

Then, on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, Fort Carson Senior Commander Brig. General Michael A. Bills acted with extreme cruelty to deny Rivera’s request for clemency that would allow her to be excused from serving the last few weeks of her sentence so that she could be with her newborn son. She was taken from the hospital back the brig that morning, and their son was given to his father.

Protests of the action took place in Canada, France and the United States on December 1, which is coincidently also International Prisoner for Peace Day. On Thanksgiving Day, Mario Rivera posted this letter about his family’s ordeal: