Witness Against War

"The Coming Revolt of the Guards"

Joshua Brollier — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:44:04 -0600

Short Information Teaser

Thoughts from Dane Co. Jail

Excerpt

February 12, 2010

On entering the Dane County Jail, the first holding cell that Brian Terrell and I were placed in had only one other person. We previously saw this man outside the cell during our initial booking. He was a man with dark black skin and a full beard. I thought I heard one of the officers say he was from Gambia. When we entered the cell, the man was in mid-ritual in what appeared to be a Muslim’s midday prayer. A young white guard, who had the accent of a Midwesterner, looked disdainfully at the man and then somewhat positively at Brian and me. The guard said, “Just ignore that,” as if the man was insulting or threatening us by his peaceful act of prayer. To which I replied, “It’s fine with me.”

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February 12, 2010

This experience was contrasted by the next encounter I had with another officer who made digital copies of my fingerprints and pictures. As this middle-aged man placed my hand on the machine, I made a remark that I was surprised that he did not already have my information handy. (This was the third time I was fingerprinted and pictured for this same charge.) He said, “Oh yeah? You arrested a lot? What are you in for?” I told him that I was arrested with a group who engaged in civil disobedience at Ft. McCoy. Getting the sense that this man may have previously been in the armed services, I explained that we were not against the men and women in the military personally, but that our goals were to enter the base to talk to the rank and file soldiers about ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to make certain the soldiers were aware of their right to refuse illegal and immoral orders.

Before I could get all of this out of my mouth, the officer piped in abruptly and surprisingly, “I understand folks like you. I was in Vietnam, and this is the same shit happening today.” I said, “Oh yeah? What did they have you doing over there?” He replied, “Killing people and breaking shit, and this is just the same.” He gazed at me with a fierce intensity and honesty. I was now a bit nervous, feeling that I had asked too much too quickly. After a moment I said, “I’m sorry sir. I’m sorry they had you do that.” I continued, “Well, from my perspective, I don’t want any more young men and women to have to do what you did, nor to put themselves in harm’s way for a war that has no goals or objectives…” He cut me off. I was planning to finish my sentence with something like “…no goals other than bringing more profits to corporations and expanding the U.S. empire.” But he continued in an angry tone, “There was no goal then and there is no goal now. It’s all pointless.” I nodded my head in agreement.

A few more words were exchanged between us about the families being torn apart in the U.S., Iraq and Afghanistan. The disgruntled Vietnam Veteran, now turned law-enforcement officer, concluded taking my fingerprints. He then told me his name and again repeated something to the tune of “I can respect people like you.” After the unexpected bond of our short conversation, the feeling was mutual. Ironically, this same man sent me along the way to serve my jail sentence for speaking out against the crimes being committed by our government and soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, which have now expanded to illegal drone strikes and extra-judicial killings in Pakistan and Yemen.

Until we build a culture that widely accepts that it is okay and necessary to resist war and injustice, I suppose that’s the way it will go. I don’t know when or if the day will come, but I look forward to the day of the “coming revolt of the guards” that our late brother Howard Zinn predicted; a day when veterans, soldiers, policemen and judges can stand together with civilians, workers and activists alike to put and end to any further senseless tragedies and atrocities.

Joshua Brollier is a Co-Coordinator with Voices for Creative Non-Violence in Chicago. He and Brian Terrell were released earlier this week from Dane Co. Jail in Madison, WI, after serving a 14 day sentence for non-payment of a fine which was imposed on them for trespassing at Ft. McCoy in the summer of 2008.

VCNV Author

Joshua Brollier

Fort McCoy Peace Activists Fined in Federal Court

Dan Pearson — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:51:59 -0600

Short Information Teaser
12 peace activists were fined Monday in federal court for trespassing last summer at Fort McCoy in west central Wisconsin.
Excerpt
January 13, 2009

Witness Against War-Fort McCoy

Members of Voices for Creative Nonviolence were arrested in August by base police at the main gate of the 67,000-acre military installation during a walk from Chicago to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. The activists said they wanted to “dialogue” with soldiers to tell them their Fort McCoy Training would leave them woefully unprepared for what they would face in Iraq.

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January 13, 2009
Fort McCoy Peace Activists Fined in Federal Court

by Kevin Murphy

In what may be the beginning of a campaign to talk soldiers out of deploying to Iraq, 12 peace activists were fined Monday in federal court for trespassing last summer at Fort McCoy in west central Wisconsin.Witness Against War-Fort McCoy

Members of Voices for Creative Nonviolence were arrested in August by base police at the main gate of the 67,000-acre military installation during a walk from Chicago to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. The activists said they wanted to “dialogue” with soldiers to tell them their Fort McCoy Training would leave them woefully unprepared for what they would face in Iraq.

“We wanted them to know what moral dilemmas they will be put into in Iraq and that they’re not being trained for it,” said Brian Terrell, of Maloy, Iowa.

Three other individuals were cited last month for trespassing, a noncriminal violation, and similar events are being planned for the coming months.

“We want to hold a march from Camp Douglas (in Chicago) to Fort McCoy in late June timed to the deployment of the 32nd Division and to show the connection between the Wisconsin unit and Fort McCoy,” said Jeffrey Leys, Chicago, who also was in court Monday on a trespass charge.

Several of the protesters had visited Iraq before and during the war and had talked to Iraqis about the continuing destruction their country had endured since the 1991 Gulf War. The protesters said they wanted the soldiers to know they have a choice in participating in the war.

“They do have alternatives to deployment,” said Joy First, 54, of Madison. “They don’t have to take part in anything immoral and that’s what we feel this war has been.”

First chose to walk to Fort McCoy because the war continued despite her letters to President George Bush, visits to congressional offices, attendance at candlelight vigils and petition signings. Next month 3,500 members of the Wisconsin National Guard will begin mobilization for Iraq, the largest number since World War II, she said.

During Monday’s two-hour trial, defendants often said they weren’t breaking the law by exercising their First Amendment right to speak and peacefully assemble. Instead, the government was breaking the law by conducting an illegal and immoral war and continuing to call up guard units after Congressional authorization has expired, First said.

The public attending an Alice Cooper concert on Aug. 9 were given access to Fort McCoy that was denied to the anti-war demonstration the next day, First said.

Renee L. Espeland, of Des Moines, Iowa, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker she knew that what she said about the Iraq war wouldn’t affect his decision Monday. She then addressed base police officers in court, telling them that soldiers leaving Fort McCoy would return from Iraq to an inadequate medical system unable to address their psychological needs after “viewing the horrors of war.”

Several of those on trial Monday had trespassed at the ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) Navy radio installation in northern Wisconsin before it was shut down in 2004. Former ELF protester Krystal C. Chupps, of Chicago said it was necessary to break the law when the law is used to protect institutions involved “in an unjust and immoral war.”

Chupps then sang two stanzas of “Finlandia,” a song favored by civil rights activists and was joined by a dozen or more supporters in the audience.

“That was a first,” Crocker said of Chupps’ musical testimony.

Crocker had the last word, telling the defendants the trial wasn’t about what they said, but where they said it.

“You can continue to speak your message, but the First Amendment has territorial limitations. It’s not about your soapbox; it’s where you put it,” he said.

Crocker rejected the $100 fine suggested by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin and said he would give defendants until Feb. 13 to pay the $75. After several defendants said they couldn’t in good conscience pay a fine to the government, Crocker said he would determine if fine proceeds could be paid to a victim’s compensation fund.

Published on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 by the Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin)

The Capital Times © 2009

Recipients of the 2008 WNPJ Peacemaker and Lifetime Achievement Awards:

Dan Pearson — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:27:03 -0500

Short Information Teaser
several Witness Against War participants recieve award from WNPJ
Excerpt
Left to right: Kinsman, Melling, Langreck, Drydyk, Enslow and Dixon

Peacemakers:
Youth: Karen Drydyk & Paul Melling
Adult: Cassandra Dixon

Senior: Lillia Langreck
Lifetime Achievement: John Kinsman and Julie Enslow

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Left to right: Kinsman, Melling, Langreck, Drydyk, Enslow and Dixon

Peacemakers:
Youth: Karen Drydyk & Paul Melling
Adult: Cassandra Dixon

Senior: Lillia Langreck
Lifetime Achievement: John Kinsman and Julie Enslow

===============================================================

Karen Drydyk – UW-Whitewater 920-222-1066

Karen is the president of the UW-Whitewater P.E.A.C.E. club, meeting weekly on campus.

Paul Melling - St. Cloud MN 320-292-7098

Paul is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War – and had a chance to meet WNPJ members across our state this last summer as he walked as a “Witness Against War” with Voices for Creative Nonviolence.

Cassandra Dixon - Wisconsin Dells 608-445-0357

Cassandra is the WNPJ contact for Mary House, a Catholic Worker House dedicated to offering support in terms of hospitality for visitors who come to see relatives in Oxford Prison. She has also served as a CPT witness in atTuwani, Palestine – several times, accompanying children to school and standing with others to protect their homes from demolition.

Lillia Langreck - Milwaukee 414-358-2156

Sr. Lillia is active in her community, working for human rights, including immigration and human trafficking education.

The Peacemakers of the Year presentations were held October 4th in Milwaukee at the WNPJ Fall Assembly at Marquette University. For more information, contact Judy Miner in the WNPJ office at 608-250-9240 or . See www.wnpj.org

Project
WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

Walk Blog: from Josh Brollier: Of the RNC, the Presidential Race, and “American Exceptionalism”

Dan Pearson — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:30:28 -0500

Project
WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul
Short Information Teaser
...resonated with the words of Eugene Debs; "I have no country to fight for, my country is the earth, I am a citizen of the world."
Excerpt
Joshua Brollier September 4, 2008

Maybe if each of us knew just one Iraqi youth, we would think twice before allowing drone planes to fly bombing missions over the child’s home for the purpose of “liberation” or “fighting terrorism.” Maybe

if each of us knew just one mother from Afghanistan, we would actually move to stop our government from continuing its criminal policies that lead to so much “collateral damage.” Maybe each of our actions combined would form the basis for an actual collective movement.

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Joshua Brollier September 4, 2008

The Witness Against War crew walked the final stretch of the 500-mile journey from Chicago into St. Paul with a strong contingent from Veterans for Peace, friends from the Twin Cities, and several of Paul Melling’s family members. We were received with a warm welcome from the women of Code Pink, the Sisters of St. Joseph, and many well-known activists. After a short frenzy of media attention, we enjoyed yet another wonderful dose of hospitality. There was food, wine, music, and plenty of conversation to go around.

During our reception and throughout our time at the RNC, people seemed to be excited about our journey but more interested in our intentions for the protests. The sentiment is understandable, with all the tension built up around the conventions, but we collectively came to see the relationships built along the way as a more valuable guide for evaluating the project.

Did we achieve what we set out to do? Did we challenge and non-violently resist our nation’s occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan during our walk? The answer would have to be “yes” and “no.”

Along our route through Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, we conducted over twenty community forums focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some presentations discussed the Iraqi refugee crisis and the terrible human cost of war. Other events looked at the occupation through the eyes of a former artillery member of the United States Army. Members of local peace groups also spoke about their struggles to organize nonviolent resistance to these unnecessary wars.

We concluded our walk by participating in the August 31st march to the Excel Center, coordinated by the Veterans for Peace and Code Pink. The protest was well organized. We delivered tombstones with the names of Iraqi civilians and US soldiers to the convention to dramatize the deadly effects of the GOP’s foreign policy. We also attempted to deliver a letter to the delegates that spelled out the numerous ways in which these policies were in violation of international law. Our diplomatic overture was spurned, even though we could see a few people in fancy suits just past the police in riot gear. Nine of us were arrested after crawling under a hole in a steel fence in a continued attempt to deliver the letter. Other than Dan Pearson and me, four of the arrestees were in some way connected to Witness Against War. They very probably would have been there despite our witness, but we surely “caught courage” from each other to take part in the action. So through the relationships, the community forums, and the public witness; I would say that we passed the litmus test.

However, we also failed miserably. We found ourselves rather sarcastically joking that “well, we did not stop the war- we thought it would end the day we set foot in St. Paul.” With the level of our country’s political dialogue during this election year, we knew that would not be the case. And it is not really too funny at all. Over a million Iraqis have died as a result of these conflicts and over 4 million are now displaced from their homes. Over 4,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed. How many more lives must be crushed before we wake up and demand an end to the wholesale looting and indiscriminate killing in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Witness Against War delivered our message to the RNC despite the police aggression and pre-emptive independent media crackdowns. Our voices were raised and our presence was felt along with the ten thousand plus other protestors who gathered in St. Paul. That being said, hopefully our objective to “hold both political parties accountable” was made quite clear along the way. With the election in sight, the Democrats are now talking as if escalating the war in Afghanistan is the noble thing to do. In his acceptance of the nomination for president, Barack Obama even ridiculed John McCain for not being willing to “follow him (Osama bin Laden) to the cave where he lives.” Apparently Osama’s cave must be somewhere close to the Shindand district where over eighty Afghan civilians were recently killed. It is sad when that kind of tough talk is necessary to get you elected. There was also much talk of America’s Promise; as if the United States was chosen by God to inherit and own the planet. Judging by our over-consumption, our harsh treatment of immigrants, and the willingness to trade the lives of others for the resources we desire- I am not too sure how many of us disagree with that notion. Judging by our shortsightedness, we must think God is planning to give our American grandchildren another planet shortly down the road.

We received so much generosity and hospitality along this trip that it was tempting to fall into this form of “American exceptionalism.” Residents of the rural and urban areas throughout the Midwest were so genuinely welcoming and caring towards us as sojourners. However, after some reflection, I remembered how well I was treated as a guest in Zimbabwe in 2004 (a nation that was then considered by the CIA World Fact book to be on the “Axis of Terror”). The people of rural and urban areas in Zimbabwe took me in as if I were a brother. I also remembered the kindness and hospitality of friends that are now living in the United States that immigrated from Mexico, Colombia, India, Sudan, and so many other places. These two experiences combined resonated with the words of Eugene Debs; “I have no country to fight for, my country is the earth, I am a citizen of the world.”

It is time for us to make amends for the past and to begin seeing ourselves as equal partners in the global community. Maybe then we could hear the claims of the Arab nations. Maybe then we could hear the voice of indigenous peoples in the United States, Asia, Latin America, and Africa when they cry out for equality and justice. To quote Robert Moses from a memorial service in 1964;

“Now we’ve watched the phenomenon time and time again… Before the summer project last summer we watched five Negroes murdered in two counties of Mississippi with no reaction from the country. We couldn’t get the news out. Then we saw that there were three civil rights workers killed (Chaney, Schwerner, and Goodman), and two of them were white, the whole country reacted, and went into motion. There’s a deep problem behind that, And I think that if you can begin to understand what that problem is—why you don’t move when a Negro is killed the same way you move when a white person is killed—then maybe you can understand this country in relation to Vietnam and the third world, the Congo and Santa Domingo.”

Our country has come along way in black/white relations since 1964 and most people now welcome that change as positive. The circumstances of the current election certainly prove that there has been some major progress. Meanwhile, hopefully we can still recognize that en route to the peaceful society we long for, a long path lies ahead of us. Understanding that path requires each of us individually to see our common humanity reflected in our brothers and sisters across the globe regardless of whether they are in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Palestine; Russia, Vietnam, or Zimbabwe.

Similar to Robert Moses’s experience, Voices in the Wilderness had a hard time “getting the news out” about the brutal consequences of the US/UN economic sanctions imposed on Iraq from 1991 to 2003. The UN itself estimated that over 5,000 children under the age of five died per month as a direct result of the sanctions. People in the US scarcely heard a word of this in the media and reacted with disbelief when informed, so Voices and the Middle East Children’s Alliance decided to honor one Iraqi child, named Omran, who was killed by a bombing in the “no fly zone.” People were able to picture their own children in Omran’s eyes.

Maybe if each of us knew just one Iraqi youth, we would think twice before allowing drone planes to fly bombing missions over the child’s home for the purpose of “liberation” or “fighting terrorism.” Maybe if each of us knew just one mother from Afghanistan, we would actually move to stop our government from continuing its criminal policies that lead to so much “collateral damage.” Maybe each of our actions combined would form the basis for an actual collective movement.

So many US citizens, young and old, enjoy and applaud progress toward racial equality, here in America, even though we did not lift a single finger to help the civil rights movement. So many are now eager to condemn the Vietnam War, even though they didn’t take a single risk to end the madness of that war. Will we have the courage to step up to the current challenges posed? What risks are we willing to take on behalf of voiceless people whose lives and future are jeopardized? How can we work together to form a viable and cohesive movement that challenges the powers that be and the status quo American life- that puts and end to the so called “war on terror” and begins to see each community across the globe as inter-related and equally valuable?

These are the questions that I pondered as the walk came to its conclusion this week. Voices for Creative Non-Violence is considering several options for future projects. One suggestion is to undertake an “electricity fast” in DC, during which a group of people would agree not to use electricity for a certain time period, thereby identifying at least partially with Iraqis who have, for many years, lacked this most basic service. Voices will continue urging activists and concerned citizens nationwide to take their vigils into the offices of elected representatives. It is obvious that public opinion has shifted against the war, but legislators are reluctant to defy the will of oil and defense companies, even though their own constituents register strong disapproval of the war. Should Barack Obama be elected, Voices will join in a 24-hour vigil, from December 27th – January 15th, near his Chicago home to remind him not to forget the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. These are just some suggestions. If you have any creative ideas on how to bring these wars to an end, please keep us informed. Many people looked at us with disbelief when they read our signs announcing that we’d walked 492 miles from Chicago to St. Paul. “It’s do-able!” said Dan Pearson, repeatedly. It’s amazing what we can do.

The anatomy of a march: Veterans for Peace event ends in arrests

Jeff Leys — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:59:39 -0500

Project
WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul
Excerpt
August 31, 2008
By Jeff Severns Guntzel
Minnesota Independent

When Code Pink’s Medea Benjamin took the stage at the Veterans for Peace rally in front of the State Capitol building today, where hundreds of activists gathered before marching towards the Xcel Energy Center, she started with the string of weekend raids on her mind: “This is not the Midwestern welcome we expected!”

Her audience cheered — among them a vet hoisting a desert-camo anti-war flag:

A cadre of protesters were clad in orange jumpsuits meant to evoke those worn by prisoners at the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison. The held black hoods in their hands and stuck signs to their backs — on each sign was printed the name, age and story of a living, breathing Guantanamo detainee:

CONTINUE READING the Story with photos at Minnesota Independent

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August 31, 2008
By Jeff Severns Guntzel
Minnesota Independent

When Code Pink’s Medea Benjamin took the stage at the Veterans for Peace rally in front of the State Capitol building today, where hundreds of activists gathered before marching towards the Xcel Energy Center, she started with the string of weekend raids on her mind: “This is not the Midwestern welcome we expected!”

Her audience cheered — among them a vet hoisting a desert-camo anti-war flag:

A cadre of protesters were clad in orange jumpsuits meant to evoke those worn by prisoners at the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison. The held black hoods in their hands and stuck signs to their backs — on each sign was printed the name, age and story of a living, breathing Guantanamo detainee:

CONTINUE READING the Story with photos at Minnesota Independent

Veterans for Peace march ends in 9 arrests in civil disobedience at RNC

Jeff Leys — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:36:55 -0500

Short Information Teaser
Veterans for Peace march ends in 9 arrests in civil disobedience at RNC
Excerpt
August 31, 2008

(Noted: Veterans for Peace and CODEPINK organized this march. Dan Pearson and Josh Brollier, both Witness Against War participants, and Steve Clemens, a who traveled to Iraq in 2002 with Voices in the Wilderness, were arrested in this act of nonviolent civil disobedience)

View Fox-9 News Coverage

Nine Protesters Entering Restricted Area Arrested Sunday for Trespassing

A group of anti-war protesters went underneath a security barrier near the Xcel Center as an act of civil disobedience. Nine were arrested for trespassing.

Police in riot gear arrested nine people protesting at the Xcel Center Sunday, after they entered a restricted area secured by a fence. The protesters marched from the capitol to the Xcel Center, protesting the war in Iraq and the treatment of veterans coming home.

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August 31, 2008

(Noted: Veterans for Peace and CODEPINK organized this march. Dan Pearson and Josh Brollier, both Witness Against War participants, and Steve Clemens, a who traveled to Iraq in 2002 with Voices in the Wilderness, were arrested in this act of nonviolent civil disobedience)

View Fox-9 News Coverage

Nine Protesters Entering Restricted Area Arrested Sunday for Trespassing

A group of anti-war protesters went underneath a security barrier near the Xcel Center as an act of civil disobedience. Nine were arrested for trespassing.

Police in riot gear arrested nine people protesting at the Xcel Center Sunday, after they entered a restricted area secured by a fence. The protesters marched from the capitol to the Xcel Center, protesting the war in Iraq and the treatment of veterans coming home.

Doug Holtz, a St. Paul police commander, said that nine people were arrested for trespassing after they passed a police roadblock into a restricted area. Eight of the nine have since been released.

They said they had planned ahead of time to cross the fence in an act of civil disobedience, and had announced their intent before the march. About 250 people watched the march.

“We are going to march into the arms of police. Whatever they are going to do is all right with us,” organizer David Harris said to the marchers before they entered the restricted zone. Harris was one of those arrested. He says the march wasn’t aimed towards Republicans, but “warmakers.”

The march was otherwise peaceful on its way from the state Capitol, organized by Veterans for Peace and peace group CodePink. As the march began, Harris read the names of soldiers and civilians killed in Iraq.

According to the Associated Press, among those arrested were: 72-year-old Jeanne Hynes, 78-year-old Betty McKenzie, 57-year-old Steve Clemens, David Harris, Duncan Hardee, and others not identified.

By 5 p.m. Sunday, eight of the nine arrested had been cited and released. The last, Duncan Hardee, is still in custody because he had no identification and Ramsey County authorities had to verify it.

The arrested can legally be held for 36 hours, not including the weekend or Labor Day holiday.

Friday night and Saturday morning, six members of the anarchist group the RNC Welcoming Committee were arrested after authorities found knives, axes, bomb-making materials and anti-war literature. It doesn’t appear that those six people arrested will be released in time to take part in the large protest planned for Monday, and are not required by law to be released until noon Wednesday.

Project
WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul

Witness Against War walks 500th mile in to St. Paul

Dan Pearson — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:37:07 -0500

Short Information Teaser
at Vets for Peace March, walkers prevented from dialoging with RNC attendees
Excerpt
We were glad to attend the Vets for Peace Convention and to hear compelling “summons” to help build the peace movement.

Two of our walkers joined a contingent of the march which attempted, nonviolently, to deliver letters to people who are participating in the Republican National Convention.

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Witness Against War walkers bade farewell to Lauren Cannon, Bob Abplanalp and Kate Zilla, who left for Chicago early this morning.

Brad Lyttle, from Chicago, joined remaining walkers to participate in a solemn march organized by Veterans for Peace and Code Pink members. We carried tombstones bearing the names of people, both from the U.S. and from Iraq, who’ve died since the U.S. invasion in 2003. Forty five participants donned orange jumb suits and black cloth head masks, calling attention to prisoners at Guantanamo. “When you sweat a lot and perhaps have trouble breathing, that’s o.k.,” said Roger Cuthbertson, who helped organize the group wearing the detainee outfits. “That will help you identify with the detainees, and you just think of them and you’ll be able to keep going.”

Two of our walkers, Dan Pearson and Joshua Brollier, joined a contingent of the march which attempted, nonviolently, to deliver letters to people who are participating in the Republican National Convention. They had also hoped to speak with people who’ve begun arriving at the Excel Center, and perhaps interact with delegates. Instead, they were arrested and cited for trespass. They were released later in the afternoon.

Yesterday evening, the Veterans for Peace hosted John Yee and Jeremy Scahill as main speakers at a banquet which concluded the VFP convention. We were glad to attend and to hear compelling “summons” to help build the peace movement.

— Kathy Kelly Co-coordinator, Voices for Creative Nonviolence 1249 West Argyle Street Chicago, IL 60640 773-878-3815 www.vcnv.org

A 500 Mile Walk to the RNC - KARE TV in the Twin Cities

Jeff Leys — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:58:41 -0500

Project
WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul
Excerpt
August 29, 2008

August 29, 2008

Watch Video Report from KARE-11

The road to St. Paul and the Republican National Convention started more than a month ago for one anti-war group. Members have spent July and August walking here from Chicago.

After 49 days and more than 475 miles the Witness Against War marchers are still going strong.

Short Information Teaser
The August 29 news report from KARE 11 in Minneapplis - St. Paul
Body
August 29, 2008

Watch Video Report from KARE-11

The road to St. Paul and the Republican National Convention started more than a month ago for one anti-war group. Members have spent July and August walking here from Chicago.

After 49 days and more than 475 miles the Witness Against War marchers are still going strong.

“Interacting with normal people. Getting our message across (is the important part),” marcher Paul Melling said.

“We believe passionately that there are alternatives. We could rely on negotiation and diplomacy,” marcher Kathy Kelly added.

Organized by a Voices For Creative Nonviolence, this group, which includes retired teachers, students and vets, is spreading its message of peace one step, one mile, one meeting at a time.

“There was this one woman. I’ll never forget what she said,” recalled marcher Alice Gerard. “I support what you’re doing. My son is in Iraq for the fifth time. I just want him to come home.”

“Nearly every stop of the way, we were able to connect with folks. And yeah, it’s encouraging to see all that’s going on in the tiny little communities through Wisconsin and Minnesota.

As they log miles down busy city streets and over country roads this group holds both Republicans and Democrats responsible for the war.

“Both parties need to be held accountable,” marcher Lauren Cannon said.

And, members say, they are calling on every person they encounter to be part of a solution.

“I wanted very much to make a statement about how each of us is responsible,” Kelly added.

“Take some responsibility upon ourselves and do what we can to bring about an end to this war in Iraq,” Pearson said.

It’s a message these marchers say they’ll keep delivering all the way to St. Paul.

Local activist makes 500-mile trek to oppose war in Iraq and Afghanistan

Jeff Leys — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Project
WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul
Excerpt
August 28, 2008
Clarksville, TN Online

Witness Against War is a 450-mile walk from Chicago to Saint Paul to challenge and non-violently resist our nation’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The campaign seeks to hold both major political parties, both Democrat and Republican, accountable and responsible for continuing and ending the Iraq war.

The journey began in the City of Chicago, site of the 1968 Democratic Party convention in the midst of the Vietnam War. The walk will conclude on August 31 in St. Paul — in time for the start of the 2008 Republican Party convention in the midst of the Iraq war.

Joshua Brollier joined the walk in Chicago on July 12th and has participated in awareness events and community forums along the route to St. Paul. The walkers will convene there on August 29th to march in step with the Veterans for Peace at the Republican National Convention protests.

CONTINUE READING AT CLARKSVILLE ON-LINE, INCLUDES PHOTOS

Short Information Teaser
Clarksville, TN article on participation of Joshua Brollier in Witness Against War.
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August 28, 2008
Clarksville, TN Online

Witness Against War is a 450-mile walk from Chicago to Saint Paul to challenge and non-violently resist our nation’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The campaign seeks to hold both major political parties, both Democrat and Republican, accountable and responsible for continuing and ending the Iraq war.

The journey began in the City of Chicago, site of the 1968 Democratic Party convention in the midst of the Vietnam War. The walk will conclude on August 31 in St. Paul — in time for the start of the 2008 Republican Party convention in the midst of the Iraq war.

Joshua Brollier joined the walk in Chicago on July 12th and has participated in awareness events and community forums along the route to St. Paul. The walkers will convene there on August 29th to march in step with the Veterans for Peace at the Republican National Convention protests.

CONTINUE READING AT CLARKSVILLE ON-LINE, INCLUDES PHOTOS

Walk Blog: Walking against war in God's country

voices — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:43:21 -0500

Project
WITNESS AGAINST WAR 2008: From Chicago to St. Paul
Short Information Teaser
Bill Christofferson write about the final week of the Witness Against War walk
Excerpt
By Bill Christofferson
August 22, 2008

Witness Against War, a walk from Chicago to St. Paul to promote non-violence and an end to the war is Iraq, is in its final week.

Dan Pearson, the one who dreamed it up, scouted and planned the route, and coordinates much of the logistics, calls it “a totally worthwhile endeavor.” He and Kathy Kelly are co-coordinators of Voices for Creative Non-Violence, the Chicago-based group that organized and sponsors the walk.

The drive from Milwaukee, where I had last walked with them, to Pepin, WI, on the Mississippi River, to rejoin them, took five hours. It had taken the walkers five weeks.

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By Bill Christofferson
August 22, 2008

Witness Against War, a walk from Chicago to St. Paul to promote non-violence and an end to the war is Iraq, is in its final week.

Dan Pearson, the one who dreamed it up, scouted and planned the route, and coordinates much of the logistics, calls it “a totally worthwhile endeavor.” He and Kathy Kelly are co-coordinators of Voices for Creative Non-Violence, the Chicago-based group that organized and sponsors the walk.

The drive from Milwaukee, where I had last walked with them, to Pepin, WI, on the Mississippi River, to rejoin them, took five hours. It had taken the walkers five weeks.

As they started Saturday’s trek from Pepin to Maiden Rock, along one of the most spectacularly scenic stretches of river in the country, they had covered 420 miles. When they reach St. Paul this weekend, in time for the Republican national convention, they will have walked nearly 500 miles.

There are 10 walkers on Saturday, including Marie Kovecsi, who joined the group in Winona, MN to spend a week walking with them before returning to start another school year as a teacher of deaf and blind students, and me. The rest are part of the core group who left Chicago in mid-July and have walked most or all of the way. Most days they are joined by local activists who walk with them for a day or two, but there are none on Saturday in this sparsely-populated area.

Almost all of the others have some connection with the Catholic Worker movement, inspired by Dorothy Day and dedicated to non-violence. (I changed the title of this piece to reflect their view.) I am an atheist, although the best argument I have seen for some sort of intelligent design is Lake Pepin, the wide, 20-mile stretch of the Mississippi we are walking today. I discovered it – much like Columbus “discovered” America – 45 years ago, and it is where my ashes will be scattered one day.

The walk starts early, shortly after 7 a.m., to avoid the heat of the day. It’s a slightly hilly, winding stretch along the river, and with a couple of stops at scenic overlooks, bathroom breaks and even a quick pot of propane-stove coffee, it takes almost exactly five hours. The first seven miles, to Stockholm, a tiny artist colony with a population of 98, goes quickly. The second half is hillier and seems longer, with the promise of Maiden Rock just over the next hill – or maybe the one after that.

The walkers carry signs –“Witness Against War,” “Keep Red Arrow (Wisconsin’s National Guard division) Home,” “Stop War Spending,” “Rebuild Iraq, Rebuild America.”

The reception from drivers and motorcyclists is positive, with waves, honking horns, peace signs, and thumbs-up from many – and nary a middle finger during the five-hour, 13-mile walk along Highway 35.

“We have made a lot of good connections with people along the way, both people who agree and those who disagree,” Dan Pearson says in explaining why he thinks the walk has been an unqualified success. “It has ended quite well, usually, when people – often active duty military or veterans – pull over to talk. Once you show people you’re willing to listen and they understand that we are not attacking them personally, we have had some good conversations and find there is a lot we can agree on.”

When the walk reached Fort McCoy, Wisconsin’s main military base, two weeks ago, 13 people – including core walkers Kathy Kelly, Josh Brollier, Lauren Cannon and Alice Gerard — were arrested for crossing the line onto the base. Most were quickly processed and released, but Kelly was held on a 10-year-old warrant from Ashland County for civil disobedience against Project ELF, a submarine communication antenna system based in northern Wisconsin, now abandoned.

She spent two nights in the Monroe County jail and another in Ashland County jail before being released. When Ashland County jailers announced at 10:30 p.m. that she was being released, Kelly didn’t know if anyone was there waiting for her, and she was hundreds of miles from the walk. “Well, I know I can always walk 15 miles,” she recalls thinking. “I wouldn’t have thought that a year ago.”

The soldiers were friendly at Ft. McCoy, she said, but the military presence and influence is overwhelming. “In the Monroe County jail, an older woman jailer was keeping an eye on us,” Kelly said. “She was excited that she was going to Ft. McCoy where they would let her carry an AK-47 and play the role of an insurgent — and pay her $12 an hour. There is such a powerful presence around military base that it affects people’s hopes and imaginations.

“Bessie, the kindly jailer, should have an affinity for the Iraqi mothers and grandmothers, the refugees with sick children, but no one’s going to pay Bessie $12 an hour to identify with them.”

The walkers, with a colorfully painted old bus as backup, usually finish walking around mid-day, leaving afternoons to check in online, prepare for evening events, pitch tents if no one has offered overnight accommodations, prepare a meal, and have some personal time.

Along the way, many local peace groups have hosted the walkers, sponsored events and held community programs. Most of the walk has been in Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, a Madison-based network of some 150 groups, has helped make those connections.

The walkers slept in a rectory in Alma Friday night, and will camp out at the end of Saturday’s walk. After reaching Maiden Rock – where legend has it an Indian princess leaped to her death from a high bluff rather than be forced into marriage with a man she didn’t love — the group discusses whether to camp there, in a campground right on the river, or return to a campground in Pepin. Pepin has showers; Maiden Rock seems more likely to have a wirelsss Internet connection. Showers carry the day.

Others in the core group are Lauren Cannon, a theology student and staff member at Voices for Creative Non-violence; Paul Melling, an Iraq veteran from Minnesota who shares bus-driving duties with Bob Abplanalp, recently returned from a Pastors for Peace caravan to take supplies to Cuba, and who’s also part of the Voices nucleus; Josh Brollier of Clarksville TN, a musician who takes a drumming break now and then; Mary Dean, part of Chicago Voices community, returning to a new physical therapist job when the walk ends; and Alice Gerard, a freelance writer from Grand Island NY, who met Kathy Kelly in a Columbus GA jail after both had crossed the line at the School of the Americas in Ft. Benning.

Several of them have spent time — and sometimes put themselves in harm’s way — in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and other hot spots, working to end sanctions and aid refugees. Pearson, 27, a native of Luck, WI, learned Arabic in Syria, where he has twice lived and worked with refugees. Cannon was in Iraq three times during the Voices campaign to end economic sanctions there.

Kelly and Voices challenged economic sanctions against Iraq by delivering medical supplies to Iraqis and organized over 70 delegations as part of a campaign of civil disobedience from 1996 to 2003. In October 2002 Voices organized the Iraq Peace Team, in Baghdad, where they maintained a presence throughout the bombardment and invasion. Kelly remained in Iraq throughout the US Shock and Awe bombing and has returned three times, most recently in May of 2006 when she traveled to northern Iraq. She recently spent five weeks living in Amman, Jordan, amongst Iraqi families who have fled Iraq.

They walked from Maiden Rock to Red Wing, MN on Sunday and, after a day’s rest there today, leave Red Wing on Tuesday for the final 50 miles to the Twin Cities, where they expect to link up with Veterans for Peace and other groups calling for an end to the war and occupation while the Republicans nominate warmonger John McCain, a candidate who never met a war he didn’t like.