The American Gandhi: November 2009

Monday, November 16, 2009

Disarm Now Plowshares

"I will purify you from the taint of all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and make you conform to my statutes." Ez. 36:25-27 introduces the DISARM NOW PLOWHARES statement.

On November 2nd, 2009 five persons entered the Trident Sub Base Bangor on the Hood Canal in the State of Washington, 20 miles from Seattle. The Base houses nine Trident submarines which carry 24 missiles each, which in turn carry multiple nuclear warheads. This is a first strike weapon, in other words it has the capability of wiping out any opposition without retaliation. Nuclear weapons are prohibited by International Law according to a decision of the United Nations International Court in 1996. I believe the weapons are immoral.
The five entered the base at night by cutting through chain linked fenses and walked around the base for four hours before cutting through the third fence which alerted the Marines who proceded to arrest them, putting hoods over their faces and making them lie on the ground for four hours before taking them to booking and questioning by the FBI. But, they poured their own blood on the ground to symbolize the terrorism of nuclear weapons and they carried hamers to symbolically destroy the weapons which were in bunkers a short distance away.
The five were Lynne Greenwald, 60, local member of Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, Ann Montgomery, 83, member of religious order, Bill Bischel, 81, Tacoma Jesuit priest, Steve Kelly, 60, Jesuit from Oakland, California, and Susan Crane, 65, from Jonah House in Baltimore. They were booked and released, pending further charges by the Federal Prosecutors.
The Plowshares movement began in 1980 and has grown into an international effort. The Plowshares name is from Isaiah 2:4, "God will judge between the nations and will settle disputes of many people. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore."

More information can be acquired from the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action: www.gzcenter.org.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT
Marcus Atchison,
Faslane Media Coordinator
Cell: 780-772-7201
blog: at http://www.theamericangandhi.blogspot.com/
August 1, 2007

The American Gandhi’s Participation in the Nuclear –Free Peace Walk Concludes August 6th

(London, UK). The Foot Prints For Peace Peace Walk from Dublin to London will conclude on August 6th in London. The Walk arrives in London on August 4th for an appearance at Battersea Park from 12:30 until 1:30 PM.

August 6th events include a Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Commemoration of the atom bombing of Hiroshima, Japan takes place in Tavistock Square from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM. From there the Peace Walk will proceed to Parliament Square activities at 4:00 PM.

The Peace Walkers plan to deliver a powerful message to Number 19 Downing Street.

Bernie Meyer of Olympia, Washington, USA has participated in the walk as The American Gandhi since he arrived in Glasgow on May 25th. He conducted a direct action at Faslane with the Faslane 365 Campaign on May 28th. Read more about his experiences at http://www.theamericangandhi.blogspot.com/

Meyer describes his arrest at Aldermaston, nuclear weapons producer and laser facility. “…Four of us stepped into the gate road to block traffic. Three strong young folks locked hands and feet together... What a team! Police needed special pressure point tactics to separate them before arrest. Meanwhile Gandhi [Meyer] was pushed aside. They did not want to arrest him. Gandhi persisted. He was arrested after the others were hauled off. He kept coming back on the road, despite the loving solicitude of the police. We will be charged with a new law, called the By Laws, which are as vague as the US Congress Guantanamo laws (which were denied by the courts). We are now released.”

Dressed in loincloth and shawl, the 69 year old activist has walked over 700 miles with Foot Prints For Peace, visiting nuclear power and nuclear armaments bases along the way.

Stops were also made at Faslane, Coulport, Sellafield, Dundrennum Firing Range, BAE Systems, Menwith Hill, Fylingdales Ballistic Missile Early Warning Center, and Aldermaston. At Aldermaston, Gandhi was arrested again while attempting to give a message about nuclear weapons and nuclear power.

When the journey commenced, Meyer made a statement about his intentions for the long walk: he is attempting to create an awareness of the connection between: global climate change, the effects of peak oil, nuclear war-making and the plight of the poor. "Humanity is at a crossroads," said the American Gandhi.

Having made the trek, Meyer comments that his views have not changed. He says, "If anything, they have intensified." The American Gandhi believes there is much to do, and that humans are able to correct their mistakes as well as bring justice and peace to the world.