WRITE ON

WRITE ON: Progressive News for Northern Michigan Issue 4 June 2003
Local Links Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice Northwoods Wilderness Recovery Keweenaw Now State, National and International Links Common Dreams Greenpeace Move On Independent Media Democracy Now! True Majority Michigan Citizens for Peace United for Peace Citizen.org Citizenworks.org Write On Issues November October September August July June May Home We would like to thank everyone who read the previous issue of Write On. Write On needs funding and articles on subjects that interest you. If you or your group would like to help us cover the costs of printing, $60 for 175 copies, please let us know either by telephone or by email. This assistance is needed if you would like to continue reading this newsletter. Articles for Write On should be no more than 600 words. Please send any questions, comments, upcoming events, or article submissions to writeonup@yahoo.com or call 228-2962. Look for the next issue of Write On in these locations: PWPL, Emma Joe's, Food Co-op, Sweetwater Café and others	Hello Readers, We are providing this monthly publication to inform our neighbors of news affecting the people of Northern Michigan. This newsletter will consider such subjects as environmentalism, social justice, and local activism, which do not receive adequate coverage in other media outlets. Table of Contents Focus on a Peacemaker: Ardeth Platte and Carol Gilbert: Peacemakers Have Local Connections Caryl Bournique Voices in the Wilderness Members Witness Destruction in Iraq Submitted by Martha Hayward Peace Begins on Your Plate Carrie Plummer Connecting for Peace - Saturday, August 2, 10am - 4pm Van Riper State Park, Champion Canadian Trash in Michigan Ryan Backlund Focus on a Peacemaker: Ardeth Platte and Carol Gilbert: Peacemakers Have Local Connections Caryl Bournique The story has been circulating around the country on the Internet and in various other media over the past month. There have been articles, editorials, and op-eds in newspapers from Montana to Florida, and from Colorado to Marquette, Michigan. It's the story of three nuns, members of the Grand Rapids Dominicans (a Roman Catholic order based in Grand Rapids, Michigan), who are facing federal prison terms as the result of a nonviolent Plowshares action at a missile site in Greeley, Colorado. On October 6, 2002, the anniversary of the commencement of US bombing in Afghanistan, the three women cut the chain of a "security" gate and walked onto the site of a Minuteman III missile. There, they held a symbolic ritual of disarmament. They had dressed for the occasion in white jump suits on which were written "Citizen Weapons Inspections Team" (CWIT). When they reached the missile, they pounded on its silo with household hammers, used their own blood to draw six crosses on it, and marked the site with a rosary and an international law book. After about 2 hours, while the three women (ages 55-68) were praying and singing, a military Humvee crashed through the fence. The women of nonviolence found themselves surrounded by Air Force guards and local authorities, and "face-to-face" with M16s and grenade launchers. They were arrested, spent 6 months in a Colorado county jail, tried in federal court, and are now facing sentencing on July 25. The sisters had expected to be charged with misdemeanor trespassing, as they have been in previous arrests. Instead, on April 8 2003, a federal jury convicted them of a felony--interfering with national defense and damaging government property. They could face up to 30 years in prison, but are likely to get between 5 and 8 years. Two of these women, who have local connections, have been protesting US militarism and nuclear weapons for many years, and have served other, shorter, prison terms. Sister Ardeth Platte, 66, has been an activist since the Vietnam War, and Sister Carol Gilbert, 55, began working for nuclear disarmament in the late 1970's. Both currently live and work at Jonah House in Baltimore where they are part of the resistance community founded by Philip Berrigan (recently deceased) and his wife, Liz McAlister. The peace-making paths of Ardeth and Carol led them to live and witness in Marquette County in the early 1990's. They had been leaders in the downstate Oscoda area's efforts to close the air base there. After its closure, they moved to Gwinn and organized against the presence of the E.L.F transmitter in rural Marquette County, and against the weapons housed at then K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base. Both were active members of Marquette Pax Christi and could be found many Saturdays vigiling and leafletting outside the Marquette Post Office. Their last year in Marquette, Ardeth and Carol moved into our home, shared our family life, and helped with our ministry to the homeless at Loaves and Fishes Hospitality House (which we operated from 1990-1996). Because we have lived so closely with them, we know how deeply their lives and actions are rooted in their faith in God and grounded in loving, nonviolent resistance. Prosecutors at their Colorado trial contended that Ardeth and Carol showed "blatant disregard for the law." However, Ardeth and Carol have spent the bulk of their adult lives committed to following a Higher Law that supersedes human law, and acting--on behalf of the rest of us--out of their consciences. Their religious and moral convictions led them to the courageous, symbolic action of disarming US weapons of mass destruction located at Greeley Air Force Base in Colorado. Their religious faith and spiritual strength will uphold them in any long prison sentence, and will no doubt help to transform the experience of other women incarcerated with them. In the words of the peacemakers' song, Ardeth and Carol are two gentle, loving people" and they "are singing, singing for (their) lives." And, for ours. top Voices in the Wilderness Members Witness Destruction in Iraq Submitted by Martha Hayward Voices in the Wilderness maintained a peace presence in Iraq throughout the war. The following is a recent email from members who have witnessed first hand the destruction caused by the liberation of Iraq. “Bittersweet days have emerged again. It was bittersweet when the US government began to threaten increased violence against Iraq and was simultaneously met with the largest anti-war movement in history. It was bittersweet when the US declared it was going to begin a military assault on Iraq and member states of the United Nations with veto power declared that they would veto any resolution calling for a military attack. It was bittersweet when the US military dropped the first bombs on a defenseless nation of 26 million innocent people, and in return people all over the world engaged in acts of civil disobedience and protest. With the passing of UN resolution 1483 the removal of brutal, unjustifiable sanctions has taken place, which is indeed sweet. However, outlined in 1483 is the direct control of Iraqi oil revenues by the US government. A bitter reality. Since the bombing ceased, our team in Baghdad along with various humanitarian organizations, have witnessed the horror of war and occupation. The information they have provided is endless but not reported in most media outlets from the US. A brief look into what the Iraq Peace Team and humanitarian groups have found creates the following picture: - Basic services remain inadequate - Countless children are at risk of diarrhea and other illnesses related to dirty water - Many children are not attending school. We recently received a report that many teachers who have returned to their jobs do so without pay. - Joblessness - Unexploded ordnance and ammunition, both US and Iraqi delivered, continue to maim and kill unsuspecting people, particularly children.” -author of letter unknown In the words of Senator Byrd, “What makes me cringe even more is the continued claim that we are ‘liberators.’ The facts don’t seem to support the label we have so euphemistically attached to ourselves. True, we have unseated a brutal, despicable despot, but ‘liberation’ implies the follow up of freedom, self determination and a better life for the common people. In fact, if the situation in Iraq is the result of ‘liberation,’ we may have set the cause of freedom back 200 years.” More information regarding the situation in Iraq can be found at http://electroniciraq.net/news top Peace Begins on Your Plate Carrie Plummer "If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men."- St. Francis of Assisi Will we someday live in a world that is free from war and violence? We hope. Sadly, violence is inflicted most often on the weak and vulnerable. In a study by Tingle et al. (1986) of 64 convicted male offenders, animal abuse in childhood or adolescence was reported by 48 percent of the rapists and 30 percent of the child molesters. Violence is violence, whether it's inflicted on a woman, man, child, or animal. (see:http://www.uwo.ca/violence/html/petabuselinks.html and http://www.ncjrs.org/html/ojjdp/jjbul2001_9_2/page4.html.) Living a peaceful existence can begin from our most basic need, food. Food is an incredibly intimate and essential part of our lives. By consciously embracing a diet that is free from bloodshed and suffering we would not only be promoting peace, we would also be saving countless animal lives; improving the environment; and living much healthier than meat eaters (vegetarians have a 45% reduced risk of contracting diabetes; vegetarian mothers have 35 times LESS pesticide contamination in their breast milk; and vegans are 12.5 times less likely to die of a heart attack). It's a win win situation! Eating animal foods is unnecessary for survival and has proven that a high protein, low fiber diet is detrimental to human health. (See: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's site: http://www.pcrm.org and consider reading this excellent book: The Food Revolution by John Robbins) Both social and peace activists like Dexter Scott King, son of Martin Luther King Jr.; Carol Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat; and Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, are ALL vegans (pure vegetarians- a vegan diet is free from all animal products including dairy, eggs, and honey). "The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites or women for men."- Alice Walker. Holocaust survivor Edgar Kupfer-Koberwitz, wrote, from Animal, My Brethren: "I refuse to eat animals because I cannot nourish myself by the sufferings and by the death of other creatures. I refuse to do so, because I suffered so painfully myself that I can feel the pains of others by recalling my own sufferings." Of course Mahatma Gandhi was an ethical vegetarian too. Eating is such a pleasurable experience, let's make it a thoughtful and peaceful one as well. (Check out these great sites: http://www.healingeartheducation.org and http://www.tribeofheart.org.) top Connecting for Peace - Saturday, August 2, 10am - 4pm Van Riper State Park, Champion In the past year, the Marquette Area peace movement has experience rebirth and new energy as a result of the war on Iraq. Citizens for Peace and Justice evolved from Citizens Opposed to a War on Iraq, which was formed in August of 2002. During the last year, the group's members have had the opportunity to correspond with other members of the Peace Community in Northern Michigan and surrounding areas. Connecting for Peace is a way for all those involved in Peace work to meet and fortify our ties as human beings and workers for Peace and Justice. We will gather August 2 for a day of conversations, round table discussions, sharing ideas, communing over food, swatting bugs, swimming in the lake and connecting with people working on issues of peace and educating on non-violence in their communities. Lunch will be potluck style. Dinner, brown-bag or cook it up yourself. Discussion topics will include, but not be limited to: Iraq and the Middle East, local actions for peace, how to be a Peace Presence in a small town, long term visions for our world as well as others that will be decided on Saturday Morning. Come all weekend (Friday -Sunday) or Saturday only, don't forget lawn chairs, sunscreen (and raincoats) and, of course, insect repellent. Sunday there will be continued round table talks, hikes and swimming for those who are interested. Call 475-6791 or 226-3445 for more information. top Canadian Trash in Michigan Ryan Backlund In recent months, Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin have been working to tighten the restrictions on the importation of trash from Toronto into Michigan landfills. In March, the Michigan Senators, along with an Ohio Senator, spearheaded a bill that would allow customs officials to more thoroughly inspect trucks containing waste from Canada. Recently, Sen. Stabenow asked citizens to oppose the trash imports altogether by signing a petition to the head of the EPA, which would effectively stop Toronto’s trash and sewage sludge from being dumped in Michigan. She cited Homeland security, illegal drug trafficking, health concerns, the filling of Michigan landfills, and environmental concerns among the reasons for stopping the flow of garbage. A March 18^th article in the Detroit News stated that a Department of Environmental Quality study found the garbage imported from Canada is actually less hazardous than the garbage Michiganders import from Wisconsin and Indiana, or the trash we send to our own landfills. Sen. Stabenow also neglected to inform the citizens that the flow of trash is not one way; rather Michigan sends garbage to Canada for disposal. The situation is mind-boggling. The solution seems to be either sending all of the trash to a global landfill, preferably not on this planet, or creating less waste. How is it that a city the size of Toronto can produce, at least, 180 truckloads of garbage daily and then ship it away because the residents of Toronto don’t want what they wasted? It seems that Senator Stabenow and others, though well-intentioned, are overlooking the cause of the problem, mass production and consumption of non-recyclable, non-reusable products. Recently, Denmark has outlawed the use of single use drink containers; no paper coffee cups from McDonalds. Other European countries have similar laws force people to create less garbage. Instead of worrying about the risks to Homeland security that a truckload of Canadian sludge imposes, Sen. Stabenow should be fighting for measures similar to those in Europe. top

WRITE ON: Progressive News for Northern Michigan

Issue 4 June 2003

Local Links

Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice

Northwoods Wilderness Recovery

Keweenaw Now

State, National and International Links

Michigan Citizens for Peace

Write On Issues

June

We would like to thank everyone who read the previous issue of Write On. Write On needs funding and articles on subjects that interest you. If you or your group would like to help us cover the costs of printing, $60 for 175 copies, please let us know either by telephone or by email. This assistance is needed if you would like to continue reading this newsletter. Articles for Write On should be no more than 600 words. Please send any questions, comments, upcoming events, or article submissions to writeonup@yahoo.com or call 228-2962.

Look for the next issue of Write On in these locations: PWPL, Emma Joe's, Food Co-op, Sweetwater Café and others

Hello Readers,

We are providing this monthly publication to inform our neighbors of news affecting the people of Northern Michigan. This newsletter will consider such subjects as environmentalism, social justice, and local activism, which do not receive adequate coverage in other media outlets.

Table of Contents

Focus on a Peacemaker: Ardeth Platte and Carol Gilbert: Peacemakers Have Local Connections

Caryl Bournique

Voices in the Wilderness Members Witness Destruction in Iraq Submitted by Martha Hayward

Peace Begins on Your Plate Carrie Plummer

Connecting for Peace - Saturday, August 2, 10am - 4pm Van Riper State Park, Champion

Canadian Trash in Michigan Ryan Backlund

Focus on a Peacemaker: Ardeth Platte and Carol Gilbert: Peacemakers Have Local Connections

Caryl Bournique

The story has been circulating around the country on the Internet and in various other media over the past month. There have been articles, editorials, and op-eds in newspapers from Montana to Florida, and from Colorado to Marquette, Michigan. It's the story of three nuns, members of the Grand Rapids Dominicans (a Roman Catholic order based in Grand Rapids, Michigan), who are facing federal prison terms as the result of a nonviolent Plowshares action at a missile site in Greeley, Colorado.

On October 6, 2002, the anniversary of the commencement of US bombing in Afghanistan, the three women cut the chain of a "security" gate and walked onto the site of a Minuteman III missile. There, they held a symbolic ritual of disarmament. They had dressed for the occasion in white jump suits on which were written "Citizen Weapons Inspections Team" (CWIT). When they reached the missile, they pounded on its silo with household hammers, used their own blood to draw six crosses on it, and marked the site with a rosary and an international law book.

After about 2 hours, while the three women (ages 55-68) were praying and singing, a military Humvee crashed through the fence. The women of nonviolence found themselves surrounded by Air Force guards and local authorities, and "face-to-face" with M16s and grenade launchers. They were arrested, spent 6 months in a Colorado county jail, tried in federal court, and are now facing sentencing on July 25.

The sisters had expected to be charged with misdemeanor trespassing, as they have been in previous arrests. Instead, on April 8 2003, a federal jury convicted them of a felony--interfering with national defense and damaging government property. They could face up to 30 years in prison, but are likely to get between 5 and 8 years.

Two of these women, who have local connections, have been protesting US militarism and nuclear weapons for many years, and have served other, shorter, prison terms. Sister Ardeth Platte, 66, has been an activist since the Vietnam War, and Sister Carol Gilbert, 55, began working for nuclear disarmament in the late 1970's. Both currently live and work at Jonah House in Baltimore where they are part of the resistance community founded by Philip Berrigan (recently deceased) and his wife, Liz McAlister.

The peace-making paths of Ardeth and Carol led them to live and witness in Marquette County in the early 1990's. They had been leaders in the downstate Oscoda area's efforts to close the air base there. After its closure, they moved to Gwinn and organized against the presence of the E.L.F transmitter in rural Marquette County, and against the weapons housed at then K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base. Both were active members of Marquette Pax Christi and could be found many Saturdays vigiling and leafletting outside the Marquette Post Office.

Their last year in Marquette, Ardeth and Carol moved into our home, shared our family life, and helped with our ministry to the homeless at Loaves and Fishes Hospitality House (which we operated from 1990-1996). Because we have lived so closely with them, we know how deeply their lives and actions are rooted in their faith in God and grounded in loving, nonviolent resistance.

Prosecutors at their Colorado trial contended that Ardeth and Carol showed "blatant disregard for the law." However, Ardeth and Carol have spent the bulk of their adult lives committed to following a Higher Law that supersedes human law, and acting--on behalf of the rest of us--out of their consciences. Their religious and moral convictions led them to the courageous, symbolic action of disarming US weapons of mass destruction located at Greeley Air Force Base in Colorado. Their religious faith and spiritual strength will uphold them in any long prison sentence, and will no doubt help to transform the experience of other women incarcerated with them. In the words of the peacemakers' song, Ardeth and Carol are two gentle, loving people" and they "are singing, singing for (their) lives." And, for ours.

top

Voices in the Wilderness Members Witness Destruction in Iraq Submitted by Martha Hayward

Voices in the Wilderness maintained a peace presence in Iraq throughout the war. The following is a recent email from members who have witnessed first hand the destruction caused by the liberation of Iraq.

“Bittersweet days have emerged again. It was bittersweet when the US government began to threaten increased violence against Iraq and was simultaneously met with the largest anti-war movement in history. It was bittersweet when the US declared it was going to begin a military assault on Iraq and member states of the United Nations with veto power declared that they would veto any resolution calling for a military attack. It was bittersweet when the US military dropped the first bombs on a defenseless nation of 26 million innocent people, and in return people all over the world engaged in acts of civil disobedience and protest. With the passing of UN resolution 1483 the removal of brutal, unjustifiable sanctions has taken place, which is indeed sweet. However, outlined in 1483 is the direct control of Iraqi oil revenues by the US government. A bitter reality.

Since the bombing ceased, our team in Baghdad along with various humanitarian organizations, have witnessed the horror of war and occupation. The information they have provided is endless but not reported in most media outlets from the US. A brief look into what the Iraq Peace Team and humanitarian groups have found creates the following picture:

- Basic services remain inadequate

- Countless children are at risk of diarrhea and other illnesses related to dirty water

- Many children are not attending school. We recently received a report that many teachers who have returned to their jobs do so without pay.

- Joblessness

- Unexploded ordnance and ammunition, both US and Iraqi delivered, continue to maim and kill unsuspecting people, particularly children.” -author of letter unknown

In the words of Senator Byrd, “What makes me cringe even more is the continued claim that we are ‘liberators.’ The facts don’t seem to support the label we have so euphemistically attached to ourselves. True, we have unseated a brutal, despicable despot, but ‘liberation’ implies the follow up of freedom, self determination and a better life for the common people. In fact, if the situation in Iraq is the result of ‘liberation,’ we may have set the cause of freedom back 200 years.”

More information regarding the situation in Iraq can be found at http://electroniciraq.net/news

top

Peace Begins on Your Plate Carrie Plummer

"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men."- St. Francis of Assisi

Will we someday live in a world that is free from war and violence? We hope. Sadly, violence is inflicted most often on the weak and vulnerable. In a study by Tingle et al. (1986) of 64 convicted male offenders, animal abuse in childhood or adolescence was reported by 48 percent of the rapists and 30 percent of the child molesters. Violence is violence, whether it's inflicted on a woman, man, child, or animal. (see:http://www.uwo.ca/violence/html/petabuselinks.html and http://www.ncjrs.org/html/ojjdp/jjbul2001_9_2/page4.html.)

Living a peaceful existence can begin from our most basic need, food. Food is an incredibly intimate and essential part of our lives. By consciously embracing a diet that is free from bloodshed and suffering we would not only be promoting peace, we would also be saving countless animal lives; improving the environment; and living much healthier than meat eaters (vegetarians have a 45% reduced risk of contracting diabetes; vegetarian mothers have 35 times LESS pesticide contamination in their breast milk; and vegans are 12.5 times less likely to die of a heart attack). It's a win win situation! Eating animal foods is unnecessary for survival and has proven that a high protein, low fiber diet is detrimental to human health. (See: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's site: http://www.pcrm.org and consider reading this excellent book: The Food Revolution by John Robbins)

Both social and peace activists like Dexter Scott King, son of Martin Luther King Jr.; Carol Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat; and Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, are ALL vegans (pure vegetarians- a vegan diet is free from all animal products including dairy, eggs, and honey). "The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites or women for men."- Alice Walker. Holocaust survivor Edgar Kupfer-Koberwitz, wrote, from Animal, My Brethren: "I refuse to eat animals because I cannot nourish myself by the sufferings and by the death of other creatures. I refuse to do so, because I suffered so painfully myself that I can feel the pains of others by recalling my own sufferings." Of course Mahatma Gandhi was an ethical vegetarian too.

Eating is such a pleasurable experience, let's make it a thoughtful and peaceful one as well. (Check out these great sites: http://www.healingeartheducation.org and http://www.tribeofheart.org.)

top

Connecting for Peace - Saturday, August 2, 10am - 4pm Van Riper State Park, Champion

In the past year, the Marquette Area peace movement has experience rebirth and new energy as a result of the war on Iraq. Citizens for Peace and Justice evolved from Citizens Opposed to a War on Iraq, which was formed in August of 2002. During the last year, the group's members have had the opportunity to correspond with other members of the Peace Community in Northern Michigan and surrounding areas. Connecting for Peace is a way for all those involved in Peace work to meet and fortify our ties as human beings and workers for Peace and Justice.

We will gather August 2 for a day of conversations, round table discussions, sharing ideas, communing over food, swatting bugs, swimming in the lake and connecting with people working on issues of peace and educating on non-violence in their communities. Lunch will be potluck style. Dinner, brown-bag or cook it up yourself. Discussion topics will include, but not be limited to: Iraq and the Middle East, local actions for peace, how to be a Peace Presence in a small town, long term visions for our world as well as others that will be decided on Saturday Morning.

Come all weekend (Friday -Sunday) or Saturday only, don't forget lawn chairs, sunscreen (and raincoats) and, of course, insect repellent. Sunday there will be continued round table talks, hikes and swimming for those who are interested. Call 475-6791 or 226-3445 for more information.

top

Canadian Trash in Michigan Ryan Backlund

In recent months, Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin have been working to tighten the restrictions on the importation of trash from Toronto into Michigan landfills. In March, the Michigan Senators, along with an Ohio Senator, spearheaded a bill that would allow customs officials to more thoroughly inspect trucks containing waste from Canada. Recently, Sen. Stabenow asked citizens to oppose the trash imports altogether by signing a petition to the head of the EPA, which would effectively stop Toronto’s trash and sewage sludge from being dumped in Michigan. She cited Homeland security, illegal drug trafficking, health concerns, the filling of Michigan landfills, and environmental concerns among the reasons for stopping the flow of garbage. A March 18^th article in the Detroit News stated that a Department of Environmental Quality study found the garbage imported from Canada is actually less hazardous than the garbage Michiganders import from Wisconsin and Indiana, or the trash we send to our own landfills. Sen. Stabenow also neglected to inform the citizens that the flow of trash is not one way; rather Michigan sends garbage to Canada for disposal.

The situation is mind-boggling. The solution seems to be either sending all of the trash to a global landfill, preferably not on this planet, or creating less waste. How is it that a city the size of Toronto can produce, at least, 180 truckloads of garbage daily and then ship it away because the residents of Toronto don’t want what they wasted? It seems that Senator Stabenow and others, though well-intentioned, are overlooking the cause of the problem, mass production and consumption of non-recyclable, non-reusable products. Recently, Denmark has outlawed the use of single use drink containers; no paper coffee cups from McDonalds. Other European countries have similar laws force people to create less garbage. Instead of worrying about the risks to Homeland security that a truckload of Canadian sludge imposes, Sen. Stabenow should be fighting for measures similar to those in Europe.

top