Report from Spire Vigil

Dublin Catholic Worker invited folks to a two hour vigil this morning at the Spire in response to the presence of USS La Salle in port. The timing of the vigil was due to the three members of the live-in community having work commitments in the afternoon/evening.

Signs included "War is Teror is War", "Depleted Uranium Munitions - Not Through Shannon, Not Through Dublin!", "USS La Salle- Depleted.Uranium Death Ship", "Friendships Not Warships - Stop U.S. War on Iraq", USS La Salle Crucifies the Innocent".

Two others of us who gathered are veterans of a ploughshares action on uranium mining equipment at the Jabiluka mine in the Northern Teritory of Australia. Two of us are awatinging trial for the Pit Stop Ploughshares actions (see www.plowsharesactions.org). Four of us had taken nonviolent actions against U.S. warship visits to Australia & New Zealand and the Faslane nuke sub base in Scotland.

Kiwi Jim reflected "Ireland is the same size as New Zealand. New Zealand made a moral stance in the 1980's to ban all nuclear warship visits, this lead to a U.S. military, economically and diplomatic blacklisting of New Zealand. Although NZ has 40,000,000 more sheep than Ireland - we weren't part of the EU economy (presently containing two large countries who opposed this present US war). NZ had a moral leadership on certain issues in its political elite that Ireland lacks. The politicians here are so corrupt and mediocre. New Zealand made a moral stance on warship[s and survived...there is so much fear in Ireland of the economic consequences of having an independent foreign policy."

We were also joined by Eoin Dubsky who has initiated legal action to arrest the captain of the USS La Salle.

We had a Garda presence throughout the 2 hour vigil. Generally ok but summoned the Council guy when we tied our banner to the new trees near the spire. Passer by response varied from racist and pro-war to curiousity, sympathy and support.

A teacher with a school photography excursion group allowed me to address about 25 school kidz on the issues surrounding the presence of the La Salle, Ireland's complicity in the war on Iraq, the nature of depleted uranium munitions (poisoning Iraqis and US military personel) and the forthcoming Pit Stop Ploughshares trial.

A young Iranian man with a peace sign patch was moved deeply by the witness. One guy came and handed out fruit and another handed out chocolates.