[Peace-discuss] Plowshares action

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

Update on Ardeth, Carol, and Jackie

These are some good friends of mine who need support!

doug 


The nuns are, as you may know, charged with sabotage and destruction of
government property. They are looking at 30 years in prison on the charges;
their guidelines would put them at risk of something like 7-8 years if
convicted on both charges.
    They have decided to fight the charges in the court (sabotage has to do
with interference with the national defense and with national defense
material and it is clear that there is nothing defensive about the Minuteman
III ICBM). As it looks now, Ardeth will go pro se; Carol will be represented
by Ramsey Clark; Jackie by two local lawyers one of whom defended Carl Kabat
a couple of years ago. Anabel Dwyer will coordinate the defense. They have
asked for more time to prepare for court, and, to date, have determined to
refuse release conditions and so remain in jail. They are well and getting
into the rhythm of things there and their own rhythm of prayer and
reflection and reading and work with the women and, of course, preparing for
trial.
    There is a short article on their action in the most recent NCR written by
Patrick O'Neil. Unfortunately, NCR did not deign to include a photo of them.
    We just received the following from Bill Sulzman which will give you a
sense of the local support:

    There will be a jail vigil and rally outside the Clear Creek County
Correction Center in Georgetown, CO on Sunday November 10 at 2 PM.  Members
of Sisters on Pilgrimage a Colorado based group of Catholic Nuns will lead
the vigil in support of Dominican Sisters Ardeth Platte, Carol Gilbert and
Jackie Hudson (held at the jail) who undertook a disarmament action October
6 at nuclear missile silo N-8 in Weld County Colorado.  Sisters Carol,
Jackie and Ardeth called their Scripture inspired action Sacred Earth and
Space Plowshares II.  They had carried out a disarmament action 2 years ago
in the Colorado Springs area.  They face a two count grand jury indictment
calling for maximum penalties of 20 years for one charge and 10 years for
the other.
    It is hoped that their action will bring attention to the massive
stockpile of weapons of mass destruction housed in Colorado.  The 49 nuclear
armed missiles in our state have recently been refitted with w-87 warheads
(hydrogen bombs) each with  an explosive power of 300 kilotons ( at least 30
times the size of the Hiroshima bomb)  The national debate about weapons of
mass destruction (WMD's) totally ignores the huge U.S. investment in WMD's.
Coloradans have gotten used to total ignorance of these doomsday weapons as
well.
The trial will likely happen in January or February.  It depends on the
working schedule of the defense team which is still in formation .

Please continue to hold them in heart and prayer - them and the cause for
which they are serving time right now - the heavens giving glory to the
creator...