[Peace-discuss] Kathy Kelly

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

Dear Friends of Voices,

On March 29, 2004, a Magistrate in Madison, WI decided to tag an extra month 
onto the sentences already imposed on Kathy Kelly and (Rev.) Jerry Zawada, 
OFM, which means that both of them are due to "self-report" to federal prisons on 
April 6.  Kathy and Jerry were tried along with six others who crossed a line 
onto two feet of government grass at Project ELF, in northern Wisconsin, on 
Mother's Day in May, 2003.

The ELF site houses an Extremely Low Frequency tower used by the US military 
to command the launch of nuclear missiles from Trident submarines.  It's 
primary use would be in the event of a first-strike US nuclear weapon attack. 
However, during the recent Shock and Awe warfare against Iraq, the ELF site was 
used to "fast-track" launches of Tomahawk Cruise missiles that bombed Iraq. Jerry 
and Kathy explained to the judge that because they were in Iraq during the 
massive bombing that began on March 20, 2003, they felt a particular 
responsibility to help close the Project ELF because they'd seen the lethal and brutal 
civilian suffering that Tomahawk Cruise missiles caused when civilian homes, 
shopping centers and roadways were bombed. 

Kathy will be imprisoned at Pekin, IL FCI, (Federal Correctional Institute). 
Her outdate is August 6, 2004,-- Hiroshima Day and the anniversary of the day 
when sanctions were first imposed on Iraq in 1990. Jerry, who faces a seven 
month sentence, will be imprisoned at Oxford, WI FCI; his outdate is November 6, 
2004. Both Kathy and Jerry had been previously sentenced to prison time 
(three months and six months, respectively) for crossing the line at the School of 
the Americas /WHISC on November 22, 2003.  They won't be able to receive mail 
until the Bureau of Prisons assigns them prison numbers.  At that point, we'll 
circulate information about how to write to them along with regulations about 
what they can receive in prison (not much) and visiting rights.  Till then, 
Kathy and Jerry encourage supporters to:

i—-call the Capitol Switchboard and ask elected representatives to close the 
SOA/WHISC  The number is:  202-224-3121

ii--visit http://www.soaw.org to learn more about the School of the Americas  
   visit http://www.nukewatch.com to learn more about Project ELF

iii-visit http://vitw.org/archives/000042.html to read Kathy's reflection 
about going to prison, entitled "Crossing Lines."

iv—-contact local prisoner support groups to learn about prisoners in your 
area who would like visitors and/or correspondence

v---visit  http://www.petitiononline.com/know0001/petition.html to sign an 
online petition to free Ardeth Platte, Carol Gilbert and Jackie Hudson, three 
Roman Catholic sisters imprisoned for two – 3 1/2 years for symbolic acts of 
disarmament at a nuclear missile silo site in rural Colorado. Read more about 
them at http://vitw.org/archives/000033.html

vi—-visit the website of the Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu, 
http://www.nonviolence.org/vanunu  the Israeli nuclear whistleblower first imprisoned in 
1986 whom we hope will be released on April 21, 2004.  Be sure to sign the 
online petition!

vii-visit http://www.freelori.org to learn more about the Committee to Free 
Lori Berenson who has been sentenced to twenty years in a Peruvian prison on 
charges of treason. Recently, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights 
claimed that the trial completely violated her rights. She has already been 
imprisoned for eight years.  The "Frequently Asked Questions" section of the website 
listed above presents a history of her case.

Our involvement with Jerry's and Kathy's companions who crossed the lines, in 
the past year, at Project ELF and at Fort Benning has put us in touch with 
extraordinarily fine people, too numerous to mention in this e-mail.  
Biographies of each of the other SOA defendants are listed on the http://www.soaw.org 
website.  Please visit http://www.nukewatch.com to read about others who've been 
involved in court cases and incarceration for their nonviolent protest at 
Project ELF.

Kathy can be reached in Chicago, before departure on April 6, at 773-784-8065 
 kathy at vitw.org  Jerry is in Burlington, WI, 262-763-3600  
jerryzawada at peoplepc.com

We remain very grateful for the many letters and calls sent to us as we 
persist, with you, in the further invention of nonviolence.

Sincerely,

John Farrell, Laurie Hasbrook, Danny Muller, Scott Blackburn, Tim Marshall, 
Kathy Kelly, Stephanie Knol, Angela Garcia and Suj Shyam for the Voices in the 
Wilderness Chicago office

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Wheels of Justice Update

Since July 2003 the Wheels of Justice Tour brought eyewitnesses to war and 
occupation in Iraq and Palestine to communities across America. In our 
17,000-mile journey, we have so far visited 18 states bringing first-hand realities of 
war and occupation to those who would otherwise have no access to this type of 
information. The fully decorated and remodeled bus brings speakers and 
resources lifting the fog of misinformation and empowering hundreds to act. It makes 
a positive spectacle and brings the message of human rights and 
self-determination. Literally hundreds of media stories have already been written about it.

But, the old engine finally gave-up. Options to replace The 1976 vintage bus 
are underway. Please donate generously towards this so that we can get back on 
the road and continue this incredibly successful project. Please visit 
http://justicewheels.org for more information on where you can make a donation.

Also, read Ceylon Mooney's MY 5 DAYS AWAY FROM THE OFFICE, an update and a 
recounting of being on tour at http://justicewheels.org/archives/000072.html
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