From: Jonah House <
Date: Fri, Sep 23, 2011
“I REFUSE TO BE SILENT”
Sister Jackie Hudson, Order of Preachers, was the next peacemaker
scheduled for sentencing, next Monday morning at 9:30. Her life was
given on August 3rd, 2011, her testimony complete, and it resounds
loudly and clearly, remaining with us and we are grateful. Jackie,
presente!
Magistrate Guyton, we have been taught, have learned and believe that:
In these courts, justice should be rendered.
In these courts, prosecution for broken laws and policies regarding
cancer-causing radioactivity that poisons soil, water, animal and
human life should be enforced.
In these courts, killing and threats to kill should be on trial.
In these courts “Deterrence” – intentional threats to kill massively
(i.e. triggers cocked at targeted nations) should be listed on trial
dockets as criminal.
In these state and federal courts Y 12 (along with
Kansas City Nuclear Complexes) producing and processing uranium,
plutonium, materials and parts for nuclear weapons should be
prosecuted as crimes.
Prosecutors, you have chosen instead to prosecute the Y 12
thirteen. Your “in limine” motion to silence us at trial about
applicable Constitutional, Humanitarian, Customary, International laws
and treaties substantiating our action and motivation stripped us of
our defense.
The probation officers chose to list for you some of my
nonviolent, symbolic, direct actions of civil resistance that were
designated points because of arbitrary arrests and incarcerations.
However, they too have eliminated the moral and legal ways and means
of my teaching and preaching truth about war and weapons, nor have
they recorded the reasons why I refuse to be silent.
So before sentencing I want to tell you more of my story. Note that
it is violence, injustice and killing that move me to actions. I
believe that nuclear weapons are the taproot of all violence and must
be abolished. Poverty and deprivation kill too. Domestic and foreign
violence, injury to air, soil and water kills, massive killing in war
with conventional bombs and threats of actual use of nuclear weapons –
all are immoral, illegal and criminal.
So I refuse to be silent.
My stance is the same as my religious community of Dominican Sisters,
my intentional community of Jonah House and my Roman Catholic Church.
It is the same position taken by international law professors and
lawyers (like Charles Moxley who testified before you), the World
Court, Global Zero, Nobel Peace Laureates, many Admirals and Generals,
political leaders, scientists, organizations and millions of people
throughout the world.
We each in our own way refuse to be silent!
At four years of age, I/We in kindergarten were ordered to duck and
cover. Our families were ordered to extinguish all lights for
blackouts in the entire city. In those early years we were all
incorporated under the cloak of fear to participate in war.
At nine years of age my country obliterated
you know, killing hundreds of thousands of people – innocent women,
men and children with “Little Boy” and “Fat Man”. (Years later I have
had the privilege of being with and speaking at forums with the
Hibakusha who plead for a nuclear-free world also.) The pictures of
their land and burnt dead make me weep.
At thirteen years of age my brother was accidently shot while deer
hunting. What I recall was the sight of the open leg wound and its
difficult healing process. It stirred in me images and awareness of
the maiming and killing in warfare.
In the early 50’s I entered college and then the Dominican Sisters
Community, preparing for a vowed life and teaching ministry.
Scripture, theology, social documents of the Church, secular studies,
the life and charism of Dominic, our founder – an itinerant preacher
of truth, along with many Dominican saints formed me and deepened my
conscience.
Affected by and study of a nonviolent/loving God, a nonviolent Jesus,
giving his life rather than taking another’s life, all people made to
the image of God, one family of sisters and brothers in the world, to
become a Beatitude people, love God and neighbor as self, do good to
those who persecute you, forgive seventy times seven, hammer swords
into plowshares –all of these words/concepts took root in me. I would
never be the same because sacred life and creation became most
meaningful.
I found my voice, must speak out, must speak truth!
In the 60’s and 70’s, during the years of my educational ministries,
the “isms” became evident, focused and clearer to me. Racism was
prevalent so it was right and good to be part of the nonviolent civil
rights movement. Farmworkers were oppressed, so many of us joined
boycotts and marches with Cesar Chavez and workers. Sexism and
classism reflected the subjugation of women and the poorest and my
heart and eyes were opened to the need for education, empowerment and
organized efforts. For in each of these movements for justice, I saw
democracy in action and had to join it; it was the way to bring about
systemic change through legal, political and direct action.
I refused to be silent then and now!
Assigned to an Upward Bound program at our college as an
administrative assistant and to an inner city high school as principal
brought me face to face with killing. It was the time of turmoil,
riots and sniping in the streets of the cities. At the same time war
was escalating and raging in
effect on domestic budgetary needs: education, food, shelter, health
care. African Americans, Hispanics, and people made poor challenged me
to walk by faith’s talk about preferential option with the poorest.
Some of our grads were coming back in body bags and some of our
students and family members were killed on the city’s war-zoned
streets.
We opened an
offer some hope and self-determination sessions during a dark time. I
participated in moratorium marches within the city and also in
My voice was not silent!
War is not peace. Basic human necessities are intended as a right for
all of God’s people. Hundreds of thousands of us were part of the
demonstrations…and the Vietnam War ended. But nuclear weapons
continued to be built. Each President, except Ford, threatened to use
them, from Truman to the present as weapons of mass destruction have
become more and more powerful.
We continued organizing – teaching conscientious objection, joining
thousands at the UN Disarmament Conference in
and a million of us in 1982. Nearly 1800 were arrested at the five
nuclear weapon nation’s Embassies. In 1979 I was invited to the White
House with other religious leaders to examine the SALT treaty. As a
City Councilwoman I attended “Women for the Prevention of Nuclear War”
with Rosalyn Carter, Ellen Goodman, Coretta Scott King, Joanne
Woodward and numerous women leaders from every walk of life. As Mayor
Pro Tem of the city I voted at our
for Peace for a Nuclear Freeze. Upon return from these urgent events
our
November 1982 ballot an Initiative banning nuclear weapons from our
state. It passed by a 56% vote of the people.
However, the federal government and Dept of Defense defied the will of
the people of
cruise missiles for B52’s at two Strategic Air Command (SAC) Bases in
1983 and 1984. For the next twelve years, we prayed, studied,
organized, marched, demonstrated, lobbied and did legal, political,
and direct actions until every nuclear weapon was removed (1995) from
our state, which is a wonderland with fresh water lakes surrounding
it. At the same time we did all we could do to gain funds and
commitment to cleanup the serious contamination which we believe
caused cancer rates to escalate in the area.
I and others refused to be silent!
{As an interesting sideline, all of my arrests at these bases were for
trespass. In the city I served for years, the police were facing a
hostage situation – a veteran had collected a stash of guns and was
holding his wife hostage. The police requested me to come to defuse
the situation, so the man could be seized and given the mental health
care that he needed. There was no question about my trespassing to
stop a possible killing. I did so and it was successful. It is exactly
what we attempt to do each time we enter a nuclear site – to save
lives and stop the hostage-taking of other nations.}
During the 1980’s and 1990’s under the tutelage of lawyers, we learned
the laws of the
our own nonviolent actions. These experts: Francis Boyle, Kary Love,
Bill Durand, Richard Faulk, Bill Quigley, Peter Weiss, Bob Aldridge,
Ved Nanda, Lawyers for Prevention of Nuclear War, Anabel Dwyer, etc.
by their writings and testifying through the years substantiate the
illegality and crimes of governments and corporations and our duty and
responsibility to stop them.
A Coalition of
developed the
opinion of nuclear weapons being illegal in threatening to use or ever
using them. The Campaign included depositions, laws, procedures to be
taken to stop the SAC Base from illegal action. The briefs were
submitted to the Attorney General, two federal District Attorneys and
two county prosecutors. Day by day we offered leaflets at the SAC Base
to teach Air Force personnel that they must disobey any command
(according to their Field Manuals) to threaten use or to launch
nuclear weapons.
I refuse to be silent!
Lawyers who are experts in Law continue to teach us the pertinence of
the Constitution,
Poison Earth Treaty,
Treaty – “with its obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a
conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its
aspects, under strict and effective international control.”
Nuclear weapons inflict indiscriminate and uncontrollable mass
destruction, violate fundamental rules and principles of humanitarian
law and threaten the existence of life itself.
I/We were informed that the replacement upgrades in targeting
capability of Trident D-5 missiles, W76 and W88 series are breaches of
Article VI of the NPT and signed agreements, therefore, the ongoing
production at Y12
place.
I refuse to be silent and joined in issuing the proclamation on July 5, 2010.
So I ask you now: Is it or is it not the duty to stop crimes? Is it
legal to defy treaties? Is it legal to kill civilians? Is it legal to
bomb counties at which no war has been declared? to torture? Is it
legal to threaten with nuclear weapons? Is it legal to occupy
countries and establish 1000 military bases on ¾ of the world’s
countries? Is it legal for the
Centers, controlling independent Continents? Is it legal to allow or
cause people to starve and be malnourished here and abroad? Is it
legal to sign treaties to total nuclear disarmament and not fulfill
them? If it is legal, it is certainly not moral. My commitment has
been and is to put my mind, body, spirit and voice on lines to stop
war, weapons, and killing. I oppose all killing – by the pen, by guns,
by conventional and nuclear weapons. I refuse to be silent about
personal, societal, state and national murder. I refuse to be silent
regarding the lies told, the resources stolen, the crimes against
peace, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The universe, Earth,
creation and creatures are sacred, too magnificent to be destroyed.
You may wonder why I’m taking time to add the above material to the
record and my rap sheet. No doubt you have probably decided my
sentence before I spoke. I wanted you to know my convictions and
passion and what has led me to do what I do…not only civil resistance
and the promise to give my life for justice and peace. I want to
invite you to be agents of change.
My question is – where are the courts and judges. Will any of you be
agents for change as were the courts in abolishing slavery, child
labor, gaining civil rights, women’s voting, unionization, and other
laws galore that had to be upheld and interpreted. It is an urgent
time, a kairos moment, a key time in history – wherein abolition of
nuclear weapons is law. Let all of us go home to feed the poor and
serve God’s people! Never again bring to court nonviolent civil
resisters at Y12. Cases dismissed. Join the movement to stop weapons,
war and killing! Prosecutors – bring forth the cases of contamination
and radiation. Stop nuclear weapons and prosecute those breaking the
law. As Jackie would say, “Let’s all take another step outside our
comfort zone.” I trust and hope you will be the persons that will
someday do it.
Sentencing Statement by
Sister Ardeth Platte, O.P.
September 16, 2011 for Y12 Action
____________________________________________________________________________
Don't forget to visit us at http://www.jonahhouse.org for peace and
resistance news, images and reflections
--
Frank Cordaro
Phil Berrigan CW House
(515) 490-2490
Link to DMCW brochure:
http://www.justpeace.org/DMCWbrochure.pdf
Link to posted Via Pacis issues from Sept 2007 to Summer 2011:
http://www.justpeace.org/viapacis.htm
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