In recent years the number joining our protest at Offutt has been very
small. The number of those willing to do nonviolent direct actions or
risk arrest has been even smaller. This will not always be the case.
In the years ahead, a truly world-wide peace movement will necessarily
come together. This inevitability is already materializing with
efforts like the global "Keep Space for Peace Week;" i.e. the world's
peace makers have started connecting the dots to the global war making
systems and commands ("powers and principalities"). This will lead to
more and more making their way to Omaha, Nebraska, to protest STRATCom
and its interlocking corporate partners. In the global struggle for a
peaceful world, Omaha and the STRATCom at Offutt Air Force Base will
increasingly emerge as a central point of protest and conversion. On
October 8, 2008, we will continue to place the markers for those who
will join us in the years to come.
---------------------------
What: Nonviolence Training and Planning Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Time: 7p.m.
Place: Holy Family Church 1715 Izard Street, Omaha, NE 68102 Social
Hall, Lower Street Level door on 18th Street.
What: "Die-In" CD/Nonviolent direct action in Omaha
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008
Time: 11 a.m.
Place: Omaha Qwest Convention Center, where the Strategic Space and
Defense Conference 2008 (otherwise known as the "Omaha Space Weapons
Bazaar") is located.
Organizers and sponsors for the "Die in:" The Des Moines and Omaha
Catholic Workers
For more info contact:
Jerry Ebner, Omaha Catholic Worker
cwom...@gmail.com
1104 N. 24th St, Omaha, NE 68102
(402) 502-5887
www.no-nukes.org/cwomaha
Frank Cordaro, Berrigan Catholic Worker House
frank.cord...@gmail.com
713 Indiana Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314
(515) 282-4781
www.DesMoinesCatholicWorker.org
Dear Friends,
Each year the Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in
Space sponsors a "Keep Space for Peace Week" in October. Local peace
communities from throughout the world that have ongoing campaigns
against space-war-related industries and military facilities
participate in this week of protest. Check out
http://www.space4peace.org/
For the third year in a row the Des Moines and Omaha Catholic Workers
and the Nebraskans for Peace (http://www.nebraskansforpeace.org) are
participating in the Global Keep Space for Peace Week by focusing our
protest on the yearly Strategic Space and Defense Conference held at
the Qwest Center in Omaha. This conference is hosted by the corporate
suppliers of weapons and space technologies for the STRATCom and
Military Space Commands at Offutt AFB (http://www.stratspace.org) - a
sort of "Space Weapons Bazaar."
Among the events planned is a direct action nonviolent civil
disobedience witness on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, at 11 a.m. at the
main entrance of the Qwest Center. The form of this witness will be a
"Die in." Anyone considering joining us for this "Die-in" must attend
the nonviolence training and planning session at Holy Family Church on
Tuesday evening October 7th starting at 7 p.m. If you are even
thinking about participating in the "die- in", please contact Jerry
Ebner or Frank Cordaro as soon as possible.
About the Witness:
The "Die-in" witness we are planning will be a very low-key effort,
similar to the "Die-in" that took place last year. We would
anticipate similar legal consequences as were realized last year.
Sentences for this action, assuming a defendant is found guilty, will
vary and are usually influenced by how defendants present themselves
in court and any previous arrest records. The maximum penalty from a
misdemeanor similar to the one faced last year is 6 months in jail and
$500 fine plus court costs.
Last year, ten people gathered outside the main entrance of the Qwest
Center, held banners, and made a brief statement. Then four members of
that group proceeded forward and lay down on the cement enacting the
"Die-in." The Qwest Center security people and the Omaha Police
greeted the protesters, informed them that they had to leave the
property or be arrested. All but three people left the property. The
three who remained and were arrested are Omaha-based protesters; Fr.
Jack McCaslin, Peg Gallagher and Omaha Catholic Worker Jerry Ebner.
Eventually all three were found guilty of refusing to obey a
policeman's order and fined. Jerry Ebner and Fr. Jack Mc Caslin were
given fines and court costs totaling: $175 Jerry Ebner chose to do two
days in jail in lieu of the fine and court costs. He entered jail at
Douglas County Jail and was released in 24 hours. Peg Gallagher
received probation with the help of a lawyer.
Why doing this witness is important:
The Strategic Space and Defense Conferences in Omaha is a new event
borne by the newly, more god-awful STRATCom and Space Commands
stationed at Offutt AFB. This is the third year it has been held in
Omaha. For want of a better description, they are like the old Arms
Bazaars we used to protest—except that these weapons-for-profit-makers
are also marketing outer space high-technological weaponry and selling
them to the folks at Offutt.
Nebraskans for Peace and the Des Moines and Omaha Catholic Workers
intend to have a yearly presence at these events to expose and protest
not only the insanity of the STRATCom and Space Commands at Offutt but
also to expose the private corporations they feed. The fact that the
Strategic Space and Defense Conferences in Omaha coincide with "Keep
Space for Peace Week," sponsored by the Global Network Against Weapons
and Nuclear Power in Space, makes for an even more illuminating
weekend.
As many know, Catholic Workers have been protesting at Offutt AFB for
many years. We have witnessed the Offutt military command's mission
morph toward ever-bigger and more deadly missions. Today Offutt AFB
and STRATCom conglomerate make this place arguably the most dangerous
on the planet. http://www.desmoinescatholicworker.org/StratComCartoonBook.pdf
Again, for the second year in a row, Catholic Workers want to sustain
a direct action/civil disobedience component to these yearly protests.
Wednesday, October 8, has been left open for our arrest-risking
"Die-in."
In recent years the number joining our protest at Offutt has been very
small. The number of those willing to do nonviolent direct actions or
risk arrest has been even smaller. This will not always be the case.
In the years ahead, a truly world-wide peace movement will necessarily
come together. This inevitability is already materializing with
efforts like the global "Keep Space for Peace Week;" i.e. the world's
peace makers have started connecting the dots to the global war making
systems and commands ("powers and principalities"). This will lead to
more and more making their way to Omaha, Nebraska, to protest STRATCom
and its interlocking corporate partners. In the global struggle for a
peaceful world, Omaha and the STRATCom at Offutt Air Force Base will
increasingly emerge as a central point of protest and conversion. On
October 8, we will continue to place the markers for those who will
join us in the years to come.
Please search your soul and consider joining us this year. We need
not only those who are willing to risk arrest with the "Die-in" but
also those willing to support those risking arrest.
We look forward to hearing from many of you;
Frank Cordaro, Berrigan House
frank.cord...@gmail.com
713 Indiana Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314
(515) 282-4781
www.DesMoinesCatholicWorker.org
