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Resisting War with Iraq WRL has endorsed the Iraq Pledge of Resistance, which promotes nationally coordinated acts of nonviolent civil disobedience and demonstrations in opposition to an invasion of Iraq. Upcoming action dates include December 10, International Human Rights Day, and the week of the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday holiday, January 15-20. Should Bush declare the start of an invasion, the IPR network will be activated. Local groups began collecting pledge signatures last spring. Pledge organizing is now taking place in 26 cities and 17 states. Chicago has more than 3000 IPR signers so far, with 1500 committed to civil disobedience. Both individuals and organizations can sign. The campaign, based in the tradition of nonviolent resistance of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, intends “through mass, coordinated nonviolent action, to create the conditions under which the public and members of Congress can recognize the terrible destructiveness and immorality of a war against Iraq.” Signers can commit themselves to legal action only or to nonviolent civil disobedience as well. The civil disobedience part of the pledge states in part: “If the United States sends combat troops, invades by proxy, or otherwise significantly escalates its intervention in Iraq, I pledge to join with others to engage in acts of nonviolent civil disobedience at U.S. Federal facilities, Congressional offices, military installations, or other appropriate places. I pledge to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience in order to prevent or halt the death and destruction such U.S. military action causes the people of Iraq.” All signers agree to follow nonviolence guidelines including no property destruction. The IPR is modeled in part on the Pledge of Resistance, which mobilized opposition to the U.S.-sponsored wars in Nicaragua and El Salvador in the 1980s. Other participating national peace groups include American Friends Service Committee, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Global Exchange, National Network to End the War Against Iraq, Pax Christi, Peace Action, and Voices in the Wilderness. Full guidelines, online sign-up and downloadable materials can be found at www.peacepledge.org or contact: IPR, (301)589-2355 or WRL. Chuck
Matthei Chuck Matthei—surrounded by family, friends and his beloved dog Pete—died on October 1 in his cabin at Camp Ahimsa in Voluntown, CT. Chuck died of complications from thyroid cancer; he was 54.
Born on Valentine’s Day in 1948 in Willmette, IL, Chuck opposed the growing war in Vietnam and decided to resist the draft by the time he was 18. He often told the story of staying with Wally and Juanita Nelson on his way to a Peacemakers Orientation Program. Wally told Chuck “Our house is your house, for as long as you need it. You’re always welcome here.” Wally, who died five months before Chuck (see NVA, July-August 2002) remained one of his closest friends. Throughout his life, he offered hospitality and encouraged others to do the same. Chuck remained close to movement “elders” like Ernest and Marion Bromley, Maurice McCrackin, Dorothy Day and Marj Swan, all of whom he met at the Peacemakers gathering. He spent time at the Peacemakers communty in Cincinnati, the Catholic Worker Farm in Tivoli, NY, and the Community for Nonviolent Action (CNVA) in Voluntown. Chuck also befriended Lolita Lebrun, the Puerto Rican independence activist, visiting her at the women’s prison in Alderson, WV. Inspired by World War II total resister Corbet Bishop, Chuck became a total resister, refusing to work, walk, eat or drink when arrested. Arrested for draft resistance in February 1969, Chuck noncooperated as he was brought back to Chicago for trial. After discussions with him, the judge, who usually sentenced draft resisters to five years in prison, dropped the charges the next month. Chuck’s charisma often had a transformative effect on those who met him. Chuck and I were in the same New Hampshire armory after being arrested for occupying the Seabrook nuclear power plant in 1977. He went 11 days without food or water. I watched as Chuck interacted with National Guard doctor who initially came to convince Chuck to eat, but developed a deep respect for him. Chuck spent a lot of time on the road, connecting with people and connecting people, participating in actions and inspiring people to act. In telling the story of the western Massachusetts Traprock Peace Center, Randy Kehler credits Chuck “the ever-present cross pollinator of the movement” for bringing together the people who then developed the Nuclear Weapons Freeze campaign. Chuck lived at New England CNVA while Bob Swann developed his community land trust philosophy. Chuck’s approach to poverty and inequality linked activism, economics and property issues into a powerful political message. From 1980 to 1990 Chuck served as Executive Director of the Institute for Community Economics (ICE), then based in Greenfield, MA, and now located in Springfield, MA. ICE pioneered modern community land trust and loan fund models. As Founder and Director of Equity Trust, Inc. (founded in 1991 and based in Voluntown at the site of the old CNVA farm), he focused on alternative models of land tenure and economic development. Equity Trust has provided technical and financial assistance to projects all across the United States and in Central America and Kenya. Two-and-a-half years ago, after learning that Chuck had terminal cancer, I encouraged him to write an article that would explain his understanding of nonviolent economics. Together we wrote “Toward a Nonviolent Economics,” for WRL’s Guns Greed Globalization. (An edited version appears in NVA, May/June 2001.) Chuck touched many people deeply with his conscience, discipline and commitment. His work on economic alternatives has made a difference in many lives. Even though Chuck didn’t live long enough to become an elder, he lived an incredibly full life. —Joanne Sheehan Joanne Sheehan, organizer for WRL/New England, first met Chuck in the WRL building in the early 1970s. More on Chuck and his work can be found on www.equitytrust.org. |
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