At 3 a.m. on Good Friday of this year, three nonviolent activists silently entered the Newport News (Virginia) Shipyard by cutting through a chain-link fence. Their intent was literally to "beat their swords into plowshares" and to remind people of conscience that the fight for disarmament is far from over.
Once inside, Kathy Boylan of Wyandanch, New York, and Michele Naar-Obed and her husband Greg Boertje-Obed of Baltimore's Jonah House walked inconspicuously to the Tucson, one of the nuclear fast-attack submarines under construction at the site. They then scaled 80 feet of scaffolding and climbed aboard.
Almost immediately, they disarmed the submarine's Tomahawk cruise missiles by hammering on the inner linings of the launchers. They then poured bottles of their own blood on the launchers and spray painted them with a cross and the words "Disarm--Christ Lives." After hanging several posters and banners that identified themselves as the "Good News Plowshares," the group prayed the Lord's Prayer and turned themselves in to shipyard security.
As expected, the protesters were arrested and charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor, and destruction of property in excess of $1,000, a felony for which they face up to five years in jail. At their first court appearance on May 4, all three maintained that they were not guilty of any crime in that they acted to prevent the potential deaths of millions. In an earlier statement, they wrote, "The fast-attack submarines and the weapons they carry are present and immediate dangers to all life on Earth and constitute crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and most importantly, crimes against our Creator."
Nevertheless, they were found guilty of trespassing and fined $100, which each refused to pay. The judge also concluded that there was sufficient evidence to support the felony charge. Thus the defendants, who declined bail, will remain in custody awaiting a grand jury indictment and subsequent trial. Meanwhile the Norfolk Catholic Worker plans to hold weekly vigils outside the Newport News Shipyard in support of this 47th Plowshares action.
Organizing at the Crossroads
For the past four years, the Crossroads program of the Greater Dallas Community of Churches has matched more than 150 congregations across racial, ethnic, and faith lines in an effort to build positive and creative partnerships within their diverse community. Through worship, fellowship, and dialogue, partner churches examine issues of justice and reconciliation and develop their own agenda for social action.
Many of the nearly 90 congregations participating this year met with their partners for the first time during the weekend of April 23-25, 1993. In most cases, each congregation sent a delegation of 10-20 people to the worship service of its partner congregation, after which the two groups came together to share a meal and to begin the process of building community. While the Community of Churches provides initial training and guidelines, the partnerships are ultimately responsible for the direction and magnitude of their interaction.
Hamilton Park United Methodist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, and Highland Park United Methodist Church, a predominantly European-American congregation, for example, have participated in the Crossroads program since it began in 1989. Their partnership has included Bible study, a multiethnic forum on race relations, and various work projects. Most recently, the group issued a joint statement condemning the outcome of a local trial in which an all-white jury sentenced the defendant merely to 10 years probation for his part in the "skinhead" murder of an African-American man. "We challenge the judicial systems of our society to be consistent in their attempts to render justice and to be consistent in equal punishment for equal crimes," the group stated. The churches also expressed support for peaceful demonstrations against the verdict and challenged people of faith to work diligently toward a society free of discrimination.
"Can't We All Just Get Along?"
In conjunction with Sojourners' call for Spring Actions of Hope, Citizens Against Racism in Erie (CARE) sponsored a town meeting on April 29, 1993, to discuss the challenges their own community faces in breaking free of racism. "We want to get beyond each minority community comparing their list of wrongs," said organizers, "in order to begin to articulate a way out of our isolation, fear, and mistrust."
Panelists--which included a criminal court judge, a union representative, a Korean minister, an African-American businessperson, a Latino minister, and a rabbi--opened the meeting by offering their own perspectives on the state of race relations in the small Pennsylvania city. They were asked specifically to address the question posed by Rodney King after the Los Angeles rebellion, "Can't we all just get along?"
According to Tom Cordaro, the event coordinator, two common themes emerged in the discussion that followed. Participants emphasized both "the centrality and importance of jobs and economic activity in building better race relations" and the role that education can play in combating racism by promoting tolerance and by providing equal opportunities for all children.
The gathering was the third town meeting sponsored by CARE, which formed a few years ago in response to local Ku Klux Klan activity. In the near future, the group hopes to establish a countywide alert network so that the community can respond quickly and effectively to complaints of illegal discrimination.
Brigitte Kerpsack was outreach staff assistant of Sojourners when this article appeared.
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