One Woman's War

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Monday July 28, 2003 14:10 by Justin Morahan - Peace People

One of Ireland's 4 Peace Laureates, Mairead Corrigan Maguire tells the story of her anti-war activities including non-violent civil disobedience in the USA in March and April last

Between 16 March and 17 April last Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Nobel Peace
Laureate and co-founder of the Peace People of which she is the Honorary
President, spent her time in the USA lecturing, praying, fasting, on vigil
and protesting against the war. She was twice arrested and charged.
I had written a news item on her action and asked her to revise it. Now, I
have scrapped my own account (based on various newspaper articles in the
USA) and let Mairead tell her own moving and inspiring story.
She is now at home safe and well and can be contacted at Fredheim, 224
Lisburn Road, Belfast BT307NP, Northern Ireland.


MAIREAD CORRIGAN MAGUIRE SPEAKS:

I was invited some time ago to give a talk at Le Moyne College, Syracuse
(where Fr. Dan Berrigan used to teach). Fr. Dan also invited me to stay
with Carol and Gerry (Dan's brother) in their home in Syracuse whilst I was
at the College. I wrote to some New York friends asking them if they could
organize a walk and protest on St. Patrick's Day so I could join with them
and they were delighted to do so.
Ann Patterson from Belfast joined me and we carried messages of peace from
Belfast schoolchildren for the Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan.
On St. Patrick's Day I spoke at St. Stephen's Interfaith Service on St.
Patrick's words: "In Christ there is no killing" and Ann, myself and some
American peace activists carried a banner bearing the same words - "In Christ
there is no killing" - in a silent walk to the UN. (Several hundred
attended, from all faiths and none).
Outside the UN over 40 of us were arrested for non-violent civil
disobedience. Ann and I were put in a van with Freda Berrigan (Philip's
daughter) and several others. I sat beside an 80 year old blind lady called
Priscilla. Our hands had been cuffed behind our backs with plastic
handcuffs and they were digging into my wrists. They were very sore and, I
felt, unnecessarily tight. When I mentioned this to Priscilla she smiled
and said it was little in comparison to what the Iraqi people were
suffering. I felt Priscilla epitomised the "real spirit of the American
people" and my deep and longtime admiration for the American peace activists
(such as Dorothy Day, the Berrigans, etc,) was only deepened in that stuffy
police wagon. We all sang "When Irish eyes are smiling" and even though it
was so serious there was great joy and laughter in the midst of it all.

We were released after one and a half hours and Ann and I went to our
appointment in Kofi Annan's office to meet with Kevin Kennedy - his rep. -
and present him with a Petition and messages of peace from the people of
Northern Ireland opposing the war.

That evening we flew to Syracuse to stay with the Berrigans. I gave a
lecture at Le Moyne to over 500 people. It was a wonderful reception, but
everyone was a bit apprehensive wondering if an attack against Iraq would
start and, sure enough, first thing next morning we heard the news that it
had.

l9th March - Over Breakfast with Gerry and Carol Berrigan we were all deeply
saddened that the invasion of Iraq had started.
I asked Gerry what could be done. He simply said prayer and fasting and
nonviolent action will be the only thing to break the hold of militarism in
America, and we need to pray and act. I spoke at Le Moyne classes and felt
that the students were deeply troubled by the latest news. The students
seemed stunned and only beginning to take in the early morning news that the
Invasion had started. One student told me she was against the war, but now
that it had started she felt she had to support the troops and could say
nothing against it. Another said her father was a Vietnam Vet, suffering
from the after effects of war, with no government help, she was against all
war. Many of the young people were still trying to sort out the war and the
confusion inside their own minds and hearts about all of this. Some were
deeply saddened that all their hard work and efforts to lift the Economic
sanctions against Iraq and stop the war had come to this. That evening
there was a rally of over 500 protesting the war in down town Syracuse - it
was very peaceful. Ann and I walked with Gerry Berrigan, and his family,
and grandchildren. Gerry, had immediately started a fast. He had spent his
life - as did his brothers Frs. Dan and Philip, protesting militarism and
war in the USA, and I knew this was a sad day for all of them.
Next morning, I was due to go home to Belfast, with Ann. However,I decided
instead to start a 40 day prayer and liquid fast and go down to Washington
to support the American peace activists and join in their activities, to
vigil daily outside the White House, and ask to see President Bush. (Ann
had to go back to work and could not join me even though she wanted to very
much. I was sorry to see her leave, she had been a real source of strength
(and laughter) to me since we had arrived in New York together).

My motive - apart from protesting against the war - was to support the peace
activists whom I thought would find it hard going, keeping up the momentum
now that the war had started. I believed, though, if they could keep going
over one or two weeks it would gain momentum again. Before the First Gulf
War there had been large rallies in the USA - but when war broke out, the
peace movement collapsed and there was a swing back by some to support the
troops. However, it might be different this time as already in Washington
there were rallies by Vietnam Vets with slogans "Support Troops -Bring Them
Home". (I attended one of these Rallies with over l,000 people).

On 20th March, I flew to Washington and contacted the Catholic Worker
movement. They put me in touch with Scott Wright, who immediately invited
me to stay in the Assisi Community. I arrived at the Assisi Community and
spent the next month (until 18th April) with a wonderful group of people
from many countries and nationalities and it was home to me in Washington.
This Assisi Community was founded by Fr. Joe Nagler and the people who join
it live simply and pray and act for justice and human rights - locally and
internationally.

For the next few days I attended Conferences, Anti-war Rallies, Religious
services, etc., and was very inspired by the fervour of so many people
continuing to actively oppose the war. (Much of which was not reported by
the media).

On 25th March, there was a wonderful Interfaith Service organized by Pax
Christi, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church.
The next day we held a Press Conference, a walk to the White House, and
action. The title was: "This War is a Crime against Peace - A Witness and
Civil Disobedience Action by Leaders from Religious, Human Rights and Peace
Organizations." (two bishops, one from United Methodists, one Roman Catholic
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, former Marine and high-level military analyst in
the Defence Department, Daniel Ellsberg, Nobel Laureate Jody Williams, and
many other religious and human rights leaders).

In La Fayette Park, outside the White House, we were arrested and charged
with "demonstrating without a permit", photographed, handcuffed - again hard
plastic too tight cuffs! - taken to a police station where we were
fingerprinted and summoned to appear on 29th May, 2003.
There was a good deal of media around this as it was such a high-profile
event and well organized by Pax Christi (USA).
From this onwards, I held a silent vigil (12-2 p.m) each day outside the
White House. I was joined by others - both individuals and groups, such as
Pax Christi, Code Pink, Interfaith groups, Catholic workers, Buddhists, and
people of many faiths (and none) and many traditions - all of whom organized
wonderful actions of all kinds both before and after the war.
On arrival in Washington I had written to President Bush requesting a
meeting, and followed this up with a further letter, but up to leaving the
USA a month later received no communication from the White House. (I did
receive an acknowledgement some weeks after returning to Belfast).

During my stay I had the great joy of meeting and working with Jean Stoker
(Policy Director, Pax Christi, USA). I went most mornings with her to the
Pax Christi Office and we set up meetings with political/church/community
leaders. It was for me a great joy to attend services at other church and
faith traditions. My guardian angel, i.e. Lesley Aranha, took me to the
Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, where the Minister spoke on
Nonviolence in the true King tradition. I also visited the Mosque to pray
with my Muslim friends; and, with my Jewish friends Sheere and Sarah who
vigilled every day with me, I attended the Jewish and Christian celebration
of Passover.

After the good media coverage of the Pax Christi event, there was no further
USA main stream media coverage of the vigil and fast. Small radio stations
covered some of the events - some Middle Eastern television channels covered
the vigil, but in the main it was - from the media response - a non event.
Across the road at the White House the world's media reported every word from
the White House, and the propaganda war by the Government and mainstream
media about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, etc. It generated fear and
hatred of Saddam's regime and the Muslim world. No alternative views were
put to the American people, and little or no coverage of the cost of the war
to children and civilians was now shown, apart from what the Peace activists
could get out and into the alternative media. In Washington whilst many
courageous people challenged both the war and the Patriot Act, and expressed
their concern at the continuing erosion of many of their basic civil
liberties, many more remained silent in the face of the death of democracy,
human rights and international laws.

During this highly emotional time I found many people deeply upset. Several
people told me they felt ashamed to be American and would like to move and
live in another country. Many peace activists expressed a feeling of
hopelessness and desperation. They feel they are being looked down upon and
marginalized for their peace actions, and some actually feel threatened and
afraid of the current Bush Administration and its policies. They said if
they are not nationalistic and support the military, they are considered to
be unpatriotic. The Churches - in many cases - support the military and
even though many spoke against the Iraqi war, the peace activists expressed
disappointment that many Church and Faith leaders remained silent after the
Iraqi invasion. The peace activists are concerned that there are rumblings
in the media re Syria and Iran, and feel that the peace movement needs to
mobilize, educate, and train in nonviolence, so as to be ready to protest
further military action by the Bush/Blair Administrations. In USA there
is a bad economy, growing poverty (tax cuts have again been given to the
rich, and the poor grow poorer). It was sad to see so many homeless people
in the doorways of Washington shops, and begging in the streets. There are
40 USA military bases around the world (no foreign bases in USA) and over
one million USA military stationed overseas, the military budget continues
to spiral and the poverty grows. American peace activists continue to
challenge this military spending and I had the pleasure of joining with
Buddhists and members of the Catholic Worker outside the Pentagon to vigil
and leaflet. The Pentagon employs 22,000 people as the Navy, Airforce,
and all ground forces, administration etc., are housed here on the outskirts
of Washington.

However, we can take hope from the growing anti-war movement in the USA and
around the World. The largest the world has ever seen.
This year in 55 cities through the USA, civil disobedience acts by over
7,000 people have been carried out. Many before, and quite a few after, the
war started. These people were from all backgrounds - academics, secular,
religious, students, workers. I believe this is where the hope lies for us
all. To continue to mobilize the grass roots movement, and to find ways to
influence and lobby, the political/business leaders and decision makers.
They are not our enemies, they are our friends, but we do not agree with
their policies of war, militarism, and economic injustice, all of which are
creating an unjust and more violent world. We must encourage them to move
into the politics of nonviolence, justice and equality and tackling the root
causes of violence through upholding International Law and Justice.
Even though I was so glad to be coming home I was sad to leave behind my
wonderful American friends. When people ask me where is the hope? I
reply - it's in the people. And I am very hopeful for the future in
America. I have in the last almost thirty years (and over 100 visits) met
such wonderful, courageous and visionary American activists, I know that in
time their country will take its rightful role, not as Policeman and
military conquerer of the world, but as a country which upholds the great
traditions expressed in its Constitution and by its Founding Leaders, and
join as an equal member of the human family working with the United Nations
to make the world a family of peoples where equality, justice and fraternity
are every person's birthright. America is a young country, and we can all
do what we can, where we can, to help it grow in wisdom and truth.








Hearing 29th May -