March 10 folk school lunch
From: John Wallace (walla003TC.UMN.EDU)
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 16:15:53 -0600
March 3, 2004

To:    Folk School folks

From: John Wallace

Invitation to:  Folk School lunch at John Wallace's office, Wednesday,
March 10, 11:30 to 1:00

        The purpose of these weekly lunch meetings is to dig into Gandhi's
saying, "You must be the change you seek in the world."  They are open,
rolling conversations happening throughout this academic year, where people
are free to come when they can, and come at any time between 11:30 and 1:00.

        You are welcome to bring a brown bag lunch. Juice and cookies will
be available.

        On March 10 we will a video about a recent saga of non-violent
resistance, arrest, trial, and acquittal. Peter Shea interviews Katy Brown
and Michael Brown about their participation in a trespass action at Alliant
Techsystems headquarters in Edina on April 3, 2003. The article I have
pasted in below from the web site of the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers
gives more background about this action.

My office is 868 Heller Hall, on the U of MN West Bank campus.  Close to
Wilson Library and the Humphrey Institute.


Alliant 28 Found NOT GUILTY
by Jane Evershed, 10/17/03

The Alliant 28 were found not guilty today by a jury in the Hennepin County
Courthouse in Minneapolis Minnesota. The defendants trespassed at Alliant
Techsystems headquarters in Edina MN to protest the use of radioactive
waste or so called "depleted" Uranium used in missile tips. They entered
the property on April 2nd 2003 to deliver a letter to the CEO, Paul David
Miller to request that Alliant take responsibility for damages caused by
"depleted" Uranium and to run the necessary tests to prove that DU is
harmless. They represented themselves without an attorney and introduced
international law by way of the Geneva Convention and the Nuremberg
Tribunals to override the state trespassing laws. They stated that the use
of these weapons manufactured by Alliant Techsystems is a crime against
humanity as the radioactive waste is indiscriminant among combatants and
civilians and continues to cause harm long after the dust of war has
settled. They argued "Claim of Right" and stated that they were authorized
by the constitution under article 6.
The defendants expressed grave concern about the health of US soldiers who
have been victimized with weapons deployed by their own country. Wendi
Nauheimer testified about the death of her brother Patrick who the family
believes contracted leukemia as a result of his exposure to radioactive
waste left by the first Gulf War. He participated in the clean-up phase of
the war in 1992.
Four of the defendants had traveled to Iraq and testified about their
encounter with the tremendous number of cases of leukemia and birth defects
found in Iraq where "depleted" Uranium was used by the US troops in 1991.
The defendants testified that these weapons were manufactured by Alliant
Techsystems.
Many of the defendants spoke of their deep concern for the gross
deformities being born to Iraqi women and US soldiers and also, the
devastating effect on the environment. DU has a lifetime of four and a half
billion years and has been used in other countries such as Bosnia. Three
times more "depleted" Uranium was dropped on Iraq during Operation Iraqi
Freedom than during the Gulf War. An estimated 320 tons was dropped during
Gulf War 1 and about a thousand TONS in the recent war.
On a more touching note, the defendants shattered the usual solemn ether of
the court by applauding the jury as they left, there was a mixture of tears
and joy after the verdict was read. Wendi and Carol Nauheimer expressed
that they felt some justice had been served on behalf of their son S.Sgt
Patrick. "This the first time we have ever had a voice to say anything
publicly about what happened to Patrick."


John Wallace
Department of Philosophy
University of Minnesota
(612) 624-5210
FAX (612) 626-8380
walla003 [at] tc.umn.edu

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