Gods of Metal Plowshares commemorates 30th Anniversary of Draft Protest

On May 17, 1998, the 30th anniversary of the Catonsville Nine protest, five peace activists enacted the biblical prophecy of Isaiah to beat swords into plowshares at an air show outside Washington, D.C. Activists Sr. Carol Gilbert and Sr. Ardeth Platte from Baltimore's Jonah House, Father Frank Cordaro from Des Moines, Iowa, Father Larry Morlan, from Peoria, Illinois, and Kathy Shields Boylan, from Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in Washington, D.C., calling themselves the Gods of Metal Plowshares, hammered and poured blood on a B-52 bomber during the Department of Defense Open House at Andrews Air Force Base, located outside Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.

The Gods of Metal Plowshares intentionally disarmed a dual-capable weapon of mass destruction. They carried out their nonviolent protest in accordance with the prophets Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3: "...They shall hammer their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks."

After the five activists hammered, leafletted, prayed and threw their own blood, military and civilian police placed the five religious activists under arrest at 9:45 AM. Amy Goodman and another journalist from WBAI's DEMOCRACY NOW, a public radio show, were also taken into custody. The journalists were released without charge after six hours, but their film and audiotape were confiscated.

The five members of the Gods of Metal Plowshares appeared for arraignment before U.S. Federal Magistrate Jillyn Schultz who indicated they were facing two federal charges: 1] injury, over $1,000, to government property, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years and a $250,000 fine; and injury or attempted injury to property in a federal jurisdiction, with a possible sentence of 5 to 20 years and a $250,000 fine. Remarkably, the activists were released on personal recognizance and ordered not to go unto any military installation.

WHEN: 2:15 PM on Monday, May 18, 1998

WHERE: Federal Court, Southern District, 6500 Cherrywood Lane, Greenbelt, MD

The plowshares accepted release on personal recognizance, once Judge Schultz agreed to cross out the language "willing to obey." A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday, June 5 at 9 AM in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The Gods of Metal Plowshares acted to unmasked the idolatry of the gods of metal, celebrated in this nuclear liturgy of the Open House. They nonviolently disarmed this weapon of mass destruction in a plea for the cause of peace with justice and the abolition of war. They celebrated God as "True Security" rather than accept weapons and violence as restorers or maintainers of peace. They poured their blood as a sign of their willingness to lay down their lives rather than taking the lives of others. They announced that weapons and their carriers in air, land, sea and space are in fact idols. They asked others not to applaud, celebrate or worship these gods of metal for they defile all of creation. Finally, they encouraged all people of good will to explore similar opportunities to put love into action until justice is established and peace prevails in all the earth.

These pacifists feel it is an urgent time to stand with peacemakers for nuclear disarmament and to call for an end to warmaking on behalf of present and future generations of children and Mother Earth, herself.

They acted in memory of the action of the Catonsville Nine, who thirty years ago burned draft files to awaken all to the immorality of the Vietnam War. In this witness at Andrews Air Force Base, the Gods of Metal Plowshares hammered a total of 30 times on the bomber to continue the legacy and tradition of Daniel and Philip Berrigan and seven religious activists who acted on May 17, 1968 at a draft board office in Catonsville, Maryland.

The Gods of Metal Plowshares Are:

Ardeth Platte, OP, a Dominican sister living in community at Baltimore's Jonah House, is originally from Grand Rapids, Mich. A former high school teacher, administrator and City Councilwoman, she has engaged in previous Plowshares actions.

Kathy Shields Boylan, a grandmother, is a mother of five children. She is a member of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in Washington, D.C. and has been involved in previous Plowshares actions.

Rev. Larry Morlan is a Roman Catholic priest in the diocese of Peoria, Ill. He is a former member of the Davenport, Iowa Catholic Worker and a struggling resister. He also has previously been involved in a Plowshares action.

Carol Gilbert, OP, is a Dominican sister, formerly from Grand Rapids, Mich., but currently a member of the Jonah House resistance community. She is a former school teacher, who has been involved in previous Plowshares activities.

Rev. Frank Cordaro is a Roman Catholic priest and pastor at Holy Trinity of southeast Warren County in Iowa. As a co-founder of the Catholic Worker house/community in Des Moines, Iowa in 1976, he has been an active worker for justice and peace for more than twenty years.

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for information about the trial and verdict

For further information email maxo@igc.apc.org

Address for letters of support is Gods Of Metal Plowshares Jonah House, 1301 Moreland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21216 Phone: 410-233-6238

Email address is disarmnow@aol.com

Links to information about the Gods of Metal Plowshares Action:

Click here for information about the B52 Stratofortress.

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for information about the Tomahawk cruise missile.

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for a complete overview of the Prince of Peace Plowshares Trial

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for information on letters of support.

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