[www.occupybealeafb.org], news archive for the Peace vigil and Occupy action at Beale AFB! [solanopeacejustice.blogspot.com/2013/12/occupy-beale-afb.html].
Contact information:
* Bay Area: Toby [510-215-5974] [ratherbenyckeling@comcast.net]
* Nevada County: Shirley [941-320-0291] [slogood481@hotmail.com]
URGENT: PLEASE SIGN THIS LETTER TO THE COMMANDER OF BEALE AFB TODAY.
We are trying to prevent any harm against nonviolent protesters during our blockades and vigils, as our resistance grows. You can sign, even if you have never participated in Anti-drone Occupy Beale AFB actions, please, send your endorsement to Michael Kerr: [mekorganic@yahoo.com]
We are sending the letter below to the Beale AFB Commander. If you or anyone you know would like to sign letter, we need names by mid-morning, Monday, December 9, as we want to give base Commander reasonable time to act before our next vigil December 16-17. It is not necessary that you have participated with us at Beale AFB to date. You just need to believe in the message of the letter and want to support our cause.
[text of letter]
Colonel Phillip A. Stewart
Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing
Beale AFB, CA 95903
December 5, 2013
Subject: Dangerous actions by some base personnel/employees
Dear Colonel Phillip A. Stewart,
As you are aware, a group of non-violent activists has been protesting drone warfare and the militarization of our world at Beale Air Force for the last three years. We come monthly because of our deep concerns about our country participating in our illegal “war on terror”, bombing people in countries with which we are not at war, killing civilians who have not committed a crime against our country, who have not been apprehended, tried, or convicted. Thousands have been simply killed, or to put it stronger, murdered, with no due process. In addition to the thousands killed, many more have had their lives destroyed by serious injuries. These human beings include grandparents, children, mothers, men who simply look to be of military age. Some were meeting for prayer, studying at school, gathering firewood, working in the garden, and even sleeping in their homes. The fact that drones frequently attack people engaged in peaceful activities suddenly without warning helps to terrorize entire communities 24/7 even in the absence of actual drone attacks! Thousands have actually committed suicide because of these pressures and grief.
Our group of protesters is also saddened and concerned about the suffering of our own troops, who are coming home with high rates of PTSD, and whose suicides outnumber those killed in combat in our “war on terror”.
As conscious human beings, we are called to act to try to express our outrage that our country, including our military and CIA are behaving in such a manner. We act in hope that we can make a difference, that something we do will open some eyes, enlighten some and cause a shift in mass public awareness. We must stand up, speak the truth, and represent those who cannot speak freely and safely, including the troops at Beale AFB.
In our peaceful efforts to make a difference, although most base personnel have been respectful of our vigil and occasional civil disobedience, we have come under assault by a few base personnel entering the base during rush hour on several occasions. Last spring one of our military veterans, representing Veterans for Peace, was run into by a car which drove through a blockade of protesters. He ended up being lifted onto the hood of a car, and was fortunate to receive only a minor injury to his elbow. That same day there were other close calls where a car zoomed close to someone on the shoulder of the road.
More recently, on November 26, another military veteran, holding his Veterans for Peace flag, was pushed by a car until he was forced to lean forward on its hood, as any other movement would have caused him to lose his footing. He was carried by the car about 100 feet, at which time the man in uniform driving the car stopped and allowed the veteran to back off the hood safely. We feel that the vet was extremely lucky to have avoided serious injury. We have photos of the incident and the vehicle license # appears to be 5MLU414.
In another incident that day, a car sped through our group nearly hitting someone and then nearly crashing head-on with a recycle truck. There have been other close calls by angry drivers, and we are asking for your support. Please convey to your personnel that aggressive actions against non-violent protesters are not acceptable.
We would like to express our thanks that the military police and security personnel on the base have most often interacted with us in a very professional and courteous manner over the past 3 years. More importantly, they have regularly communicated to us that they are concerned about our safety and that we should call on them for help when we need it. We are now calling for that assistance regarding an issue that has potential for a tragic outcome. Please let us know how you plan to address this serious issue. We would welcome an opportunity to discuss this matter further with you in person.
We thank you in advance for acting on this issue. We also look forward to hearing someday that Beale AFB will only participate in humanitarian missions that benefit people worldwide in need of help, and will be acting to heal, not destroy, our fragile planet.
Sincerely, [signed] (Organization names for identification only)
Michael E. Kerr, VFP, US Army 72-75 - Barry Binks , Veterans For Peace (VFP) - Flora Rogers - Janie Kesselman, HVAC contractor, Music in the Mountains Education Committee - Elana Levy, Mother - John C. Reiger, VFP President, Chapter 87 - Pamela Osgood - Shirley Osgood, Master of Social Work - Toby Blome, Physical Therapist, MPT, CodePink - Nina Falk - Devan Phenix - Bob Hanson - Christine E. Nelson, R.N. - Michael J. Pike, R.N. VFP - Rev. Baika Andrea Pratt - Jackie Barshak - Cres Vellucci, VFP, National Lawyers Guild (NLG), Veterans VDCSC - Jan Hartsough - Lois Ann Flood - David Hartsough, Executive Director Peaceworkers, SF - Lorraine Reich, Attorney - Ingrid Guerci - Denny Riley, VFP Chapter 69 - S. Cherian - William Peltz - Emanuel Sferios - Ann Tiffany - Tatiana Makovkin, Mother & Artist - Susan Pelican, RN - Rev. Sharon Delgado, Earth Justice Ministries - Alice Sturm Sutter , retired nurse, N. Manhattan Neighbors for Peace & Justice, NYC Metro Raging Grannies - Bob Gorringe, SF - Diana Bohn, Berkeley - Daniel Venzon - John P. Falchi, VFP San Diego, CA - Carolyn Scarr, program coordinator Ecumenical Peace Institute - Chuck Greenwood - Seph & Leah Schwinn - Fred Bialy M.D. - Robin Ryan - Jean Maloney RN, MA - Joanna Katz - Renay Davis, SF CodePink - Mike Wong, SF VFP - John Amidon, President Chapter 10 VFP Albany, NY - Nydia Leaf - Barbara Briggs-Letson, 79, Sebastopol, CA - Bill Carpenter - Don Knutson, Sacramento - Bruce K. Gagnon, Coordinator Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space - George Guerci - Frank Sterling Jr., Technical Director/Producer Full Circle, KPFA Radio Berkeley, CA - Solano Peace, Justice & Freedom Coalition - Beverly Rice, VFP - Laura Zweig, Code Pink - Diane M. Phenix, Licensed Clinical Social Worker - Louise A. Legun, VFP, USAF 74 -77 - Daniel Zwickel ben Avrám MacJean - JoAnne Lingle, Christian Peacemaker Teams - Michael Bass - Martha Hubert - Gerry Condon, VFP Board of Directors - Jes Richardson, Bridge of Hearts - Lt Col David W. Gapp, (Ret) - Phoebe Sorgen, Berkeley Disaster & Fire Safety Commissioner - Mehboob Aslam: Member of Political Party Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakiatnt Movement for Justice) - Ed Kinane, member of upstate (NY) drone action - Eleanor Levine - Robert Heaney, Army Veteran - Cindy Sheehan: Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox; Peace & Social Justice Activist - Andrea Freeman - Peter Turner - Zohreh Whitaker - Bill Creighton, VFP President, San Francisco Chapter 69 - Elizabeth Pappalardo, Crystal Lake IL - Beverly Mcgain, Ph.D., Family Counseling Center - Virginia Hollins-Davidson, Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Social Justice Committee - Carol Eberling - Beverly Fitzpatrick - [and YOU]
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