An Invitation to Cross the Line

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Thu, 20 Oct 2005 09:27:14 -0700 (PDT)

An Invitation to Cross the Line

 

 

 

 

An Invitation to Cross the Line

 

November 18-20, 2005

 

 

May 2005

 

Dear Friends in the Struggle,

 

For almost 60 years, the School of the Americas (SOA/ WHINSEC) has

trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in tactics that are used

to wage war against their own people. Courses taught at the school

include counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and

psychological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation

tactics. Among those targeted by SOA/ WHINSEC graduates are educators,

union organizers, religious workers, student leaders and others who

work for human rights.

 

Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans have been tortured, raped,

assassinated, " disappeared, " massacred and forced to become refugees

by those trained at the SOA/ WHINSEC.

 

In the face of this training, large social movements throughout Latin

America fight for justice and have successfully brought popular change

to their countries. For 15 years, thousands of people in the United

States have worked in solidarity to close the SOA/ WHINSEC through a

variety of means. Those of us who sign this letter are those who have

risked arrest and taken the SOA/ WHINSEC to trial. Many of us have

served time in federal prison for nonviolently protesting the SOA/

WHINSEC.

 

One important tool we use to move our government to close this school

of civilian targeted war is nonviolent civil disobedience. During the

November 1999 Vigil, over 4000 activists disobeyed military

authorities, processed onto the grounds of Ft Benning, GA -home of the

SOA- and overwhelmed the authorities in a solemn funeral procession.

 

More than 15,000 thousand of us will again gather in front of the

gates of Ft Benning over the weekend of November 18th-20th, 2005. This

year will you be among those who cross the line onto Ft Benning?

 

We will move our government to change. We seek to make it difficult

for this government to isolate and prosecute those who engage in

nonviolent civil disobedience by crossing in large numbers onto the

base. When large numbers cross onto the base it is more difficult for

the government to prosecute everyone. Even in a large-scale action

though, be advised that the maximum sentence for trespass at Ft

Benning is 6 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. More legal

information is available at www.soaw.org.

 

We invite you to participate in action at the gates of Fort Benning

this November 20th and pledge to cross the line. Your participation

may be conditional on how many others will join you. We ask that

everyone who signs the commitment form below will reflect on the risks

involved in " crossing the line " and prepare for nonviolent action that

will create a world where all live in dignity.

 

Yours in a World for Justice and Peace,

 

 

Roy Bougeois MM, Kathleen Desautels SP, Judith Kelly and Joel Kilgour

 

Along with fellow former SOA Watch Prisoners of Conscience:

Sr. Dorothy Pagosa (arrested in 1999, 2002), Gary Ashbeck (2003), Rich

Ring (2002), Kathleen Fisher (1999), Mary Kay Flanigan (1997), Mike

O'Grady SJ (2003), Mike Wisniewski (2002), Philip D'Onofrio, (2002),

Jack Gilroy (2000), Eloy Garcia Jr. (2002), Daniel Manriquez (2002),

Ann Huntwork (2002), Palmer Legare, (2002), Hazel Tulecke (2000), Bill

Houston (2000), Miriam Spencer (2000), Leisa Faulkner Barnes (2003),

Judy Bierbaum (1999, 2002), Margaret Knapke (1999), Chris Gaunt

(2002), Charles Booker-Hirsch (2001), Kathy Long O.P. (2002), Caitlin

Harwood (SOA 86)

 

 

PS. If your group wants assistance with discernment and nonviolence

training, former Prisoners of Conscience are willing to come and visit

your group. Contact Judith Kelly at silverdove to be put

in touch with someone.

 

 

_________

 

Return the form below to Twin Ports SOA Watch at

soawtwinports or by mail to Twin Ports SOA Watch, PO Box

12, Duluth MN 55801. Questions can be directed to Michael at

(218)724-7085 or Eric at (202)234-3440

 

Check all of those that apply to you and fill in the information below.

 

YES____I commit to cross the line at Fort Benning in November,

regardless of how many others join me.

 

YES____I commit to cross the line at Fort Benning in November if a

minimum of (check one)_100 _250 _500 _1,000 other people commit to

cross the line.

 

YES____I can copy this letter and form and distribute it to more people.

 

YES____I can forward this letter and form to friends and more people

via e-mail.

 

Name _______

 

Address _____

 

Telephone ___

 

E-mail ______

 

http://www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=1098