SILO PRUNING HOOKS

November 12, 1984 Carl Kabat, of the Plowshares Eight and Plowshares Number Seven; Paul Kabat, an Oblate priest from Minnesota; Larry Cloud Morgan, Native American and mental health care worker from Minneapolis, MN; Helen Woodson, mother of eleven children and founder of the Gaudete Peace and Justice Center from Madison, WI; entered a Minuteman II missile silo controlled by Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri. Once inside the silo area, they used a jackhammer and air compressor to damage the silo cover lid. They then offered a Eucharist and left at the silo a Biblical and Native American indictment of the U.S. government and the institutional church for their complicity in the pending omnicide of nuclear holocaust. They were arrested close to an hour after their action by armed military guards authorized to use "deadly force" against intruders. Following their arrest, they were declared by the court to be a "threat to the community" and were thus held on "preventive detention" and denied bond.

They underwent a jury trial in Federal Court in February 1985 in Kansas City, Missouri. They were convicted of destruction of government property, conspiracy, intent to damage the national defense and trespass. On March 27, 1985 they received the most severe prison sentences to date of any Plowshares group: Larry - eight years; Paul - ten years; and Carl and Helen - eighteen years. They were also given three to five years probation and ordered to pay $2,932.80 each in restitution. On November 1, 1985 U.S. District Judge D. Brook Bartlett, their trial judge, reduced Helen's sentence from eighteen to twelve years, including 5 years probation. In March 1987, Larry and Paul were released from prison following a sentence reduction hearing. Larry's sentence was reduced to 36 months and three years probation while Paul's sentence was reduced to 40 months and 4 years probation. Both were required to perform 300 hours of community service and not violate the law for the duration of their probation. All but Helen appealed. Their appeals were denied in the spring of 1986.

On April 22, 1987 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled not to consider Carl's appeal. His sentence has since been reduced to 10 years including 5 years probation. On April 12, 1991 Carl was released on probation with the condition that he pay restitution. For reasons of conscience he has refused to comply with this order. On January 27, 1989 Larry was convicted of two counts of going out of the district of Minnesota, a violation of his probation, and was sentenced to prison for one year. The occasions of his departures were to attend protests at the Trident base in King’s Bay Georgia. He was taken into custody by U.S. marshals at a church near the Trident base. Due to health reasons the Judge recommended that Larry be sent to the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Rochester, Minnesota. Larry was released on November 13, 1989.

Whitefeather of the Ojibway, Grandson of Loonsfoot and Red Bird Woman
with
Fr. Carl Kabat, O.M.I.
Fr. Paul Kabat, O.M.I.
and
Helen Dery Woodson

In the Name of the Native American People I ask the government of the United States of America, so called by the great-great grandchildren and grandchildren of immigrants who came to my land 492 winters past, to take from our Mother the Earth these machines of fire that destroy earth and human life throughout the lands of all people.

I act today, as the Old Ones have said I must, to take our stand, to make our land calm once again. The trees must remain green, the waters must be crystal, the sands are to be pure and warm once again. The sage and sweet grass, where the deer and elk lay their heads, must once more be safe and soft for them. Where the children shall walk and grow must be peaceful and warm; no bad shall they hear, and only good things their eyes shall see.

The circle we form which knows no color and knows no end, as our feet touch our Mother the Earth, shall not feel the hurt and destruction of fire. The winds are pure, and the Grandfathers have told us the time is now when peace must come from the North Wind, where the Old Ones have gone and only they, with the Great Spirit, know what is tomorrow.

IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI

Rev. Carl Kabat, O.M.I. Rev. Paul Kabat, O.M.I.
Larry Cloud Morgan Helen Dery Woodson

vs.

The Government of the United States of America
and The Christian Church

ORDER OF THE PEOPLE

O COME NOW this ___ day of November, 1984, the undersigned individuals on their own behalf, on behalf of their families, on behalf of all members of God's family and on behalf of all future generations, and

hereby INDICT the government of the United States for the production, deployment and willingness to use nuclear weapons of indiscriminate mass destruction, and the institutional Christian Church for complicity in preparation for mass murder through its failure to act clearly and publicly to remove nuclear weapons from the land

IN VIOLATION OF God's Law of Justice and Peace.

I. God Rejects the Use of Violence

That the intimate relationship between God and humankind is horribly ruptured by human violence is clarified in Scripture immediately following the first murder:

"Why have you done this terrible thing? The blood of your brother cries out to me from the earth!" (Genesis 4)

The Lord's response to violence is to turn away from the people, rejecting even their religious ritual and piety:

"Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon. But let justice roll up as waters, And righteousness as a mighty stream." (Amos 5)

"When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you;
Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen;
Your hands are full of blood" (Isaiah 5)

II. In God's Eyes, Trust in Military Might is Idolatry

Reliance on weapons of war is seen in Scripture as a pact with death, a sin and as a blasphemous substitute for the right worship of God.

"Then your covenant with death will be annulled, Your agreement with Sheol will not stand." (Isaiah 28)

"Guilty men, whose own might is their God" (Habakkuk 1)

"They have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands." (Jeremiah 1)

III. Because war severs the relationship between brother and sister and, therefore, between humankind and God, it will ultimately fail:

"Because you have trusted in your chariots and in the multitude of your warriors, Therefore the tumult of war shall rise among your people, And all your fortresses shall be destroyed." (Hosea 12, 10)

"You will succeed, not by military might or by your own strength, but by my spirit." (Zechariah 4)

"I will not deliver them by bow, nor by sword, nor by war, nor by horsemen... I will abolish the bow, the sward and war from the land..." (Hosea 1,2)

IV. Restoration of the proper relationship between God and humankind is embodied in an embrace of nonviolence.

"And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice and to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6)

"They will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they leam war anymore." (Micah 4)

V. The model of nonviolent love is enfleshed in Jesus Christ.

"Put your sword away. All who take the sword will die by the sward." (Matthew 5)

"Love your enemies." (Matthew 5)

"Pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5)

"If anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well." (Matthew 5)

"Blessed are the peacemakers." (Matthew 5)

Jesus offers a model of nonviolent resistance to confront the evil of a law which permits injustice:

He healed the sick in violation of the law. He fed the hungry in violation of the law. He stopped the legal execution of the adulterous woman. He cleansed the temple, destroying the property of the merchants which defiled it. He declared the supremacy of God's Law over the imperfect instruments of human creation.

VI. Imitation of the nonviolence of Christ is a requirement of faith.

"Do not deceive yourself by just listening to his word; instead put it into practice. What good is it for someone to say that he has faith if his actions do not prove it?" (James 1,2)

DECLARATION OF INTENT

WHEREAS the government of the United States is engaged in criminal activity contrary to God's Law of Justice and Peace

TO WIT, the stockpiling of nuclear weapons of mass, indiscriminate destruction, the production of 3-5 new nuclear weapons daily, the policy of first-strike use of nuclear weapons, the military intervention in other nations, and the squandering of America's resources on war and preparations for war, causing poverty, hunger and homelessness in the U.S. and contributing to the daily death by starvation of 42,000 children throughout the world, and

WHEREAS the institutional Christian Church is engaged in criminal activity contrary to God's Law of Justice and Peace

TO WIT, the payment of taxes to the military by its leaders, priests and ministers; the investment for profit in corporations manufacturing nuclear weapons; the seeking of economic and political privilege from an immoral secular government and the failure to advo­cate and carry out clear, public acts of nonviolent resistance in imitation of Christ

WE WISH TO MAKE KNOWN BY THESE PRESENTS our specific intent and purpose to begin the disarmament of Minuteman Missile Silo N5 near Kansas City, Mo. in order to:

1. speak the truth about the danger and evil of nuclear weapons

2. refuse our consent and cooperation in the crimes of State and Church by accepting our personal responsibility for the process of disarmament and peacemaking

3. live out the call to Divine Obedience required by our faith

4. quicken the conscience of all who desire peace and call upon our brothers and sisters in this country and throughout the world to engage in acts of nonviolent resistance

5. to express our love for and faith in our sisters and brothers throughout the world who "groan inwardly that their bodies might be set free" (Romans 8) from the cycle of threat and war

6. call upon our government to conform its policies and behavior to the higher Law of humanity and God

7. call upon the institutional Church to embrace in its policies and actions the non-violent witness of Christ.

I SET BEFORE YOU LIFE OR DEATH, BLESSING OR CURSE, THEREFORE CHOOSE LIFE THAT YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN MIGHT LIVE! (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Fr. Carl Kabat, O.M.I.  Fr. Paul Kabat, O.M.I.
Larry Cloud Morgan    Helen Dery Woodson

Whitefeather Peace Community

Whitefeather Peace Community was founded in Portland, Oregon in 2005 in the spirit of nonviolence, in the spirit of Dorothy Day, in the spirit of Larry Cloud Morgan—Whitefeather of the Ojibwe—and in the spirit of resistance to war, militarism and injustice. We are a vegetarian, non-smoking, alcohol-free activist community. When possible, we open our doors and offer overnight hospitality to traveling nonviolent resisters. We offer Roundtables in the Catholic Worker tradition—a meal followed by focused discussion. We help organize nonviolent resistance to war, injustice and militarism. We are hoping for your involvement.