Redwood City Catholic Worker

It isn't a crime to interfere with the deployment and threat to use weapons that can cause indiscriminate death and uncontrollable firestorms and radiation. Around the world, there are people who believe that our hope is to treat each other as brother and sister, and end our warmaking. 3% of the US military budget could end starvation everywhere.

U.S. Catholic Worker Given Prison term in German Campaign to oust U.S. Nuclear Weapons FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            11 March 2024 Contact: Marion Küpker, +49-172-771-3266, , John LaForge, +1-715-491-…

John LaForge, of Nukewatch and the Anathoth Catholic Worker in Luck, WI entered into prison today in Hamburg, Germany to begin his 50 day sentence for participating in two antinuclear actions at Büchel Air Force Base in Germany. John was protesting the deployment of United States nuclear weapons which are deployed at Büchel air base. Other resisters went with John to the prison.

Very kind write up in Nukewatch. We were demonstrating at a base in Germany that threatens Russia daily with practice bombing runs of fighter jets which could carry US nuclear weapons, which are deployed at this German military base. The judge told us the threat of nuclear war was "abstract". Somehow it doesn't seem very abstract today. Not to us, or Europeans, or those in the Ukraine. Looking back, perhaps we would have done better to hammer on the planes.

Calif. Peace Activist Susan Crane Convicted in Germany for Protests Against U.S. Nuclear Weapons

PHOTO: Susan Crane and Margriet Bos during "go-in" action at Nuchel nuclear weapons base in Germany July 10, 2019.

COCHEM, Germany -- The long-time U.S. peace activist was found guilty of four counts of trespassing January 17 in Cochem, Germany, charges that stemmed from multiple protests against the stationing of U.S. nuclear weapons at Germany’s Büchel Air Force Base* in the west-central state of Rhineland-Pfalz.

Crane, a member of the Redwood City, California Catholic Worker House and a Plowshares disarmament activist, was tried by District Judge Alexander Fleckenstein who imposed a fine of 1,000 Euros or 200 days in jail. The sentence was heavier than in recent related protest cases, the judge explained, because Crane showed no remorse for joining several “go-in” actions involving entry into the base.

In her testimony, Crane said in part, “The four actions I was part of in 2019 were an attempt to stop an ongoing crime: the criminal planning and preparation of attacks with US nuclear weapons at Büchel air base. This unlawful planning and preparation is criminal under international humanitarian laws, treaties and agreements because it violates the Hague Conventions, the Geneva Conventions, the Nuremberg Principles, and the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which Germany and the United States are obligated to uphold under federal constitutions.”

In his ruling, the judge said that international laws regarding nuclear weapons didn’t apply in his court [this may be reversible error], and instead focused on the cost of nuts and bolts used to repair openings in the chain link fence. Frits ter Kuile of the Amsterdam Catholic Worker who attended the trial was alarmed by the focus of the Court, saying, “Susan was talking from the heart about the big picture of lawful responsibility, and the death of the planet, and the judge talked about 30-cent bolts.”

The Büchel air base maintains at least 20 U.S. hydrogen bombs known as B61-3s and B61-4s, which are managed there by the U.S. Air Force’s 702nd Munitions Support Squadron. German Tornado fighter jet pilots train to overfly Poland and attack Russia, a mere 1,000 miles to the east, using the US bombs. The US B61s are also stationed in The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Turkey, all in range of the Russian Federation using the Tornado jets that fly up to 1,490 mph.

Disarmament activists have focused on the Büchel base for 25 years demanding the ouster of the U.S. nuclear weapons and a cancellation of plans to replace today’s bombs with the new “B61-12,” now under production in the United States.

The US military deploys B61 nuclear warheads in Germany. Several people from Germany, the US, and the Netherlands were part of a go-in onto Büchel Air Base. Court cases are now in progress, and "Two nuclear weapons opponents have filed a novel complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasberg, France, alleging that German courts have unfairly refused to consider defense testimony from expert witnesses regarding the outlaw status of deploying US nuclear weapons in Germany." Please read.

Novel Appeal Filed with the European Court of Human Rights in Nuclear Weapons Protest Case Two nuclear weapons opponents have filed a novel complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasberg, France, alleging that German

Catholic Workers in the Netherlands have invited people to come to Büchel Air Force base in Germany on Monday, July 19 at 11 am to join with music, a picnic and nonviolent resistance against the nuclear weapons at the base.
Against Treaties and International law, the United States has placed nuclear weapons at Büchel, and other military bases in Europe.
On Monday, July 19, many will set up a construction site in front of the fence, and quietly dig up the ground to tunnel under the fence, and calmly walk onto the runway. Others will continue express their protest against nuclear sharing and preparing for nuclear war.
If you are interested in participating, find out more at www.digging-for-life.net

The March 2021 newsletter of the Redwood City Catholic Worker...about the terror of nuclear weapons, and the prophetic witness of Fr. Steve Kelly, who has been in jail now for three years on Easter.

The Journalist and the Jesuit “Love your enemies.” “Do not Kill.” “Blessed are the Peacemakers.”“Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.” “He is alive, he is not here.” (The Gospels) Dear Friends,   &nbs…

Secretary-General Guterres has called for a global ceasefire of all warring parties in order to focus on battling the coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.democracynow.org/2020/4/23/headlines/un_chief_warns_authoritarians_are_weaponizing_pandemic_to_subvert_human_rights?fbclid=IwAR2Nw38xf199bJ1roRTWzLOfvIQjYMxbaYaKg_mhtehrSMqAl8vPQsKmE9U

U.N. Chief Warns Authoritarians Are Weaponizing Pandemic to Subvert Human Rights At the United Nations, Secretary-General António Guterres warned Wednesday that authoritarian governments are exploiting the pandemic to crack down on human rights. Secretary-General António Guterres: “Against the background of rising ethnonationalism, populism, authoritarianism and the pushback...

Friday food distribution: more and more people are coming for food: here, the volunteers distribute the fresh produce in the bags that will be given away.

Pope Francis writes a letter to Popular Movements and community organizations on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic response, calling for the consideration of a possible “Universal Basic Wage”.

Pope calls for consideration of ‘universal basic wage’ for unprotected workers - Vatican News Pope Francis writes a letter to Popular Movements and community organizations on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic response, calling for the ...

Sentencing dates have been set for our friends who went into the Trident Sub base in Georgia, the homebase of US submarines which roam the oceans, and carry nuclear weapons which could be deployed at any time.

Sentencing dates set for Kings Bay Plowshares 7 « The Nuclear Resister After a six month wait, U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood has set two May dates for sentencing the Kings Bay Plowshares 7 defendants, who were found guilty on October 24, 2019 for their nonviolent symbolic disarmament action at Kings Bay Naval Base in April 2018.

U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood has set sentencing dates for the Kings Bay Plowshares on May 28 and 29, 2020. The seven nuclear abolition activists - Fr. Steve Kelly, S.J., Carmen Trotta, Mark Colville, Elizabeth McAlister, Clare Grady, Patrick O’Neill and Martha Hennessy - were convicted by a jury in federal court in Brunswick, Georgia on October 24, 2019 on four charges after their April 2018 disarmament action at the Kings Bay Trident nuclear submarine base. More information is at http://www.nukeresister.org/2020/04/10/sentencing-dates-set-for-kings-bay-plowshares-7/ and https://kingsbayplowshares7.org/

United Nations Secretary General calls for Global Cease-Fire

COVID-19: UN chief calls for global ceasefire to focus on ‘the true fight of our lives’ In an appeal issued on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged warring parties across the world to lay down their weapons in support of the bigger battle against COVID-19: the common enemy that is now threatening all of humankind.

Fr. Steve Kelly has been in jail in the Glynn County Detention Center for over two years now. He is awaiting sentencing for his actions to remind us of the dangers of nuclear weapons.

“He’s Got Eight Numbers, Just Like Everybody Else” by Kathy Kelly « The Nuclear Resister Trident nuclear disarmament activist Steve Kelly, a Jesuit priest, begins his third year imprisoned in a county jail as he and his companions await sentencing.

Noam Chomsky makes a lot of sense, and I think
we can all learn from listening to him.

Noam Chomsky on Trump’s Disastrous Coronavirus Response, Bernie Sanders & What Gives Him Hope How did the United States — the richest country in the world — become the worldwide epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, with one person dying of COVID-19 every 47 seconds? We spend the hour with Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author, discussing this unprece...

Day to Day Life during Times of Covid-19

Emergency bags of food are given out during the day, and on Fridays there is our usual food distribution at 11 am.
Tents, sleeping bags, socks and hygiene kits are available at 545 Cassia Street if we have them. We often give away all that we have, and hope others will donate some to us.
Below, to allow for social distancing, our food distribution has been modified, but everyone still goes home with bags for fruit and vegetables.

Thank you, Climate Magazine.

Serving up food and social justice: Catholic Worker House fights poverty and war with equal fervor The Thibaults were running out of options. John Thibault, his wife Aurora and young daughters Sophia and Sjohna were shuttling among Redwood City motels and

Redwood City Catholic Worker updated their business hours.

Press release July 5, 2019
3rd US Peace Delegation to Germany

US Nuclear Weapons in Europe 3rd US Delegation to Join Protests against US Nuclear Weapons Now Used in Germany JULY 5, 2019                 &…

This short video is about Peace Signs and the Pacific Life Community witness at Lockheed Martin.

Peace Sign

A Walk On the Perimeter of Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin is the biggest weapon manufacturer in the world. They make their money on the misery, maiming and death of our brothers and sisters who are called "enemy."

Visiting Catholic Workers help clean up Cassia Street in Redwood City, California. Chris, from the Kana Soup Kitchen in Dortmund, Germany, and Susan, from the Jeannette Noel Catholic Worker in Amsterdam (the Netherlands) lend mutual aid to help us out. The leaves and trash had piled up across the street over the past couple of years, but now the gutter area is clean!!

If you are in the Bay Area, Ca, come to the special screening of the film on resistance to nuclear weapons.

Update on the four Catholic Workers who turned the pipeline valve off.

Four Necessity Valve Turners The Four Necessity Valve Turners closed pipeline valves in Northern Minnesota, citing the imminent and irreversible damage being done to the climate. The group acts in solidarity with the most vulnerable worldwide who suffer the greatest impact from climate change.

Catholic Workers charged with damaging Minnesota pipeline in climate protest

Catholic Workers charged with damaging Minnesota pipeline in climate protest Four Catholic Workers were charged with property damage after they attempted earlier this week to shut off valves on a northern Minnesota pipeline as part of a non-violent action to curtail "the immin...

As the new year begins, it's helpful to reflect on the past as we move forward.

Ten 2018 Extinction Awards One person did more in 2018 to advance the extinction of the human race than any other. While space makes it impossible to list all the ways he acted to damage the earth, a look at just a few of the highlights from 2018 gives a clear snapshot. In 2018, he made it easier for coal plants to pollute, m...

The contradictions between expectations around Christmas and the reality of our current warmaking and the effects of climate change seem to worsen each year. John and Yoko addressed this well: please listen.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John & Yoko, The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir From Lennon Legend DVD (2004) http://bit.ly/lennonlegenddvd