Peace Panel Project

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The Peace Panel Project at America's Night Out in Chapmantown

Here is a panorama view of the Project in the back of the Dorothy Johnson Center. About 100 people showed up to have fun with the dunk tank and other amusements.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Herger Protest

We had fun being a part of Rebuild the Dream in front of Wally Herger's office. Wednesday, August 3, 2011 about 50 of us got together to protest the way Congress is going. I got the ideas for 3 new Peace Panels in the middle of the night before; got to work early enough to crank them out before the crew got there and made it to Herger's office in time for media photos that made the front page of the Enterprise Record!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

A Moment for Openness

Even if the government proves its case against Bradley, I submit he will then be shown to have only acted in the tradition of those who honor honesty and openness, and only to have followed the President’s directions when he said, “My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. Openness will

strengthen our democracy…” [www.gwu.edu]

How do you reconcile the charges against Bradley with the President’s pledge to openness? More importantly, how do you reconcile the charges against Bradley, with what we agreed to at Nuremberg? That agreement, signed by the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and others, made the statement, “Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring.” [Stop the Next War Now, Benjamin and Evans p.17]

Bradley Manning is not convicted of anything and yet, he has been made to stand at attention, in the nude, every morning; he has been in solitary confinement for 8 months; he has been subject to sensory deprivation and politicians call for his execution.

As U.S. Department of State spokesperson P.J. Crowley, said the treatment of Bradley Manning "is ridiculous, counterproductive and stupid".

Why not stop our war action now, and change our tactics to a police action? Instead of worrying about whistleblowers, let’s honor them. Bradley Manning is giving us the opportunity to be more civilized. Wouldn’t it be more civilized, and more Constitutional, if someone is doing something illegal, to arrest them instead of shoot them? Let’s have trials instead of massacres! Imagine the world wide change of attitude towards our foreign policy. Imagine the money we would save. We are spending trillions [Costs of War Project] (http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/8/) to get a hundred terrorists.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/president-obamas-secret-100-al-qaeda-nowafghanistan/story?id=9227861 Instead of murdering so many civilians, (8,813 http://www.unknownnews.net/casualties.html) find out where these guys are and arrest them. Have trials with judges and juries. And “let us live out the true meaning” of our pledge, “…and justice for all.”

P.S.

My experience with Amnesty International showed me that it can be powerful just to write to prisoners of conscience. It can improve their living conditions and help get them a hearing. So I’m asking everyone I know to please take a moment and write Bradley Manning. We have heard that he is getting letters and that he is encouraged by them. And it will make you feel better too. His address is:

Commander, HHC USAG
Attn: PFC Manning
239 Sheridan Ave, Bldg 417
JBM-HH, VA 22211

Sunday, July 10, 2011

4th of July at the big Chico celebration at One Mile

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Peace Panel Project Valley Tour 2011

The Peace Panel Project Valley Tour 2011 4/5/11 – 4/14/11

We arrived in Modesto on a pleasant and sunny Tuesday morning. Met by our welcoming committee of one, the friendly and helpful student assigned as our contact person. We set up our 12 easels right in front of the Student Union in the East Campus Quad, a grassy park-like area in between the Union and the Administration building. We were well received by students and faculty that walked by, many of them thanking us for what we were doing, which, at that moment was to just sit there and answer questions.

Nan Austin with photographer Bart, of the Modesto Bee, came by and interviewed us taking copious notes and photos for an article that showed up in the Bee a few days later. She sent us the link http://www.modbee.com/2011/04/07/1635231/peace-talk-strikes-a-chord-at.html

All was going well, until about mid day when a grey haired faculty woman marched by our exhibit in a huff, headed straight for the Administration Office. Kevin ran out of the Union. “Did she accost you?” “No.” We replied. Apparently, she was really upset that some group on Campus might have paid for such an exhibit, or heaven forbid, that the Campus had paid for such an exhibit. Kevin said that he explained to her that a social justice group had signed on with the Peace Panel Project, but that the exhibit was free and no money had changed hands. Not completely satisfied the teacher stormed out of the Union and off to the Administration to voice her concerns. Mercifully, no more was heard of her.

That afternoon, we joined the Modesto Peace and Life Center’s peace vigil at McHenry and J streets. An event you can join if you are ever in Modesto on the first Wed. of every month from 4:30-5:30pm. The group was heartened by our participation and the panels we carried. I was standing next to a gentleman, on the curb, holding our signs, and he turned to me, “When we started this, at the beginning of the Iraq war, people spit at us. They would glare, shout negative comments and I even had an egg thrown at me! Now, more people are honking, smiling, and giving us the thumbs up. There’s been a definite sea change in people’s reaction to our vigil.” He smiled. I smiled back.

We arrived at the campus of Sacramento City College the next Tues morning; both of our contacts were not answering their phones. Oh well. We called the Campus Police, explained the situation and discovered that, by accident we were in the correct spot. We bought a parking pass and parked under the instruction of a Campus Policeman, unloaded and set up the exhibit. We were well received. Many stopped, studied, and photographed the exhibit. We received some small donations and an offer to develop a website with a donate button! I had never imagined, a donate button for the PPP. Wow, a “donate button” in our future. Hurray!

As our time there was winding down, I saw a woman studying the “How Many More Massacres” panel. I walked up to her to see if she had a question. She turned to me with such an intense gaze, I was startled. I had never seen such a look before. So intense. This middle aged, tanned, solid, clear, resolved, and yet sad woman commanded my attention, “I was there,” she said pointing to my list, of the number of Iraqis massacred by US forces in 1990, “On behalf of the Iraqi People, I thank you for this exhibit. I don’t think enough people know this is happening.” She turned and walked away. I was speechless. I wanted to hug her or say I was sorry for the intense pain she has felt, but she was gone. An Iraqi woman at SCC, we are such a global village. Surely, in our hearts, peace is on the upswing.

We packed up the exhibit and returned to our pick-up to find, a parking ticket. Undaunted, that afternoon, we joined the Sacramento Area Peace Action group’s peace vigil on 16^th & J Streets from 4:30 – 6pm. We met some great people and enjoyed some wonderful camaraderie, had a dinner that couldn’t be beat and headed for Stockton.

We arrived on the campus of UOP about 9:45am that Wednesday morning to gloomy skies and a cold wind. We met our contact and he helped us with a parking pass and unloading the exhibit. The weather’s cool reception was in contrast to the warm smile of John Morearty who met us as we rounded the corner of the University center. The 72 year old philosopher, professor, carpenter, author, and peace activist was fun to talk to and was a great help setting up. In a deep resonate voice he brought us up to speed on the local situation. We were at a rich, private and conservative college campus. It was funny how at SCC people looked at the exhibit as they walked by. We got the good old, slack-jaw stunned, response more that once. It’s humorous to view that posture from the side. By contrast, many at UOP were able to walk the entire 75 feet of our exhibit without looking up from the sidewalk once. There was a Philippine Cultural table across from ours, so we got to enjoy some of their great live guitar as the day progressed. I walked over to their table and thanked them for the music, and on behalf of white American guys I apologized for what our armed forces had done to the Philippines. They came over and checked out the Peace Panel Project and thanked us. The weather deteriorated. A gust of wind caught the easels and they began to fall, to my amazement 12 people suddenly appeared and the exhibit was up again in no time. A man came up, Baldwin, asked if we could be persuaded to show the PPP at Grass Valley next year for a peace event of theirs. The day was late, I was tired, and suggested that a fee might be required. Baldwin didn’t seem daunted. Wow.

That afternoon we attended a meeting of the Peace & Justice Network of San Joaquin County at a modest café, where we made a presentation and had a round table discussion of the 28 panels of the Mini (9”x18”) Peace Panel Project. A lively discussion ensued, enjoyed by all in attendance, (8). We were roundly complemented and encouraged.

Then it was off to the Network’s Peace Vigil on Yokuts and Pacific from 5-6pm where we met more peace activists and received many more smiles and honks of the traffic. As we packed up the PPP for the final time, on the Tour, we were up beat with the encouragement of new friends and contacts that promised future progress. We headed home to Chico, more grateful than ever for our home town.

Respectfully Submitted,

Camille and Charles Withuhn