Letter to the judge
Honorable Lisa Godbey Wood
U.S. District Court
Southern District of Georgia
801 Gloucester Street
Brunswick, GA 31520
Dear Judge Wood,
I write to you concerning the upcoming sentencing of the Kings Bay 7.
I urge you to sentence these nuclear weapons protesters to time served: Elizabeth McAlister; Fr. Stephen Kelly; Martha Hennessy; Patrick O’Neill; Clare Grady; Mark Colville; and Carmen Trotta.
I was in the U.S. Air Force for 3.5 years during the Vietnam War. It is there that I became a peace activist.
Soon after getting out of the service in 1974 I heard then Gov. Jimmy Carter speak at my college in Florida that I was attending at the time. I’ll never forget one thing he said: “The nuclear arms race is a disgrace to the human race”. Carter of course went on to become president.
As president Mr. Carter built the Kings Bay nuclear submarine base in St. Mary’s, Georgia. I was never able to understand how Mr. Carter could go from his clear understanding that nuclear weapons were a ‘disgrace’ to then building the deadly Trident nuclear sub base.
It is my sincere hope that you will show deep compassion toward these fine people. I know some of them – in particular Elizabeth McAlister who I last saw a couple of years ago and at that time she was beginning to have problems with loss of memory. I’d imagine it is worse now.
The others are good peace workers who serve the poor and are absolutely committed to non-violence.
I can imagine that you were touched by them during the trial proceedings. They speak an undeniable truth. Their action to save humanity from what Mr. Carter called “a disgrace to the human race” should be honored.
I pray you will answer the call with mercy.
Best wishes to you always,
Bruce K. Gagnon
Brunswick, Maine
No comments:
Post a Comment