A visit to Missile Silo N-8 to call for Keeping Space for Peace and Witness to the fact that Nuclear Weapons (49 in Colorado) will soon formally be by UN Treaty against international law
Sisters Ardeth Platte and Carol Gilbert, Dominican Nuns from Jonah House in Baltimore will be in Colorado in early October. Part of that time will be spent with us in Colorado Springs. They have a lot of history in Colorado and Colorado Springs. In September 2000 they along with 3 other Catholic Nuns were arrested at Peterson AFB during an open house for a direct action and jailed, acing serious charges. Those charges were ultimately dropped.
They returned in October 2002 for a olowshares action at nuclear missile N-8 in Weld County Colorado where they did a symbolic action temporarily taking off line a Minuteman III missile loaded with a 20 kiloton nuclear bomb, one of 49 such bombs in Colorado. . They were convicted of sabotage and received harsh sentences, 42 months for Ardeth, 36 months for Carol and 30 months for Jackie Hudson (now deceased).
They will be with us for a number of actions and events. Here is what is already firmed up with a few minor changes possible
On October 7 we will carpool from 420 Mesa Road at 9AM for a trip to join a group at silo N-8 for a vigil at 1 PM. Carol and Ardeth will be there as well as activists from Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins etc..
On October 9 we willl meet at Peterson AFB at 3:30 for a vigil with Ardeth and Carol who will present to base personnel a copy of the recently passed UN treaty banning nuclear weapons.
On October 10 we will carpool from 420 Mesa Road at 2:45 PM for a trip to Schriever AFB east of Colorado Springs.for an action at 3:30 combining bannering and a treaty presentation.
On October 10 at 7PM Ardeth and Carol will do a public presentation and Q&A at Colorado College (location to be firmed up)
On October 11 we will host a potluck and informal meeting at 420 Mesa Road at 6PM . Please RSVP so we know how many to plan for.
There will also be other activities including Colorado College classes , a possible visit with the local Catholic Bishop and possibly a visit with Mayor John Suthers who was DA here when they were arrested in 2000 and U.S. attorney overseeing their 2003 federal trial in Denver.. Be in touch if you can help with transportation etc.
