Grannies Shut Down Atlanta Recruiting Station

On Monday, March 17, with the help of over 40 supporters, ten Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace carried out an act of non-violent civil disobedience in Atlanta, Georgia. Modeled on a similar earlier action by New York Grandmothers Against the War, our civil disobedience was part of nation-wide protests this week marking the 5th anniversary of the March 19, 2003, U.S. invasion of Iraq—actions by Grandmothers for Peace in 20 cities and by young and old in every state. We Atlanta Grandmothers entered the U.S. Army Recruiting Station on Ponce de Leon Avenue at 9:30 am, engaged the recruiters in conversation, and asked to enlist in order to take the place of young soldiers. When our offer was turned down, we refused to leave the property. We were arrested for criminal trespass at 10:30 am, taken to the Fulton County Jail for processing, and released 12 hours later on our own recognizance.

In the coming months, we will work to reach others through our local media, using our voices as Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace to focus attention on the unacceptable human and economic cost of this military occupation, both in the U.S. and Iraq. We believe U.S. soldiers are being sent to kill and be killed in an illegal and immoral war and occupation. As grandmothers, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to act on behalf of children. While not all of us have biological grandchildren, we consider all young people, including Iraqis and U.S. soldiers, to be our grandchildren. We are a diverse group of women committed to on-going work toward a just foreign policy. Ranging in age from 57 to 80, with a total of 26 grandchildren, we come from across metro Atlanta—Kennesaw in Cobb County, Roswell and Atlanta in Fulton County, Decatur in DeKalb County, and Norcross and Snellville in Gwinnett County.

We plan to use our jury trial to present a case against our government’s use of young people as cannon fodder and will appreciate your financial support. Recognizing that our outstanding attorneys have provided much pro bono legal representation in their years of practice, we are committed to paying them for taking on our case, which will involve many hours of work and might continue for two years. If you would like to make a contribution to the Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace Legal Defense Fund, send checks to
Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition/Atlanta (www.georgiapeace.org)
P.O. Box 133016
Atlanta GA 30333
On the memo line, write Grandmothers Legal Defense.

Here is some of the media coverage. Google Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace for more.

YouTube video by Judy Conder of Artemis Productions--with film shot at the Recruiting Station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUvo0BLhCT8

Article by Matthew Cardinale, Atlanta Progressive News, who went into the Recruiting Station with the Grandmothers:

http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/news/0308.html

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/18/7744/ same article on Common Dreams

http://www.ipsnoticias.net/nota.asp?idnews=87825 in Spanish

Atlanta Journal Constitution—Article and photos (including Grandmothers' mug shots!)

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/03/18/grandm...

http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/atlanta/protest0317/

DeKalb Champion-- Click on This Week's Free Press

http://championnewspaper.com/page1.htm

Please read the information and quote from each of us pasted below. We urge others to take action as Grandmothers for Peace! Join us--and millions of other activists nation-wide--in calling for an end the Iraq occupation and for a U.S. foreign policy based justice and peace!

Doris Benit Age 80 Kennesaw, GA. 4 grandchildren Life-long Republican

“During the Viet Nam War, I was married to U.S. Air Force officer and volunteered at the base hospital. The huge aircraft would fly in from the war zone filled to capacity with wounded/mutilated men. Fully understanding the pain, suffering and hardship they were facing was heart wrenching and forever etched in my mind. It was then I decided that no government or leader would ever again convince me that war was necessary or just; with one exception, if we came under attack.”

Ella Ruth Hunnicutt Age 79 Roswell, GA. 8 grandchildren Retired public school teacher in special education.

“This is a terrible time in our history. We are no longer respected by other nations—the land of the free and the home of the brave. Our young people are dying, come home wounded, many mentally deranged and with no promise of medical assistance. The War has gone on with no end is in sight. Our grandchildren are of age and could be involved. I do not want Iraq and or American or our world’s children to die.”

Betsey Miklethun Age 74 Norcross, GA 4 grandchildren Retired social worker
“I had four older brothers. All were in WW II and one didn't come home. My dad's words when he got the telegram that his second son was killed, were: "What A Waste!" I've thought of those true words often through life. War is such A Waste! It is necessary for grandparents--and parents--to take stronger steps to stop our Government's continued intervention in and occupation of IRAQ. We must do it for our grandchildren and theirs.”

Dorothy (Dot) Shaw Age 73 Snellville, GA 4 grandchildren Retired Air Force civil service; now substitute teacher

“I used to help build the Military Industrial Complex and I used to be a Republican. Now I am active in the peace movement and work in the Gwinnett Democratic Party. Not just that I don't want my grandchildren to fight a war; I don't want us to waste our country's youth in such a brutal and useless endeavor. I hope we can make friends of enemies. I regret the Iraqi loss of life in this useless war, also.”

Minnie Ruffin Age 66 Atlanta, GA 2 grandchildren Retired educator

“Getting out of Iraq is important to me because I have grandchildren. I would like them to grow up in an America that is free from conflicts, especially ones that we started. Also, I would like to see my country once again admired for good deeds instead of despised for trying to control the world's resources and the people of the world.”

Gloria Tatum Age 65 Decatur, GA 4 grandchildren Neuromuscular therapist

“The Bush administration made over 935 false statements http://www.publicintegrity.org/WarCard/ in two years following 9/11 about the national security threat posed by Saddam Hussein. The blood of the Iraqi people, U.S. troops, and coalition soldiers who died because of those lies now stains our national soul. We can not bomb a country (which did nothing to us) and kill its citizens and then expect to win hearts and minds and call these atrocities bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq.”

Ann Mauney Age 65 Atlanta, GA Retired public school history teacher

“I believe that Georgians do not want a U.S. empire and parents do not want to send their sons and daughters to occupy and to die in a country that never threatened us. Even when these young soldiers return alive, they carry physical and emotional scars forever. If we believe our leaders are using our grandchildren as cannon fodder, we grandparents must do what we can to stop these criminal actions.”

Judy Conder Age 60. Decatur Freelance videographer

"I have no grandchildren, but I'm a grandmother in spirit. We have had the opportunity to live our lives, make our choices, and to grow old. We now have a responsibility to our grandchildren to insure that they have the opportunity to grow, pursue their goals, and try to find happiness. If you are outraged by the rising statistics (4 thousand U.S. troops killed, one million Iraqi's killed), become outrageous for peace. I believe that a group of old women can make a difference. We're not dead yet."

Bobbie Paul Age 58 Atlanta, GA Director of non-profit women’s peace organization
“Vietnam crippled many of my generation. Forty years later, its crippling effects are still being felt. I don't want another mother or grandmother to suffer the anguish of losing a son or daughter in this immoral war in Iraq. I hope, today, that we, the women, can help empower other women to unite in one voice calling for an end to pre-emptive attacks on other nations and an end to massive Pentagon spending that leaves us weak at home and pushes us to war.”

Susan Keith Age 57 Decatur, GA Medical technologist

“I am doing this because I don't want anymore young people to be damaged by the horrors of war. I think if the armies of the world were all grandparents that the killing and destruction would stop and we would be playing with children and planting gardens instead. Wouldn't that be lovely?”

SAVE THE CHILDREN!