Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action

16159 Clear Creek Road NW  Poulsbo, WA   98370

Website: www.gzcenter.org,   E-mail: info@gzcenter.org

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

November 14, 2006

For Immediate Release:

 

SACRED EARTH AND SPACE PLOWSHARES II BEGIN FOOD CAMPAIGN TO COMPLETE RESTITUTION REQUIREMENT

 

Sisters Jackie Hudson, O.P., Carol Gilbert, O.P. and Ardeth Platte, O.P. are launching a collection of cans of food for children of Air Force families who receive food stamps and are in need of assistance.

 

They have announced their presence in Denver, Colorado at the U.S. Attorney's Office, 1225 17th St. in Denver, Colorado from 11 A.M. through 1 P.M. each workday from November 15-28.  They hope that people who wish to donate will bring their can(s) of food to them during that time.

 

They have also extended their request for food from people throughout the country/world if they wish to join in this canned food drive to help them complete their restitution requirement.  Cans of food are being sent to:  Robert Brown, US Attorney's Office, 1225 17th St. Suite 700, Denver, CO 80202 (Attention:  Clerk of the Court)

 

The Sisters are deeply grateful for any assistance given to them and the concern expressed during their years of incarceration and these years of supervised release.  Their hope is that this final effort will be acceptable and that the restitution issue will be completed and fulfilled.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

   Bill Sulzman                                     Sue Ablao                               Jonah House
   P.O. Box 915                                  1127 Highland Ave.                   1301 Moreland Ave.

   Colorado Springs, CO 80901              Bremerton WA 98337                Baltimore, MD 21216                          

   Ph 719-389-0644                           360-377-2586                            410-233-6238

   bsulzman@juno.com                       sablaol@yahoo.com                disarmnow@verizon.net
                                                                                                          www.jonahhouse.org

 

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:      

Based on an article in the Baltimore Examiner of Oct. 27, 2006

BALTIMORE - After serving a total of 104 months in different federal prisons following a 2002 demonstration at a Colorado missile silo, three nuns say they will continue to resist an a judge's order to pay the Air Force $3,082 in restitution.

Dominican sisters Ardeth Platte, 70, and Carol Gilbert, 59, both from Jonah House in Baltimore MD, and Jackie Hudson, 72, of Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in Washington state, could face new jail time after U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn denied their restitution application last week.

They have refused to pay the Air Force, but instead contributed hours working in the prison laundry, hours knitting scarves, mittens and sweaters for the poor as well as continued work in their individual communities after their release from prison this year.

“We just can't give money to the military for killing and building nuclear weapons,” Gilbert said.

“It's an issue of political and moral conscience the judge acknowledged when he requested a community-service and alternative restitution requirement 10 months ago,” Platte said.

During a plow shares action four years ago, Gilbert, Hudson and Platte cut through a chain-link fence at the silo containing a Minuteman III missile and used baby bottles to dispense their own blood in the shape of a cross on the silo.

Friends and supporters raised $600,000 on the women's behalf and contributed it in the sisters' names to nonprofit literacy and food banks projects, as well as peace and justice organizations, as part of their restitution offer.

Blackburn did not give a reason for his decision.  Platte said federal prosecutor Robert Brown has pushed for the stiff penalties in the case.

“I am surprised it was rejected; we've been waiting to hear since last December,” Platte said. “We're considered to be in violation of our probation now. They could issue a warrant for arrest and the marshals could come and arrest us anytime.”

Platte went to prison sentence for 41 months, Hudson received 30 months and Gilbert 33 months. Now on probation, the local sisters have not been able visit to family on the West Coast or their order in Grand Rapids, Mich., since their release.

“Our lawyer asked for our opinion, and we told him we need time to pray and discern what we should do next,” Platte said.

Oct 27, 2006  rcassie@baltimoreexaminer.com

 

OPEN LETTER from SACRED EARTH AND SPACE PLOWSHARES II, 2002

 

Dear friends,

        

         We need your help!  Please join us in our response to the judge, prosecutor, and probation officers to complete our restitution issue.

 

         Through prayer, discernment and an inspired action, we are conducting a canned food drive that will be donated to children of Air Force military families who receive food stamps and/or are on public assistance.  We believe that we must collect at least 4,000 cans of food or more to fulfill the comparable amount for our restitution.

 

         Please put a can or number of cans of healthy food in a padded envelope or box and send it now.  (Important weeks are from Nov. 15 - 29 with Thanksgiving included.  (Information below)

 

Attention:

         We have printed a coupon for your use.  Put it inside the package with the can(s).  Then, please mail it.

                                           Send no money, please!

 

         If you live in the Denver, CO area we are outside the U.S. Attorney's Office Building, 1225 17th St. each work day from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M from November 15 -28th (except week-ends and holidays when public buildings are closed.  Come see us, drop off your donation and hear our voices of appreciation.

 

         We hope and pray that this will put to rest our restitution mandate and requirement.

 

BACKGROUND: 

         l. The judge denied our alternative restitution plan he requested in November, 2005.

         2. The prosecutor rejected the plan unless the Air Force receives our response as victim.

         3. The prosecutor knows that we are prohibited from going onto a military site for community service according to our supervised release prohibitions.

         4. We sincerely have worked hard to do many services in lieu of restitution and trust this inspired idea to give canned food to the children of Air Force families who are in need will complete the requirement. 

         Children are the most vulnerable in war under the bombs and in military families as their parent(s) are separated from them.

 

We thank you in advance for your assistance!  Let us continue our work together for disarmament and peace. 

 

                     From:  Jackie Hudson, O.P., Carol Gilbert, O.P. and Ardeth Platte, O.P.   

 

 

 

United States Department of Justice

Payment Coupon

 

 

FOR SISTERS

     JACKIE HUDSON                                                                 ENCLOSE THIS COUPON TO GUARANTEE

     CAROL GILBERT                                                                 PROPER APPLICATION OF RESTITUTION

     ARDETH  PLATTE                                                                       AND MAIL TO ADDRESS BELOW

                                                                                                      

 

In lieu of $3,052.75 in

restitution please accept                                                ROBERT BROWN

this foodto be given to                                                 U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

children of military families                                      1225 17TH ST. Suite 700              

on assistanceat Peterson AFB,                                  DENVER, CO 80202

Shriever AFB, Buckley AFB.                                      ATTENTION: U.S. CLERK OF COURT