What: A Festival of Hope for Kings Bay Plowshares Activist Clare Grady
When: Sunday, February 7
Where: Zoom, YouTube, and Facebook
The recording is available at the KBP7 Youtube https://kingsbayplowshares7.org/galleries/video-gallery/
Clare Grady, a storied activist from Ithaca, NY, was arrested in April, 2018 for peacefully protesting against Trident’s nuclear weapons. She is the sixth of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7 to be sentenced to prison. On February 10, she will report to Alderson Federal Prison in West Virginia. On February 7 at 1 pm PST/4 pm EST, we will virtually gather to bid farewell to Clare and pray for a safe and (6 months) speedy term.
Clare has invited speakers who challenge different aspects of Rev. Dr. King’s triplets, racism (white supremacy), materialism (global capitalism), and militarism (global military dominance).
Speakers include:
Agnes Williams,a Seneca leader working in western New York
Leona Morgan, a Diné leader from the Navajo Nation, working in New Mexico and Arizona to stop uranium production and dumping on their lands
Clare Daly, Irish Parliamentarian and a co-defendant in an Irish trial of civil resistance to US warplanes refueling at Shannon Airport
Setsuko Thurlow, a Hiroshima survivor who has worked tirelessly to end nuclear weapons and been instrumental in the enactment of the Treaty on Prohibition to Nuclear Weapons that went into force last week (on tape)
Professor Russell Rickford, Cornell University historian of the Black Freedom Struggle and the Black Radical Tradition and an organizer with the Democratic Socialists of America
Emma O’Grady, writer, and actor from Co. Galway
Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellermann, Detroit theologian, author, nonviolent community activist and civil resister to water shut-offs, will give a closing prayer.
We hope you will join us to celebrate this inspirational activist!
UPDATES ON THE OTHER KINGS BAY PLOWSHARES 7
PATRICK O’NEILL reported to the Elkton Federal Correctional Institution on January 14 at 1:59 PM, having been told to report no later than 2. Mary Rider, his partner, drove Patrick the 550 miles from their home in Garner, NC to Lisbon, OH, through the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. Upon his arrival Patrick was placed into COVID quarantine. He remained isolated in the Segregated Housing Unit (Solitary Confinement) for 15 days with almost no human interaction but for the substandard meals passed through a slot in his door three times a day. Patrick spent his time praying, reading, writing and walking/jogging in his small cell. (Please note that the United Nations defines any time spent in solitary confinement beyond 15 days as torture.) Patrick was then transferred to the medium security prison at Elkton.
Having expected to be in the Federal Prison Camp, this came as a surprise. Due to COVID 19 restrictions the prisoners are only allowed to leave the building three times a day for meals and exercise 3 times a week outside (in the snow) and few of them have jobs. Most of his fellow prisoners have sentences of 8-10 years. Fortunately, Patrick is now able to call family and send letters and emails. He plans to start a Bible study and a book club soon. Although there is a priest on the campus he does not visit Patrick’s building and no one is allowed to go to the chapel because of the pandemic. No visitation is allowed at this time due to COVID restrictions. Patrick can receive letters on white paper in blue or black ink only on one side of the page and be sure to include your full name and address in return. You can write him at:
Patrick O’Neill #14924-018
FCI Elkton
Federal Correctional Institute
P.O. Box 10
Lisbon, OH 44432
CARMEN TROTTA and MARTHA HENNESSY have been in prison now for seven weeks. They have gone through quarantine and settled in to the regular population. You can read their updates at the KBP website in Jail Reflections: https://kingsbayplowshares7.org/jail-addresses/
You can write to them following same restrictions. Their addresses:
Carmen Trotta #22561-021,FCI Otisville Federal Correctional Institution, Satellite Camp, PO Box 1000, Otisville, NY 10963
Martha Hennessy #22560-021, FCI Danbury, Rt. 37, Danbury, CT 06811
MARK COLVILLE is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 19 but it is not known if this will go forward on that day as he is expected to ask for more delays. FR. STEVE KELLY was moved from Florida to Oklahoma on Jan. 27 but it is not known how long he will be there on the way to Washington State.