History
1981
1981
The Women's Peace Camp at Greenham Common started in 1981 and went on
for nearly 20 years, when they won! dismantling of the nuclear weapons
site and military base. But only after camping in the mud for decades.
Today the Common is open green space with deer. Welsh women began the
occupation--"On the 5th September 1981, the Welsh group “Women
for Life on Earth” arrived on Greenham Common, Berkshire, England. They
marched from Cardiff with the intention of challenging, by debate,
the decision to site 96 Cruise nuclear missiles there. On arrival they
delivered a letter to the Base Commander which among other things stated
‘We fear for the future of all our children and for the future of the
living world which is the basis of all life’."
Over the years, the women breached the walls to perform ritual actions
in opposition to military violence: "On New Year’s Eve 1982 the women
broke into the base for the first time; 44 women climbed over the
military base’s fence and climbed on top of the silos and danced around
on them for hours. All the women were arrested, and 36 were imprisoned.
On 1 April 1983 200 women entered the base dressed as teddy bears to
protest — a "child" symbol like the teddy bear was a stark contrast to
the highly militarized atmosphere of the base; the women again were
highlighting the safety of their children and future generations of
children. The next major event was 'Reflect the Base' on 11 December
1983, when 50,000 women circled the base to protest against the Cruise
missiles which had arrived three weeks earlier. The day started as a
silent vigil where women held up mirrors as to allow the base to
symbolically look back at itself and its actions; however, the day ended
with hundreds of arrests as the women pulled down large sections of the
fence."
Time Lapse to Washington DC
2004
Time Lapse to Washington DC
2004
Back to 1983 In Seneca New York
USA
(I was there, and have three boxes of slides to show for it)
The Seneca Women’s Encampment for a Future of Peace and Justice has also been referred to as: the Encampment, the Women’s Encampment, the Women's Peace Camp, the Peace Camp. The camp took place mainly during the summer of 1983, from July 4 through Labor Day, concluding with a Labor Day Action honoring workers and highlighting the inflation and job loss that militarism brings. The Encampment continued through till 1994 when it "transitioned" into a "Women's Peace Land."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_Women's_Encampment_for_a_Future_of_Peace_and_Justice
~*~
USA
(I was there, and have three boxes of slides to show for it)
The Seneca Women’s Encampment for a Future of Peace and Justice has also been referred to as: the Encampment, the Women’s Encampment, the Women's Peace Camp, the Peace Camp. The camp took place mainly during the summer of 1983, from July 4 through Labor Day, concluding with a Labor Day Action honoring workers and highlighting the inflation and job loss that militarism brings. The Encampment continued through till 1994 when it "transitioned" into a "Women's Peace Land."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_Women's_Encampment_for_a_Future_of_Peace_and_Justice
~*~
1 comment:
I'm grateful for all these good, strong, brave, angry, gentle women -- that means you, too, Michelle. I have goosebumps. Thank you. Namaste.
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