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Letter from FPC Danbury #10857-039,
Prisoner Sr. Ardeth Platte, OP.
Dear Claus Biegert, Franz Moll, Craig Reishus,
your Award booklets were given to me in prison this past week. What a wonderful gift to be able to read about all the persons you have paid tribute to since 1998. Yes, the cause is most urgent! War is so barbaric, uncivilized, illegal, criminal. There is no proportionality in weaponry. The lasting effects of a poisoned Earth, polluted waterways, a devastated ionosphere and permanent injury to the souls of nations cause me to weep. Every competitive arms race leaves generation after generation unable to provide basic human necessities.
You, the founders, jury members, board, staff, supporters and donators - all give hope to the world. Your consciousness ripples waves of truth-telling.
We, too, have worked many years in many ways against nuclearism. We have challenged the judicial and legislative systems directly. We have continued our non-violent civil disobedience and civil resistance and will do so for the rest of our lives, hoping nuclear power with all of its wastes and nuclear weapons with their devastating capacity and radioactive nightmares will be banned forever.
As you know, Sisters Carol, Jackie and I are imprisoned at this time. We continue the work from inside in the only way we are able to do so. That is by responding to thousands of letters from people all over the world. We try to keep up with world events and encourage people to keep up the pressure to have a world without war and weapons of mass destruction. My idea being launched more seriously in 2004 is to encourage an ongoing citizen weapons inspection team at every nuclear site. Direct action highlights the presence of death-dealing that is existent there. There is no doubt that the Nuclear-Free Future Award has given coverage and credibility to our Sacred Earth and Space Plowshares II action, trial and consequences. Thank you sincerely for that. Many people have expressed their congratulations, best wishes and gratitude for the Award. They state how they are encouraged and motivated to do more. Numerous group actions at nuclear sites have been shared with us. Some judges on a state level have allowed international law as the defendants defense and they have been acquitted. No federal judge has been that law-abiding in recent history in the United States.
Sister Carol and I have worked diligently with two people and one organization who fit your qualifications for the Award:
1. Michael Moore - organizer, journalist, author and film-maker. As a nuclear power plant was being designed and constructed in Midland, Michigan, we organized mass demonstrations to stop it. Mary Sinclair of Midland did the research and information pieces after working for decades on this issue.
2. Plowshares vs. Depleted Uranium - Philip Berrigan (deceased Dec. 6, 2002), Susan Crane, Rev. Steve Kelly, and Liz Walz unmasked the use of Depleted Uranium and all its effects long before the media was covering the story. They served years in prison also for their direct action.
You may obtain information and pictures from the web site www.plowsharesactions.org
You may obtain video tapes, writings, articles, etc. from Jonah House in Baltimore, MD...E-mail: disarmnow@erols.com
Thank you for your honor, for lifting up this cause, for caring about the next generations, and for your work and commitment. I am grateful, we are grateful.
Peace be in us and in our world,
Sister Ardeth Platte, OP.
#10857-039
Federal Penitentiary Danbury
Rt. 37
Danbury, CT 06811
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