Faith and Resistance Retreat, December 2004 by Sue Frankel-Streit of the Little Flower Catholic Worker

Twice in as many days, members of a faith-based community of activists breached security at 2 of the most heavily guarded buildings in the country during nonviolent anti-war protests.

On December 28th, about 75 people gathered outside the metro entrance to the Pentagon at 7am, to protest the continuing slaughter of innocents in Iraq. While 17 activists blocked the entrance, a banner appeared over the side of the Pentagon roof: "BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW". As supporters who'd been pushed behind metal barricades encouraged employees to recognize that "there is blood on our hands," guards debated how the banner had arrived. Those blocking the doors were arrested and have court dates of April 1st and 14th.  Gary Ashbeck and Steve Kelly, S.J., who had taped the banner to the side of the Pentagon were able to climb down without being noticed.  They joined those reading a litany calling on Pentagon employees to not cooperate with the war.
Those arrested at the Pentagon were Ken Crowley, Margaret McKenna (Penn), Margaret Bryant (Virginia), Ellen Naney(New York), Chris Knestrick(Ohio), Krystyne and Stephan Stanton (D.C.), Hattie Nestel(Mass.), Peter DeMott (New York), Kathy Boylan (D.C.), Liz McAlister (Maryland), Scott Langley and Sheila Stumph (North Carolina), Kaki Sjogren (Penn.), Anna Ritter (New York), Susan Crane (Maryland) and Steve Kelly, S.J.(California).

The next day, close to 100 people filed across LaFayette park, past the newly constructed inaugural viewing stands and formed a semi-circle in front of the dignitaries' entrance to the White House. Eight people held a long banner in front of the entrance. In front of the banner lay a black coffin labeled "US and Iraqi war dead". For an hour they read the names of dead US soldiers and Iraqi civilians, each name followerd by a solomn gong and a refrain of "their blood is on our hands".
During the presence, two of the resistors, Susan Crane and Gary Ashbeck, both of Jonah House community in Baltimore, followed a man through the pedestrain entrance and into the White House compound.

When guards realized Susan and Gary had not been cleared to enter they insisted the two leave immediately. Susan and Gary demanded to speak to a White House official about the situation in Iraq. "We've been waiting outside for years," said Susan. "We want someone to deal with us now." The two were arrested, held overnight and charged with "unlawful entry."

Melinda Smael, of Washington DC, wrote the names of several Iraqi civilians on the black entrance gate with chalk. She, too, was arrested by angry White House security and held overnight. She was chanrged with "defacing government property." All three have a status hearing of January 31st.

The eight people holding the banner in front of the entrance were also arrested for refusing to move. This group, which included Nancy Gowen, Ellen Naney, MaryAnne Grady-Flores, Art Laffin, Bill Wylie-Kellerman (Detroit), Ken Crowley, Steve Kelly, S.J., and. Sue Frankel-Streit were charged with "demonstrating without a permit" and given a court date of March 16th, 2004 (a date that has already passed).

At both sites, passers-by, including Pentagon soldiers, thanked the protestors for being there. The Atlantic Life Community, a close- knit group of resisters for Maine to Florida, gather in DC three times a year to reflect, pray, play and perform acts of nonviolent resistance at sites of institutional violence. This week they had come together to remember and reflect on the Massacre of the Holy Innocents, a Christian commemoration of the children killed by Herod after the birth of Jesus. "The spirit of Herod is alive and well at the White House and the Pentagon," said Bill Frankel-Streit.
They have been acting at the Pentagon and White House for 27 years. During their three day gathering they heard form Richard Hineberg, author of THE PARTY'S OVER, and POWERDOWN, who explained that fossil fuel production will peak by 2010, and that a radical change in our fuel- based economy and lifestyle is inevitable. They also heard from community member Grace Ritter, just back fro Darfur, Sudan; from Kathy Boylan and Bill Quigley who've visited prisoners in Haiti; and from Kim Lamberty who was beaten by Israeli settlers while escorting Palestinian children to school several months ago.