Peace Activist Kathy Kelly Speaks in Denver

Peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Kathy Kelly says that the US is not waging a “humanitarian war” in Afghanistan as was been claimed by the State Department.  As a co-coordinator with the campaign Voices for Creative Nonviolence, she has made multiple trips to Afghanistan invited by Afghan Peace Volunteers who together with her say that they will not let war sever the bonds of friendship between them. Their goal is to end US military and economic warfare.

Kelly is a regular participant on walks protesting drone warfare along with demonstrations outside of military bases in Nevada, New York, and most recently at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.  KGNU has been on location to document two of these marches, one in Iowa in 2013, and this year in Michigan in May.  We also brought you coverage outside of the Des Moines Air National Guard in March where protesters were arrested when they attempted to speak to the commander about a new program that was set to launch drones from the base.

Kelly participated in open defiance of economic sanctions against Iraq by bringing medicines to children and families there and has lived next to civilians during times of war in Baghdad, Gaza, Lebanon, Bosnia, and Nicaragua.

She was sentenced to one year in federal prison for planting corn on nuclear missile silo sites in the 80’s, and spent three months in prison in 2004 for crossing the line at the School of the Americas in Fort Benning Georgia.

She has carried out this protest by refusing all forms of federal income tax since 1980.

She spoke on Saturday in Denver.

In April she and fellow activist Georgia Walker attempted to speak to the commander of Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.  They carried a loaf of bread onto the base and were arrested for criminal trespass.

On December 10, 2014 Kelly and Georgia Walker will defend their positions in court at Whiteman AFB where last April she attempted to speak with the commander.  In 2012, Brian Terrell of Voices for Creative Nonviolence received 6 months for a similar action, Mark Kenney 4 months, and Ron Faust received 5 years of probation.  You can listen to KGNU’s interview with Brian Terrell about his activism at Whiteman Air Force Base recorded in May:

part 1

part 2

part 3

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