Anniversary of Civil Defense Protest

June 15, 1955 - When the Civil Defense Administration attempted to hold a drill simulating a nuclear attack, 27 activists in New York refused to take cover. They handed out pamphlets reading: "We will not obey this order to pretend, to evacuate, to hide. In view of the certain knowledge the administration of this country has that there is no defense in atomic warfare, we know this drill to be a military act in a cold war to instill fear, to prepare the collective mind for war. We refuse to cooperate." The activists, including Catholic Worker Dorothy Day were arrested, and started a wave of protests against Operation Alert that culminated in the end of the drills in 1962. Photo: Dorothy Day (far right), Deane Mowrer (to her right), Ammon Hennacy (fourth from left), and others seated on a park bench at Washington Square Park, New York City, on July 20, 1956, in protest of the mandatory "Operation Alert" civil defense drill. Police subsequently arrested them. Photo by Robert Lax. From: http://go.mu.edu/1p6Qnun Read flier that was distributed: http://bit.ly/164QNbt

Yuri Kochiyama RIP

From Matt Meyer:

Just a few hours ago, to a standing-room-only crowd at the political prisoner panel at NYC's Left Forum, I was honored to say a few words - sharing my "Organizing Notes 2014." In addition to some sweet victories (Lynne Stewart was the featured speaker), it was impossible not to call out the names of some of our lost champions - Elombe Brath, Fred Ho, Amiri Baraka, Chokwe Lumumba, and Dr. Luis Nieves Falcon. Little did we know at the moment that one of the most exemplary and amazing workers on behalf of the prisoners, and for the liberation of all people, had made her transition. There is surely a grand coalition meeting among the spirits tonight...We will miss you dearly, dear Yuri Kochiyama.