Anathoth
Community
Farm News
By Bonnie Urfer
Bird watcher John Heid (John H.)
reports good warbler migration. We had
one Great Gray owl in the trees and sky
around us and an abundance in the area.
Im reporting unpredictable weather. Look,
its snowing its 70. To bad it hasnt played music. Relative Minor, the Miles
rained. I wish it would stop raining or at
least get warm. Its spring at the Anathoth
Community Farm and a year of weird
climate change has passed since you
received the last newsletter.
With enough clothes and hot fires, we
keep warm. Its the garden that suffers
with such unfavorable weather. Its nearly
June, the ground is soaked, the air is
turning cool again. Last years corn seeds
rotted in the ground without sprouting in
similar conditions.
A frost last August wiped out some of
our crop peppers, basil and other warm
weather plants. Our garlic didnt last
through storage because of heavy rainfall
at harvest time. Nevertheless, we had
plenty of onions and potatoes to last
through the winter; were eating them still.
Last springs syruping produced the
second highest yield ever. This spring
was the second worst for our maple syrup
production and that of others in the area.
John H. and Mike Miles canned our 9
gallons rather than the normal 40. Sorry,
no sales this year.
On a cosmic level, this winter we saw
spectacular northern lights. One particular
evening, sky gazers saw a red glow above
us and moving/floating colors covering
the north and far over the horizon.
A little closer to home we were
surprised and delighted with the closing
of Project ELF. We celebrated the closure
with a party at Northland College in
Ashland on May 7. Molly Mechtenberg-
Berrigan, John LaForge (John L.) Mike,
Barb Kass, and Joel Kilgour from Loaves
and Fishes in Duluth were the primary
Far m
Spring 2005
movers and shakers for the amazing,
delightful and historical event. Jeanne
variety of music and besides the Goodbye
ELF party, another major appearance was
Larson, one of the speakers, turned out to the Fighting Bob Fest in Sauk City last
be the longtime campaign historian. She September.
recounted the invaluable story of early Jane Hosking loves gardening. She
ELF campaiging and protest. devotes hours every season to ordering a
Singer/song writer Sara Thomsen and variety of seeds, planting, recording,
Rachel Kilgour, both from Duluth, Minn. watering, transplanting and direct
seeding, successive seeding, obsessive
and Kass family band from the farm seeding, compost maintenance, tending
(sometimes called Command Zulu) is and harvesting and putting food by. Mike
back together again and also performed. cultivates the garden plot with the old
As their number one groupie, Im happy Ford 4000 which helps keep the bugs and
for the reunion. Call (715) 472-8721 to weeds down. Asparagus is up. The
have them in your town soon. greenhouse and Tall House living room
Anathoth members have been a part are filled with vegetable and flower
of the campaign to close ELF for a long, seedlings in flats. John H., Kelly Lundeen
long time. and I planted garlic last November and its
On the date slated for the shut-off, a coming up just fine.
group of happy people gathered at the Weve been lucky to have hundreds
site to confirm it. Mike brought a gauss of visitors and volunteers throughout the
meter that registered no current. John L. year. Two interns, Patrick Corey and Justin
visited the ELF site in March to see Gleicher generously helped Anathoth last
dismantled summer. Patrick
antenna wire helped organize
collected in Nukewatchs
spools. 25th birthday
Be warned party hosted by
that warrants Anathoth in
may still be August. Justin
forthcoming became our
for previous roving
resistance at troubleshooter.
the now de- Father Bob
funded sub- Koszarek from
marine warfare Eagle River,
signal system. Wisc. lived with
Ashland Standing room only at the Goodbye to ELF party us for a few
County Court weeks last fall
clerks spor-adically find unpaid fines. Ten- and poured his heart into fixing up the extra
year-old warrants have been issued, house trailer. Our friend and former
including one, shortly before the ELF community mem-ber Yvonne Mills visited
shut-down party, to keynote speaker North Carolina. Matt Stewart and Xong
Kathy Kelly. Federal ELF trespass cases Xiong from LaCrosse volunteered with us
concluded with no fines levied in court in this spring and Arianne Peterson is our
Madison. summer intern at Nukewatch.
The closing of ELF allows time for We hosted student groups from St.
other adventures. Relative Minor does a Thomas Univ., St. Johns, St. Bens, in
2
Minn., the U. of Illinois in Urbana/ Molly and Jerry Mechtenberg- scene at one vigil, I can attest to the
Champaign, and Vanderbilt U. in Berrigans son Amos had his first birthday positive horn blowing and hand signs for
Nashville, Tenn., and a youth group from in March. The party took place in peace. A passerby even joined us at the
St. Thomas U. did an overnight retreat in Minneapolis at the annual Catholic 2-years-of-war anniversary.
May. We hosted the annual 2nd grade Worker resistance gathering. In his first Everyone has been fine and working
field trip from Luck Elementary School. year, Amos traveled from coast to coast. The his or her regular job. Molly and John L
(The scariest day of the year in my book.) family visited Los Angeles, Baltimore, continue to keep Nukewatch active and
The kids go out collecting sap, check out Florida, Vermont, the Sugar Creek Catholic vibrant, with John doing a lot of outreach
the sap cooking and eat pancakes and Worker gathering in Iowa, Uncle Jerry and and Molly doing research and managing
syrup. They grind wheat berries into flour, Aunt Carol in Syracuse and Uncle Dan in the office. Im retiring little by little its
shake cream into butter and make New York. not something I can do all at once. Jerry
terrariums-to-go with flower seeds Liz McAlister, Kate and Frida Berrigan and Barb Katt, and sometimes Mike, work
planted inside. Mikes and Janes energy and Mary , Tom and Michael Mechtenberg seasonally for Edmunds & Company Log
matches that of the 2nd graders so the have been here to visit. Amos baptism last Restoration. Barb Kass continues to
whole program moves smoothly and fall brought his relatives for the special coordinate the Luck Community Education
swings. ceremony and the last perfect day of program. Jane and John H. paint houses
On the other end of the age spectrum, summer. Mary and Tom came for the ELF inside and out. Last year their favorite job
some of us know exactly how old we are shutdown party as well. We all agree that was with our friends Tess and Bob Koenig
by the increasing number of aches and having a baby around brings out the best in at Lake Vermillion in northern Minnesota.
pains. John L said he gained 5 pounds, everybody. I love this little boy. John H. says, It was a gem.
(well, not in one year but in the last 3 Amos has fun playing with neighbor Just in case you think life is a boring
anyway). Some of us help and visit our Ann Boland, who was born last June to routine around here, following is a short
aging parents and grandparents often. Kristin and Chris. She just celebrated her list of extracurricular activities community
Barb Kass visits with her mother and first birthday. They are both toddling members engaged in:
father every week, sometimes twice in one around, sharing toys (or not), babbling and Mike ran for congress against Dave
week and for more than one day. Both of thoroughly enjoying each others company! Obey. He did well, getting the highest
her parents turned 80 within the past year. Nonviolence is a constant study for percentage of Green votes out of all
In January, Jane and John H. took the train everyone here. Mike, Barb Kass, Barb Katt nationwide Green candidates. Sep. 6.
to Florida and visited Janes family. Barb and John H. attended draft counseling Barb Kass and Mike cooked their way
Katt often visits her grandmother Helen training. John H., Barb Katt and I facilitated through the year. They provided excellent
Flader. Barb and her mother Ann hiked the a training in nonviolence and line-crossing food for visiting student groups, the annual
Grand Canyon last winter! Ill be traveling in Des Moines on election day in November. dance camp, Nukewatchs 25th birthday
to Montana with my father and sister in He received a citation for which he agreed to party, the Midwest Catholic Worker retreat
June for a nephews wedding. Three of do community service. Luckily, it was with and the West Denmark church near Luck.
John H.s uncles passed away With the last of the Kass/Miles children off
last year. Were all glad for the to college, Mike and Barb have taken to
time we have available for providing hospitality big time. We miss Ollie,
family whenever we want it or Emma and Philip (and Jessica, Sarah and
need it. Micah too!) and its a happy occasion when
Jane and John H. are close they come home to visit.
finishing the new straw bale, Twice in the past year Barb Katt hiked
solar-powered meditation to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. She
center. John H. estimates that went off to mush dogs, to sea kayak, and
about 100 people have helped has been volunteering at a Dharma center in
with the centers construction New Mexico. Barb and Jane are studying
since the project started. This nonviolence with Lama Shenpen Dolma, and
is our first experience with this Barb hosted a buddhist peace training here.
style of building so many of us In a sad event, Barbs friend Sky Oldshield
learned how to do it as it was seriously hurt in a car accident. She
moved along. Dave Hall from I traveled to Turtle Island Preserve in N.C. with spent many days, week after week, visiting
Washburn, who built a straw Linda Urfer and Deanna Neff to visit with former him and supporting him and his mother,
bale house himself, helped us Anathoth Community member Yvonne Mills. Paula Horn.
get started. Kris Schmid from Frederic, the Progressive Foundation. As a result, I Molly continues to coach cross-
Wisc. installed the solar system. The had coffee served to me every morning. country for the Luck High School team.
center is a popular attraction for visitors Its not unusual to find community When Jane wasnt working on the new
and an invaluable educational display for members vigiling on local street corners. The meditation center, painting houses, dog and
students and environmentalists looking homemade signs get better all the time house sitting or knitting, she browsed the
for an alternative to standard Molly is a natural at graphic design. net for a year looking for a diesel Volks-
construction. The cost of building the No matter the weather, many people in our wagen Jetta. All of her hours on the web
straw bale structure comes to about broader community have remained vigilant finally paid off in April when she found one
$8,000. The second floor has beautiful with streetside messages throughout the in Minnesota. That car will at some point
reused pine flooring. The walls cement/ current war. A new vigil in the area started. turn into a grease car that runs on a fuel
stucco covering forms to the organic People are meeting on Friday afternoons made from waste fryer grease.
curves of the bales. Thanks to everyone on the bridge between St. Croix Falls and The Wheels of Justice bus is parked
who helped. Taylors Falls in Minn. As a reporter on the once more in the Anathoth driveway after

being on tour around the country. It was
painted by community members and a few
volunteers from elsewhere. Pam Johnson
sent along the design that we used. When it
comes to painted symbols, the peace busses
are larger than they appear.
John L got Temporary Observer Status
certification for Nukewatch at the UN, so he
could speak to a small group at the recent
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review
Conference in New York City. Last winter he
did a 7-city speaking tour in southern
Wisconsin and recently spoke in Chicago,
Ill. and Ashland, Wisconsin Dells, and
Seeley, Wisc. as part of the international
campaign to expose and eliminate
depleted uranium weapons. Hes not for all of you, near and far, who are touched
always working and spent some vacation
time with friends in Mexico and the Sylvania
Wilderness in Michigan.
Another construction creation is
underway. The art studio is getting an
addition. Ive spent a couple of years in one
room and look forward to having another
room for storage, a composting toilet room
and closet. With my decision to retire from
Nukewatch Im devoting much more time to
art. Let me take this opportunity to advertise
my note cards. Write to me for a brochure.
Most recently, Rachel Ries and Anais
Mitchell performed a fundraising concert for
the Farm at Cafe Wren in Luck.
For our Nukewatch work, John L and I
were gifted a four-night stay in a Las Vegas
hotel. I cant even remember how many
times I got lost in that casino trying to make
my way to the room. We didnt gamble, but
talked with activists about Yucca Mountain
and the Nevada Test Site.
The Anathoth Community is alive with
visitors, meetings, organizing, gardening,
building and work for peace check us out.
And if youre really brave, volunteer for next
years second grade field trip.
Changes
By Barb Katt
For almost 3 years now, although John
LaForge and I have both been living at the
farm, we have not been living together, and
have been open to other relationships.
After 22 years as a couple, it is a big
change and it has been difficult for every-
one. And as far as changes go, its been less
like turn on the air conditioner for cool air
and more like massive cold front collides
with warm front and spawns thunder
storms. We are both still here though,
hoping to have weathered the worst of the
storms.
My efforts to remain steady have
brought me face to face with the difficulty of
the practice of nonviolence in thought, word
and deed. Whatever my future holds, I am
certain that such hard-earned lessons will
ultimately be of benefit to myself and others.
So for now I stay and look for the joy
each day in my newly configured life. I just
want to add that I write this out of respect
universal reality.
in some way by this news, and I thank you
for your kind thoughts.
Conscientious
objection
By John Heid
I admit that in Iraq there was the fear
of being killed, but there was also the fear of
killing innocent people, the fear of putting
myself in a position where to survive means
to kill; there was the fear of losing my soul
in the process of saving my body. I was
afraid of waking up one morning to realize
my humanity had abandoned me. By
putting my weapon down I chose to
reassert my self as a human being.
Camilo Mejia, Staff Sergeant, Florida
National Guard (serving one year for
refusing to return to fight in Iraq)
The Supreme Court characterized
some who qualify as conscientious
objectors as people whose consciences,
spurred by deeply held moral and ethical
beliefs will give them no rest or peace if
they allowed themselves to become any
part of an instrument of war.
Welsh v. U.S., 1970
On the question of conscientious
objection, I would like to say I think it is a
sign of maturity when people manage to
accept another form of service that is not
military service.
Pope John Paul II, February 13, 1984
Theyre rolling out the guns again
but theyll never take our sons again. No,
theyll never take our sons again. Yes,
Johnny, Im swearing to you.
Johnny I Hardly Knew You, Tradi-
tional Irish tune
War anywhere is a threat to youth
everywhere. War any time endangers youth
every time.
Draft talk punctuates conversations
from coffee bars to Congress. Wall Street to
Main Street. Many adolescents do not give
3
conscription a second though. Many do
The draft issue is bipartisan with
progressives and conservatives
shoulder to shoulder on both sides of
the fence.
Meanwhile a de facto poverty
draft lures the economically
marginalized sector of our country with
the carrot of educational opportunities,
job skills and a pay check.
Recruitment tactics ape the
predatory character of U.S. foreign
policy. The school Recruiting Handbook
directs military personnel to own the
schools. War abroad creates battles at
home. War makes at-risk youth a
Sowhat of conscientious
objection (CO) to the fatally flawed
instrument of war?
The tradition of CO is as North
American as pardon the adage
apple pie. Objection to conscription
based on conscience predates the U.S.
Constitution.
In its current form CO is defined in
the Military Selective Service Act as:
Nothing contained in this title shall be
construed to require any person to be
subject to combatant training and
service in the armed forces of the United
States who, by reason of religious
training and belief, is conscientiously
opposed to participation in war in any
form.
At present there is no draft
beyond the unofficial economic
(poverty) draft. There is however
compulsory registration for Selective
Service for all males 18 26. While no
one has been prosecuted since 1985 for
failure to register, individual states have
penalized non compliance by: 1)
revocation of driving privileges; 2)
refusal of admission to state colleges
and 3) denial of state employment. The
most widely publicized penalty for
failure to file is denial of college financial
aid.
Meanwhile in recent months the
Army and Marines have failed to meet
their recruitment quotas with the Army
running as much as 40% short.
ROTCs are shrinking.
The Pentagon estimates 5,500 U.S.
military personnel have deserted since
the start of the current war. (This is a
conservative figure.)
The G.I Rights Hotline (800-394-
9544) call-ins have nearly doubled
from 17,000 in 2001 to 33,000 in 2004.
The designers of U.S. foreign policy
give no indication of curtailing their
expansionist agenda. As Afghanistan
4
and Iraq burn, rumors of escalation
abound.
Perhaps these factors explain the
large turn-outs for Counter Recruitment
and Conscientious Objector Trainings
around the country. Barb Katt and Barb
Kass, Mike Miles and I have attended
packed sessions with the intent of being
available to counsel anyone with
questions about conscientious objection
and counter recruitment.
Until a formal draft is authorized by
Congress and ordered by the President,
the Selective Service offers no
opportunities for COs to be classified.
Still, current law requires all 18 year old
males to register. Youth are besieged by
military recruiters. Many enlisted men and
women, like Camilo Mejia, are recognizing
they are COs. The poverty draft persists.
We are at war-without-end. And the body
count of soldiers and civilians alike
mounts.
Draft or not, this is a critical time for
each of us to examine our own
conscience, our objections and our spirit
of nonviolence.
It is never too early for youth, men and
women alike, to create a personal file to
establish and document a claim of CO a
file of ones beliefs and activities on behalf
of peace and justice. This record would
enable others, including draft board
personnel, to understand the nature and
sincerity of ones beliefs. (Keep a copy of
everything contained in this file!)
A comprehensive file includes copies
of statements of conscientious objection
that have been offered to ones religious
body or draft counseling organization.
Letters of support for ones claim of CO
are vital. Ideally these letters are written
by a cross section of people who know
you wellteachers, mentors,
friendspeople who can speak to the
sincerity of your beliefs, whether they
agree with them or not. The process of
building a CO file is both reflective and
radical in as much as it challenges one to
dig deep to the roots of who they are by
way of what they believe.
Those who are students do not have
to be besieged by recruitment materials.
Every high school is required to have the
OP-OUT form 9528 which can be signed by
parent or youth indicating they do not want
the students name, address and telephone
listing to be released to military recruiters.
Otherwise schools are mandated to supply
this data to the military.
For those complying with selective
service registration you can write in
bold letters across the form, I am a
conscien-tious objector. (There is no
option to do this with the on-line format.)
Keep a copy of your registration form.
Add it to your personal CO file.
There are numerous organizations
committed to assisting youth in
understanding the nature of CO and the
law. Additionally, many organizations are
available to counsel people already signed
up for the Delayed Entry (DEP) or on
active duty as to their options.
We of Anathoth are also inviting
occasions to listen, share information, and
assist anyone who is discerning the choice
of their conscience in these warring times.
You, my church, told me it was wrong
to killexcept in war.
You, my teachers told me it was
wrong to killexcept in war.
You, my Father and Mother, told me it
was wrong to killexcept in war.
You, my friends, told me it was wrong
to killexcept in war.
You, my country, told me it was wrong
to killexcept in war.
You sent me to war to kill
And when I had no choice
You told me I was wrong.
But now I know, you were wrong
And now I will tell you
My church
My teachers
My Father and Mother
My Friends
My country
It is wrong to kill in war
It is wrong to killperiod.
And this you have to learn
Just as I did.
George Mizo
A Vietnam Veteran for Peace
RESOURCES
National organizations that deal with
Conscientious Objectors
Central Committee on Conscientious
Objection
1515 Cherry St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(888) 236-2226
<girights@objector.org>
Center on Conscience and War
1830 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(800) 379-2679
(202) 483-2220
<nisbco@nisbco.org>
War Resisters League
(212) 228-0450
<wrl@warresisters.org>
National organizations that deal with
military discharges
Resource Center for Nonviolence Draft
and Military Alternatives: (831) 359-0202
<getout@rchv.org/rcnv/co.htm>
GI Rights Hotline: (800) 394-9544
From overseas: (215) 563-4620
Other
Military Families Speak Out
P.O. Box 549
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-9323;
Anathoth Community Farm, 740 Round
Lake Rd., Luck, WI 54853
1) Barb Katt (715) 472-8714 ;
2) John Heid (715) 472-8833;
3) Barb Kass & Mike (715) 472-8721.
Anathoth members
found not guilty
in DU protest
By John LaForge
In the span of five days last December,
separate juries acquitted two groups of anti-
war activists of trespass. The not guilty
verdicts are extremely rare in political trials,
but four Minneapolis juries have now sided
with 106 protesters who refused to leave
the premises of the biggest arms merchant
in Minnesota before getting an appointment.
After refusing to meet with several insistent
groups last summer, including four of us
from the farm, Edina-based Alliant
Techsystems had us arrested. But we beat
the rap, so who is guilty of a crime?
Added to similar acquittals in 2003 and
1997, juries have vindicated a total of 106
people including 79 protesters who were
acquitted after arguing that Alliant Techs
production of landmines is illegal.
Two other groups had their charges
dismissed this January, and another 31
resisters, arrested March 14, including John
Heid, Molly Mechtenberg-Berrigan and me,
had charges withdrawn May 11 by an
embarrassed prosecutor. The newly-
enacted Edina city trespass ordinance had
not become law before it was used against
the resisters. The law was hastily adopted
in response to the acquittals and designed
to deny jury trials to protesters.
 Alliant, or ATK as it calls itself, has
endured nine years of relentless local protest
over its production of landmines, cluster
bombs, rocket motors and depleted
uranium or DU munitions. ATK is a $2.4
billion weapons giant and one of the worlds
foremost producers of DU. ATK has sold 18
million DU shells to the Pentagon.
What is depleted uranium?
DU shells are made of uranium-238, left
over after U-235 has been removed from
processed ore or used fuel rods. The
misnomer depleted is Pentagon smooth
talk. DU is depleted only of uranium-235.
When these armor-piercing penetrators
burn through hard targets, the resulting
uranium oxide dust is dispersed by the wind.
U-238 is a heavy metal like lead or mercury
with a radioactive half-life of 4.5 billion years.
Experts call the toxic and carcinogenic
pollution metal fumes.
While military hawks warn of dirty
bomb attacks here, the Pentagon has
literally fired tons of ATKs weaponized
nuclear waste at targets all over Iraq,
Afghanistan, Kosovo and Bosnia, and at
bombing ranges across the U.S., South
Korea, Vieques Island and elsewhere.
The Pentagon says its DU shells are
tank busters. But in effect theyre gene
busters because the pulverized U-238 can
be inhaled or ingested and, inside the body,
DUs alpha radiation bombards surrounding
tissue and damages chromosomes for
eons. The Council of Europe has asserted
that the use of DU in Kosovo and Bosnia
will have long term effects on health and
quality of life in South-East Europe, affecting
future generations.
Why the juries acquitted
The juries in all four anti-war cases
decided that our nonviolent refusal to leave
ATKs property was reasonably allowed
under law. As Hennepin County District
Judge Jack Nordby instructed one jury Dec.
13, If defendants acted in good faith under
claim of right, even if reasonably mistaken
as to this right, you must find the defendants
not guilty. In the case of Anathoth members
Jane , John H., Mike and I, we testified that
weapons made with nuclear waste are illegal
and that federal and international law provide
the claim of right needed to excuse trespass.
Judge Nordbys instructions explained
that the Claim of Right is, A good faith claim
by defendants that permission was given
to them to be upon the premises by a statute,
rule, regulation or other law. Such a claim
is not limited to a claim of title or
ownership. Judge Nordby reminded the jury
Dec. 13 that, other law means any law
enacted by the federal or state government,
any treaty to which the United States is a party,
or any binding rule of international law.
In all the DU cases, the juries heard munitions to the U.S. military. In addition,
evidence that wartime use of ATKs uranium ATK manufactures antipersonnel
munitions violates both the Geneva landmines, cluster bombs and is the
Conventions, which require protection of foremost producer of depleted uranium
civilians, and the 1907 Hague Regulations (DU) munitions, which the U.S. has used
that prohibit poisoned weapons. Further, the in five wars since 1991. Extensive use of
Nuremberg Charter written to prevent DU in the south of Iraq has caused a
another holocaust outlaws crimes-in-the- cancer epidemic there; some researchers
making. Simply planning and preparing contend that one-third of U.S. Gulf War
weapons, the use of which would violate vets have DU poisoning and will pass
binding treaties, is itself illegal under genetic mutations to their offspring as a
Nuremberg. Tying the argument together is result.
the supremacy clause of the U.S. Well over 100 Catholic Workers
Constitution that says treaties are the attended the March 12-14 retreat at St.
Supreme Law of the Land. Patricks Church in Edina, arriving from
Evidence of the poisonous character of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
DU was presented to the jury in our case by Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. We
Jane, John H. and Mike who are all gathered to explore and deepen our faith,
eyewitnesses to birth abnormalities they and to speak out clearly, physically,
observed during their visits to Iraqi nonviolently against the production and use
childrens hospitals. All three have been to of such hellish weaponry. We joined a large
Iraq with Voices in the Wilderness or community of activists in the Twin Cities
Christian Peacemaker Teams. metro area who have maintained a faithful
Because DU attacks children and future campaign against ATK for over nine years.
generations the law is on the side of the The program began at noon on March
abolitionists. And ATKs weapons stand 12, with a roundtable discussion on
condemned by more than local juries. The resistance in the Catholic Worker
UNs Sub-Commission on Prevention of movement. That evening we enjoyed a
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities wonderful supper provided by members of
and the European Parliament have both the AlliantACTION! community. After
called for a halt to the
use of DU.
As for refusing to
leave ATKs dirty
bomb headquarters
until granted a
meeting, anti-DU
campaigners merely
attempted an act of
crime prevention.
Government prosecu-
tors may now consider
bringing charges
against the real
criminals.
Most of the Catholic Worker Faith and Resistance Retreat
Faith and attendees, March 13 in Eagan, Minnesota.
resistance dinner we all celebrated Amos Philip
against Alliant Tech Mechtenberg-Berrigans first birthday
with cake and ice cream. Thanks to Paul
By Molly & Jerry Mechtenberg-Berrigan Fried from Winona for coming through
Earlier this year, some members of with the authentic ice cream truck, owned
Anathoth Farm, along with the Loaves by his brother. Who says eating ice cream
and Fishes Catholic Worker in Duluth and outside in 10 F isnt fun?
the CW in Winona, Minn., helped organ- Sunday morning, following services
ize the 3rd annual Midwest Catholic led by the South Bend CW, plowshares
Worker Faith and Resistance Retreat. The activist Fr. Carl Kabat from St. Louis, and
3-day gathering culminated in action and Sr. Jane McDonald from Minneapolis con-
civil resistance at Alliant Techsystems celebrated mass. We then heard from
(ATK) in Edina, Minn. Monday, March 14. author and St. Thomas Univ. lecturer Jack
Alliant Tech, a multi-billion dollar Nelson-Pallmeyer on the fundamentalist
weapons manufacturer, is the leading neo-christian political movement, and a trio
supplier of bullets and other conventional of veterans spoke about their experiences in
war and after war.
6
A panel of six members of the
AlliantACTION! community talked about
ATK and shared a brief history of the
campaign. See page 4 for details.
For the rest of the afternoon the group
split up to plan the action and witness at
Alliant the next morning. That evening after
dinner we shared music, poetry, and jokes.
At seven a.m. Monday, some 300
people gathered at the gates of Alliant Tech,
said a litany, and 31 people crossed the line.
The Edina police, fully prepared for our
presence, did not take long to process and
ticket the resisters. They were charged with
a brand new petty misdemeanor written to
deny a trial by jury; charges were later
withdrawn because the statute wasnt even
officially on the books.
Please join us Sunday and Monday,
October 23 and 24 as we celebrate United
Nations Day by taking nonviolent
resistance to Alliant Tech in the hope of a
more peaceful future.
Leaving our
bubble
Students from the U of I wrote us after their
week-long Alternative Spring Break visit:
Nothing I ever do is necessarily
effective. I do it because it needs to be done.
It is something worth fighting to the very
last breath. Im trying as hard as I can and
that is all I can do ... effectiveness is a nice
bonus.
On the second full day of our trip to the
Anathoth Community Farm, Bonnie Urfer
gave us this light bulb moment with these
words. What do you mean things arent
easy? What do you mean it might not work?
Leaving our bubble of college, 7 University
of Illinois Urbana/Champaign students
spent their spring breaks stepping outside
their box driving the opposite directions
from their peers and giving up salt-water
beaches for water-less composting toilets,
snow, sap, Q and A sessions, nonviolent
movies, homemade bread, afternoon vigils,
trash runs, tree climbing, solar panels, straw
bale houses, wood-burning saunas and
showers. We were presented with one-day
workshops on nonviolence, sustainable
agriculture, nuclear weapons and power,
wars and organizing living what we
were learning and in constant amazement
of the optimism, intelligence, determina-
tion and down to earth nature of our
hosts. The key moments for us were the
smallest yet the most challenging- seeing
the Nukewatch office and all the work they
do, eating together and spilling off the big
table, feeling the sense of community,
realizing the commitment of people willing to
sacrifice even their health care, and sharing
in the joy of the last nights music and
comedic performances.
The warmth with which we were
welcomed and the enthusiasm with which
we were taught touched all of us. Ordinarily
encompassed in a culture of mass media and
violence it was eye opening to learn the
difficulties of an often-unexplored lifestyle.
We can fight for what we believe without
fists, guns or nuclear warheads.
Our experience has encouraged us to
take a more active role in the things we
believe. We have approached new
challenges with strength and optimism. Less
than a week after our return, our resolve was
tested. It was announced that an AK-47 was
being raffled off on our campus, and within 2
hours, we were able to alert the media,
research the legality of having firearms on
campus, and form a group of nonviolent
resistance to stand vigil and protest. Many
dedicated students rearranged their
schedules; left class, or simply dropped by
to join us for whatever time they could spare
in order to show their support.
The open ears and minds of the
Anathoth farm community have helped us
to see more clearly the world around us, and
perhaps more importantly, they have shown
us what we are capable of. Thank you all a
trillion times!
And now ... the moment youve all been
waiting for ... talent straight from the U of I ...
we give you ... Ode to the Composting toilet
(which was seemingly the most inspiring
aspect of all)
Sympathies to poor Barb
for putting up with Mike.
Cause no matter what company
compostings what he likes.
Waters too important
to wash away our shit.
Its a dandy fertilizer
and trust me, thats not it.
Despite stinky business
of slogging through the sludge,
it saves 60,000 gallons,
all this amassing fudge.
Oh no! Yall look at that!
I wonder whos to blame?
The guys have said a thousand times
they really cannot aim.
Dave, he has resorted
to trekking through the mud.
I guess he is just that afraid
of leaving us a pud.
Its quite controversial
To our good Eric Naing
That there is no concluding flush
After you do your thang
Can pee in the pooper
cant poo in the peer
Man, this composting toilet rocks!
We couldnt be freer!
Toilet of the future,
the activists do plea.
Whod a thought we could do all that
just by collecting pee?
We felt pretty bad about not
contributing to the last shin dig, especially
after all you have done for us. So, here it is,
in writing and copyright free. Thanks again!
Celine, Eric, Michelle, Anne, Ed,
Easter, David University of Illinois -
Urbana/Champaign
Campaigning
By Mike Miles
The prophets of Israel often engaged
in symbolic action to illustrate truths
about the failings of the people to follow
Yahweh by living justly. Perhaps one of
the most dramatic and outlandish examples
of this was Hoseas call to marry the
prostitute Gomer and raise children with her.
The lesson to be learned: God continues to
love the people in spite of their infidelity and
yearnings after false security.
It was in the spirit of people looking for
solutions everywhere but within them-
selves, that I ventured into one of my most
outrageous experiments with nonviolence
ever by running for the U.S. Congress
during the last election cycle. Many of my
friends and community members felt I had
taken leave of my senses altogether. There
were moments along the way that I felt that
way myself. But, in the end, it seemed a
worthwhile endeavor that may even be
worth pursuing as an ongoing tool of
outreach and education.
I ran as a candidate with the Green
Party because they are the only political
party out there that is totally against the
war. Their Four Pillars (Nonviolence,
Ecological Wisdom, Social Justice,
Grassroots Democracy) coincide with my
own sense of how people should regulate
their conduct with each other, so it was
not a stretch for one such as myself to
identify with the Greens as a political party.
Having been a lifelong campaigner for
nonviolent social change, the tools
required to run a political campaign trans-
lated quite easily. The biggest challenge
was how to enter the public discussion
without spending criminally exorbitant
amounts of money. The answer was to
break into the news by becoming the
news. We kicked off the campaign by
getting arrested at Alliant Tech Systems,
the largest producer of depleted uranium

munitions in the world. The story went
international because I was a candidate
for federal office.
Similar opportunities presented
themselves along the campaign trail and
so it went we made the paparazzi pay
attention simply by running a campaign in
ways they had never seen before. Before
it was over, the St. Paul Pioneer Press
branded me the epitome of a fringe
candidate. But even that turned around
because they owed me the opportunity to
defend myself in the very pages that had
slandered me.
At the July 28 start of his campaign for U.S. Con-
gress, Mike (hands on head) and John L., along with
Jane and John H., got busted at Alliant Tech.
The best part about campaigning was amount of time it took to campaign. Being
basically unlimited access to the almost
600,000 people in the 7th Congressional
District of Wisconsin. We could walk up
to anyone in the district with our flyer,
which laid out an agenda of strength
through peace and justice. We were
offered numerous opportunities for free
airtime on both radio and television. Any
number of newspapers presented
candidate profiles that spelled out the
need to end war as a method of social
change once and for all.
The down side, if it even could be
called that, was meeting people who
would just as soon punch me out as listen
to what I had to say about ending
violence and creating the peaceable
kingdom. There were plenty of awkward
moments I noticed that you didnt say
the pledge of allegiance with the other
candidates as well as surprises that
caused me not to stereotype people who
embraced symbols I thought would have
pitted them against me.
The best example of this was walking
into a tavern festooned with yellow
ribbons and red, white, and blue buntings
only to have a memorable conversation
with a bartender whose son was headed
7
to Iraq. By the time it was over he put a THE CANDIDATE into a position of
stack of my flyers on his bar and he power. Utah Phillips (coiner of the well-
invited me back to speak with customers known phrase if God had wanted us to
who had returned from the war. My initial vote he would have given us candidates)
instinct was that walking into his tavern and I had a talk about this before the
would at minimum be a waste of time, and election. The discussion revolved around
at worst I may walk away with a fat lip. the realities of reforming a system that is
We also had a terrific website that cost utterly corrupt. We agreed that if the goal
us only $60 for an entire year. It was (and was to confront by running, rather than
still is at milesforcongress.com) full of thinking it was possible to reform
material that could radicalize anyone who something that is inescapably fractured, it
gave it even peripheral viewing. On may be worth trying.
Election Day, the counter was clicking For me the jury is still out as to
away at over 1000 visitors at a time for making this a regular pursuit. My
hours on end. More people have gone to inclination is to try again until it feels
the website after the election (almost wrong. Gandhi called what we do
70,000) than before and it makes experiments in nonviolence and given the
me wonder what people are still crazy world we live in, the laboratory is
looking for. constantly changing. If any of you have
By the time it was over, I an opinion one way or the other, I would
had done well as far as third love to hear from you. Hoseas prophetic
party candidates go. I landed in calling was vaguely permanent as the
the top five percent of all third outcome involved being responsible for
party candidates running for his and Gomers three children. We
federal office. Of forty-seven actually had a lot of fun running the
Green Party candidates running campaign but I cant imagine doing it over
for Congress, I had more votes and over again. I look forward to
than any of them (26,000 a continuing the discussion.
whopping 9% of the total). Contacting the community:
What does this all mean to
someone who has spent a Barb Kass & Mike Miles
lifetime promoting the (715) 472-8721
personalism of Dorothy Day <anathoth@lakeland.ws>
and non-cooperation with evil? Barb Katt
One problem was the (715) 472-8714
Jane Hosking, John Heid &
the obsessive maniac that I am, I threw John LaForge
(715) 472-8833
myself into the effort to the detriment of
everything else on my plate. It took Bonnie Urfer &/or Nukewatch
months after the election was over to feel (715) 472-4185
mobile (715) 491-3813
caught up again.
Does promoting a candidate any <nukewatch@lakeland.ws>
candidate, no matter how ideal (me, ideal?) Molly, Jerry & Amos
suggest that there is hope in a system Mechtenberg-Berrigan
that is broken beyond repair? I thought (715) 472-8024
about this a lot because, in the end, Linda & Jim Miles
(715) 472-8797
people are hoping that THE CANDIDATE
will set the world straight if they just get <jmiles@centurytel.net>
Anathoth Community Farm
treats its volunteers right
Anathoth is always growing. Were building and refurbishing commu-
nity structures. If youre interested in helping in any number of
ways, in the garden, mowing, construction, we can use your help. We
house and feed our volunteers. If you cant come, but still want to
help, send a contribution to support our work. Anathoth is an ex-
periment in nonviolence. We strive for social change
in the most sustainable way we can.
Thank you.
740 Round Lake Road, Luck, WI 54853
 We are grateful to the wider community which continues to support our efforts at
Anathoth Community Farm. The new straw bale house, repairs and improvements on
the houses and equipment, and our steadfastness in the struggle, is only possible
because of the encouragement and the generous giving of time, energy and financial
gifts by friends and neighbors.

Thank you!
Jeff Leys, Justin Gleicher, Pat & Kate Edrey, Fr. Bob Koszarek, Linda & Jim Miles, Kristin & Chris
Boland, Nancy Stewart & Jeff Peterson, Jen & Paul Vos Benkowski, Colleen Allen & Kris Schmid,
Brenda Johnson & Jay Stackhouse, Xong Xiong & Matt Stewart, Chris Yocca & John Bachman,
Martha Hayward, Art Marburg, John Schraufnagel, Joy Meeker & Gus Smith, Elizabeth Peterson,
Sandy & Mike Gutmann, Sherna & Marvin Gluck, Robert Johnson, Joan Cervenka & Randy
Borchardt, Dan Berrigan, Leigh Waggoner, Mary Beth LaForge, Susie Marxen, Tim Scott, Peg LaForge
& Keith Braake, Frank Hurley & Amy Taylor, Clement Kirk, Rita Foster & Char Madigan, Tom Dooley,
Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, Jacque Lindskoog, Lucy & Pat Basler, Al Gedicks, Mark Leininger, Ken Toebe,
Ann Katt & Bill Otto, Helen Flader, Betsy & Joe Bacon, Anna Zook, Jean & Bob Heberle, Fay & John
Bussell, Ann Ruhlig, Felicia Santini, Jennifer Delfs & Sam, Andy & Jeff Kern, Tim Lietzke, Ann Turner, Diane & Jim Steinhagen, Carol & Ken
Masters, Agnes & Charles Bauerlein, Stanley Cobb, Joyce & Tom Kessler, Dave Hall, Mimi & Jim Crandall, Dorothy & Jim Kass, Twin Cities
Wellness, Tess & Bob Koenig, Linda & Jim Corey, Jim Noonan, Kurt Greenhalgh, Pam & Dave Benson, Polly & Peter Edmunds, Karen
Vermillion, Alice Bach, Tim Scott, Jane McDonald, Colleen OMalley, Susan Carlson, Mellisa Boyle, David DeMar, Patty Olson, Marv
Davidov, Mary & Tom Mechtenberg, Mike Mechtenberg, Bill Hill, Dan Guenther & Margaret Pennings, Amy Wilson & Chris LaForge,
Michelle Flatau, Jeff Corey, Paula Williams, Curt Spengel, Arianne Peterson, Frida Berrigan, Bob, Jean, Rachel & Joel Kilgour, Pete Nikitis,
Craig Palmer & May Day Books, Tom Boswell, Donna Howard, Paul Heinrich & Sue Pope, Kathy Kelly, Jeanne Larson, Martha Hayward,
Terrence Smith, Oscar Strenkie, Darlene & Chubb Williams, Kelly Lundeen, Penny & Roger Kragun, Caf Wren, Linda Urfer, B. Wardlaw, Curt
Spengel, Terry McCarthy, Jeff Lepper, Brenda Edwards, Lloyd Schmeidler, Lee Schaal, Paul Steklenski, Margo & Jim Mischler-Philbin,
Yvonne Mills, Carrie Cashman & Bill Barnett, Katie Pencke, Daniel Boxer, Heidi Morelock & Hans Peterson, Island City Co-op, Natural Alt.
Co-op, Ingrid & Gunnar Johnson, Lorraine & Robert Turner, Marjorie Fish, John Winder, Loaves & Fishes, Sandra & Eric Torch, Katie
Dawson, Pat Shirley, Lama Shenpen Dolma,, Dick King, Common Ground Destruction, Bernice & Scott Hosking, Phyllis Hosking, Sue Katt,
Linda Ward, Don Kinnonen, Cassy McGee, Kate, Maggie & Frank Nicoletti, Jennifer Buckley and Pam Johnson.

Anathoth Community Farm

740 Round Lake Road
Luck, WI 54853