Galway University - Public Meeting with U.S. Anti-War Activist Carmen Trotta, Nov.3rd, 8pm

national | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Tuesday November 02, 2004 23:51 by Dublin Catholic Worker 087 9184552

Galway - Public Meeting U.S. Anti-War Activist Carmen Trotta

Galway - Public Meeting U.S. Anti-War Activist Carmen Trotta: Nov. 3rd, 8pm
phone: 087 918 4552

As the U.S. War Machine Appoints it's Leader: Learn about Nonviolent Resistance to the War!

Date & Time: Nov 3rd. 8pm
Venue: Siobhan McKenna Room, 214 Arts Millenium Building NUIG (Uni of Galway)

Carmen Trotta, U.S. Anti-War Activist, on Speaking Tour from Oct. 26th-Nov.12th.

November 3rd - Galway Campus
November 4th, 8pm - Mother Redcaps Public Meeting & Benefit gig, Dublin

More details to follow soon

New York anti-war actvist, Carmen Trotta . will be addressing public meetings in Dublin, Limerick, Cork & Galway. He had led an Anti-War demonstration at Shannon Airport on Halloween, Sunday Oct. 31st (See Feature Article on Indy Newswire).

While working full-time for the War Resisters League on Sept. 11th. 2001, Carmen witnessed the attack on the World Trade Centre.. Carmen has a brother in the U.S. military. Carmen has been arrested numerous times carrying out acts of nonviolent resistance to the U.S. military

Carmen Trotta, 40, is a leading member of Dorothy Day's Catholic Worker movement (www.catholicworker.org). Carmen has lived and worked at the Catholic Worker's St. Joseph's House on the Lower East Side of Manhatten since 1988. This hospitality house was founded by Dorothy Day in 1933 and offers shelter to the homeless and a soup kitchen for the homeless of New York City..

The Catholic Worker movement has been a 70 year experiment in radical Christianity based on community living, the acts of mercy and nonviolent resistance to war making. A major influence on Carmen has been his long time friend Fr. Daniel Berrigan SJ who was inprisoned during the Vietnam War period for burning draft cards. Along with his late brother Philip, Daniel Berrigan influenced the pacifist Catholic Worker movement dramatically.

Catholic Workers were imprisoned during World war 2 for draft resistance and were the first people to burn their draft cards publicly during the Vietnam War. The priests Dan & Phil Berrigan then intiated a series of nonviolent raids on draft boards destroying thousands of raft cards they viewed as "human hunting licenses". After many years in prison, the Berrigans emerged to intiate the "plowshares" nmovement of nonviolent acts of direct disarmament of weapon syste(www.plowsharesactions.org).

Many of the participants in plowshares actions have come from Dorothy Day's Catholic Worker movement. Trials have resulted in the occasional acquittal, but most often in convictions and prison sentences ranging from 1-18 years.

There are presently 5 Catholic Workers awaiting trial in Ireland for disarming a US Navy war plane at Shannon Airport in February 2003(www.ploughsharesireland.org).

A Catholic Worker hospitality house recently opened in Rialto. There are over 120 Catholic Worker communities in the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico and Europe.

Carmen Trotta is available for interviews. He leaves November 12th.

Make contact through Ciaron O'Reilly (Dublin Catholic Worker) Ph. 087 918 4552

Carmen Trotta's Irish speaking tour is in support of the Irish "Pit Stop Ploughshares". Carmen has been arrested many times for acts of nonviolent civil disobedience in opposition to war making and war preparations. Carmen has articipated in peace delegations to Colombia and Cuba.

Interviews with Carmen Phone 087 918 4552

http://www.ploughsharesireland.org