Article: DU Dust Clouds Climate Crisis: Global Action Day of Another Sort

What in the world would a Maryland suburban mom who’s got it relatively easy want to risk incarceration in a smelly DC jail? I guess we could ask the same thing of my personal heroes. You know, gutsy people who stand up for doing the right thing and will wear stripes when warranted. People like Cindy Sheehan and Nelson Mandela. And let’s not forget to ask my pal, Cliff Kindy, of the Christian Peacekeeper Team and fifty-five other brave activists why they were willing to incur incarceration when they crawled under the gate of U.S. Navy's Camp Garcia on DU-contaminated Vieques Island, Puerto Rico in May, 2000.

Whether it’s going to prison for protesting genocidal wars of aggression that violate international laws, or fighting against apartheid, or protesting the permanent wasting of an entire Caribbean island with the military’s radioactive poison weapons (on an inhabited island at that)? Sometimes one has to stand up for one’s right to breathe clean air *minus* radiation, thank-you-very-much.

When I entered Maryland House Rep Elijah Cumming’s office yesterday and started revealing to the crowd of Marylanders the actual truth about Uncle Sam’s “dirtiest” secrets of all - the use of Depleted Uranium inside the United States? Well, I forgot all about the de-lousing for a few minutes and spoke with conviction that poured from my anguished heart.

Nobody in that room that day will ever be quite the same again.

Talking about the subject of radiological weapons of war being used inside Maryland that day in a Congressional legislator’s office, my face turning beet red out of anger, I became light-headed and realized I was on the verge of passing out. I could tell that my deep crimson pallor was horrifying the crowd of mostly retired, citizens-turned-lobbyists-for-a-day who had merely come to Washington to politely ask for better emission controls and more sustainable sources of energy.

I said my piece - and made my peace - at least within my own conscience. I had done my civic duty of ranting upon a legislative aid (who actually looked both shocked and ashamed at the same time). I had informed an un-knowing crowd of Marylanders - who had certainly gotten far, far more of an earful (and a show) than they’d ever bargained for … hearing the most inconvenient truth about the radioactive poison gas activities taking place at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, the Army’s Developmental Test Command and Live-Fire Depleted Uranium “test” site near Baltimore that sits directly on our beloved Chesapeake Bay.

Next time, however, I will, in all certainty, scream a bit more loudly, show somewhat less self-restraint, and, in all likelihood, risk that incarceration. When I hit the Senate offices sometime soon, I vow in advance to brave that Summer’s Eve chemical shower while my fellow inmates - and Max - enjoy a mighty good show.

Practice makes perfect for this woman-on-a-mission to stop the use of radioactive poison gas of innocent Afghanis, Iraqis, and Americans - All.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).