US Nuclear Arsenal = Greatest Threat to US Security by Spencer Graves the Greatest Threat to U.S
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PeaceWorks KANSAS CITY Affiliated with February newsletter 2019 ·٠ [email protected]@gmail.com • July 2010 · ٠ PeaceWorksKC.orgPeaceWorksKC.org • [email protected] · ٠ ٠64111 ·816-561-1181 816-561-1181 • 816-561-1181 Walnut, Walnut, Walnut, Kansas Kansas Kansas City, City, MO MOCity, 64111 64111 MO 450945094509 Attend PeaceWorks We miss you, Kris! Your joyrd captured us! Annual Meeting March 3 Kris Cheatum, 73, longtime Board member of PeaceWorks, Carol’s husband, Chuck Downing of All Souls, said, “You diedA gathering June 6 after of a peace-and-Earth-lovingstroke that day and one on Junepeople—what 3. She coulddidn’t fall in love with Kris. It happened faster than that.” seemedbe more in herfun? prime—recently Come enjoy ourserving PeaceWorks as treasurer Annual for MeetingWhen All Souls held “Big Nite” fancy-plate dinners at PeaceWorks,on Sunday, for March several 3, years from editing 2 to 4pm, its newsletter, at Simpson and forHouse, Simpson House, Kris and Lynn helped set up, serve and ages4509 being Warwick, the nerve KC, center MO. of theOn organization. tap: snacks, Shetabling, relished reports, clean up, said Chuck. “She helped make it all fun to do.” elections, awards, and a trio on the interface of race, ecology, her life with her husband of 21 years, Lynn, and delighted He called her “a master of being faux crabby.” war, and peace. in their extended family. Bring finger-food if you wish, or just come browse our The obituary written by Kris’s sons Atmunchies. the memorial We service say hi at to All friends, Souls meet new folks, and visit the John and Steve Lehr traced her 50-year Unitariantablers from Universalist 2 to 2:15 Church pm. June Then we vote for our leaders and career as a human rights and social 12,hear Henry reports Stoever, on thechair state of the of PeaceWorks from Board Trea- justice activist, including carrying PeaceWorkssurer Dave Board, Pack calledand Board Kris the Chair Henry Stoever. newborn Steve at a civil rights rally soulWe’ll of PeaceWorks.give the Charles David Pack,E. Bebb Peace Merit Award (to an in the 1960s and being arrested five formerindividual) chair and and by the then Kris again and Lynn Cheatum Community times for civil disobedience at nuclear treasurerPeace Award for PeaceWorks, (to a group). called Cheerher for our winners! weapons sites. The obituary described andAt Lynnthe heart the heart of our of PeaceWorks. meeting will be reflections from persons Kris as “a tireless, joyful, hilarious, Krisof color and Lynn in the for KCmany metro years co-area. PeaceWorks Board member energetic woman with an indomitable chaired the Board. spirit who added far more to this Joseph Wun will address environmental justice. We know —Art by Marc Saviano world than she took.” “Krisfreight Cheatum trains hasmay, been if Congress decides, carry nuclear waste right through KC. Joseph asks, “Where do freight trains an inspiration to the peace Annual MeetingKansas City Star columnist Lewis run? Often through neighborhoods where people are black — continued on page 2 community for over 25 years,” Kris and Lynn Cheatum display their side-by-side whirl of Diuguid wrote of Kris and Lynn, energy and joy while volunteering at an AFSC festival. said Patti Nelson, vice chair of Photo by Patti Nelson “They attended nearly every rally, theDecontaminating PeaceWorks Board. “With education, countering militarismcarried signs, edited in schoolsnewsletters, complete devotion to the pursuit Excerpts fromBy a poem Joseph about Wun Kris Cheatum by Myrne absorbed insults and conducted of peace and justice, this true Roe, friend from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan. fundraisers. They wanted the best Inside Pat Elder of World Beyond War will give a free talk, “Countering humanitarian directed our way. It for America and all of its people, ‘UncontrollableMilitary Recruitment delight’ in Public Schools & Confronting Contam- will- takeHear all theof us trains pulling a-comin’? together p. 3 ination Near Military Bases,” on Thadvocatingursday, Feb. peace 21. as Hethe onlywill share to -fillTh here Peopleshoes. It vs. is aNukes: blessing “Guilty to as Her energyhis views overflowed with all her those frame. wanting toanswer—not transform awar, culture scapegoating of violence and Her compassion sent her with food have workedcharged!” and p. laughed 4 with and war to a culture of peace and creation.discrimination.” Come hear and ques- into a crime-filled ghetto in the 1960s Kris. … Kris, we love you and we tion Elder at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 4501 Wal- - An arresting idea to make your next so the Black Panthers A tribute in the June 24 Star will miss you.” Memorial Day more memorable, p. 5 couldnut, feed KC, hungry MO, children.7-8:30 pm. described the peace rally on the Plaza Work- What’s and laughter. wrong Carol with Fields, this picture? Herp. 5 war againstElder’s war core and work nuclear calls crusades for demilitarizingafter the U.S. memorial schools. service. As theHer sons earnedschool her catcalls is a place and ofarrests. social formation for youth, the militarization of who- supervisedThe Lynch Kris Family at Social Blues, and p. 6 planned it, and about 50 people Rehabilitation Services, said, “Her Herthis laugh setting left herallows throat for a manifold conditioningparticipated, clutching to the normative umbrellas and - Peace scholar Jayne Molt, p. 7 with uncontrollable delight joy captured you.” Fields also existence of war-making. Whetherposters a recruited and urging student drivers enlists to honk. or and her love wrapped others observed,- US “Inuclear was her arsenal boss, but = shegreatest threat not, the collaboration of schools withPlenty the of military noise and enforces story-telling. the in an embracemythos like aof soft the cotton military comforter. as a social good, as a legitimate (even was theto leader.”US security, p. 7 paramount) social authority. Destabilizing this structuralcontinued in onfiltra page- 4 Decontaminating education — continued on page 2 PAGE 2 PEACEWORKS FEBRUARY 2019 Decontaminating education — continued from page 1 tion is in the category of first steps while its purpose is to provide leads for promoting peace. to military recruiters. Elder calls for Elder’s process emerges from expos- parental consent before information ing, and then uprooting, the at- from the test is used for recruiting present firm, yet often subtle, grip purposes. the U.S. military has upon education Regarding the “opt-out” issue, Elder in this country. Namely, Elder raises will present a legislative approach alarm regarding the non-consensual that would require parents to com- access that military recruiters have plete a form that asks if they consent to students, and what can be done to to the release of directory informa- counter this de facto presence and tion to recruiters. Elder also plans to power. Schools often forward their address contamination from military students’ information to military re- facilities such as the former Bannister cruiters without parental consent. Federal Complex in KC. For more Additionally, even further informa- information, contact Henry Stoever, tion regarding students’ abilities is at [email protected] or ⚘ forwarded by administering the mil- The book Military Recruiting in 913-375-0045. itary’s career aptitude test. This de- the United States, by Pat Elder, — Joseph Wun, of Jerusalem Farm in ceptive three-hour assessment claims is available for $8 from KC, MO, serves on the PeaceWorks-KC www.counter-recruit.org. to help students decide on a range of Board. civilian career options for students Attend PeaceWorks Annual Meeting 3/3 — continued from page 1 or brown.” And we know that the old and new nu- had more than 2,000 toxins. Joseph says we’re looking clear weapon parts plants in KC border townhouses, now at “the most disastrous intersection of the war homes, and farms of low-income and middle-income economy, ecological devastation, racism, and econom- persons, including people of color—with the old ic exploitation.” plant identified by the federal government as having Carissa Garcia, who served in Iraq several years and continues to face PTSD, will read a short selection Here is my annual membership for PeaceWorks from her poetry. Her works draw from the battlefield □ Membership…………………..$40 of the Middle East and the battlefield of KC. □ Donor..….……………..………$50+ Mail to: □ Major Donor……………….….$100+ PeaceWorks Kat, a student at UMKC, will speak from her per- □ Family Membership……….…$60 4509 Walnut St. spective as a survivor, a mother, and a water protector. □ Group Membership……….….$75 Kansas City, MO 64111 □ Limited-Income Membership..$5+ Being of Indigenous ancestry, with blood from both □ Newsletter Subscription……..$10 the Choctaw and Cherokee tribes, Kat says, “I am a Make check to: □ Lifetime Membership….….…$1,000 human who cares about our earth, air, and water. I □ Sustaining Membership….….$5+/mo. PeaceWorks or, for tax deductibility, to care about our children and grandchildren, and know □ Send newsletter electronically Missouri Peace Foundation we have a duty to ensure their future.” Reflecting on her experience fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline E-mail address: __________________________________________ (DAPL), Kat says, “We have more battles ahead of Name: __________________________________________________ us.” Address: ________________________________________________ To allow a bit of time to visit with Joseph, Carissa, Kat, and our tablers, we hope to conclude our formal City, State, ZIP: ___________________________________________ meeting and return to snacks and conversation for Daytime phone: (___)_________ Evening phone: (___)__________ the last 15 minutes of our time together. Hope to see you there! ⚘ PEACEWORKS FEBRUARY 2019 PAGE 3 Hear the trains a-comin’? By Jim Hannah It may never happen, but should the stalled Yucca Moun- tain radioactive waste disposal site ever be activated, the plan is to ship up to 70,000 metric tons of radioactive waste to the Nevada site. This would be a particular haz- ard for the residents of Las Vegas, only 90 miles away.