Massachusetts Peace
Communities Statement of Support
for Veterans for Peace
inclusion in St. Patrick’s Day Parade
We the
undersigned represent a number of peace organizations across the religious
spectrum, interfaith and ecumenical, who wish to express our deep concern about
the grave injustice, disrespect and clear discrimination against veterans who
are voices of peace, through their exclusion from Veterans for Peace from
Boston’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
It is our conviction that the history of such exclusion in Boston is based on secular and political maneuvering. Such posturing prevents our veterans from expressing the ravages and trauma of war and their collective statement about their experiences and wounds, both physical and mental, in a public forum such as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, meant, ironically, to honor veterans. Visible reminders of the scourge of war such as members of Veterans for Peace bring to the public forum are consistent with our work as peacemakers in our war-addicted society.
We are aware that The Saint Patrick’s Peace Parade is currently mired in a debate about the exclusion of LGBT sisters and brothers from the main St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
As communities of peace, we wish to make a clear and consistent statement of support of our veterans, across the gender spectrum, as peacemakers whose civil rights are violated, and who by turning from war, characterize a conversion from killing, to peacemaking, honored by all faith traditions.
We note that St. Patrick, the Irish Catholic saint, after whom this parade is named, renounced war emphatically when he said in his writings: “Killing Cannot Be of Christ.”
The Boston Chapter of Veterans for Peace, known as the Smedley D. Butler Brigade, is part of a national veterans’ organization of the same name with 140 chapters around the country, members from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
For the past ten years, members of Veterans for Peace have attempted to walk in the St. Partrick’s Day Parade, and in 2011, they were denied participation by the parade organizers, one of whom stated: “We do not want to have the word peace associated with the word veteran.”
We echo and support the words of Veteran for Peace, Tony Flaherty, LT, USN, Ret. of WWII, a member of the Boston Chapter, and one of its most eloquent spokespersons as an Irish Catholic who has renounced war, spent his entire life in South Boston, and who recently penned the following words to Mayor Walsh of Boston:
“Vets for Peace has been banned, simply for advocating peace and a dedication to offering our children a message that war is not the answer at spectacles glorifying militarism since 2003 (invasion of Iraq) and since initiating the Peace Parade in 2011, have been subjected to insult and calculated obstruction in which City Hall has been complicit.…”
Peace Parade key organizer, Pat Scanlon, a decorated Vietnam Veteran, comments that veterans experience this obstruction as an insult, especially, “to those of us who have experienced the horrors of war and know the real cost of war.”
Veterans, some in their eighties, have waited for hours in the blazing sun, to march after street cleaners and other public employees finish their post-parade obfuscating and deliberate degradation of impact—under the guise of cleanup. They are greeted, sometimes with applause, often with jeers and sullen stares, by the handful of dwindling numbers of parade participants. A court order has altered these delay tactics, but the exclusion remains.
Veterans for Peace have clearly stated their desire: “One parade, welcoming and inclusive of any group.”
We representatives of Peacemaking Communities in Massachusetts want to make clear our support of the Veterans for Peace and our desire:
It is our desire to make visible to the wider community, the black and white flags carried by the Veterans for Peace, heralding their rejection of war.
We wish to make visible the nobility of the nonviolent tradition through the centuries, carried by great American peacemakers: Lucretia Mott, George Fox, John Woolman, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, Daniel and Philip Berrigan, Sr. Megan Rice, Howard Zinn and the countless numbers of the great cloud of witnesses who live on nationally and internationally, across the faith spectrum.
We the undersigned peace communities and individual peacemakers represent the voices of hundreds, if not thousands of our peacemaking brothers and sisters, who are appalled by the blatant disregard for the movement of conscience, the display of courage and nonviolence embodied in the lives of our brother and sister Veterans for Peace.
Signees for Mass Peace Communities
Statement of Support for
Veterans for Peace inclusion in St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday March 16th at 1:00pm in Boston, MA
1.
Arun
Gandhi (grandson of Mahatma Gandhi), Gandhi Institute, Rochester,
NY
2.
Patrick
Tracy, Director of Campus Ministry, St. Joseph’s College, Patehogue, NY
3.
David
O’Brien, Worcester, MA
4.
Jeanne
O’Brien, Worcester, MA
5.
Walter
Cuenin, Chaplain, Brandeis University
6.
St.
Susanna Parish Peace & Justice Committee (Pastor: Fr. Steve Josoma, Chairs:
Pat Ferrone, Maureen Hearn, Sally Gould, Fr. Bin Kremmell)
7.
Patricia
McSweeney, Taunton, MA
8.
John
Schuchardt, House of Peace, Ipswich, MA
9.
Carrie
Schuchardt, House of Peace, Ipswich, MA
10. Peace and Social
Concerns Committee of the Friends Meeting at Cambridge
11.
Patricia
Kirkpatrick
12.
Justin
Duffy
13.
Maureen
Hearn, Needham, MA
14.
Rev.
Molly Buskette, Lead Pastor, First Church, Somerville
15.
Bill
Gural
16.
Rev.
Anne Bancroft, Consulting Minister, Universalist Church of Weymouth
17.
Marie
Ebacher, Worcester, MA
18.
Rev.
Maddie Sifantus, Unitarian Universalist Church of Wakefield, First Unitarian
Universalist Church of Milford
19.
Rev.
Kim K. Crawford-Harvie, Senior Minister, Arlington Street Church, Unitarian
Universalist, Boston
20. Dick Kirk
21.
Deborah
Kirk
22. David Kay-Webster
23. Erica Kay-Webster
24. Severyn Bruyn
25. Rev. David M. Bryce,
Senior Minister, The First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist
26. Rev. Wendy von
Zirpolo
27.
Maryellen
Kurkulos, Bridget for All Southcoast, Fall River, MA
28. Agape Community
Mission Council, Hardwick, MA
29. Teresa Wheeler,
Worcester, MA
30. John Paul
Marosy,Worcester, MA
31.
Bob
Wegener, Quincy, MA
32. Alden Poole, Quincy,
MA
33. Janet Poole, Quincy,
MA
34. Catholic Deacon Bill
Toller
35. Rev. Dr. Dorothy May
Emerson
36. Arthur Roberts
37.
Barbara
Roberts
38. Rev. Susan A. Moran,
Unitarian Universalist Society of Rockport
39. Rev. Bruce Taylor,
Minister of First Parish Billerica
40. Hazel Dardano
41.
Skip
Schiel
42. Paul McNeil
43. Rich Bachtold
44. Suzanne Shanley
45. Brayton Shanley
46. Rev. Diane Miller,
Unitarian Universalist Minister, Carlisle, MA
47.
Edmund
K. Summersby, Cambridge, MA
48. Professor Judith
Phaqun, Saint Joseph College, Long Island
49. Catie Scudera, Intern
Minister, Arlington St. Church, Unitarian Universalist, Boston, MA
50. Rev. Dr. Victoria
Weinstein, Lynn, MA
51.
Kevin
& Joyce Lucey, Proud parents of Cpl. Jeffrey Michael Lucey, Forever 23
years old. Succumbed to the Hidden Wounds of War, March 18, 1981 – June 22,
2004
52. Debbie Lucey, Proud
sister of Cpl. Jeffrey Michael Lucey, a 23 year old forever, Succumbed to the
Hidden Wounds of War, March 18, 1981 – June 22, 2004
53. Joseph Miller
54. Beryl
55. Dr. Robert Emmet
Morris, USN/USMC Vietnam 1969-1970, International Health Consultant, South
Boston Residents for Peace
56. Howard Hayward
57.
Rev.
Meg Soens
58. Rev. John Gibbons,
First Parish, Bedford, MA
59. Rev. Art McDonald,
PhD., Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex
60. Bobbie Goldman,
Merrimack Valley People for Peace
61.
Barbara
Corbett-Flavin
62. Pat Ferrone, Regional
Coordinator of Pax Christi MA
63. Nancy C. Arthur
64. Justin Rocha, Occupy
Fall River
65. Rev. Rebecca Froom,
Assistant Minister, First Universalist Society, Franklin, MA
66. Caroline Cole,
Merrimack Valley People for Peace
67.
Boryana
A. Tacconi, Merrimack Valley People for Peace
68. Sr. Katie Flaherty,
South Boston Residents for Peace
69. Rev. Amy Freedman,
Consulting Minister, Unitarian Universalist First Church in Boston
70. Jeff Klein,
Dorchester People for Peace
71.
Linda
Jacobs
72.
James
Roy
73.
Dee
Halzack, Lowell, MA
74.
Jane
Cadarette, Merrimack Valley People for Peace
75.
Rev.
Ralph Galen, Transformative Justice and Violence Prevention Ministry
76.
JA
Canonico, N. Chelmsford, MA
77.
Dr.
Thomas Lee, Goffstown, NH
78.
Eileen
Lee, Goffstown, NH
79.
Beth
Elliott, Gilbertville, MA
80. Rev. Dr. Judith
Wright, Unitarian Universalist Minister, Northborough, MA
81.
Lou
Bernieri, Merrimack Valley People for Peace
82. Dudley Hartung,
Veterans for Peace
83. Chris Astephen,
Stonehill College
84. Rev. M. Lara Hoke,
Consulting Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover, MA
85. Rev. Wendy L. Bell,
Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church
86. Dan Philip
87.
Diana
E Philip
88. Rev. Harold H.
Babcock, First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist, Newburyport, MA
89. Jean Doran,
Clarksville, TN
90. Rev. Judy Deutsch
91.
Faye
George, Bridgewater, MA
92. Rev. Dr. Michelle
Walsh, Tuckerman Creative Ministries for Justice & Healing
93. Brenda McCarthy, N.
Andover, MA
94. Randy Kehler, New
England War Tax Resistors, Colrain, MA
95. Betsy Corner, New
England War Tax Resistors, Colrain, MA
96. Eleanor Maclellan
RSCJ, Agape Mission Council
97.
Gayle
Aroian, Barre, MA
98. Bob Aroian, Barre, MA
99. Brian Quirk,
Merrimack Valley People for Peace
100. Rachel Ravina, Boston
University Graduate School
101. Rev. Clyde Grubbs,
Tuckerman Creative Ministries for Justice & Healing
102. Teresa Shanley,
Seabrook, NH
103. Patricia Hynes,
Traprock Center for Peace and Education at Greenfield Community College
104. Annie Wuelfing,
Spencer, MA
105. Michael True,
Professor Emeritus. Assumption College, Worcester, MA
106. David Gill SJ, Jesuit
School of Theology, Berkeley, CA
107. Claire Schaeffer
Duffy, Saint Therese and Saint Francis Catholic Worker House, Worcester, MA
108. Scott Schaeffer
Duffy, Saint Therese and Saint Francis Catholic Worker House, Worcester, MA
109. Philip L Milgrom, The
Centered Place, Warren, MA
110. Nancy A. Nowak
111. Deacon Kevin
McCarthy, Blessed Sacrament/All Souls Parish, Springfield, MA
112. Donna Marosy,
Worcester, MA
113. Pax Christi, Boston,
MA
114. Beth Ingham, Noonday
Farm, Winchendon, MA
115. Bob Jennings, Noonday
Farm, Winchendon, MA
116. Carolyn Whiting,
Merrimack Valley People for Peace, Reading People for Peace
117. Ann Grady, St. Mary
of the Angels Parish, Roxbury, MA
118. Fr. John Patrick
Sullivan, LaSalette Pax Christi National Shrine, Our Lady of LaSallette
119. Rev. Katie Lee Crane,
Interim Minister, First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Needham, MA
120. Karen Hinchen, St.
Mary of the Angels Parish, Roxbury
121. David Hinchen, St.
Mary of the Angels Parish, Roxbury
122. Courtney Schlosser,
Barre, MA
123. Sue Coles, Barre MA
124. Merrimack Valley
People for Peace
125. Pax Christi MA Board
(Pat Ferrone, Chair, Mike Moran, Sally Markey, Jeanne Allen, Sue Malone, Brian
Ashmankas, Irene Desharnais, Nancy Carapezza, Ron Holman, Jeanelle Wheeler)
126. Swanna Champlin,
L’Arche Irenicon, Haverhill, MA
127. Larry & Leah
Shea, Quincy, MA
128. Kitty Vallely and Joe
Vallely, St. Mary of the Angels Parish, Roxbury
129. Eileen Gorman, St.
Susanna's Peace and Justice Committee
130. Judith Rich, Pax
Christi MA
131. Cole Harrison, Mass
Peace Action
132. Rev. MaryHelen Gunn,
Spiritual Advisor, Unitarian Universalist, Center for Spirituality, Dialogue,
and Service, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
133. Nanette Eckert
134. Rabbi Joseph Berman,
Jewish Voice for Peace Boston Co-Chair
135. Edward Downes, PhD,
Agape Community
136. Eileen Reilly, MD,
Agape Community
137. Jeff Brummer, Jamaica
Plain
138. Alan O’Hare, Life
Story Theatre
139. Kay Walsh, Dorchester,
MA Neponset
140. Melida Arredondo, Gold
Star Stepmother to Lcpl. Alex Arredondo 1984-2004 & the late Brian
Arredondo 1987-2011
141. Carlos Arredondo, Gold
Star Dad to Lcpl. Alex Arredondo 1984-2004 & the late Brian Arredondo
1987-2011
142. Jeff Merrick,
Military Families Speak Out
143. Pat Alviso, Military
Families Speak Out
144. Pax Christi MetroWest
(Charles Gobron, Fr. Rocco Puopolo, Nancy Carapezza, Louise Bolles, Faith
Madzar)
145. Yvette Bellerose
146. Peter Wuelfing,
Spencer, MA
147. Fr. Robert D. Bruso,
Pastor, St. Anthony Parish, Fitchburg, MA
148. Dave Ascher, Newton
Dialogues on Peace and War
149. Carol Proietti
150. Shirley H. Young
151. Rev. David J. Miller,
Unitarian Universalist, Holden MA
152. Octavia Taylor. New
Braintree, MA
153. Christina Abbey, Pax
Christi Boston
154. Louis Abbey, Pax
Christi Boston
155. Alice Kast, Pax
Christi Boston
156. Cornelia Sullivan,
Pax Christi Boston
157. Susan Harden, Pax
Christi Boston
158. George Payne, Gandhi
Institute Rochester, NY
159. Suzanne Ewing, Pax
Christi USA
160. Burke Oppeneheim, Stonehill
College
161. Prithak Chowdhony,
Stonehill College
162. Lauren Ireland,
Stonehill College
163. Katherine Bryer,
Stonehill College
164. Peter Croke,
Stonehill College
165. Matthew Crawford,
Stonehill College
166. Meghan DeCarvalho,
Stonehill College
167. Melissa Mardo,
Stonehill College
168. Micah James, Case
Western Reserve University
169. Hayden Abene, Case
Western Reserve University
170. Joseph Swanson, Case
Western Reserve University
171. Newton Dialogues on
Peace and War
172. Rev. Edwin A. Lane,
Minister Emeritus, First Parish in Waltham
173. Linda Davis,
Needham
174. Andrew Larkin, MD,
Northampton, MA
175. Hilda Carey RSCJ,
Cambridge, MA
176. Nancy Kehoe RSCJ,
Boston, MA
177. Emily Jendzejec,
Creatively Maladjusted, Boston, MA
178. Bennett Comerford,
Creatively Maladjusted Boston, MA
179. Maine Voices for
Palestinian Rights
180. Anne Johnson, Sacred
Heart St. Dominic Parish (Portland, Maine) Social Justice and Peace Commission
member
181. Erik Johnson, Sacred
Heart St. Dominic Parish (Portland, Maine) Social Justice and Peace Commission
member
182. Kathleen Connelly
Legg, Auburn, MA
183. Emily Ferrara,
Worcester, MA
184. Pam DiDente, St.
Francis of Assisi Parish, Bend, Oregon
185. Tom DiDente, St.
Francis of Assisi Parish, Bend Oregon
186. Mariann Burke
187. Maria Wessman-Conroy,
Creatively Maladjusted, Boston MA
188. Patricia Reid, RSCJ
189. Robert Bowers,
Quincy, MA
190. Roy Bourgeois, SOA
Watch, Viet Nam Vet, Navy
191. Susan Regan, Psy.D.
192. Veronica O'Brien,
Long Island
193. Better Future
Project, Cambridge, MA
194. David Bonner,
Lexington, MA
195. Jeffrey K. Boudreau,
USCG (E6), Arlington, MA
196. Eva Moseley, Mass.
Peace Action (Cambridge)
197. Tim Corrigan, Boston,
Catholic Worker, Warrior Writers
198. Rev. Erin Splaine,
Senior Minister, The First Unitarian Society in Newton
199. Winston Bolton,
Halifax, MA
200. Dr. Steve James,
Limbe, Haiti
201. Nancy James, Limbe Haiti
202. Lee Rule, Burnsville,
NC
203. Kirsten Rule,
Burnsville NC
204. Asia Heller,
Asheville, NC
205. Luke Heller,
Asheville, NC
206. Mimi Swinger,
Asheville, NC
207. John Swinger,
Asheville, NC
208. Carrie James Tibbits,
Celo, NC
209. Matthew Tibbits, Celo
NC
210. Lloyd James, Audobon,
PA
211. David James, Audobon,
PA
212. Jackie
Wattenberg, Melrose
213. Nancy Lee Wood,
Taunton
214. Ed Kinane, Syracuse
215. Ann Tiffany,
Syracuse
216. John Amidon, Albany
217. Haley Abene, Clayton,
NC
218. Micalita
Shatswell
219. Sr. Megan Rice
220. Greg Boertje-Obed
221. Michael Walli
222. Kathleen Murphy
223. Sr. Teresa Mee,
Dublin
224. Caroline Burwell
225. Eric Martinez
226. Sam Kielwein
227. Jack Gilroy,
Binghamton, NY
228. Judy Homanich,
Binghamton, NY
229. George Homanich,
Binghamton, NY
230. Constance Preston
Scanlon, Andover, MA
231. Christopher Doucot,
Catholic Worker, Hartford, CT
232. Jackie Allen, Catholic
Worker, Hartford, CT
233. Richard Hudak,
Andover, MA
234. Nancy Mulvey,
Andover, MA
235. David Grober,
Andover, MA
236. Lissa Stuart,
Wayland, MA
237. Ray Mack, West
Bridgewater, MA
238. Charles Petty, WW II
infantry vet, Lexington, MA
239. Andrea Vallario,
Methuen, MA
240. Chas Bicking, RN,
Andover, MA
241. Sharyl Strong
242. Nathalie Hoke, Camp
Hill, PA
243. Deva Jasheway,
Boston, MA
244. Danny Perkins, VFP,
Concord
245. Military Families
Speak Out
246. Phil Dunkelbarger,
Westwood, MA
247. Abbie Jenks, MSW,
Pelham, MA
248. John Firmin,
Somerville, MA
249. Paul Del Junco, Toronto,
Canada
250. Pax Christi New
Jersey
251. Sara Kirk, Amherst,
MA
252. Laura Evonne
Steinman, Arlington street Church - Director of Religious Education / Artist in
Residence - Boston, MA
253. Rev. Dr. Beth
Johnson, Minister, Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Vista, CA
254. First Parish UU
Church of Bridgewater, Social Justice Committee
255. Rev. Dr. Anita
Farber-Robertson, Bridgewater, MA
256. Joan S. Livingston,
Eastern-Mass. No Drones Network, Codepink Greater Boston, UNAC, IAC
(international Action Center), Alliance for Global Justice
257. Maria Termini, proud
friend of the late Lt. Col. Matthew Martin Cordes, USMC
258. MaryAnne Cappelleri,
Campus Minister, Stonehill College
259.
Rick Gaumer, Norwich, CT
260. Joanne
Sheehan, Norwich, CT
261.
Marabeth W. Nally,
Rochester, NY
262.
Leslie A. Fraser,
President, Interfaith Council of Franklin County, Multifaith Chaplain, Mount
Holyoke College
263.
Suzanne D. LaVoie
264.
Jesse Jaeger, Executive
Director of UU Mass Action
265.
Rainbow Times Newspaper
266.
Gricel Martinez,
Publisher, Rainbow Times
267.
Nicole Lashomb, Editor,
Rainbow Times
268.
Bonnie Gorman, Mass.
Gold Star Families for Peace
269.
Sandra Peevers
270.
Mass Peace Action
271.
Wendy Lewis, Caerphilly,
Wales, UK
272.
Councillor Ray Davies,
Chairman, Wales Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND Cymru), Caerphilly,
Wales, UK
273.
Leah A. Brown, Roxbury,
MA
274.
John Murray, Somerville,
MA
275.
Tony Fernandes, Co-Chair
GALLAN/Pride@WorkBoston, SEIU national Lavender Caucus
276.
Mary McCarthy, Grace
Church Peace Fellowship, Amherst, MA
277.
Bob Hawley, Grace Church
Peace Fellowship, Amherst, MA
278.
Linda Clark, Sterling,
MA
279.
Molly Hannon,
Roslindale, MA
280. Alyson
Hayes, Quincy MA
281.
Mahtowin Munro, United
American Indians of New England
282.
Karen Springer, Proud
Bostonian
283.
Gerry Scoppettuolo
284.
Linda Jenkins, street
medic and Community Church of Boston
285.
Amanda Donovan, MSW,
Ipswich, MA
286.
Carolyn Vega, Chelsea,
MA
287.
Susan Teshu
288.
Denise Valdez, OWDC
289.
Sam Adams, Philadelphia
VVAW
290. Sylvain
Bruni, President of Boston Pride
291.
J-R Canonico, Member
Merrimack Valley People for Peace, N. Andover, MA
292.
David Wise, Veterans For
Peace
293.
Ellen Flaherty
Shatswell, Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance - Boston (DBSA-Boston),
NAMI, Houston, TX
294.
Jonathan Proulx,
Cambridge, MA
295.
Tony Flaherty, South
Boston
296.
Dale Smoak, Somerville,
MA
297.
Susan McLucas, Committee
for Peace and Human Rights, Eastern MA Anti-Drones Network
298.
Fr. Emmanuel Charles
McCarthy, Brockton, MA
299.
Webb Nichols, Watertown,
MA, Veteran for Peace
300. Diane
Dougherty, Atlanta, GA
301.
Amy Hendrickson, Brookline, MA
302. Jon Cook, Brookline, MA
303. Megan, Tourlis, Queens, NY
304. Megan Finnerty, Fort Collins, Colorado
305. John
Bach
306. Michael
Carey
307.
Ghanda DiFiglia
308. Kim
West
309. Julie
McClure
310.
Ian Harrington
311.
Will Watson
312.
Rosalie Anders,
Cambridge
313.
Pat Westwater-Jong
314.
Trish Hogan, Cambridge
315. Nancy Wrenn, member, First Unitarian Society in Newton
316.
David Zackon, North
Shore Coalition for Peace & Justice
317.
Elaine Ryan
318.
Bob Bowes, Somerville,
MA
319.
Margaret Best, Reston, VA
320. Arlene
Dunkelbarger
321.
Natalie Gehosky
322. Christopher Nauman, MD, Arlington United for Justice with Peace
323.
Lorraine Grzyb,
Somerville, MA - Massachusetts Residents for International Human Rights (MRIHR)
324.
Bob Cable, Somerville,
MA - Peace Corps, 1962-64; Associate member of VFP
325.
Gary R. Goldstein,
Prof., Tufts University
326.
Margaret Reidister, Winthrop,
MA
327.
Alice Reilly, Winthrop,
MA
328.
Thea Paneth, Arlington
United for Justice with Peace
329.
Emily Snyder
330. Tove
Silver, Cambridge, MA
331.
Zaliah Zalkind,
Cambridge, MA
332.
Anne Somsel ,CT
333.
Stephen Kobasa, CT
334.
Jamie Thompson,
Somerville, MA
335.
Raphaela Comisso, Back
Bay, MA
