On April 18 2014, after a Good Friday service, eleven people were arrested outside Beale Air Force Base in California while demanding an end to the killing of children and other innocents caught up in America’s borderless and seemingly endless “war on terror.”
Over fifty people attended the service, which included prayers, songs, Holy Communion, and reflections by Kathy Kelly. Following the service, some demonstrators crossed the demarcation line onto Beale property in an attempt to deliver a letter to the base commander, along with two statements about drones from religious groups: The World Council of Churches’ Statement on the Use of Drones and the Right to Life and “A Call from the Faith Based Community to Stop Drone Killings,” signed by religious leaders from around the country.
The following clergy, who led the service, were detained: The Reverend Dr. Gerald O. (Jerry) Pedersen, former U.S. Marine, present as part of the Honor Guard on the U.S.S. Missouri during the surrender of the Japanese at the end of World War II, retired Lutheran pastor, Sacramento, author of Unfinished Journey: From War to Peace, From Violence to Wholeness, member Veterans for Peace. The Reverend Elizabeth Griswold, pastor of Parkside Community Church, UCC, in Sacramento. The Reverend John Auer, retired United Methodist Pastor, Wesley UMC, Fresno, California. The Reverend Sharon Delgado, retired United Methodist Pastor, founding director of Earth Justice Ministries, author of Shaking the Gates of Hell: Faith-Led Resistance to Corporate Globalization, in Nevada City, California and internationally recognized peace activist Kathy Kelly. Others who were arrested were Michael Kerr from Bay Point/Pittsburg, Rodger Stall from San Rafael, Arthur (Buff) Whitman-Bradley, Nancy Reiner from the Bay Area, Bob Russell from Pleasant Hill, and Pamela Osgood from Grass Valley. Sharaon Delgado wrote about the experience in her blog.
At least once a month, “Occupy Beale Airforce Base” and others travel from surrounding regions to Beale AFB, near Marysville CA, to vigil outside the gates and protest drone killings. They use visual art and music. Their collection of hand-made anti-drone artwork continues to grow. They have a large number of painted fabric panels, made in collaboration with RAFTT (Radical Art For These Times) which honor the names of children in Yemen and Pakistan who have been killed by US Drones.