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August 6, Hiroshima Day - August 9, Nagasaki Day,  2006, Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Resisting Militarism, the war, and Lockheed Martin

"Of all the places in Philadelphia I could be tonight, I needed to be here.",  so began Rev. Issac Miller, pastor of Episcopal Church of the
Savior in North Philadelphia, as he spoke at the Brandywine Peace Community sponsored Hiroshima Day Anti-War Candlelight Memorial on the 30th St. Bridge on August 6. 

The memorial began with an audio account of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the taped recollections of an "Hibakusha", a atomic bomb
survivor followed by music by Tom Mulllian ("Six Strings Against the War"), the poetry and song of Susan Windle and Annie Geheb of Voices of a Different Drum. As we remembered the world's first atomic bombing, we stood in the news of continuing war in Iraq, Lebanon, and of handgun violence spikeing to record levels on the streets of Philadelphia.  The speakers (Joseph Bradley, Catholic Peace Fellowship; Kate Zaidan, Program Coordintor, Women's International League for Peace & Freedom, U.S. Section; Farah Marie Mokhtareizadeh, from the Simple Way and Voices for Creative Nonviolence, and just about to leave for the war zone of Lebanon; and Bryan Miller, Executive Director, of the anti-violence group, CeaseFire NJ; and Rev. Issac Miller)  brought the horrors of the day into the memorial of Hiroshima sixty one years ago. 

We concluded the memorial lighting candles and joining hands across the bridge chanting: "Hiroshima  Iraq  Lebanon  Philadelphia", in memory of the victims of: the bombings of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and sixty-one years of nuclear weapons production and threats; of war in Iraq and throughout the Middle East; handgun violence  and social injustice as the price of empire and militarism.


Three days later, we were back at Lockheed Martin, remembering the world's second atomic bombing at the world's largest corporation which
means the U.S.'s chief nuclear weapons contractor and the Iraq war's chief profiteer.

Yoshio Sato, an "Hibakusha" [atomic bomb survivor] with pictures of family killed sixty one years ago began simply  "On August 6, 1945, I was
exposed to the atomic bomb at just one kilometer away from ground zero in Hiroshima" and followed with an account that defines terror.  We followed Sato's recollections with a "Die-in" dramatizing for a few minutes the reality of war and Lockheed Martin's "wares of war" and the sharing of water  in memory of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki who seeking water perished upon the rivers where they sought relief from the bombings' firestorm heat. We then proceeded to walk to the main entranceways of the Lockheed Martin weapons facility that has been the
focus of our ongoing campaign of nonviolent resistance since the mega weapons corporation was conceived a decade ago in the merger of Lockheed and Martin Marietta.

We stood before Lockheed Martin, a well kept lawn stood between us and the building facade as we shared in a "Litany of Remembrance & Peace" with the repeated responde of  "Hiroshima/Nagasaki, Never Again; War, No More; Stop Lockheed Martin". 

The final reading of the litany stated: "In every war lies the threat of another Hiroshima or Nagasaki.  Lockheed Martin is built atop the ashes
of the nuclear age and continuing war and global nuclear reach of the U.S. military empire. In memory of all victims of the past sixty one
years of war and nuclear terror, we cry out for peace and a future worthy of our hopes and children - education, homes, decent health, justice, an
honoring of the earth, peace. The sunflower has become a worldwide symbol for peace, carrying the hope of a world free of nuclear weapons and war. We claim for peace the land on which Lockheed Martin sits.  We seek to reclaim our country for peace and the promise of justice and democracy. We seek to reclaim a determined hope for a world free of nuclear weapons and war.  Today, we join hands in front of Lockheed Martin. Today, we recall the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with ashes, and with sunflower seeds, we plant our hopes here at Lockheed Martin for peace and for justice." 

People then walked onto Lockheed Martin, spreading ashes and sunflower seeds, before being arrested and taken to the Upper Merion Police
Station. 

Those arrested and released on "Disorderly Conduct" citations were: Rev. Patrick Sieber, OFM; Tom Mullian; Bernadette Cronin-Geller; Tim Chadwick; Beth Friedlan; Annie Geers; Melissa Elliott; Mary Jo McArthur; Robert M. Smith; and Robert Daniels II.