WILD WIMMIN FOR PEACE: The Great Peace March

WILD WIMMIN FOR PEACE: The Great Peace March - hear and buy it at CD BABY

Getting involved in the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament in 1986 was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I had two young children, and I was very concerned about the arms race. During the Reagan years it was pretty easy to drift into cynicism and helplessness. Enter Wild Wimmin for Peace. It was late September of 1986, and they were nearing the end of a 3700 mile journey that had begun almost six months before. I didn't have much in the way of expectations when I was asked to present this 20 womon ensemble of peace marchers. I figured they were activists, not artists, and that the show would be boring and preachy. NOT! I was so wrong! Their energy and optimism and tribalism and spiritualism and humor and talent just blew me away. I couldn't get their music out of my head.

By October 2, I had gotten our local peace and justice center, the Thomas Merton Center, and East Hills NOW to co-sponsor the project. I raised enough money from individual donors to the Merton Center and NOW to finance the project. I convinced Don Bell, one of the very few professional sound engineers in Pittsburgh, to dismantle his studio and take it to the Great Peace March campsite, which by then was 80 miles out of town in Bedford, PA. The marchers, facilitated by Liz Marek and others, consensed and consensed about the details of how this recording would be used. In the end, everyone waived all rights to any of the proceeds from the sale of the recording as long as no one was going to benefit except for peace and feminist groups worldwide. The Merton Center and NOW were to make copies available at cost to any non-profit peace or feminist organization. Wild Wimmin for Peace wanted any marcher who agreed to the concept to be able to participate, so there are several additional songs on the recording.

Since its hasty production on October 2, 1986 this recording has made its way all over the world, raising tens of thousands of dollars for peace and feminist groups from the Nevada Test Site to Greenham Common. The marchers touched the lives of many people in profound ways that we may never completely document or understand. I cherish the great times I had with Liz Marek, one of the moving forces in Wild Wimmin for Peace (as well as in the production of this recording). Liz perished on Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. And it's with sadness that I report the passing of Ginny Dean, whose sweet voice is heard on most of these tracks. When this recording was first released the US and Soviet Union were poised in a nuclear standoff. Global thermonuclear destruction seemed almost inevitable. The dangers are different today, but our work is more necessary than ever. The original cassette liner notes said "Take the positive energy from this recording and use it to teach peace." Still good advice.

and now, at long last, it's available on CD. All proceeds from the sale of this CD go to the Thomas Merton Center. It's also available at cost through the Merton Center to other groups working for peace and feminism.

Sleeping Single

Sleeping Single is the name of a column by Elizabeth Ross in "Philosophical Mother." This month's column features an interview with me.

Side Musicians Check It Out

Babies in the Mill
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
Who’s the Criminal Here
Emma Goldman
My Feet Are Tired
Let Their Heads Roll
Lullaby
Preacher and the Slave
Defenders of Marriage
Theocracy
Ya Basta
Cops of the World -- this will be recorded in the key of G
Brave New Christmas -- this will actually be in the key of (Em)

The Propaganda Remix Project

If you suspect your neighbor is a closet Republican check Fundrace.org and find out for sure! Another great site on campaign finance is Opensecrets.org--Money in politics data

If you're dying to see W out of office but can't quite bring yourself to wear a John Kerry Tee Shirt Northland Poster Collective has a fabulous collection of tee shirts, bumper-stickers and posters to help you say what's on your mind!

I'm really excited to let you know that The Great Peace March CD, featuring Wild Wimmin for Peace is going to be available from Goldenrod Distributing by the middle of July. We're putting the finishing touches on the CD liner notes now.

Were you in SEATTLE in 1999 at the WTO Protests?

Do you know someone who was?
Were you arrested?
Do you know someone who was???? Or someone who knows someone who....?

There has been a victory from a class action lawsuit and those involved need to take action now!!!! PLEASE READ the message below and use your networks to get this message out. AND join us in celebrating this victory!

Please help get information out to folks arrested in the afternoon of Dec 1 1999 at 1st & Broad during the WTO protests in Seattle.

As the attorneys explain below, the judge agreed to the settlement so now people must TURN IN THEIR PAPERWORK BY JUNE 22nd to be included in the class and receive the $$ they are due. It's no longer just a possibility, this is happening and the time frame is short so please help now.

Yes, NOW is the time to work those networks to get this information out to folks who might be out of the loop. This is no small task and the attorneys can only do so much:
We know folks.
We have websites on which we can post announcements that arrestees might see (hint hint)
We have the networks and, without them, many will never know that the city settled their case ...

LET'S USE THESE NETWORKS TO GET THE WORD OUT.
TELL FOLKS TO CONTACT the attorneys (info below) so they can send them forms to complete. NOW is the time to do it since they will only have until JUNE 22nd to return the forms.

Wouldn't it be great is we could get everyone arrested at 1st & Broad to participate!!!! What a great message that would send.

It would also be great if folks would cc me their information so I can reach them better next time, but my own request and isn't a part of the legal stuff directly ....it's up to them if they want to get my occasional emails about this stuff.
... AND anyone arrested during WTO but not at this location should also get their current info to me so we can reach them better if the other case ever gets resolved.

In solidarity,
Erica
Jane WTO #890
can@drizzle.com
206-568-7110

And here's another cool (verrrrrrrry cool... -20, I think) video interview with Radio Finland at the EU Summit protests in Copenhagen in January of 2003. Scroll down to where it says: Folk-laulaja Anne Feeney kertoo itsestään, ajatuksistaan ja Pennsylvenian feministien tilanteesta ... and select 56 or 256 baud playback .... so, I guess I'm a folk-laulaja in Finland! I don't know why that gorgeous blonde with the dreadlocks below me doesn't look cold...

Can you guess that I just got a cable modem? It's amazing how many cool things there are out there that I couldn't see with my slow dial-up. Here's a fabulous
Video of our show on WUWF Radio Live! last March in Pensacola. Just scroll down the list of shows to March 4th and pick the broadband video option. You can also catch a fine performance by Jeff White who did the show with us.