Ch. 13: Saboteur, An Interview with a Domestic Insurgent by William T. Hathaway

by William T. Hathaway
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
December 13, 2012

Image by Akbar Sim via Flickr

Saboteur
An interview with a domestic insurgent
From the book
RADICAL PEACE: People Refusing War
By William T. Hathaway
Published by Trine Day

I first met the man we’ll call Trucker in 1970 at a rally against the Vietnam War. Our demo was going to start on the Berkeley campus and continue with a march down Telegraph Avenue. This was shortly after the National Guard and police had murdered six demonstrators at Kent State and Jackson State, so the mood was extremely tense. The Berkeley city government had denied us a permit to march and called in police reinforcements from Oakland.

Ch. 9: Comparing Evils by William T. Hathaway

by William T. Hathaway
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
February 22, 2012

Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr

Comparing Evils

From the book
RADICAL PEACE: People Refusing War
By William T. Hathaway
Published by Trine Day

Jamal Khan is an Afghan journalist who fled his country because of Taliban persecution and now lives in Germany. We met in the apartment of a mutual friend from the Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft, the German Peace Society. Jamal is mid-forties, thin, with curly brown hair, tan skin, and clear green eyes that take everything in. We spoke in German, then later reworked the interview from my English translation.

Ch. 8: From Cheerleader to Enemy of the State by William T. Hathaway

by William T. Hathaway
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
January 23, 2012

Image by pverdicchio via Flickr

From Cheerleader to Enemy of the State

From the book
RADICAL PEACE: People Refusing War
By William T. Hathaway
Published by Trine Day

The long, flouncy curls from Judy Davis’ cheerleader days are gone. Her straight blonde hair is now cut short. Large blue eyes stand out in a face pale without makeup. Her soft Southern drawl has an undertone of determination. “It’s taken me awhile, but now I’m glad to be considered an ‘unsuitable influence.’ That was how the school board justified my firing. That and ‘deviating from the curriculum.’ It’s like they were implying I was a deviant. And according to their norms, I am.”

Ch. 7: SAMs for Uncle Sam by William T. Hathaway

by William T. Hathaway
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
November 4, 2011

Image by Jacob Anikulapo via Flickr

SAMs for Uncle Sam

From the book
RADICAL PEACE: People Refusing War
By William T. Hathaway
Published by Trine Day

Merna al-Marjan is a young Iraqi who is currently in Germany studying European history. We talked in her dormitory room, a spartan but functional cubicle in a building that embodies a hopeful change in European history: it was constructed in the nineteenth century as an army barracks but now houses university students. That’s progress.

Ch. 6: Keep On Rockin’ By William T. Hathaway

by William T. Hathaway
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
November 4, 2011

Image by ailatan via Flickr

Keep On Rockin’

From the book
RADICAL PEACE: People Refusing War
By William T. Hathaway
Published by Trine Day

RADICAL PEACE is a collection of reports from peace activists in the USA, Europe, Iraq, and Afghanistan. An American exchange student in one of my courses here in Germany contributed the following essay.

Jason was my boy-friend for a while in high school. It wasn’t a match made in heaven.

Ch. 5: Escaping the Military: Healing the Virus of Violence By William T. Hathaway

by William T. Hathaway
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
September 24, 2011

Escaping the Military: Healing the Virus of Violence

From the book
RADICAL PEACE: People Refusing War
By William T. Hathaway
Published by Trine Day

A young Buddhist novice contributed this account, which we then revised together. To protect the people who have protected him, he wishes to be nameless.

Back in high school I’d been good at languages but couldn’t afford to go to college, so I joined the navy for the language training.

Ch. 4: Peace Chaplain By William T. Hathaway

by William T. Hathaway
Guest Writer
Dandelion Salad
August 29, 2011

Peace Chaplain

RADICAL PEACE is a collection of reports from peace activists in the USA, Europe, Iraq, and Afghanistan. A seminarian contributed this chapter about learning to love her enemies. Because of her activism, she prefers to remain anonymous.

To celebrate Armed Forces Day the military base near my seminary held an open house, a public relations extravaganza to improve their image and boost recruiting. They invited the public in for a marching band parade, a precision flying show, and a sky diving demonstration. They even offered free lemonade and cookies.