Sit-ins, marches
Group takes 'direct action'
against nuclear weapons
By Stephen Redshaw
Oi the Emerald
Some Eugene-area citizens have
taken more than a passive stand
against what they consider un
necessary proliferation of nuclear
weapons. Direct, non-violent ac
tion is the group's strategy, says
member David Oakes, — hence its
name: Eugene Direct Action.
"There's a crisis right now in
terms of nuclear weapons,"
and charged with trespassing.
However, the charges were even
tually dropped, an outcome which
Oakes attributes to the protesters
attitude of "openness and
respect.”
"In fact, the chief of police even
wrote us a letter of appreciation
for being non-violent," he says.
"A direct action doesn't
necessarily have to be illegal.
There's a real range as to what a
violent you are."
EDA regularly conducts non
violence training programs,
designed to "get people thinking
about non-violence," Oakes says.
Laura Stockford, one of several
EDA members who conduct the
training sessions, says they "show
people how a potentially violent
situation can be diffused using the
non-violent guidelines."
These guidelines include open,
respectful dialogue, not running,
and establishing eye contact.
"The guidelines are very helpful
in averting a confrontation,”
Stockford says.
While EDA members have many
different reasons for joining, most
center around the group's em
phasis on action.
"We really are hands-on peo
ple," Stockford says. "EDA gives
me a hands-on way to deal with
my anxiety concerning
disarmament."
EDA's ability to sidestep the
organizational problems common
to many new groups is its real suc
cess, Oakes says.
"We want to move," Stockford
says. "We can't wait for
legislation."
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'In fact; the chief of police even wrote us a let
ter of appreciation for being non-violent'
— David Oakes
Oakes says. "Even if the nuclear
weapons aren't used, they've
become a priority for money that
could be used to help people who
are starving. We see this as an
emergency and feel that we need
to take non-violent actions to do
something about it."
Since its formation in January,
EDA has been involved in a series
of protest demonstrations and
marches in California, Oregon
and Washington, Oakes says. The
group staged two demonstrations
at Vandenberg Air Force Base in
California, where the MX missile
is tested and stored, as well as a
"Journey for Peace" march to the
Wah Chang factory in Albany to
protest the production of zir
conium for use in nuclear reactors
and nuclear weapons.
In September, eight members of
EDA, including Oakes, par
ticipated in a sit-in.at the U.S. Ar
my recruiting center in downtown
Eugene.
"We had talked to the recruiters
and the police beforehand,"
Oakes says. "We just walked in,
stated our goal of 'No business as
usual,' then sat down and tried to
establish a dialogue. It was a
friendly and open thing."
Silvia Siegel, an EDA member
who also participated in the sit-in,
remembers that when the
recruiters were first informed of
the intended sit-in their reaction
was "hostile." But after several
follow-up visits, "they realized it
was going to happen and they ac
cepted it."
All eight activists were arrested
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non-violent creative action can
be," Siegel says, pointing to the
Wah Chang demonstration as a
"good example of a direct action
which didn't involve civil
disobedience.
"Because we are often in arrest
risk and confrontation situations,
we have to emphasize our non
violence," she says. "If you're just
writing letters you don’t have to
make a big deal about how non
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