by Marcus Page-Collonge

Even though nonviolent heroic celebreties of the past 100 years like M.K. Gandhi, Dorothy Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. tend to be “one-in-a-million,” we are all called to greatness. These three heroes usually point to the rest of us as the people to continue the work of making justice which will create lasting peace.

In shameful contrast to the vital job ahead to heal broken relationships and meet human needs, the work projects for NNSS and Creech employees is to continue forming enemies, continue destroying life in the desert, continue threatening the planet with fearsome violence and imminent death due to the technological military powers of nuclearism and drone warfare. Nuclear weapons are the cornerstone of foreign policy, and drone warfare (murder by RPA/UAV) is in the forefront of popular military practices.

Peaceful people working for social justice have continued the age-old struggle for goodness in this world, regardless of new and more terrifying technologies of the past 100 years. For 33 years Nevada Desert Experience has been part of the tradition of creating healthy spaces for peace and justice to flourish, starting with enjoying the beauty of the desert.

The billions spent on making more military violence is a grand theft from the masses needing a livable environment and a loving society. We must continue working for justice for the whole earth community constantly compromised by unjust social policies. Our human responsibility to care for creation requires resource sharing for healthcare, education, restorative justice programs, environmental stewardship and many more holy, peaceful endeavors.

For this purpose, NDE will host a weekend in Southern Nevada to practice nonviolence, to learn more about spiritual and technological threats in the region, and to engage in nonviolent civil resistance. NDE invites you to celebrate the advances in nonviolence and the protection of life in our precious desert region! The era to abolish drone warfare has begun—please join us on the third weekend in September.

What's the significance of September 21st ?  The United Nations declared this the International Holiday for Nonviolence in 1982. Let's ramp up the activities of peace and justice in Nevada and Newe Sogobia (Shoshone homelands).