The Ban Bus

(Pittsburgh, PA, November 17 1997) The Ban Bus reached Pittsburgh in the morning and quickly set up for a 12 noon presentation at the University Medical Center at Scaife Hall which was followed by a presentation at Childrens Hospital. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Tribune Review turned in stories regarding the global landmine problem and the administration’s failure to sign the Ottawa
Treaty and an editorial titled: “Mines over Matter - A Nobel Peace Prize Shames U.S. Opposition to a Treaty” ran that day in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The Ban Bus thanked Pennsylvannia Senator Arlen Specter for his support of the Landmine Elimination Act and also thanked Representatives Phil English, William J. Coyne, Jon D. Fox, Paul E. Kanjorski, John E. Peterson, Robert A. Borski, and Chaka Fatta for their support. The ban bus asked Senator Rick
Santorum and Representatives Frank Mascara, William F. Goodling, Michael F. Doyle, George W. Gekas, Joseph R. Pitts, Paul McHale, John P. Murtha, Joseph M. McDade, Bud Shuster, James C. Greenwood, Curt Weldon, Tim Holden, Ron Klink, and Thomas M. Foglietta for their support.

Special thanks to the ban bus to Physicians for Social Responsibility-Pittsburgh and to Dr. Richard Michaels, Dr. Newlon Tauxe, Dr. Daniel Fine, Anita Fine, Nora Johnson, World Federalist Association - Rosanne Ripe, Thomas Merton Center-Molly Rush, Pennsylvania Peace Links -Ann Kuher, Margaret Tauxe, UNA- Dr. Single East Liberty Presbyterian Church- Sue Bailey Presbyterian Women- Peggy Hall, University of Pittsburgh International Studies Program- Vince Costa, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and Miki Fukuhara.

(Ann Arbor, MI: November 13, 1997) The Ban Bus began the frigid day at an outdoor rally at the University of Michigan. After a welcome by the mayor of Ann Arbor, campaigners spoke to the issue of the U.S. not signing the treaty. Student groups were there in fall force, mobilizing students to take action by signing postcards to President Clinton and writing letters to members of Congress.

The group split up and spoke at Ypsilanti High School, Allen Elementary School, Slauson Middle School, the Islamic School, and St. Thomas School. Media presence included The Michigan Daily and the Ann Arbor News.

The evening rounded out with a potluck dinner and a presentation at St. Mary’s Student Parish. Campaigners thanked Senator Levin and Representatives Stupak, Ehlers, Camp, Barcia, Upton, Stabenow, Kildee, Bonior, Levin, Rivers, and Conyers for sponsoring the Landmine Elimination Act. The Ban Bus urged people to call on Senator Abraham and Representatives Hoekstra, Smith, Knollenberg, Kilpatrick, and Dingelll to co-sponsor House Bill 2459 and Senate Bill 896.

A big thank you goes out to Jeff Surfas, Interfaith Peace aid Justice and the countless others who helped him!

This is actually a media story for which I did not receive the title but it gives a nice update on the South Bend activities. The Ban Bus did Ann Arbor, MI yesterday (13th) and today is in Cleveland, OH. I also want to advise that the 18 November landmine art exhibit at the Very Special Arts Gallery on Connecticut Ave has been postponed till probably the firth week of December. But please come to the events on the 19th (film screening, american and george washington university). Thanks, Mary Wareham, Coordinator, US Campaign to Ban Landmines.

By Gene Stowe
Landmine opponents from four nations urged a Notre Dame audience Wednesday to lobby for U.S. support of a move to ban “mass murder in slow motion.” The Ban Bus, a cross-country campaign for the cause already highlighted by Princess Diana and this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, stopped in South Bend on its way to Ottawa, where a ban treaty will be signed next month. “We have gotten very, very good reaction,” said Mette Eliseussen of Norway, who has been on the bus since it left Berkeley in late October.

“They’re very surprised to hear the U.S.A. is not going to sign.” More than 100 nations will sign the agreement to ban the weapons. President Clinton has not agreed to sign, although bills for the ban are winning strong support in Congress. John Rodsted of Australia, a freelance photographer who became involved in the movement after seeing the destruction of landmines in Cambodia, Laos and Burma, said activists finally convinced his country to sign. “Out of all the things the human race is capable of doing to each other, the one that stands out is landmines,” Rodsted said. “Ninety percent of the injuries are post-war and civilian.

“There’s no such thing as a mine accident. They’re deliberate acts. Mines have been called mass murder in slow motion.” Rodsted showed slides and pictures of landmine victims in Bosnia, including two sisters who were injured on their way to work and a boy who had been gathering firewood near his home-a year after the war had ended. “What manufacturer, politician or general decides a 13-year-old boy is the enemy?” he said. “The mines are a continuing thorn in the side of peace. We are sick to death of it.”

About 50 people attended the talk by Ban Bus riders, sponsored by the Center for Social Concerns and the Kroc Institute for Peace Studies at Notre Dame.

Jackie Curran of South Bend, whose daughter Patty Curran, a Maryknoll lay associate, is director of Wat Than Skill Training for Landmine Disabled in Cambodia, arranged the visit. At a display in the Hesburgh Center for International Studies, Eliseussen showed postcards to President Clinton drawn by children in Afghanistan, where some 10 million mines are buried. “I’ve been working in Afghanistan for two years with Save the Children,” she said. “Our program in Kabul, Afghanistan, is to teach kids about the dangers of land mines.”

…[Through 1994 and 1995].., 50 people a day were killed or injured by mines. Now, 40 to 60 a month are injured in the city: Sixty percent of them are children. “Lots of children get blown up while they’re climbing the trees,” she says. “There is no such place as a safe place in Kabul. “This is these children’s only chance to tell the world what’s going on.”

Michael Hands of Britain, a former soldier who has worked as a de-miner to clear territory of landmines, said they kill or wound some 26,000 people a year. “I’m not a pacifist,” Hands said. “As a soldier-a former soldier-I cannot warrant the use of these weapons.” Many generals, and all Vietnam veterans in the Senate, support the ban. Municipal governments in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Flagstaff, Tucson and New Haven, Conn., have voted to urge the banning of land mines, along with the state legislatures of California, Maine and Massachusetts.

Paul Biatti, [its actually Piatti] who works in Los Angeles for the Vietnam Veterans of American Foundation, said his 8-year-old daughter inspired him to join the movement. “Her children’s children’s children can be killed or maimed by a mine that was laid before I was born,” Biatti explained. “That’s my motivation.”

Article published on World Wide Faith News:
Anti-Landmines Campaign Arrives in Philadelphia Nov. 20, 1997

November 10-1 1, 1997) The Ban Bus visited the Windy City for two days, including Veterans Day. The hubcaps from the Ban Bus were stolen, which surprised the Chicago natives playing hosts. The Ban Bus spoke to 250 students at Whitney Young High School, a magnet school in the Chicago Public School system. Next, the group presented to an intimate group at Northwestern University. Showing tremendous flexibility on the part of the Ban Bus and Francis Parker High School the next presentation was to the seventh through twelfth grades at the Parker School, a private school that emphasizes hands-on learning. For the final presentation Michael, Petter, Dalma and John were joined at Northern Illinois University by Philip Winslow, the author of “Sowing the Dragons Teeth- Landmines and the Global Legacy of War”, about the human impact of landmines in Angola.
The Ban Bus thanked Illinois Senators Richard Durbin and Carol Moseley-Braun for their support of the Landmine Elimination Act and also thanked Representatives Bobby Rush, Jesse Jackson, Jr., William Lipinski, Luis Gutierrez, Rod Blagojevich, Danny Davis, Sid Yates, John Porter, Jerry Weller, Jerry
Costello, Harris Fawell, Ray LaHood, Glenn Poshard, and, of course, Lane Evans for their support. The Ban Bus asked Representatives Henry Hyde, Philip Crane, Dennis Hastert, Thomas Ewing, Donald Manzullo and John Shimkus for their support.

Special thanks from the Ban Bus to Whitney Young High School, especially Dr. Alvin Williams, Northwestern University’s Peace Project, especially Rebekah Frederick, Northern Illinois University’s law school, Susan Walker, mother of Elizabeth Walker Jackson of the Wornens’ Commission on Women and Children Refugees and Kathy Wiard of the United Nations Association. An extra special thanks goes to Prexy Nesbitt dean of students at the Francis Parker School.

Milwaukee, WI

The ban bus began its travels through Wisconsin first by stopping in Rockford, Illinois to have lunch with Rockford Peace and Justice and assemble a group to caravan to Accudyne Corp., a company involved in the manufacture of components for antipersonnel landmines located in Janesville, Wisconsin. Accudyne has refused to join 17 other US companies in renouncing its involvement in
the mine production business.

At Accudyne over 70 people from all over Wisconsin showed up to tell Accudyne to get out of the landmine business. Bruce Barrett of Physicians for Social Responsibility kicked the protest off by pouring 25,000 bb bullets into a pan to signify the thousands who are maimed or killed by landmines each year. Media from all over Wisconsin, including the NBC, ABC, and CBS affiliates from the Janesville/Madison area, Wisconsin State Journal and, The Capital Times. Jill Greenberg of the US Campaign encouraged locals to begin a weekly organized protest at Accudyne, similar to the weekly Alliant vigil.

The ban bus then headed to Madison, Wisconsin and was greeted by supporters at the Wisconsin State Capitol, who then assembled a candlelight vigil outside the US Courthouse in downtown Madison. After the vigil, ban bussers had dinner with supporters at the Arts House Café and surprise guest Susan Walker of Handicap International who drove 5 hours to catch up with the ban bus for a day of activities.

The next day, Sunday, ban bussers gave presentations to two local churches and capped off their Madison stay with a noontime rally in the center of Madison, with many supporters present. All ban bussers said a few words, as well as Susan Walker, who gave an energizing speech that pumped up our friends in Madison. The ban bus then headed to Waukesha, Wisconsin to the headquarters of Amron Corporation, another landmine producer. Local campaigners and ban bussers joined together to leave a pledge not to produce landmines at the door of Amron. The local CBS affiliate was there to let everyone in Southeast Wisconsin know that they have a landmine producer in their area. The evening gave ban campaigners time to relax as they joined with local Milwaukee supporters for a pot luck supper.

Monday the 10th was a exciting day in Milwaukee for the ban bus. City Alderman Don Richards and Mayor John Norquist declared November 10th Ban Landmines Day and presented campaigners with a certificate. They also presented ban bussers with a special resolution to urge President Clinton to sign a ban. All local media from Milwaukee were present. Throughout Wisconsin, the ban bus congratulated Senators Herb Kohl and Russell D. Feingold, and Representatives Jay W. Johnson, David R. Obey, Thomas M. Barrett, Gerald D. Kleczka, Ron Kind, Scott L. Klug for their cosponsorship of the Landmine Elimination Act. Representatives F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Thomas E. Petri and Mark W. Neuman were urged to support the ban.

Special thanks to Mike Miles, Bruce Barrett, Bonnie and Bob Block, Nan and David Cheney, Daniel and Georgia Gomez-Ibanez, the University of Wisconsin Greens and Reverend Sue Larsen in Madison and Tom Seery, Jim and Kathie Vint, Alderman Don Richards, Mayor John Norquist, and Peace Action Milwaukee. The ban bus heads to the Windy City, Chicago, for November 10 and 11. For more information, please contact Carl Nyberg, 312-939-3312.

The ban bus traveled through Iowa over 2 days, with stops in Ames, Iowa City, and Davenport. In Ames, ban campaigners spoke to students at Iowa State University while Michael Hands did a demining demonstration outside the Student Union. In the evening, ban campaigners traveled to Iowa City, where they spoke to the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council. The presentation was taped to use on local NPR affiliate, WUSI. The local newspaper of Iowa City, the Daily
Iowan, covered all events in Iowa City.

In the morning, half the Ban Bus (George, Mette and John) headed for Davenport, while the rest of the gang stayed in Iowa City to attend a press conference at the local UNA offices and a rally outside the Old Capitol at the University of Iowa. The radio interview done by Mary Gray Davidson for the Common Ground show, broadcast across America on NPR , went extremely well. Other media that covered the day’s events include The Catholic Messenger, The Gazette, Des Moines Register, and The PressCitizen. All media were in attendance as Michael Hands demined University of Iowa, while over 100 students watched.
Jill, Michael, Petter and Dalma joined the group in Davenport, where Mette and John spoke to university students from St. Ambrose University, Blackhawk College, and Augustana College.

The media blitz continued- an interview with WVIK, public radio in the Quad Cities (Jill and Michael), talk radio DJ Jim Fisher on KUUL (Jill and Petter), as well as KWQC, the NBC affiliate, WQAD, the ABC affiliate, WHBF, the CBS affiliate and print media that included Catholic Messenger, Quad Cities Times, and The Distpatch.

Ban bussers congratulated Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL) for being a leader on this issue in the House and for being a tireless and effective leader in Washington for working towards a ban domestically. * Senators Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley were thanked for cosponsoring S. 896 (Landmine Elimination Act) along with Representative James A. Leach. Representatives Tom Latham, Greg Ganske, Leonard L. Boswell, Jim Nussle were asked to support HR 2459.

In the evening, the group were guests at an excellent dinner hosted by Pat and Peg McCauley, with several local supporters in attendance. The ban bus finished off a hectic trek through Iowa with a presentation at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Special thanks to those in Iowa City and Ames: Katy Hansen and Dorothy Paul, UNA-Iowa City/Johnson County; Wayne Osborn, Iowa State University; Dr. John and Emily Sutphin ; Osha and Mary Gray-Davidson; Jim and Mary McCue; Tom Baldridge, and Professor Rex Honey, University of Iowa.

In Davenport, our hats go off to Martha Yerington and the Diocese of Davenport; St. Paul Lutheran Church; Pat and Peg McCauley; Sister Mary Lou Sucham, Fr. Bud Grant, and Thomas and Sandra Brus.

The ban bus heads off to Rockford, Illinois; Janesville and Madison, Wisconsin; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For more information, please contact Bonnie Block 608-256-5088.

The ban bus arrived in Minneapolis late Monday night to begin a day and a half of events in the Twin Cities. The day started with a presentation at the Blake School to a small group of teenage students. The rest of the ban campaigners spoke at Hamline University to a group of 100 students. Hamline’s Amnesty International Chapter set up a table and were helpful in promoting the arrival of the ban bus. Michael Hands did a demining demonstration outside the hall, with many students in attendance as well as the Minneapolis-Star Tribune. The ban bussers also spoke to groups at Ramsey Junior High School (over 200 students), St. Bernard’s Grade School, and St. Joan of Arc Church. The students at St. Bernard’s are involved in a group that has chosen landmines and the ban for a special project to be involved in for a year. Jill Greenberg and Michael Hands did a radio interview in the morning with a Duluth Radio Station, KUMD.

Media here in Minneapolis included the Star-Tribune, as well as, KSTP-the ABC affiliate and WCCO-the CBS affiliate. An excellent, but very tiring day for the ban bus! The ban campaigners thanked Senator Paul D. Wellstone for cosponsoring S. 896 and Representatives James L. Oberstar, Bill Luther, Martin Olav Sabo, Bruce F. Vento and David Ming for their support for HR 2459. Minnesota representatives who have not yet supported the Landmine Elimination Act include: Senator Rod Grams and Representatives Collin C. Peterson, Jim Ramstad and Gil Gutknech.

This morning, campaigners joined the weekly Wednesday 7am vigil at Alliant Tech Systems in Hopkins, MN. Over 50 people showed up this morning to welcome the ban bus. Ban campaigners spoke briefly, but we were interested to hear the songs they sing (provided graciously by the McDonald sisters) and the chants they use at this weekly vigil. Local Wisconsin campaigner ,Mike Miles, drove down from Luck, Wisconsin and pulled out his guitar and sang songs as well. The local paper, the Hopkins Sun-Sailor, also was present at the vigil, asking questions about the ban bus. After the vigil, we went out to breakfast with this dedicated group who weekly participate, rain, shine or snow.

Special thanks go out to Susan Walker, who organized all events, although she is in Yemen helping the International Campaign, Jean Jachman, Duane Cady, Rev. Jim Ketcham, Perri Graham, and all those who showed up at 7am in the freezing cold weather to greet us at the Alliant vigil.

The ban bus heads to and through Iowa tomorrow, with stops scheduled in Ames and Iowa City. For more information contact, Wayne Osburn in Ames (515-294-6306) and Katy Hansen in Iowa City (319-337-7290).

The ban bus arrived in Omaha, Nebraska today and held a discussion at Creighton University hosted by Jesuit Father Don Doll. Doll, an award-winning photographer joined in the presentation by showing some of his own slides from his trip earlier this year to Angola.Media response was excellent with reporters from KPTM-Fox, KETV-ABC, KMTU-CBS, and The Omaha World Herald all asking campaigners questions, taking photos and videos and doing interviews. Congressional leaders on the ban including Senator J. Robert Kerrey and Senator Charles Hagel were congratulated. Nebraska Representatives Bill Barrett, Jon Christensen and Doug Bereuter have not yet cosponsored the Evans/Quinn Landmines Elimination Act and were urged to do so.

After the presentation, United Support for Amputees (USA) hosted a pot luck supper at the University. Special thanks to Father Don Doll, Creighton University, Bill and Barb Brown, Maxine Green and the Brown family.

Tomorrow the bus heads for the Twin Cities, Minneapolis-St.Paul. For more information, please contact Rev. Jim Ketcham, 612-644-9073 or Perri Graham, 612-872-7332.