89-Year-Old Woman Goes to Jail to Protest War
an article by Charlie

For more than 60 years, 89-year old Lillian Willoughby has been protesting war. Now, for the first time, the octogenarian Quaker will be going to jail because of it.

Willoughby and a group of five other peace activists will serve 7-day jail sentences after refusing to pay a $250 fine. The fine was levied when the activists blocked the entrance to the federal building in Philadelphia on March 20, 2003, the day the United States invaded Iraq.

The scene at the federal detention center where the protesters were sentenced to serve was poignant, with 50 supporters escorting the wheelchair bound Willoughby to the entrance. A uniformed marine who had received a Purple Heart in Iraq came to thank her for resisting the war.

Speaking to the crowd of supporters, Willoughby noted that nonviolence doesn't just happen by itself. "You have to do it...get informed. Do nonviolence." Willoughby also suggested an obscure book, titled "52 Stories of Successful Nonviolence." The book was left in the courtroom by the protesters during sentencing to make a statement about the efficacy of nonviolent resistance. The book appears to be unavailable from online retailers.

One previous detainee for a similar offense thought that Willoughby would have a positive influence on the guards. "When she opens her mouth and speaks with so much knowledge and love, she'll blow them away."

To read more from local news sources about Lillian Willoughby, check here and here.

To learn more about the protesters and a letter writing campaign to support them, check here.

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How can we continue civil disobedience to effectively promote peace?


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