By Elliot Novess
Western Herald
Since 2003, the Kalamazoo Non-Violent Opponents of War have hosted an event to commemorate the start of the Iraq War.
This year’s event will feature arms and security expert Freda Berrigan. Her address “Shock and Awe Seven Years Later: Reflections on a War and Occupation in Iraq” will take place 7:30 p.m., March 16 in room 210 of Western Michigan University’s Bernhard Center.
Berrigan’s brother Jerry, who is a Kalamazoo College graduate, started a Catholic worker house on the east side of Kalamazoo called Peace House. Berrigan will also be speaking at Peace House during their “Clarification of Thought” series at 7:30 p.m., March 17 at the Nazareth Transformations Spirituality Center on Gull Road.
The Berrigan family has a history of anti-war protest, rooted in religious theology. Her father Daniel, his brother Phillip and his wife Elizabeth McAlister were imprisoned several times for protests during the Vietnam War. Both brothers were Catholic priests.
“She has continued in her parent’s tradition,” said professor of Sociology and Director of the Criminal Justice Ron Kramer.
Kramer has been involved with non-violent anti-war protests in Kalamazoo for over 25 years. In 1983, he started the first peace week on WMU’s campus, in association with United Campuses against Nuclear War. In the early 1990s, UCAN changed to United Campuses Against Militarism.
“Many KNOW members are veterans of these organizations,” Kramer said.
KNOW was formed at the start of the second Iraq war in 2003. Every Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday noon to 1 p.m. a non-violent protest of the war is held in front of the Federal Building on Michigan Avenue.
For more information about KNOW visit www.kzoo4peace.org.
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