Nonviolence, Community, Resistance: Jonah House | WitnessPhoto | tom | DPADraftboard
Tom Lewis was one of The Baltimore Four who entered the Customs House in Baltimore October 27, 1967 and poured blood on A-1 draft files.
In this picture, a Selective Service attendant looks on as Phil Berrigan pour blood on A-1 draft files.. A second attendant eyes Phil even as she holds Tom Lewis with gentle restraint. Other participants in “The Baltimore Four” were the Reverend James Mengel and David Eberhardt .
“The Baltimore Four” was the first of more than 100 draft board actions across the country that spanned the years of 1967 – 1972. The inspiration for the action came from a family in Minnesota long in conflict with our nation's warring. They saved the family fecal matter until they had what they considered an adequate supply. They then took said matter to their local draft board and poured it on the draft records. It has been named “the movement that began a movement!”
In their trial in Baltimore , all four participants were convicted. Tom was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
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dave eberhardt: on Sat 20 Sep 2008 04:52:30 AM EDT
and accomplice-Tom Lewis- from
Dave Eberhardt (poured blood on draft files with him in 1967- the "Baltimore 4" action)
Hi from the Unknown Soldier. I threw away my rifle and went swimming.
You may have seen me slipping away from the column. Shsssssh.
If in a desert "theatre" I leave to go look at the night sky with all its stars- Aldeberan (sp?), Rigel, Spica, Eta Carinae.
I am a statue to the Noble Deserter in the park.
I was inspired by artists like Tom Lewis! He had the "duende"- the spirit, the moxie. He had the will to continue in risky action after action- going forward into the Plowshares movement.
Want to join us? Then practice non-violence, resist war, and don't forget to move to the left.
Forgive them mother for they know not what they do.
Heroes to follow? Tom Lewis, war resisters, Dan and Phil Berrigan,"Plowshares" activists, M. Gandhi, ML King, AJ Muste, Dorothy Day, Quakers, Norman Morrison, Rachel Corrie,
Authors to read H Thoreau, Dalai Lama, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Wilfred Owen, Gary Snyder etc.
feel free to read at any funeral/memorial- my best to all his friends and loved ones