Peace activist to share experience

Brian Terrell, a peace activist for more than 30 years, will share his personal experiences of his non-violent peace efforts in the U.S. and Central America during a speech at the University of Montana on Tuesday, April 29.

His speech, “Criminalization of Dissent,” will cover increased governmental surveillance, intimidation, and prosecution of non-violent peace efforts. The lecture will start at 7 p.m. in the Castle Room at the UM Law School.

“The line between what is legal, what are protected activities, and violent criminal activity has steadily eroded,” Terrell said. 

Terrell has been arrested more than 100 times over the last 30 years for staging anti-war protests and bringing attention to nuclear weapons, victims of war, and other injustices. He has been voluntarily arrested in protests against U.S. military interventions in places such as Honduras and Puerto Rico.

Terrell received significant media attention in 2004 when the Joint Terrorism Task Force subpoenaed him for testimony about his participation in an anti-war forum. The investigation was eventually stopped due to public pressure, but it sparked a debate on the government and rights of protest groups.

“The best way to talk about what is happening broadly is to talk about our experiences,” Terrell said.

The peace activist said he is coming to Missoula at an appropriate time, especially in light of events at UM.

Terrell is aware of the recent sit-in at Main Hall by the Students for Economic and Social Justice and said he is especially concerned about the seizure of their cell phones, calling it an extremely serious measure.

Terrell said he hopes he can make local groups aware of what types of actions are currently taken by the government on non-violent activism and advise groups on what they can do.
Non-violent activism is extremely important, he said, citing the significance of protests in women receiving the right to vote and the ending of the Vietnam War.

“If you look at history,” he said, “there hasn’t been any major change without civil disobedience.”

Terrell is the executive director of Catholic Peace Ministry and lives at a Catholic Worker Farm in Iowa. Catholic Worker activists acknowledge that there will always be inherent violence in the world, he explained, but realize “we depend on a military infrastructure because we control the world’s resources.”

Therefore, the Catholic Worker Farm has gardens and farm animals so residents can live closer to the land and grow their own food, he said.

Terrell will also speak in Butte on Saturday for a panel discussion with local leaders in law enforcement and civil liberties defense. He said the only way his speeches will make a difference during his time in Montana is if he can reach groups protesting for change.

“If nothing else, we can show that everyone in the world is not going along,” Terrell said. “The best way to do that is to put our body on the line.”