NSA Spied on Baltimore Peace Group

Kevin Zeese: Describe your background, history and current work.

Maria Allwine: I've engaged in nonviolent civil resistance since 2002, grew up in Baltimore City, have been a city resident since 1985, have lived in many places in the US as well as in Japan. I am 52, a wife, mother and legal secretary.

KZ: What is the "Pledge of Resistance?"

MA: The Pledge is a national group committed to nonviolent civil resistance to stop the illegal and immoral war in Iraq. We are often arrested in the exercise of our First Amendment rights. We are dedicated to educating the American public about what our government is doing to Iraq and to petitioning our government and Congresspersons to take action to stop the occupation. The Pledge lobbies Maryland Congresspersons and Senators via letters, phone calls, faxes, emails, and face-to-face meetings.

KZ: What type of activities has the Pledge organized and participated in?

The Pledge has sponsored and participated in many demonstrations and actions since 2002, including the January 19, 2003 action at Lafayette Park in DC, the March 1, 2003 mall leafleting event in Baltimore County (which resulted in arrests), the marches prior to the invasion, the actions, resulting in arrests, the day prior to and of the invasion, the Dover to DC Memorial March in March 2004, several other memorial marches, including attempts to deliver the names of US and Iraqi dead to the White House, the October 2, 2004 attempt to deliver names again to the White House, also resulting in arrests, and too many other actions to describe here. The latest was the September 26 action at the White House--where names of the dead were hung on the White House fence and which resulted in 374 arrests, including Cindy Sheehan. The Pledge also demonstrates every July at the NSA, which usually result in arrests as well.

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