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Fellowship of Reconciliation (F.O.R.) Day Reprise
By Alexis Hauk & Lauren Gunderson, STAND Co-founders
On July 25, WAND and STAND members assembled on Capitol Hill to raise public awareness about our message: military over-spending does not provide for the country or the needs of its kids. The joint WAND/STAND demonstration, which took place by the line of tourists waiting admission to the Capitol, consisted of skits, songs, poetry, petitions– and ice-cold lemonade donated by Newman’s Own and Fresh Samantha. STAND interns wrote and performed skits on the theme of “The Cost of Nuclear Weapons” for a diverse audience of visitors from around the country and the world. Shirin Keen coordinated the WAND-end of the day.
The D.C. demonstration was part of F.O.R.’s “40 Days of Peace and Non-violence.” From July through mid-August, “40 Days” encouraged nonprofit organizations from around the country to sponsor a day on the Hill, in order to have a continual presence for peace. STAND received attention from local media, including ZoomCulture.com—an Internet activist site. Liz Hinton and Lauren Gunderson were featured on WBKA radio the next day, discussing STAND’S concerns about military expenditures.
STAND members attended the weekly meeting of progressive lobbyists and met with Georgia Members of Congress John Lewis and Cynthia McKinney. Liz and Lauren also represented WAND and STAND at a D.C. fund-raiser for Michigan Congresswoman and Senate hopeful Debbie Stabenow.
STAND member Lauren Gunderson, dressed as “General Greed” in a Pentagon costume as part of a skit, is interviewed by Elizabeth Hinton about excessive military spending, while Alexis Hauk listens. In photo above, Lauren holds an umbrella symbolizing the proposed U.S. national missile defense system (Star Wars) to protest continued spending on nuclear weapons. 
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