Helen Dery Woodson

Overview

Helen Dery Woodson born June 26, 1944. Longest serving antiwar prisoner 27 years; began resistance on seeing Vietnam War caskets 1964; founded Gaudete Peace and Justice Center, Madison WI 1984; damaged Minuteman missile at Whiteman AFB MO 1984, sentenced 18 years prison; walked out of prison 1988 protesting arms race; set fire to prison fence 1988.

Quotations

“Every single generation of parents had said to their children we will bring peace into the world. And every single generation—we sent them off to die in the battlefields. Now I had a son. Was he going to die 18 years from then? And what about his son?” (Lawrence Journal-World, Feb. 16, 1986; photo youtube)