Rest in peace, Sister Rita

My favorite nun--and there have been quite a few--died: Sister Rita Steinhagen, peace activist, author, and Sister of St. Joseph, passed away yesterday afternoon. Steinhagen was a tireless opponent of militarism, protesting the School of the Americas in Georgia and organizing countless protests against local defense contractor Alliant Techsystems. At 70, she was incarcerated for tresspassing at Fort Benning and served six months; I was so moved by her chutzpah and resolve, I wrote her there (wish I could find her lengthy and thoughtful reply).

As Doug Grow recounts, she told the judge who sentenced her: "Your honor, I'm 70 years old today and I've never been in prison and I'm scared. I tell you, when decent people get put in jail for six months for peaceful demonstration, I'm more scared of what's going on in our country than I am of going to prison."

So long...