Kathy Kelly

Kathy Kelly co-coordinates Voices for Creative Nonviolence.

Survival and Dignity in an Afghan Winter

“Mirwais, son of Hayatullah Haideri. He was 1½ years old and had just started to learn how to walk, holding unsteadily to the poles of the family tent before flopping onto the frozen razorbacks of the muddy floor. “Abdul Hadi, son of Abdul Ghani. He was not even a year old and was already trying … Continue reading “Survival and Dignity in an Afghan Winter”

Soft Necks Will Not Be Slaughtered

July 29, 2012 Abdulhai remembers his father being killed by the Taliban. “Anyone who takes up a weapon in revenge, whether the Talib or any other, is acting like the Talibs who murdered my father,” he says, in a matter-of-fact way. “The solution does not lie in taking revenge, but in people coming together like … Continue reading “Soft Necks Will Not Be Slaughtered”

The Sky as It Falls

Kabul – For the Afghan Peace Volunteers, living in a working class area of Kabul’s “Karte Seh” district, daily problem-solving requires a triage process. Last week, upon arrival, I looked at the sagging ceilings over the kitchen, living room, and entryway and felt certain that shifting to new living quarters should be the top priority. … Continue reading “The Sky as It Falls”

Afghan Screams Aren’t Heard

Last weekend, in Kabul, Afghan Peace Volunteer friends huddled in the back room of their simple home. With a digital camera, glimpses and sounds of their experiences were captured, as warfare erupted three blocks away. The fighting has subdued, but the video gives us a glimpse into chronic anxieties among civilians throughout Afghanistan. Later, we … Continue reading “Afghan Screams Aren’t Heard”

Will Anyone Debate the US-Afghan Strategic Partnership Agreement?

In Afghanistan, the tragic Kandahar killing spree has prompted renewed talk about the proposed U.S. Afghan Strategic Partnership Agreement. At stake in these discussions is the security of Afghanistan, the U.S., and the region. Citizens in the U.S. and Afghanistan should be urgently exchanging their views or concerns about this partnership. Many are not even … Continue reading “Will Anyone Debate the US-Afghan Strategic Partnership Agreement?”

Cold, Cold Hearts

On Valentine’s Day, opening the little cartoon on the Google page brought up a sentimental animation with Tony Bennett singing “Why can’t I free your doubtful mind and melt your cold, cold heart?” Here in Dubai, where I’m awaiting a visa to visit Afghanistan, the weather is already warm and humid. But my bags are … Continue reading “Cold, Cold Hearts”

Start of the Season

It looked like a scene from an opera.  Massed in the doorway and second floor balconies of a quaint building in Athens, facing a magnificent view of the Parthenon, Spanish activists hung banners and flashed peace signs and proclaimed that they wouldn’t leave the building, the Embassy of Spain, until their government assured them that … Continue reading “Start of the Season”

Staying Human: Preparing to Sail to Gaza

Last week, newly arrived in Athens as part of the U.S. Boat to Gaza project, our team of activists gathered for nonviolence training. We are here to sail to Gaza, in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade, in our ship, The Audacity of Hope. Our team and nine other ships’ crews from countries around the … Continue reading “Staying Human: Preparing to Sail to Gaza”

The Predators: Where Is Your Democracy?

On May 4, 2011, CNN World News asked whether killing Osama bin Laden was legal under international law. Other news commentaries have questioned whether it would have been both possible and advantageous to bring Osama bin Laden to trial rather than kill him. World attention has been focused, however briefly, on questions of legality regarding … Continue reading “The Predators: Where Is Your Democracy?”