Zoe Byrd

Zoe Byrd lives in the “Lost Sierra” in Northeastern California and has been occasional crew on S/V Golden Rule since June 2017. She is a Veterans For Peace (non-military) Associate Member, and a Golden Rule Project Ambassador, bringing awareness to the Golden Rule’s important mission. Zoe has a long peace activist herstory:

 

During the late 70’s, as a teenager involved in the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign, Zoe attended a talk by pacifist “Peace Pilgrim” on her notable 28 year journey by foot (starting in 1953 until her death in 1981). When “Peace” began her pilgrimage she had taken a vow to “remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food”.

Peace Pilgrim was a true inspiration, and, in the early 80’s Zoe participated in 4 “Peace Walks”, walking and talking for peace, stepping along one thin line across the U.S. and Europe.

 

1986 was a big year for Zoe, as then in DC, following the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament, she was arrested (alongside actor Martin Sheen) while blocking the entrance to the Department of Energy which oversees nuclear weapons (since then-called “clean” nuclear power is directly linked to nuclear weapons production). Afterwards, Zoe joined American Peace Test at the Nevada Test Site and was arrested for non-violent direct action of trespassing onto the test site. Zoe was among the last to serve jail time as activists depleted Nye County funds, and their ability, and willingness, to continue prosecuting activists for the Federal Government for the following 31 years of actions on these occupied native lands. (Jan 2019, current Administration began prosecutions again.)

 

*** It took many years of activists “crossing the line” before public sentiment was aroused enough to pressure lawmakers to end underground nuclear weapons testing in 1996 with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Just as the long haul to end atmospheric, underwater, and outer space testing resulted in victory, among the signing superpowers, in 1963, with the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (LTBT), with the help of the Golden Rule’s historic voyage in 1958. YES WE CAN gain a nuclear weapons free world!

 

In April 2016, Zoe was arrested in Washington D.C. with 1,300 Democracy Spring activists to get big money out of politics. (Sane decisions will be made, in all quarters, when we end corporate rule and regain our democracy: Of, For and By The People.)

 

Currently, Zoe is involved with: