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About
Ann Wright
Ann Wright
grew up in Bentonville, Arkansas, and attended the University
of Arkansas, where she received a master's and a law degree.
She also has a master's degree in national security affairs
from the U.S. Naval War College. After college, she spent
thirteen years in the U.S. Army and sixteen additional years
in the Army Reserves, retiring as a Colonel. She is airborne-qualified.
In 1987,
Col. Wright joined the Foreign Service and served as U.S.
Deputy Ambassador in Sierra Leone, Micronesia, Afghanistan,
and Mongolia. She received the State Department's Award
for Heroism for her actions during the evacuation of 2,500
people from the civil war in Sierra Leone, the largest evacuation
since Saigon. She was on the first State Department team to
go to Afghanistan and helped reopen the Embassy there in December
2001. Her other overseas assignments include Somalia, Kyrgyzstan,
Grenada, Micronesia, and Nicaragua.
On March
19, 2003, the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Ann Wright
cabled a letter of resignation to Secretary of State Colin
Powell, stating that without the authorization of the UN Security
Council, the invasion and occupation of a Muslim, Arab, oil-rich
country would be a disaster. Since then, she has been writing
and speaking out for peace. She fasted for a month, picketed
at Guantánamo, served as a juror in impeachment hearings,
and has been arrested numerous times for peaceful, nonviolent
protest of Bush's policies, particularly the war on Iraq.
She lives in Honolulu. |
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Praise for the
Book
"When
the actions of government become dangerous to the security
of the nation, it takes a special courage for men and women
inside the government to speak out. If we care about keeping
democracy alive, we must welcome this book."
— Howard Zinn, author of A People's
History of the United States
"This…illuminating
and remarkably impressive…book should be leaked into
the government. …This book could awaken…officials
to withdraw their complicity and…tell the truth to [the
public]. This country will not escape further human, legal,
and moral catastrophes, or preserve itself as a democratic,
constitutional republic, if that does not happen. If you're
at all like me, you will have a whole set of new heroes when
you finish reading this. …Dissent: Voices of Conscience
could change your life."
— from the Foreword, by Daniel Ellsberg
"Voices
of conscience are usually smothered in spin. That the stories
of these heroes are recorded here gives me great hope and
shows that it is still possible to do the right thing."
— Ray McGovern, Retired CIA Analyst and Presidential
Briefer for George H. W. Bush
"As
a soldier and a diplomat, Ann Wright always placed her country,
its direction, and its welfare at the top of her priority
list. She is, without question, one of the most honest and
ethical individuals I have been privileged to know. I salute
Ann Wright and the powerful voices of truth heard in Dissent."
— Brigadier General (Ret.) Pat Foote, Former Commanding
General, Fort Belvoir, Virginia
"Ann
Wright is not one to be silenced."
— Ms. Magazine
"Ann
Wright is an American hero. She has shown immense bravery
and resolve in her quest for peace. For her energy and commitment
to peace, justice, and strengthening democratic principles,
Ann Wright has earned the first annual Truthout Freedom and
Democracy Award."
— Victoria Harper, truthout.org
"Truthout
has traveled the country covering the anti-war movement, and
wherever we go, Ann Wright is there providing steady leadership.
We recently announced that Ann was one of three recipients
of our first annual Freedom and Democracy Award. I'm sure
I will see her soon. Wherever there is an important event
calling for peace, Ann Wright will be there, leading by example."
— Scott Galindez, truthout.org |
Merriam
Park Neighbors for Peace presents: