On 9/21/12 I was reading in the Miner on the way to town that it was International Peace Day and that there was a peace vigil in Kingman. We were done with most of our errands by the time the vigil started, decided to join them and we met Christine (Chris) Meisenheimer and several other very interesting people including gardeners and I found out that Kingman even has an Occupy movement.
9/21/12: Photo by JC AMBERLYN/Miner
Chris is holding the VETERANS FOR PEACE sign in the front left and she organizes bi-weekly peace vigils at Stockton Hill & Airway.
I lived near Meadview since 2000 and I had no idea that Kingman had any activists other than the Minutemen. I signed up for Chris Meisenheimer’s email list with the reminders for vigils and I finally just had to ask her for a brief bio and what motivated her to start these peace vigils in Kingman.
Christine (Chris) Meisenheimer’s bio
Although being a child of the 60s (born in 1950), the entire peace and womens’ movement escaped her attention. She was busy being a mom and when America attacked Afghanistan in 2001 it was as if a lion had been awoken.
Chris wrote:
“My vehement opposition to the Afghan war and further our unprovoked attack on Iraq and myself and the other women reacted to the vitriolic build up to war in Iraq. None of this made sense to me and joining online N.I.O.N. (Not In Our Name), organizing and presenting petitions to office of one of our senators in Madison, WI, and other things were but a couple of other things I involved myself in. I don’t see myself as an anti war activist but rather a peace activist. This mission fits well into what I professionally devoted my life to. I am a retired psychotherapist and my expertise was with traumatized veterans, women, and children.”
In 2001 in La Crosse, WI. Chris, with four other women, began a Women In Black Chapter and they continue to meet weekly at the same time, day, and street corner as determined in 2001.
Chris moved to Kingman and launched the Kingman Peace initiative with two other women on Valentine’s Day February 14, 2010. Their paraphrased motto that first day was “love the world – support peace.” They established the 2nd and 4th Sunday morning vigils at 11:30 am, adjusted as to morning vigils as it became too hot in summer. They met on the corner of Stockton Hill and Airway and still do so now.
In the beginning they seldom met with anything but enthusiastic community support. Two years later this support is never intruded upon by a nasty passer-by. The vigils are attended by anywhere from three to twelve vigilers and they are announced bi monthly in the Kingman Daily Miner.
“If time allows, come join us — come when you can and leave when you must.”
I have great respect for people who do more than the average American (rant and complain, have another beer and turn on the TV to escape reality) and actually DO something.
I’ve been involved in my share of confrontational activities, but I wouldn’t have had the guts to be the first person to stand at Stockton Hill and Airway with a peace sign. I really was amazed by the support of Kingmanites when we joined the vigil in September. In Meadview I’d fear for my life!
Unfortunately, we just about never get to Kingman on Sundays and the least I can do is publicize the vigils.
I’ve you’d like more information or to be added to Chris’ email list with reminders, please email Chris at createpeace@frontier.com (remove spaces).
If you’d like to submit information about other activists and events in Mohave county, please contact me at christine @ highdesertdirt.com.