Biography
Acting alone (Michigan ELF Disarmament Action) on May 28, 1985, he sawed down a pole carrying the Navy's ELF submarine-communication antenna in Michigan's upper peninsula, then planted a corn circle and turned himself in.
Tom Hastings, born 1950, began peace and justice activism in 1968; his youth, early activism, and college took place in Wisconsin. He is a two-time Plowshares resister, founding member of two Catholic Worker communities, and worked for years to defend Anishinabe treaty rights. He is now Professor and Coordinator of the Conflict Resolution program at Portland State University, Director of PeaceVoice, co-founder of the Portland Peace Team, faculty with the James Lawson Institute, on the Academic Advisory Council of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, and the author of more than 500 articles and several books on nonviolence.
On April 21, 1996 Donna and Tom Howard-Hastings cut down three transmission-line poles at the U.S. Navy's Project ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) submarine-communication antenna in northern Wisconsin (Clam Lake) and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Republic). Project ELF was used to send one-way 'bell ringer' signals to ballistic-missile submarines on patrol. The action was part of the long-running anti-Project-ELF campaign led by Nukewatch and Catholic Worker affiliates. The Howard-Hastings were each sentenced to 3 years federal prison; Donna served 11 months and Tom served 7 months before transitioning to electronically-monitored house arrest at their home at 12833 E St., H. 13, Maple, WI 54854.
