Margaret McKenna: Difference between revisions

{{Quote box |width=20em | bgcolor=#ACE1AF |align=right |quote=''me and Sister Margaret on the Pentagon lawn<br/>arrested, our wrists in a plastic tie''|source=—"Timothy Hay" by [[mewithoutYou]]<ref name=mewithoutYou>{{harvnb|mewithoutYou|2009|p=8}}</ref>}} McKenna has been arrested for several acts of [[civil disobedience]] since becoming an activist in the 1970s.<ref name=Campellone>{{harvnb|Campellone|2010}}</ref> In 1987, she participated in a protest over the [[Iran–Contra affair]] during the bicentennial celebration of the signing of the constitution in Philadelphia.<ref name=Stevens>{{harvnb|Stevens|1987|p=A36}}</ref> In 1988 on Easter Sunday, McKenna and three other [[Plowshares Movement|Plowshares]] activists accessed the third deck of the {{USS|Iowa|BB-61|6}} and symbolically hammered on empty [[Tomahawk (missile)|Tomahawk]] missile housings before pouring their own blood on them.<ref name=Ellis>{{harvnb|Ellis|1988}}</ref> At the same time, a banner that read "Follow the nonviolent Christ" was placed on the side of the ship.<ref name=Thompson>{{harvnb|Thompson|2009}}</ref> The group was charged with trespassing, and McKenna was sentenced to four months in prison.<ref name=Thompson /> In 2007, McKenna, as well as musician [[Aaron Weiss]], was arrested for participating in a "[[die-in]]" to protest the civilian casualties of the [[Iraq War]] on the grounds of [[The Pentagon]] in [[Arlington County]], [[Virginia]].<ref name=JonahHouse>{{harvnb|Jonah House|2007}}</ref> This event was referenced in the song "Timothy Hay" by Weiss's band, [[mewithoutYou]], on their album ''[[It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright]]''.<ref name=Hagerman>{{harvnb|Hagerman|Weiss|2009}}</ref>

McKenna and modern-day hermit [[Richard Withers]], who were both passionate about [[Desert Fathers]] then, asked themselves, "Where is the desert today?".<ref>{{harvnb|Schenk|2014}}</ref> After concluding that it"the desert" was the inner cites, in 1989, they moved to the [[Fox Chase, Philadelphia|Fox Chase]] neighborhood in [[Northeast Philadelphia]]. There, they witnessed the impact of drug addiction on the lives of the residents. SheIn reaction, McKenna and Withers founded New Jerusalem Laura in an attempt to treat drug and alcohol addiction.<ref name=Thompson /> In addition to New Jerusalem, McKenna helped set up the Peacemakers Reflection Center and the Alternate to Violence Project in her community.<ref name=Kolodziej />

The methods that New Jerusalem usesLaura's toaddict counselcounseling addictsmethods were influenced by the methodsthose of [[One Day at a Time]], founded by the Rev. [[Henry Wells]].<ref name=Thompson /> For the first 60&nbsp;days of their stay, recovering addicts are prohibited from contacting the outside world, must surrender their cigarettes, and must be escorted if they leave the building. During this time, residents occupy their time with chores, community service, meetings, and Bible studystudies.<ref name=Campellone /> Less than half of all people who enter the program remain after the first 60&nbsp;days.<ref name=Campellone /> After the first 60&nbsp;days, residents' actions are less tightly restricted; however, they are still required to participate in the chores, Bible studystudies, and meetings. Residents graduate from the program after six&nbsp;months.<ref name=Thompson />

McKenna feelsbelieves that the reason for the success of New Jerusalem Laura's success is the community. "In a recovery community, you can't get away with [lying], because it shows," she said. "It forces you to be honest."<ref name=Thompson /> Nearly 400 residents have graduated from the program since its inception.<ref name=MMS /> Of those, close to seventy percent are reported to remain drug-free, well above the results of traditional recovery methods.<ref name=MMS />