A Tale of Two TMC Members

Marty spun into action at the big January convergence, speaking as a veteran against the war, at the suggestion of Sandy Kelson, of Veterans for Peace. “I contacted the Merton Center in January 2003 when I realized that Bush was going ahead with the start of a war of choice,” Marty said.  “I had read and heard about the good work the Merton Center had been doing for decades, but I never knew anyone who belonged.  So, no one ever asked me to join or get involved.  I did not know it was open to walk-ins. I attended an Independent Media workshop in Jan 2003 and met some people who were active in the Merton Center and I told them that I was interested in it.  They gave me the phone numbers and encouraged me to call and to show up for the Anti War meetings.”

Bill Neel, from Butler, was catapulted to fame when he refused to go into the fenced-in area, called the “Free Speech Zone,” when Bush spoke at Neville Island, on Labor Day, 2002. “It looked like a concentration camp, with all the protesters inside, holding onto the fence. I told the policeman, I couldn’t do that, and he said he would have to arrest me.”

When the police officer asked his age, and Bill responded that he was 65, the police officer moaned, sensing there was major publicity down the road. The case was dismissed by the justice of the peace before coming to trial. She reminded the police that this was America, the land of free speech. Since then, Bill has been interviewed and written about nationally and internationally.

Bill had been active since the ‘60s in his own community, on issues concerning women and people of color. The Merton Center had a rally shortly after his arrest, and he joined right in, and has been coming to the Anti-War committee meetings since the war began. “It’s a joy to be part of this large peace and justice community here in Pittsburgh. I tried at first to restrain myself from offering my opinion, but now I join right in.” 

Marty has put his lifetime of sales experience to work for the Center, putting together the packages of events for the successful raffle tickets, calling everyone from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Public Theater for a set of tickets. He can be seen at the dinner, with wife Joann along, escorting people to the hospitality room, encouraging them to socialize, (and have a glass of wine, if they will, so that we meet the bar quota imposed on us by the Sheraton!).

Marty will tell anyone who listens that he joined so he could meet some “hippie chicks from the sixties,” but don’t believe that. He, like Bill Neel, is in for the long haul. The “hippie chicks” are just a bonus.

- Bette McDevitt

Board Member Bette McDevitt (left) and Marty O'Malley (right). (Photo by Marie Skoczylas)

Bill Neel (Photo by Bette McDevitt)