Rusty and Nancy Nelson, two pillars of Spokane’s community for their life’s work on peace and justice, take a bow and pass the torch.
It took three tries last night but Marianne Torres didn’t lose her sense of humor about how difficult it was proving to persuade people in the lobby of the Bing Crosby Theatre to stop talking and move through the doors to where the seats were. There simply was a lot to talk about and the two people being talked about were in the lobby.
But once the night’s tribute to Rusty and Nancy Nelson was underway it was hard for Ms. Torres, or anyone else, to say it was goodbye, or that the Nelsons’s retirement from the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane was an end point.
“I’m sure it will be a short-lived break,” Ms. Torres said with a chuckle. “I think we all know they’re not going to stop doing the work.”
That being said it was as warm and as emotional an event as you’d expect given 
who the Nelsons are and given the people they’ve inspired. Among them was Liz Moore, the woman who grew up just north of Spokane and to whom the task of replacing the Nelsons as the director of PJALs now belongs.
For the Nelsons, it’s been an extraordinary career, one that has earned both of them local and national recognition for their work not only in organizing opposition to war and militarism but in campaigning against the death penalty for worker and civil rights.
“We’ve all watched and we’ve sometimes accompanied Rusty and Nancy as they were arrested for calling for an end to war, for calling for an end to actions and the policies that cause such suffering to people in this country and in the world,” said Ms. Torres in introducing them. “We’ve watched them acknowledge the humanity of all people. We’ve watched them embrace people on death row, who’ve been convicted of the most heinous crimes and we’ve watched them recognize the suffering that led to those crimes, and we’ve watched them offer a healing human presence to some very tormented souls.”
After two musical performances, Nancy and then Rusty spoke to the audience of nearly 200.
“We are so amazingly and incredibly grateful for the love and support that we have felt from you over all these years,” Nancy said, “and for allowing us the freedom to pursue the journey of peace and justice.”
“She’s a tough act to follow, but I’d follow her anywhere,” Rusty said. “There are police officers who will vouch for me on that.”
“When we learned about this event, Nancy was embarrassed. I don’t need to explain that to most of you. But now I’m embarrassed, because of the sheer extravagance of all this. Not so much because there’s such great entertainment and such great songs and getting together but some people are getting carried away with some of the gifts and some of the expressions of appreciation. There’s seems to be an idea that we have somehow made a sacrifice to hold on to a job that we loved, a job filled with extraordinary relationships, rich experiences and a wealth of opportunity.”
After thanking PJALS volunteers and supporters, he spoke with emotion and 
humor about the work, and what it’s been like to do the work in Spokane.
“We’ve stumbled and soared. Been despised and loved. Had our feelings hurt and stepped on some toes. We’ve shared our vision with leaders we thought would never listen. We’ve been rejected by leaders that we needed. There’ve been days when it was a thrill to be a part of Spokane. Other days, we couldn’t even get arrested.”
For me non-violence, active non-violence has been the hook, the lesson, the journey and a significant chunk of my faith understanding. Where else could it become a career?”
Then it was time for Liz Moore to speak.
“Hi,” she said brightly. “Pleasure to meet you. I’ve known PJALS for a long time. When I was a senior at Deer Park High School, in 1990, when the first Gulf War was about to start, I wanted to understand alternatives. So I looked up peace in the phone book. And there was PJALS. And I remember hearing Rusty’s voice when he answered the phone. And Rusty and Nancy, and lots of other activists, including my wonderful Spanish teacher, who I later discovered was a PJALS member really introduced me to social justice work and helped me find that path which has really been my path since then.”
“Rusty and Nancy are passing the torch but not just to me,” Ms. Moore said, about her new challenge. “And I’m so happy not just to me because that’s would be impossible, right? But nobody has ever carried that torch alone.”
The proceeds from the evening will go to benefit the retirement fund for the Nelsons which, as Ms. Torres noted, did not exist for the couple during their quarter century at PJALS because the organization couldn’t afford it. Contributions for Rusty and Nancy’s retirement can be made to PJALS at 35 W. Main, Suite 120M, Spokane, WA 99201, (please designate retirement fund on the notation line of the check) or by calling (509) 838-7870.
–CFJ
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