Brian Willson was born on July 4,1941 and is a US American Vietnam veteran, peace activist, and trained attorney.
13 Facts About Brian Willson
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Brian Willson subsequently became a member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and Veterans For Peace.
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Brian Willson has had a variety of jobs, including penal consultant, prisoner rights advocate, dairy farmer, legislative aide, town tax assessor and building inspector, veteran's advocate, and small businessman.
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Since 1986, Brian Willson has studied on-site policies in a number of countries, among them Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba, Haiti, Iraq, Israel, Japan, and Korea, both North and South.
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Brian Willson has participated in lengthy fasts, actions of nonviolent civil disobedience, and tax refusal along with voluntary simplicity.
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Brian Willson was prisoner rights aide to Massachusetts State Senator Jack Backman, served on Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis' homeless veterans and Agent Orange task forces, and worked with Massachusetts Lt.
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Three days after Brian Willson lost his legs over 10,000 people gathered for a non-violent gathering in support of Brian Willson, and against arms shipments to Central America.
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The train crew filed a lawsuit against Brian Willson, requesting punitive damages for the "humiliation, mental anguish, and physical stress" they suffered as a result of the incident, which was dismissed.
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US District Judge Robert Peckham said Brian Willson did not plan to cause the railroad workers any distress, because he assumed the train would stop before hitting him.
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Brian Willson agreed in 1990 to settle his lawsuit against the government and train crew for $920,000.
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In 1988, a documentary, The Healing of Brian Willson was produced by Idanha Films.
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In 2016, a documentary, Paying the Price For Peace: The Story of S Brian Willson was produced and directed by filmmaker Bo Boudart.
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Brian Willson is the recipient of many awards for his peace and justice activities, and was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award at the Kennedy Library and Museum on September 26,1992.