Plot

12 Hours Of Terror Inspired A Lifetime of Peace: On a frigid day in 1982, a struggling Jewish WWII veteran became the first domestic terrorist to target the nation's capital. In the process he would inspire the longest running public protest against US foreign policy (the grandparents to the 'Occupy' movement).—Anonymous

"Oracles of Pennsylvania Avenue" is a feature-length documentary which tells the story of three insanely persistent individuals, their twenty-five year (24/7) peace vigil in front of the White House, and of the man named Norman Mayer (who has been called one of the first domestic terrorist in the US) who ironically inspired them to fight for world peace. It is also the story of the unique political and cultural resonance of this obstinate group-from being the inspiration for a popular punk band of the 1980s, to tangentially helping to elect President Clinton, to feeding hundreds of D.C. area homeless people each week, and finally to being a group which has introduced an anti-nuclear bill into Congress for the last decade and a half.

Neighbors to five sitting U.S. Presidents, these tenacious hangers-on have endured police brutality, vicious weather, Supreme Court battles, and their own internal struggles in order to maintain one of the longest standing protests against nuclear weapons and U.S. foreign policy ever staged in America. The three protesters (Thomas, Ellen and Connie) have been called crazy by many, and the vigil itself has been called an aesthetic blight on the stately beauty of the nation's most important residence. Yet, they have an international following which sends them both well wishes, and often times large delegations of visitors. And far from merely sitting still for twenty-five years, the vigilers have traveled to speak before the World Court at The Hague, and to confer with peace groups in Japan. They have also garnered citations from the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

What goes into making a person who will set aside societal expectations of "success" and living the "good life", in favor of a twenty-five year long street vigil to rid the world of nuclear weapons? What in their back-stories led them to do what they are doing? And what are their expectations for the future? These are some of the themes that "Oracles" explores.

The cast includes former Clinton Senior Presidential advisor George Stephanopoulos, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Helen Caldicott, and an amazing editorial by Bill Moyers.

This film was featured on Al Jazeera International's documentary strand "Al Jazeera World" and was screened world-wide for three years on Al Jazeera Network of channels. The film also won many film festival awards including "Best Director of A Feature Documentary" at the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival, "Best Director of a Feature Documentary" at the Silent River Film Festival in Beverly Hills California, and "Best Feature Documentary" at the Daytona Beach International Film Festival. The film was also an official selection at nearly two dozen international film festivals including The Harlem International Film Festival, the Louisville International Film Festival, The Cincinnati Film Festival, the Red Dirt International Film Festival, and the 17th Annual Arpa International Festival.