Peace-Loving Nuns Face 5-8 Yrs. In Prison

[G_j]

Peace-loving_Nuns_Have_Become_Cause_Célèbre
http://commondreams.org/views03/0724-06.htm
 
We like to think of ourselves as a just nation. So if you want to hold onto that thought, you might want to stop reading here.
Because today, we go to church, where we can go to school on real injustice.

Our story today is of the three nuclear nuns, who, in the name of peace and in the name of Jesus, committed this crime at a Minuteman III site in northeastern Colorado: They cut a chain-link fence; they banged a missile silo with a hammer; they poured some of their own blood on the silo; they waited in their hazmat suits to be taken away.

And if your government has its way, the nuns, who have dedicated their lives to saving the lives of others, will spend the next five to eight years in federal prison.

Sentencing is set for Friday. Protests are set at 49 nuclear silos statewide for Saturday.

I know what you're thinking, that I must not be telling the entire story.
...more..

[Muddleoftheroad]

1. Not at all

I don't find anything wrong with the story. They knew the risks and went and attacked a nuclear missile silo in an era of heightened security.

[G_j]

2. they surely did know the risks

and were willing to take the consequences.

"In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law ... That would lead to anarchy. An individual who breaks a law that his conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

[thom1102]

3. Well,

Then they deserve to spend 5-8 years in jail, and there should be no outcry.

[G_j]

4. no the outcry

that the nuns hope to inspire is against the criminality of the weapons.

..."willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice"..

[SemperEadem]

41. misguided...

"that the nuns hope to inspire is against the criminality of the weapons":

people of all stripes have been doing that for the past 40 years and it hasn't brought a halt or even a slowdown to the production of nuclear weapons yet...

the fact isn't that they dinged a missile with a small, itty-bitty little hammer and sprinkled their blood on a missile---the fact is it's against the law to tresspass and deface property that does not belong to you, especially government property... they're lucky they didn't get shot as tresspassers!

[G_j]

42. people have tried

to feed the hungry for ages, there are now more hungry people than ever in the world. Were there efforts in vain? These folks did what they did because they followed their conscience.

And we're ALL lucky they didn't get shot.

[G_j]

5. and I neglected to point out

your use of the word "deserve" sends up some red flags for me.
5 to 8 years may be the law and the nuns were certainly aware and prepared for that, but if you think they actually deserve to spend that many years in a federal prison then I have to question where you are coming from.

BTW, The only two responses to this thread seem fairly heartless. Whats up with that?

[JohnKleeb]

6. dunno but I agree with the nuns message

Its better to destroy those weapons than to use them. People like these nuns are why I think we should realize that the Catholic Church is not evil and has plenty of admirable qualities.

[Muddleoftheroad]

7. Heartless

Well, I am not trying to be heartless, but I think what they did was foolhardy, even if they meant well.

Personally, I might give them the minimum, but we still need to make it clear what they did is dangerous and wrong.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[G_j]

12. thank you for

putting a human face on these individuals.
If I had one ounce of their courage, I'd be proud.
A good friend of mine went to federal prison for 6 months for "crossing the line" at the School Of The Americas. They are my heroes.

[5thGenDemocrat]

17. As a Catholic kid (how else do you think I knew them?)

I submit that these women represent the finest morals and ethics that the RCC has to offer. I don't have an ounce of their courage -- but I'm proud just to know them, and I (and others) will be sending them whatever aid we can.
In all their years protesting WMD (going back to at least the mid-seventies) the women have always been treated with respect -- whether from the Air Force officers who arrested them during numerous protests at the now-defunct Wurtsmith AFB or from the sentencing judges, or from the thousands of folks out here in mid-Michigan who love them (me included).
This shows just how insidious and fascist this country has become -- both in the Dopey White House and in the mouth-breathers here who would in any way justify a 5 to 8 year sentence for what is, after all, an exercise in First Amendment rights (and this IS a protected political speech issue -- just as burning a flag is).
John
Muddle, you don't know these women. I do (well, two of them, anyhow). You should really stop talking like such a boob.

[DeathvadeR]

34. agreed...

Warheads have a series of security measures in place to eleminate an accidental reaction. You can damn near blow it up and if certain components weren't in place the warhead would never go off.

These nuns will go down in my book as peacful warriors. The story makes me proud and sad at the same time. They give me courage.

And for the people that have no compasion in this thread. What have you done lately to furture change? Everyone is so fuqin worried and scared these days to even speak about how they feel and these nuns are trying to dismantle a nuclear warhead. I appluad their efforts!!!

sisters at work, while we sit on our ass.
<>

[thom1102]

45. listen,

Laws exist for the protection of people and property, generally. If you violate those laws, even if the reason for violating those laws is a noble one, you deserve to serve the appropriate time in prison. Are any of these nuns experienced with nuclear or rocket science? Then how did they know that they weren't damaging the missile at a sensitive part of the missle, endangering the people on the base and the people in the surrounding area. Part of having the "courage of (your) convictions" is accepting the responsibility of your actions. They trespassed on a federal military facility, vandalized a piece of government property, and potentially endangered uncounted innocents with their recklessness. They deserve to suffer the consequences of their actions.

You may choose to see these nuns as different from a bunch of teens who would have done the same thing as part of some acceptance ritual, but I do not. Their message may be a socially responsible, but their actions are criminal, and should be treated as such.

[G_j]

11. perhaps harsh

for your post, if you are not heartless, ..

What I did notice was nobody had mentioned WHY they did what they did. These are WMD we are talking about. The US just killed thousands of people (supposedly) over WMD that it seems didn't even exist. Now here we have Nuns who we send to prison for attempting to disarm a few WMD within completely nonviolent guidelines. Yea I know, "national security" etc. But, there is something seriously wrong here. What is says to me is that we live in completely ammoral and hypocritical time.

[thom1102]

47. Non violence?

They wielded a hammer on this missle. They could have incidentally puntured a fuel line, incinerating themselves and endangering the people who would have had to fight such a fire. They are at least guilty of poor judgement, if not criminal trespassing, vandalism, and breaching national security.

[burrowowl]

54. They

tapped on the missile silo cover. Do you know how much these concrete steel covers weigh? Tons and a ball peen hammer is not going to do a damn thing to ever if were wheiled by Babe the Blue Ox's owner.
The soldiers did more damage breaking down the fence to arrest the nuns. Typically SWAT mentality overreactions.

[thom1102]

56. How did the soldiers know who they were and what they

were doing? Let me ask you, if a group of atheists broke into a Catholic church and spray painted "CHILD MOLESTOR" on the altar, then peacefully put down their paint cans and surrendered to authorities, would you be protesting for these activists if they were facing sentences of 5-8 years for criminal trespassing, destruction of private properties, vandalism, and hate crimes violations? How is this any different?

[Tinoire]

27. Minimum for the nuns? How long to you propose we give

Minimum for the nuns? How long to you propose we give Bush, the neo-cons who pushed for this war, the Democrats who pushed for it, the Democrats who enabled it, the Israelis who rushed over with the little lists of which countries we should bomb, and Ra´anan Gissin, senior adviser to Sharon who proclaimed that "We´ve been fighting a war for the past 18 months, which is the harbinger of World War III. The world is going to fight, whether they like it or not"... ?????

http://66.242.35.139/news/item.php?keyid=2934&page=1

HOW MUCH DO THEY GET?

Who's making it clear to them that what THEY have done is dangerous, OBCENE, ILLEGAL (added at the request of StopThief in post 29) immoral and wrong?

[StopThief]

29. You left out the only word that matters:

Illegal.

[G_j]

31. each to their own

I understand from your post that that is all that matters to you in this case.
Some of us think the welfare of humanity matters also.

[Tinoire]

36. Thanks, I edited my post at your suggestion.

May all those men rot in hell for their illegal activities.

Thank you for the suggestion; I knew the day would come when we could agree on something.

[G_j]

38. wohooo

:-) :toast: :-)

[ElsewheresDaughter]

10. it is OUTRAGEOUS!!!! women of peace and social justice 5/8 years!

G_j you're correct about "red flags" i suppose they believe Jesus deserved his death too...

[Forkboy]

55. lots of heartlessness on DU lately

not hard to guess where they're coming from.

[DUreader]

19. WOW Another provocative heartfelt comment, turning liberals to 'centrists'

deep

[bunnyhop]

8. I can just hear the freeps now

"Hey man - if you don't want to go to prison don't break the law." Then they hop in their SUV while drunk and drive 90 mph and kill someone and say "hey man - I'm not a criminal. It was an accident".

[thom1102]

48. I am no freeper, I am no drunk,

I have never driven drunk, and I feel very strongly that if you break the law, even a bad one, you go to jail, and deserve to. If you allow people to be exceptions to the law, then where does it end? The nuns themselves knew what they were in for, and are willing to accept the consequences, so what is the problem here?

[Tinoire]

13. Great for these nuns! KUDOS!

<snip>

Dressed in white mop-up suits, with "Citizens Weapons Inspection Team" printed on the back and "Disarmament Specialists" on the front, Dominican Sisters Ardeth Platte, Carol Gilbert and Jackie Hudson entered Minuteman III silo N-8 near Greeley, Colo., on Oct. 6, the anniversary of the bombing of Afghanistan.
They cut single links in the chains securing the gates in the outer and inner fences surrounding the silo. They left the gates open and peeled back a section of the fence, opening it to reveal the presence of a weapon of mass destruction.

<snip>

The nuns were arrested, jailed, charged and convicted of obstructing the national defense, which is listed under sabotage, and destruction of government property - felonies that carry up to 30 years in federal prison. They refused an offer of personal recognizance, knowing that they could not in conscience abide by conditions of their release (which forbid civil resistance) as this nation prepared to mount another war.

<snip>

From media interviews with jurors after the verdict, it was clear that jurors understood that the nuns had done something wrong and that they were required to bring back a guilty verdict. The jury had no sense of the seriousness of the charges. Federal sentencing guidelines require that the judge sentence them to between 72 and 97 months in prison.

Sister Platte, who represented herself, said in her closing argument: "Sister Carol and I left Jonah House Community in Baltimore, where we feed hundreds, where we grow food to share with those in need. We carried tools that were not threatening, in obedience to the Biblical mandate: 'They shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not pick up swords against nation, nor train for war anymore.' We are all brothers and sisters. When, we ask, are we going to practice this?"

<snip>

http://www.sunspot.net/bal-op.protest06jul06,0,1970427.story

[G_j]

14. and I know they aren't the only

peace activist Nuns in federal prison right now, neither are they the first, nor will we be the last.

[JohnKleeb]

16. This is why we defend the church Tiniore

Seriously these nuns have the right cause. They are in jail for that long well that sucks. They'll keep on fighting. These nuns are one of the reasons why I stay Catholic. I've been told that the church is big protesting the school of the americas I've heard some bad stories from people about that.

[G_j]

18. I've been to Fort Benning

with SOA watch, www.soawatch.org The tradition of non-violent civil disobedience is solemn and powerful. Every year many go to prison for crossing onto the base.

on edit, The SOA Watch was started by a Catholic priest. IMO, these Catholic activists embody the teachings of Christ.
------------------------------------------------
Chronology of SOA Prisoners of Conscience

1983 - 1990 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002

The many who have been arrested protesting the School Of The Americas.
http://www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=540#Linda

[Tinoire]

22. I am proud of them ! Too proud of the millions of GOOD people

in the Church to fall for that "one bad apple spoils the whole bunch" line. I will never abandon my religion. I am so proud of its teachings on social justice and so proud of the many people who have given up their secular lives and dedicated them to following the teachings of Christ. If this isn't an act of love, I don't know what is!

Proud of all the Christians, Jews, Muslims, Wiccans, atheists, agnostics- can I just shorten it and say people, who take a stand against evil.

Anyone doing less than giving these nuns 100% is condoning evil and the fascist chains that prevent America from becoming a civilized nation. This was not our path! Our path was to be a beacon, a light among nations and we have sadly drifted so far off course that it will take a miracle to correct this.

I am so proud of these nuns! So proud of the nuns tortured in Columbia for standing up for the peasants against the evils of globalization. Nuns and priests are being shot constantly for standing up for the people. I am so proud of them. So proud of the good portion of humanity that stands up and says NO regardless of their religion (or lack thereof).

Peace!

And keep on trucking! May more nuns, more people follow suite!

We should protest their arrest. I'm going to send something to International Answer--- the US government needs to be SHAMED!


On edit. Pax vobiscum. Pax nobiscum!

[G_j]

25. Philip Berrigan

http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0%2C3604%2C858240%2C00.html

Philip Berrigan

Former priest and American peace activist whose radical anti-war campaigns repeatedly landed him in jail

Christopher Reed
Thursday December 12, 2002
The Guardian

After finishing his last prison sentence almost exactly a year ago, septuagenarian Philip Berrigan ruefully admitted that doing time was "really a younger person's job". Yet up to the last Berrigan, who has died of cancer aged 79, was still proselytising for peace.
In a statement issued through his wife Elizabeth McAlister on the US Thanksgiving Day holiday at the end of November, the former priest said: "I die with the conviction, held since 1968 ... that nuclear weapons are the scourge of the Earth."

Philip was one half of the famous and militant Roman Catholic Berrigan brothers - Father Daniel Berrigan was the other - who waged a ceaseless campaign against the Vietnam war and were frequently seen on television and in the newspapers being carted off to jail. Philip spent one third of the last three decades behind bars for numerous acts of civil disobedience and estimated his arrests at more than 100
...more..

[Tinoire]

30. Rest in peace. Good bless all the activists of peace & justice! n/t

[thom1102]

51. You are certainly entitled to your opinion,

but mine is that these nuns violated the laws of the US Government, the US Government took the appropriate action to ensure that other people don't take these nuns actions any further, putting other peoples lives in danger. The nuns did what they felt the had to do, and the US Government did what they were obligated to do.

[CheshireCat]

15. Brave Sisters

I hope that these brave sisters get the minimum sentence.

Civil disobedience is necessary to bring about change. Ghandi and King knew this.

Yes, there are usually consequences for civil disobedience, but let the punishment fit the crime. 5-8 years is WAY out of line.

[thom1102]

52. When the maximum is

30 years? I think 5-8 is appropriate.

[Tinoire]

20. Hang our heads in shame!!!

These nuns nonviolently exposed ongoing U.S. attempts and threats to commit war crimes and genocide with the Minuteman III, N-8; they are heroes!


The Minuteman III in silo N-8 is a weapon that is illegal under international law. Its use would kill combatants and noncombatants indiscriminately. It would poison the Earth for generations. The nuns believe disarmament is essential, and that even the threat to use nuclear weapons is illegal. They acted to try to stop an ongoing crime. http://www.rmpjc.org/2003/ActOfPeace.html

threat or use of such a weapon is grossly immoral and politically, economically and environmentally suicidal.



Let's keep our eyes closed and pretend they are not there.

WMDs... right here in River City!!!!

******************************************************************

If acquittal is not granted, a new trial or mistrial must occur.

1. Our Constitution requires presumption of innocence of defendants not presumption of innocence of the threat or use of the Minuteman III, N-8. Yet, the Court prohibited any defense argument and thus made crimes which require proof beyond a reasonable doubt of specific criminal intent into strict liability crimes.

2. While the Court prohibited political arguments in his court of law, the Prosecutor argued his political conclusion that our nuclear weapons are good and necessary based on evidence not brought. Then the Court instructed the jury to ignore any of the Nuns' evidence that any threat or use of the Minuteman III, N-8 is illegal and criminal under binding US and international law.

3. Under our Constitution, the Courts say what the law is, but they cannot ignore or misconstrue directly relevant and binding law, the laws prohibiting attempts, threats and conspiracy to commit war crimes and genocide.

4. Undisputed facts of the Minuteman III, N-8, that the jury was not permitted to consider, clearly show that the heat, blast and radiation is 20 times the Hiroshima bomb, any threat or use is, ipso facto, a war crime or genocide as defined in the U.S. criminal code. Further facts show that the US now intends and is prepared to use this weapon in pre-emptive attack against a range of "rogue states" in violation of numerous treaties of the United States. Obligations for nuclear disarmament and prohibitions against threat or commission of war crimes and genocide are not as the prosecutor claims "rejected philosophy of self-proclaimed international law gurus" or as the court claims of "principal mavens." If our courts no longer have to take cognizance of the United States criminal code, the Constitution, the United Nations Charter and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the rules and principles of humanitarian law, the peremptory and well defined laws of war, then we are no longer a nation of laws.

5. The Prosecutor and Court relied on their hidden experts' conclusions regarding the content and application of the laws of war in this case but Defendants were deprived of their Sixth Amendment right to be confronted with the witnesses against them.

6. The Nuns exposed a weapon of mass destruction whose use or threat blatantly ignores both international and US law. Then the Nuns, messengers of bad tidings, were arrested for felonies whose property element is a weapon of mass destruction. The Prosecutor brings criminal charges and then the court agrees that the Defendants have no standing to raise the directly relevant law? Come on folks, you really can't believe that the US can do no wrong and that we as free citizens may or can do nothing about it anyway?


7. The Nuns intended to point out and expose in a highly measured and non-violent way, clear violations of our own binding law by the US. This may be shocking to some people but in our democracy it is most certainly not a felony. The law is what we the people have agreed it is and at least on October 6, 2002, we did not agree that US and international law permitted anyone, including us, any threat or use of a hideous and indiscriminate weapon like the Minuteman III, N-8.
http://www.grdominicans.org/SocialJustice/PromoterJustice/SESP/AnabelDwyer.asp

[G_j]

21. thank you Tinoire

excellent post!

[JohnKleeb]

26. yes tiniore excelllent

Sigh another weapon used with money we should be using for good not for weapons. I dont know about you all but I think the war on poverty should be a higher priority to congress than war with a country we disagree with. Sigh tax dollars should be used different and people wonder why I support "no chance" Kucinich because the guy wants to avoid all unneeded wars and for that I am honored to be a Kucinich supporter.

[Tinoire]

33. If there were money to be made in the war on poverty-

we would have started it long ago... The food-stamp cutting Republicans and DLC would have been the first in line!


"When I fed the poor, they called me a saint. When I asked why are they poor, they called me a communist."


-Dom Helder Camara, Brazilian archbishop, Propaganda and the
Public Mind (aka the Red Bishop)

http://library.trinity.wa.edu.au/camp/hands/christians/camara.htm
http://www.nbfoodnotbombs.org/quotes/

[JohnKleeb]

35. I love that quote by the archbishop

Let us feed the poor and make sure everyone can live a life without poverty and struggle.

[Tinoire]

37. Hence

my vote for Kucinich!

Peace!

May we all see the coming of the Department of Peace!

[JohnKleeb]

39. yep

seriously I see a bit of the want for economic justice that you see the long dead democrats of yesterday and the social liberal of today. He represents everyone you know. Hear hes working on something for the farmers. Heres the dream I would want and I think it would be received well here
Wellstone/Kucinich can you imagine that I would campaign my ass off for that its hard to find things for Kucinich but I think Wellstone/Kucinich would be a dream come true too bad what happened happened because I know Paul would be on the frontline against Bush.

[G_j]

40. even a Republican

once seemed to get it.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."

President Dwight D. Eisenhower
April 16, 1953

[JohnKleeb]

50. Well G_j Ike was different

I'd prefer Adlai Stevenson any day but Ike if he ran against Lieberman or someone like that I gotta like Ike. He could have ran as a dem and won it didnt matter really.

[Tinoire]

28. lol...

More of a creative cut and paste job :) but thanks...


This is soooo obscene. Don't people see the hyposcrisy of going all the way to Eye-rak for weapons that don't even exist yet imprisoning two nuns for exposing the beam in our own back yard?

Hypocrites, why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's
eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

[thom1102]

53. And totally irrelevant for the crimes they are charged with.

.

[imix]

23. the government values its missiles

more than it values human life.

[MrPrax]

24. The Nuremburg Protocols would be the perfect defense

It has been used a few times by anti-nuke facing charges...NY, Illnois, Scotland...widely recognized and hard to argue against unless you want to unravel the whole ball of wax and suggest that 'crimes against humanity' are justifiable.
No other use for a nuke other than mass civillian killing and as such it is the duty of anyone, regardless of the Law (which is illegal in this case) to obey Conscience.

[slackmaster]

32. Maybe it was their accoutrements

[Tinoire]

43. Prison Address

Prison Address
Please write to:

Carol Gilbert
Jackie Hudson
Ardeth Platte
Clear Creek County Jail
P.O. Box 518,
Georgetown,
CO 80444



Catholic nuns Ardeth Platte, left, Carol Gilbert and Jackie Hudson were arrested at gunpoint Oct. 6 after they used bolt cutters to enter a fenced Minuteman missile site. (Photo: Bill Sulzman)

[Liberator_Rev]

49. Can you provide a better, larger picture, Tinoire?

Thanks, Tinoire, for the picture, but the size and quality don't do these heroic ladies justice.

And thanks for the address. I plan to write them today.

[Tinoire]

57. Cool! Found you a few good ones. Hope this helps!

Thanks so much for your thoughfulness in writing! I'm know they'll be touched by your letter of support :)


Wearing jumpsuits with the acronym CWIT - standing for Citizen Witness Inspection Team - the nuns enter the missile site. They were arrested 44 minutes later.
(Photo/Jonah House)



The three nuns enter the site of a nuclear missile silo in Weld County on Oct. 6.
(Photo Courtesy Of Jonah House)


Sister Ardeth Platte, O.P., 66 - talks about the things she will do before going to jail as Sister Jackie Hudson, O.P., and Sister Carol Gilbert, O.P., look on during an interview in Denver, Tuesday, May 12, 2003.


Sacred Earth And Space Plowshares II
"They shall beat their swords into plowshares..." Isaiah 2:4


Sisters posing for a photo shortly before their Peace Action.


One of their posters

[G_j]

58. wow, thanks! n/t

[Tinoire]

59. Always a pleasure to help out plus I know Liberator Rev

must be planing something really cool!

[G_j]

44. Nuns sentenced

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-2952039,00.html

Anti-War Nuns Sentenced to 2 1/2 Years

Friday July 25, 2003 10:49 PM


By JUDITH KOHLER

Associated Press Writer

DENVER (AP) - Calling them ``dangerously irresponsible,'' a federal judge sentenced three nuns to at least 2 years in prison Friday for vandalizing a nuclear missile silo during an anti-war protest last fall.

Despite his strong words, U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn gave the women less than the six-year minimum called for under sentencing guidelines.

Jackie Hudson was sentenced to 2 years, Carol Gilbert to two years, nine months, and Ardeth Platte to three years, five months.

..more..
----------------
story also in LBN

[Composed Thinker]

46. I read

I read about that in The Times today, in a little blurb in the national section. This is the first that I've heard of it, but the entire story sounds a little creepy.