Inspired by a Veteran for Peace

[babylonsister]

Inspired by a Veteran for Peace
Submitted by davidswanson on Tue, 2008-01-15 20:01. Nonviolent Resistance

By Joy First


On September 20, 2007 I was arrested in the crypt of the US Capitol with 33 others calling attention to the pain and suffering of the war and occupation of Iraq. We were wearing blood spattered t-shirts and called out the name of an Iraqi or US soldier who had been killed in the immoral and illegal war in Iraq that we are all in complicity. One by one we dropped to the floor while calling out the names.

That same day Mike Ferner and Linda Wiener were arrested in the House Gallery. They stood and loudly called for an end to the suffering in Iraq, an end to governmental funding. Mike was held overnight at that action, arraigned the next day and scheduled for a trial after pleading not guilty.

Today, my first of nine days in DC as I come to participate in the Witness Against Torture Action tomorrow and to be here for my own trial on January 16th resulting from the September 20 action, I sat in a courtroom while the verdict for Mike was read.

I was surprised that a jury of his peers found Mike guilty. I have had several bench trials and almost expect that a judge will find us guilty as we speak out against the war and occupation of Iraq. However, I had a jury trial with six others in July and we had such a positive response from the jury, that I expect juries to find peace activists not guilty. In fact, after our trial in July, one juror told us that it didn’t matter how long it took, but he planned to hold out for a not guilty verdict for us no matter what.

After the verdict was read, Mike and his attorney went out in the hallway before sentencing so they could have a chance to talk to the jurors. They had the opportunity to talk to about eight or so of the jurors and many of them said they really liked Mike, that they agreed with what he was doing, but that they just had to find him guilty because their job was to follow the law.

HOW CAN WE HAVE A WAR CRIMINAL SITTING IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND THEN CONVICT SOMEONE LIKE MIKE FOR, AS HE SAID, SOUNDING THE ALARM?


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http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/30134

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

1. In a country driven by greed and deceit, these are confusing times.

The rule of law is vitally important to ANY democracy. However, where the leadership violates laws, imposes ambiguous excuses/rationalizations IN ADDITION to enacting laws oppressing basic freedoms,...situations such as Mike's seem confusing.

The only answer I see to avoid complete ruin of democracy is ABSOLUTE enforcement of law against those in authority with all resources necessary to CLEAN THE HOUSE. I believe "trickle-down" law policy will work far better than "trickle-down" economics (if ya' know what I mean)!