It's Time. - Democratic Underground

Don1

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Thu Mar-24-05 11:30 PM
Original message

It's Time.

St. Patrick's Day
March 17, 2005

Resistance to the War in Iraq
Have You Heard About the St. Patrick's Four?
By BILL QUIGLEY

"Have you heard about the St. Patrick's Four? Of course not. They aren't going to tell you about the St. Patrick's Four. The St. Patrick's Four were four people from the Catholic peace movement who, on St. Patrick's Day last year, poured their blood around at a military recruiting station in Ithaca, New York, and they were put on trial. And the jury refused to convict. It was a hung jury. So I'm hopeful about the future of this country based on the idea that people have a certain common decency and that when they learn the truth, the truth has a power that can overcome even the most sophisticated of propaganda machines that they government has and the media collaborate with."

Howard Zinn, May 8, 2004, "The Power of the People," The Progressive, May 8, 2004. This was Zinn's speech to The Progressive's 95th Anniversary Party.

...the article continues...

http://counterpunch.org/quigley03172005.html

The majority of a jury refused to convict them. The majority of Americans say it is not time to stop protesting. The majority of Americans are against the war. The majority has spoken.

We the people are the only mandate in the US. It is time for us to stand up for our fellow citizens of the world.

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jojo54

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Thu Mar-24-05 11:33 PM
Response to Original message

1. I like that

"We the people are the only mandate in the U.S."

Yeah, I lke that a lot.

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Don1

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Fri Mar-25-05 12:36 AM
Response to Reply #1

4. Thanks.

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toymachines

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Thu Mar-24-05 11:39 PM
Response to Original message

2. godbless them

and the jury

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Don1

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Fri Mar-25-05 12:16 AM
Response to Reply #2

3. Agreed.

This is the kind of act that truly represents the best of Christianity.

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FreedomAngel82

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Fri Mar-25-05 12:37 AM
Response to Original message

5. Great article

Zinn says it all. :toast:

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Don1

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Fri Mar-25-05 08:14 AM
Response to Reply #5

6. Yes.

This part is truly excellent:
"The four argued that their actions were legal because the invasion of Iraq was illegal under international law. Because the United Nations had not approved the invasion of Iraq, the invasion was a series of serious illegal acts that constitute war crimes. And, under the Nuremberg Principles of international law, individuals have international rights and duties to prevent crimes against humanity which transcend the national obligations of obedience imposed by the individual state.

They further argued that if their actions were indeed illegal, they were authorized under the defense of necessity because the harm they caused was far smaller than the harm they were trying to prevent.

They talked with the jury about Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, and the Boston Tea Party. They reminded us, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, that everything done by supporters of Hitler in Germany was legal, it was only those who tried to stop him who were violating the law."

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mattclearing

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Fri Mar-25-05 08:17 AM
Response to Reply #6

7. This should be the defense of everyone who gets arrested protesting.

Edited on Fri Mar-25-05 08:17 AM by tasteblind

Sadly, it seems protesters rarely get their day in court...it amounts to a ticket.

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Don1

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Fri Mar-25-05 08:44 AM
Response to Reply #7

10. Agreed.

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Bridget Burke

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Fri Mar-25-05 08:19 AM
Response to Original message

8. But the Federal Government has charged them--who cares about a jury?

From the linked article:

Last week the St. Patrick's Four appeared in federal court in Binghamton, New York to be charged on four federal charges arising from the exact same action.

They are now charged with federal conspiracy "by force, intimidation, and threat" to impede an officer of the United States - a felony charge that carries punishment of up to six years in prison and a $250,000 fine. They are also charged with criminal damage to property and two counts of trespass, charges punishable by up to an additional 2 years in prison.

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Don1

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Fri Mar-25-05 08:43 AM
Response to Reply #8

9. You're Right. There could be another trial.

"...federal charges arising from the exact same action."

In other words, more or less being charged with the same crime twice. Common tactic by the government to circumvent our civil rights. If they can manage a jury trial once again, they will not be found guilty. The majority of Americans believe the war is wrong. We have the mandate.

This should be a real hot issue but no one wants to put it in the spotlight. Everyone wants to talk about Schiavo.

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