[Peace-discuss] Drone Protesters Acquitted in New York Court (!)

[Stuart Levy]

Published on Thursday, October 31, 2013 by Common Dreams 
<http://www.commondreams.org>


    Drone Protesters Acquitted in New York Court

by Rev. John Dear <http://www.commondreams.org/john-dear>


"On Thursday, a Syracuse, New York judge acquitted five Catholic 
activists of a disorderly conduct charge for blocking the entrance to 
Hancock Air Force Base [...] a regional headquarters of the U.S. Reaper 
drones where technicians pilot the drones over Afghanistan."

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/10/31-6


...

"Drones violate and destroy international law and international order," 
Carmen told the court. "We've been continually lied to about the people 
we have killed, the civilians we have killed, and the militants we have 
killed. The U.S. believes it is waging a full scale war against the 
Taliban in Yemen, and it's being done in secrecy, but it's totally illegal."

At one point, the pro se defendants questioned the police officer who 
arrested them and asked him if he had taken an oath to uphold the 
Constitution. Of course, he said. Was he aware of Article 6, which 
speaks of upholding all U.S. treaties, including international law? No, 
the officer said. "It's sad that we don't know Article 6 or uphold it," 
they told the judge later. "Maybe we should know it, maybe the police 
should know it, maybe we all need to step up to the plate and learn 
about it if we are going to live in a democratic society," Carmen said, 
repeating what they told the judge. "The alternative is a national 
security state."

...

"I want to send them to jail," the judge told the packed courtroom while 
rendering his verdict, "but I just don't see /mens rea/." He was 
referring to the Latin legal term for "guilty mind." In other words, the 
judge agreed that the five defendants intended to uphold, not break, the 
law, that they were not guilty of any crime, especially in the face of 
U.S. criminal activity through these illegal drone attacks.

The nonviolent direct action of the five defendants and the judge's 
ruling of their innocence are a sign of hope for all who care for peace, 
but especially for young Malala, friends in the Afghan Peace Volunteers 
and all children terrorized by war and our drone strikes.

May this Ash Wednesday witness and their acquittal inspire all of us to 
speak out like young Malala against these illegal and impractical wars 
and weapons, that we might finally learn to institutionalize nonviolent 
conflict resolution and welcome a new world of peace.

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