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| Fifth Column |
| Nun is preparing for prison after breaking into nuclear-missile site |
| 2003-06-16 |
| Another "Great Moment in Catholicism"... These days, Sister Jackie Hudson is packing away her things in her Bremerton home, visiting friends to say thank you and goodbye. She is preparing for prison. Susan Sarandon. Could this role be your next Oscar nomination? Last October, Sister Hudson, 68, and two fellow Dominican nuns cut down part of a fence at a nuclear missile silo in Colorado, painted crosses on the silo cover with their own blood, and hammered the cover and railroad tracks leading to the silo hatch. It was similar to actions they'd taken before — spray-painting a bunker at a Michigan Air Force base, hammering on a fighter jet and pouring blood on a satellite dish at an air show in Colorado. It was, Sister Hudson said, a symbolic act to "point out and expose the crime of our government" in storing nuclear weapons. Looks like it might be time for the good sisters to do some chilling out in the the Federal hoosgow. The government — and a federal jury — saw it differently. After six months in jail awaiting trial, Sister Hudson, Sister Carol Gilbert, 55, and Sister Ardeth Platte, 67, both of Baltimore, were convicted in April. A federal-court jury in Denver found them guilty of two felonies — damaging government property and obstructing national defense, crimes that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years. The three nuns will return to Denver for sentencing July 25. Prosecutors are asking for five to eight years. "These were highly sensitive government installations," said Jeff Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver. "They've shown blatant disregard for the laws. Because of that blatant disregard and their prior histories, they're facing a fair amount of prison time." Looks like the government has lost it's sense of humor lately, eh, sisters? But others have taken up the nuns' cause, saying their convictions were the result of patriotic fervor spawned by the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, and the recent war with Iraq. Their story has garnered national media attention and letters from around the world. "Individual citizens have a right to call their government to accountability" for crimes against humanity, Sister Hudson believes. Yep, everybody's a bunch of patriotic crimes against humanity facists now. Except for the good sisters. Must be that Evil Bush again. Her small house in Bremerton has been home since she came in 1993 to work with the Poulsbo-based Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, an anti-nuclear-weapons group. Small wood plaques with the words "resist" and "action" adorn the walls; a black bracelet with "Free Jackie" spelled out in rhinestones (a gift from a friend) rests on a bathroom counter. On a recent day she wore a small cross over a T-shirt emblazoned with the word "Truth," a biblical quote — "You will learn the truth and the truth shall make you free" — and the statement: "Warning: Truth seeking may be hazardous to your religious denomination." Who gave you that one? Bernie Law? Several decades ago she was living in a convent and was a music teacher in Grand Rapids, Mich. Then the vast changes of Vatican II and the civil-rights movement of the 1960s and '70s spurred Sister Hudson to become an activist for civil rights and farmworkers issues. At a religious retreat in Michigan in the 1980s, she came to believe that Christianity had lost its sense of Christ having come to Earth to "change the economic, political and religious structures of the day. He put people before the law," she said. Inspired by the words of another Dominican nun to "live the rest of our lives in the best of the struggles," Sister Hudson took up the fight against nuclear arms. She can't remember how many times she's been arrested but she's been in jail about five times, once for eight months. Remember when nuns used to be just... nuns? The three nuns work with Plowshares, an international anti-war movement. Basing their actions on the biblical injunction to "beat swords into plowshares," Plowshares activists typically demonstrate at military installations using hammers and blood. On the morning of Oct. 6, the three nuns, dressed in white inspection suits bearing the initials CWIT (standing for Citizens Weapons Inspection Team), clipped a link in a chain locked onto a fence surrounding a Minuteman III missile silo in northeastern Colorado. They then cut down three sections of a fence to symbolically "expose (the site) to the world and invite people to bear witness," Sister Hudson said. If I'm on that Security detail after 9/11 and I come upon 3 folks screwing around near a nuke, the only thing people would be bearing witness to would be three bullet riddled nuns. They poured their own blood, stored in baby bottles, to form large crosses on the walls of the silo. Using ball-peen hammers, they pounded on the silo cover and the railroad tracks on which the cover slides open and closed. Then they sat, knelt, sang hymns, recited Scripture and prayed. Sister Hudson said their intent that day was "not to do physical damage. It was symbolic," she said. So sending you to jail. How's that for heavy symbolism? The April convictions shocked the nuns and their attorney. "These are women of peace," said attorney Walter Gerash of Denver, who attributes the convictions at least partly to a post-Sept. 11 intolerance of government criticisms, especially in the midst of the Iraq war. "This was what you call symbolic free speech. They didn't destroy anything." Surprise, surprise, surprise!!! But Dorschner, the U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman, says that "during a time of war, during a time of heightened state of alert, an alarm goes off that the perimeter has been breached at a nuclear weapons silo. When the military responds to that alarm, they see three unknown people wearing chemical-weapons suits. Through a loudspeaker they gave instructions to the unknown individuals. Those instructions were not followed." Whistle a few rounds past their ears next time. See if that gets them to follow instructions. The five- to eight-year sentence his office is seeking is dictated by sentencing guidelines that were in place before Sept. 11. "No other country on Earth provides as many avenues for peaceful and lawful protest as does the United States," said U.S. Attorney John Suthers in a statement. Sound like another one of them patrotic fascists to me. "It is our hope that this prosecution and conviction serves as a deterrent not only to these defendants, but to others inclined to bypass peaceful and lawful means of protest to commit similar crimes." Attention all asshats! No more games! Please keep your nobility and goodness to yourselves! Thank you! Asked if she regrets her actions, Sister Hudson is defiant: "I would do it again today." ...or in 5 to 8 years, whichever comes first. She is buoyed by news that some anti-nuclear groups are planning demonstrations at missile sites around the country July 26. "They will find on July 26 that not only is the sentence not a deterrent but that it has ignited people all over this nation to be at the nuclear sites in their neighborhoods calling for an end to nuclearism." That's fine. I'm sure the Federal pens can find room for them. If not, we'll make more. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #16 The only real display of miiitary force I've seen domestically was along I-80 near Rapid City SD about 20 years ago. A convoy of semi's was accompanied by something like Humvees. .50-cal machine guns were sticking out of every available doorway, and manned. Helicopters with door mounted machine guns were flying low and slow overhead. I hate to imagine what they were transporting. |
| Posted by: Tresho 2003-06-17 09:47:28 |
| #15 3 items: OP does the term"flame broiled"come to mind. The Catholic Bishop(Phoenix Arch Dioces)acuused of obstructing justice and protecting pedophile priests,was arrested a couple of days ago for hit and run in fatal treafic accident. While taking HazMat classes(DOT packageing and transport of hazardous materials)instructor told us this story:While decomisioning the silos around Tucson,Az.,a convoy of unmarked vehicles was transporting the warheads.The convoy was stopped by DPS officers(thats State Troopers to you"Old America"states)well it seems we had 2 groups of people pointing weapons at each other,both with ample authority to use deadly force. |
| Posted by: raptor 2003-06-17 08:23:13 |
| #14 BTW, the suit will be for the Dominicans to pay the costs incurred by the taxpayers of the State of Colorado for their incarceration for the entire lenght of thier sentence, and costs to deputies and the court system. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2003-06-17 02:56:10 |
| #13 These loonies should be barred from the Dominican sisterhood. I'm Catholic, but what they are doing is NOT in the books. They are being very selective, and self-deluded. Some of us here in the Archdiocese of Denver are asking the Bishop to contact the head of their order and get clarification: are they working under the sanction of the Dominican society? If so, then we are planning to file a RICO suit agains the Dominicans for supporting and bankrolling these 3-time loser criminals. If not, then we will request that they be removed from the order. I and my fellow Catholics (especially the veretans and KoC memebers) are sick and tired of the religious orders people who wrap themselves up in The Cloth and then proceed to soil it. As for the scripture quoting, I have one for the Sisters of Stupidity: (Luke 22:36) Jesus said: "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2003-06-17 02:54:17 |
| #12 Believe it or not...I think I've had a run in with the Good Sister. Allow me to explain. Easter Sunday '84, I was a conventional weapons specialist with the 379 BMW at Wurtsmith AFB, MI. The wife and I awoke to go to church only to discover that the base was locked down. The reason was that a half dozen Catholic priests and nuns had gotten onto the base for a protest. When we finally got off the base, they were still at the main gate telling the media what heroes they were, and how they spraypainted peace slogans on a weapons bunker, then held mass in front of a B-52 on the Alert Pad. One problem - it never happened. Y'see, these Holy Dingleberries drove up from Southern Michigan that morning on their mission of peace, where the temperatures could be reasonably expected to be in the low 70's. But at Wurtsmith - 50 miles south of the 45th Parallel - the temp that morning was a lovely twenty-something, which the very lightly clad HD's didn't realize until they got there. Then, they jumped an 8-ft double razor wire fence to get onto the base, shredding what clothing they did have (they looked like they were wearing ghillie suits when I saw them)and themselves to boot. They set off the movement sensors, and the SPs went for 'em. However, as soon as they'd gotten onto the base, they proceeded to get lost in the fairly dense forest that covered about a third of the base. The SPs could track them by their crashing around in the woods trying to figure out where they were, and they finally herded them out and nailed 'em. They never got within a couple of football fields of either the Pad or the Weapons Storage Area, tho the newspapers believed every word they said, and since SAC policy was not to even admit we HAD weapons there, there was no way to rebut it. The Good Sister - even if she's not an acquaintance from long ago - deserves every minute in prison and more. But I have to admit, I like TGA's suggestion. Oh, one other thing - don't forget the idiot who laid down in front of a train carrying Trident SLBM warheads a few years ago - and then was shocked to be run over. Notice how THAT little form of civil disobedience hasn't been tried again since? Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2003-06-17 02:01:13 |
| #11 One of these days, these "activists" are going to show up, and we'll have a practice launch from a live silo. That huge concrete lid slams back against the chocks at something like 170 MPH. It weighs in at about 6 tons. Nobody should ever be caught in between the silo door and that backstop. Anybody there will become instant jelly. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-06-16 23:02:05 |
| #10 I think you should strike a deal with them. Offer them to waive prison if they go to Iran to do the same there. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2003-06-16 17:57:26 |
| #9 If they object to the US storing nukes, I'm sure that I can think of a few places to dipose of them. Haven't these idiots ever figured out that nuclear weapons were what kept the Cold War cod. Sure ain't like the nuns I had in school. |
| Posted by: Someone who did NOT vote for William Proxmire 2003-06-16 16:16:14 |
| #8 5-8 years? That isn't nearly long enough. Hit them with the 30 years without parole. Ask them if it was worth it them. |
| Posted by: Kirk 2003-06-16 16:09:54 |
| #7 These groups decided against holding the demonstrations because of teh threat of deadly force. Hmmm I think I see an answer. These plowshare people are useful idiots for the left. they are luck that the Security Police wer not trigger happy or this discussion would be moot. Nukes are a weapon of the past, but unless EVEYONE gets rid of them we need to maintain ours. Sorry sisters, but this is for your own good. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC California Chapter) 2003-06-16 14:40:15 |
| #6 I seem to recall a threatened protest/ "trespassing" this past Spring at Vandenberg AFB. The Base spokesman warned they would be met with deadly force. To this day I don't think the protest ever actually happened. The fools are starting to learn that society's patience has worn really thin |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-06-16 14:29:52 |
| #5 The nuns and thier attorney were shocked at the conviction! I'm shocked that the prosecution didn't understand that the nuns were special and therefore immmune from mundane standards. And, by "special" I dont' mean of a religious community -- I mean the same sort of "special" that self-defined activists claim whenever they are called to face the consequences of their actions. |
| Posted by: Highlander 2003-06-16 14:26:51 |
| #4 They're lucky SAC's defunct and the SP's didn't show up and just plug 'em. The signs on the fences around those things are not kidding. And SAC had NO sense of humor. |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-06-16 14:19:04 |
| #3 The only real display of miiitary force I've seen domestically was along I-80 near Rapid City SD about 20 years ago. A convoy of semi's was accompanied by something like Humvees. .50-cal machine guns were sticking out of every available doorway, and manned. Helicopters with door mounted machine guns were flying low and slow overhead. I hate to imagine what they were transporting. |
| Posted by: Tresho 6/17/2003 9:47:28 AM |
| #2 3 items: OP does the term"flame broiled"come to mind. The Catholic Bishop(Phoenix Arch Dioces)acuused of obstructing justice and protecting pedophile priests,was arrested a couple of days ago for hit and run in fatal treafic accident. While taking HazMat classes(DOT packageing and transport of hazardous materials)instructor told us this story:While decomisioning the silos around Tucson,Az.,a convoy of unmarked vehicles was transporting the warheads.The convoy was stopped by DPS officers(thats State Troopers to you"Old America"states)well it seems we had 2 groups of people pointing weapons at each other,both with ample authority to use deadly force. |
| Posted by: raptor 6/17/2003 8:23:13 AM |
| #1 BTW, the suit will be for the Dominicans to pay the costs incurred by the taxpayers of the State of Colorado for their incarceration for the entire lenght of thier sentence, and costs to deputies and the court system. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 6/17/2003 2:56:10 AM |