News Release
December 9, 2010
For Immediate Release
Disarm Now Plowshares trial day 3
Tacoma, Washington, Wednesday, December 9, 2010
the trial of the Disarm Now Plowshares went into its third day with
the prosecution resting and the defense making its case.
The government’s line of questioning continued to document the damage
and the associated financial costs to its facilities and fences at
Strategic Weapons Facility, Pacific (SWFPAC).
In cross examination both Susan Crane and Bill Bichsel introduced
situations in which fences are illegal. Crane said to Jason Stark who
was in charge of repairing the SWFPAC fence alarm system, “I was
thinking in
around them.” She asked Stark how he would feel about taking care of
fences like that.
Anne Montgomery , RSCJ, invited the jury and all present in the
courtroom to join in community to abolish nuclear weapons. “We felt
that we could show a way for people who feel isolated and helpless,
show that we are vulnerable too, we are afraid, but we had hope,
walked through that to find freedom from the prison of fear and
isolation.”
The first defense witness was Scottish Trident Ploughshares activist
Angie Zelter, who has been acquitted for Ploughshares actions in
defendants share a sense of urgency about nuclear weapons, she
answered, “Yes. We have had conversations about the number of
accidents and how nuclear weapons are proliferating. The
on them themselves. Yes, it felt very urgent.”
The next witness was Steven Leeper, Chairman of the
Culture Foundation. When asked if he had encouraged the Disarm Now
Plowshares defendants in any way he said, “Yes, I told them, ‘Yes, do
anything you possibly can to bring this to the consciousness of the
world, because Americans more than any other people in the world are
unconscious of what’s going on.’ ”
Captain Tom Rogers, Retired, is a 31 year career naval officer who
commanded nuclear submarines for three years during the Cold War. He
said that if he as commander was ever ordered to launch strategic
nuclear missiles, this would be contrary to what he knows of the laws
of armed conflict, which state that a commander is responsible for
following the rules of humanitarian law. “That commanding officer is
powerless, and that’s an awful feeling.”
Dr. David Hall is board member and former President of the
State Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. When asked his
impression of Disarm Now Plowshares Hall said, “I’m very impressed
with the humanitarian core of your motive.” When asked what his
understanding of what those core beliefs are he answered, “Life is
sacred… above all else, do no harm.”
Michael Honey holds the Fred T. and Dorothy G. Haley Endowed
Professorship in the Humanities at the
“He doesn’t let silence prevail. Injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere. You must speak out. The whole history of social
justice is built on that.”
Each night after trial there has been a potluck gathering with the
members of Disarm Now Plowshares and distinguished speakers.
Tonight’s speaker was Anabel Dwyer, Member of the Board of Directors
of the Lawyers’ Committee on Nuclear Policy and pro-bono advisory
legal counsel to Disarm Now Plowshares. In her talk she said that no
one has the authority to commission, build, deploy, or use weapons of
mass destruction. Members of Disarm Now Plowshares are exposing war
crimes committed at
criminals.
Tomorrow Disarm Now Plowshares continues to present its case.
Updates and more at http://disarmnowplowshares.wordpress.com/
Contact
Media & Outreach Coordinator
subversivepeacemaking@comcast.net
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