Jerry Ebner - Omaha CW starts his six month prison term by reporting

"Offutt peace protester gets 6 months" by Jay Withrow, World-Herald July 25, 2013 http://www.omaha.com/article/20130725/NEWS/130729274/1694#offutt-peace-protester-gets-6-months Court Statement of Jerry Ebner at sentencing before Judge Thomas Thalken, US Federal Court Omaha, NE July 25, 2013 These are some scattered thoughts for today’s events and certainly NOT a literary essay. I apologize ahead of time if I am not brief enough. It is my hope that after these scattered thoughts we could have a conversation back and forth about the points that I mention. My task this morning is to tell you some information about me, that is NOT in the pre sentence report before you. I want to tell you about the nonviolent, non criminal action of civil disobedience that I participated in on Dec 28, 2012 at Stratcom at Offutt AFB. I’d like to show this banner, if I could have some help from a friend? (JERRY SHOWED THE BANNER AND READ IT OUT LOUD "Herod killed the innocent, Stratcom would kill the world, Celebrate Christmas and close Stratcom) I am an ordinary Catholic Christian who takes my faith in the radical, nonviolent Jesus of Nazareth, pretty seriously. I have since I was 21 years old. I am no saint. I struggle a lot with being faithful. Dec 28th is the Catholic Feast day of the Holy Innocents. It is an often forgotten and misunderstood and left out part of the Christmas story and celebrations and feasts. It is the story of the massacre of all of the male children by order of Herod the emperor and his brutal military, in support of the Roman Empire. IT IS NOT a “Happy or Merry Christmas Story”. No carols or songs have been written about this event. That is why it has been forgotten. So that Is why I and my friends come to Offutt AFB, that is: to remember and not forget that part of the Christmas story . (Jerry reads Matthew 2: 13-18) This is NOT a fairy tale story, or something old to be dismissed, rather it is a more historical and metaphorical story meaningful for the world we live in today. Metaphors can teach us something, if we take the time to pay close attention to them. In the real world there are many empires wanting to kill others: Children, women and men, to support its own violence, militarism and domination around the world. Rachel in the previous story is still crying out loud, around the world today. She is crying out loud in Iraq, Vietnam, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Germany, Afghanistan, Palestine, and many other places of violence and death. DO WE HEAR HER CRYING? I have heard this cry. I have tried not to at times. It haunts me. I prefer distractions. But her crying helps me to wake up and be alert and aware of the military violence of my own country, the US Empire. The US is the largest military empire in the world. And it is the one I am most concerned about because I am an American. I am a taxpayer. I am responsible for this Empire’s growth. I have paid for these wars, weapons and violence with my paycheck. I am complicit. Rachel continues to cry. I continue to do penance for our War Crimes. I do that by taking a risk, risking ridicule and dismissiveness in court and sometimes going to jail, as penance for my sin. That is who I am. And this is what I do. Judge Thalken what do you do for your penance for your complicity in US War Crimes because of the building and use of military weapons at Stratcom, OFFUT AFB? MY walking over an imaginary line and refusing to leave the base is hardly a crime. Rachel is not crying because of my crimes here today. She is crying because of the many War crimes that this court has allowed and supported for many years . The crimes she cries for are the only one that concern me. My vocation as a follower of Jesus is to “ Comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable”. So now I turn to you Judge Thalken and afflict your comfort level to some degree. This is 2013. The 30th Anniversary of the US Catholic Bishops Peace Pastoral Letter called “ The Challenge of Peace” It has a lot challenging ideas for the comfortable, regarding nuclear weapons and communications systems of nuclear weapons that are in our back yard, and that you and I are responsible for . PERHAPS: as a fellow Catholic you do remember this Pastoral letter in your Catholic Education at Mt. Michael Abbey School and Creighton University? PERHAPS: You do remember the International Law that was a small part of your curriculum at Creighton University? IF NOT: I suggest that you take an hour recess and Google the name Ramsey Clark and International RE: Nuclear Weapons. Ramsey Clark is an Internationally known expert and the former US Attorney General. PERHAPS: You might think that your only task is to narrowly uphold the US Code of Law in this petty little case and to put your own Christian Faith and Conscience aside. I hope that is a PERHAPS NOT. On another note: I am incorrigible. I am not sorry for what I have done. I will do it again at some time. I can only be punished. I expect a prison sentence from you today. I have been in prison before, Over 3 years. I am honored to go again. I cannot be deterred. Regarding my conscience and sentencing options. I cannot accept a fine, nor any kind of probation. I’d rather do time in prison. I do have some health problems with heart arrhythmias and I carry a pacemaker and difibulator given to me after a heart attack 2 years ago. I have had to retire from the work of offering hospitality to homeless men at the Omaha Catholic Worker in June 2012. I have a whole list of meds that I am required to take. I presently live on Social Security Disability and receive $750 a month. Let me be clear. I am not asking for mercy because of my health. If you are concerned about my health , ask the BOP to send me to Rochester Federal Medical Center. I have been there before . It is a fine hospital, and I will do well. Otherwise I ask that you find me not guilty and dismiss the case immediately It is now that I would like the conversation to begin. I would like to hear from you: what you think about the radical Jesus’ teachings that we have been given. How we are to live out our Catholic Faith in a violent world next to Stratcom at OFFUT AFB, and about the relevancy of international law related to nuclear weapons. @@@ Omaha CW Jerry Ebner was sentenced to 6 months in Federal Prison. He is being allowed to 'self surrender.' Jerry Ebmer cwomaha@gmail.com 2932 N. 55th Street, Omaha, Nebraska USA 68104 402 670-3745 Jerry Ebner - Omaha CW starts his six month prison term by reporting to Federal Medical Center, Lexington http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Medical_Center,_Lexington Jerry's mailing address will be as follows: Gerald A. Ebner 24467-045 Lexington FMC Federal Medical Center P O BOX 14500 Lexington, KY. 40512 Money for Jerry's Fed. Commissary Account can be sent to Jerry by sending US POSTAL MONEY ORDERS to him: Gerald A. Ebner 04467-045 (Checks need Jerry's BOP #04467-045 along with his proper first name Gerald A.) Jerry has very little money on the outside - he has no source for cash on the inside except for what friends and supporters can send him. Having enough $$$ on your books can make a big difference in quality of life while locked up. Please be generous...