JANUARY 26 UPDATE:
In
court on January 26, criminal mischief and burglary charges were *dismissed*
for Mauro Heck, Michele Naar-Obed and Frank Cordaro! The three were witness to
anti-war activist Jessica Reznicek’s “Hammer of Justice” action at Northrop
Grumman in Nebraska on December 27. Charges remain for Reznicek, who is still
in jail and will appear again one week later at the same court. She attempted
to do a direct disarmament action and expose the illegal, billion dollar
contracts that Northrop Grumman uses to make weapons used in the STRATCOM
military system. In the process, Jessica broke 2 windows and a door in her
attempt to get to the computers inside. Frank Cordaro at
frank.cordaro@gmail.com or 515 282 4781 / c 515 490 2490
frank.cordaro@gmail.com or 515 282 4781 / c 515 490 2490
Posted
on December 29, 2015
from Frank Cordaro, on December 30
Just
got back to Des Moines late last night.
First
the good news:
Jessica
Reznicek, former Des Moines Catholic Worker, full time peace activist and
friend and companion of the poor, did a direct disarmament action Witness for
Peace at the Northrop Grumman building in Bellevue, Nebraska. She took a sledge
hammer and baseball bat to front windows and door of the Northrop Grumman
building on Sunday night, December 27, 2015.
Northrop
Grumman is one of STRACTCOM’s off site contractors, helping (adding and
abiding) provided support to the Strategic Air Command and US Strategic Command
(criminal activities) for over 30 years. (see excerpt from Jess’s research
below)
Jess
was arrested by the Bellevue police and taken to the Sarpy County Jail.
The
other unintended news:
Mauro
Heck, Michele Obed and Frank Cordaro were also arrested at the same time while
they were attempting to leave the site on a frontal public road. We drove Jess
to the site. We walked her onto the site. Mauro Heck took photos. We left the
site as soon as Jess started her witness. We were arrested in Mauro’s van. Once
in police custody it was obvious we were in the area as support for Jess. We
spent the last two days in the Sarpy County Jail with Jess.
Jail, Court Report / Charges Made
Yesterday
we were all charged with two felonies: criminal mischief $5000 or more and
felony burglary in the Sarpy County Jail Court. Jess refused con. Mauro,
Michele and I all accepted court appointed attorneys. Bail was set at $100,000
for Jess and $20,000 for Mauro, Michele and Frank. Mauro, Michele and Frank all
made bail by posting 10% cash, $2000 apiece by the end of the day. Our next
court date is a preliminary hearing for all four on January 26, 2016 at 1:30
p.m.
After the action: boarded up
door and window
We
are all aware that this is the beginning of a long legal journey for all four
of us. And whatever legal course that Mauro, Michele and Frank choose to take,
we do not want to distract from the message and witness that Jessica made at
Northrop Grumman. In the days and weeks and months ahead we hope to amplify
Jess’s message and witness.
I
talked to Jess this morning. Her spirits are good. And she is anxious to get
her message out.
We
will be putting together a Jail/Court/Prison support network asap. We might
even come up with a name for the campaign.
For
the time being, the message I wish to convey is “If witnessing the Witness is a
crime, than I am Jessica Reznicek”.
Please
feel free to write Jess:
Jessica Reznicek
Sarpy County Jail
1208 Golden Gate Dr, Papillion, NE 68046
Jessica Reznicek
Sarpy County Jail
1208 Golden Gate Dr, Papillion, NE 68046
January 11, 2016 – “Why I Acted” by Jessica Reznicek, from the Sarpy County
Jail – info and follow up contact:
Frank Cordaro, Mauro Heck and
Michele Naar-Obed
"Why I acted” by Jessica Reznicek Hammer of Justice
activist statement from the Sarpy County. Jail, Papillion, NE, Jan 11, 2016 http://www.nukeresister.org/2016/01/16/from-the-sarpy-county-jail-by-jessica-reznicek-why-i-acted/
Posted
on January 16, 2016
Why I Acted
by Jessica Reznicek
Hammer of Justice statement from the Sarpy County Jail,
Papillion, Nebraska, January 11, 2016
Hello,
everyone!
Thank
you to all who are carrying me with them in heart and mind while I do this time
here in Sarpy County Jail. It is felt deeply.
My
spirit is strong these days, and I attribute this to the kindness surrounding
me. Mostly I am grateful just simply to be alive and well, swinging my hammer
of justice at Northrup Grumman/STRATCOM (United Stated Strategic Command).
I
stand today with fierce conviction for the nonviolent direct action I have
taken against the Northrup Grumman property in Bellevue, Nebraska on December
27, 2015. I broke two windows and a door window out of the Northrup Grumman
building that night in an effort to expose the details of the defense contracts
currently held by Northrup Grumman with STRATCOM at Offutt Air Force Base. Over
the years, billions of taxpayer dollars are pouring into the hands of these
money-hungry, bomb building, computer geek space war criminals.
I
want to say now that I truly believe that the American people are done with war
– done funding, killing and dying in U.S.-led wars and terrorism – and are
ready to pave a path to peace.
Some
folks, even personal friends of mine, are questioning my property destruction
tactics at Northrup Grumman as one of a nonviolent nature. I refuse to delve
too deeply into this conversation, for I believe the focus should rest
primarily on Northrup Grumman and STRATCOM’s countless crimes against humanity.
However, I will address a few small details of the events which occurred on the
evening of December 27.
Yes,
glass did shatter. It shattered like the illusion that Northrup Grumman holds
human life in any way in its best interest. It shattered like the illusion Iraq
ever possessed weapons of mass destruction. It shattered like the illusion
Iraqis were involved in 9/11. It shattered like the lie that perpetual war will
ever bring peace. Glass shattered in the name of the hundreds of thousands of
Iraqi lives taken when Northrup Grumman/STRATCOM’s direct bombs from space
rained down upon them. I destroyed two windows and a door, yes! STRATCOM with
its corporate partner Northrup Grumman destroys life in the tens of thousands.
I did
not swing my hammer blindly. Actually, quite the opposite. I swung only at
windows whose blinds were pulled up, to ensure I would injure no one. Nor did I
break either of the windows or door threatening a human being.
When
the police arrived, my arresting officer (who I ended up adoring and would love
to grab a beer with when this is all said and done) found me kneeling in the
main entrance of the Northrup Grumman building, with my empty hands raised
above my head. He first asked me to lift my coat slowly to make sure I had no
bombs strapped to me. I was eager to cooperate. I was not feeling threatened by
him and I wanted to return the favor. I wanted to convey to him that I had love
and respect for him as a fellow human being.
Admittedly,
however, I did shrug a little, considering the irony that Northrup Grumman has
just recently been awarded a $55 billion contract to build a new long range
U.S. bomber … and I am the one being checked for bombs.
That
all being said, I suppose that what I am trying to say is I acted in accordance
with my conscience and my spirit, and that my property destruction was a useful
form of nonviolent direct action. I do not stand in judgment of folks who feel
uncomfortable using such methods. Nonetheless, I want to stand beside them,
asking them to develop and apply their own means to expose the lies of Northrup
Grumman and STRATCOM, be it through education, research, writing letters,
public discussions, public vigils, rallies and marches and yes, even civil
disobedience.
Blood
is pouring through the streets of many nations in the Middle East. People are
dying all over the globe, masses of human beings are being dislocated, and the
environment is under attack; all this through our U.S.-led global warmaking
ways. There isn’t a continent on the planet free of a U.S military presence;
there are U.S military bases in over a hundred countries. People all over the
planet are resisting the U.S. global military presence in hundreds of places. I
just returned from Jeju Island, where Catholics and South Korean peace
activists are resisting a South Korean/U.S. Navy base being built there.
We
all have our part to play. Here in the heartland of America we who seek peace
must make efforts to dismantle the U.S. military dominance of space from the
top down, by publicly and nonviolently resisting the joint Northrup Grumman and
STRATCOM missions.
This
is why I acted. You do not have to act as radically or dramatically as I did,
but please make a statement in your own way against government funded companies
which focus on war and destruction.
Peace,
Jessica
Reznicek
Sarpy County Jail
1208 Golden Gate Dr.
Papillion, NE 68046
Sarpy County Jail
1208 Golden Gate Dr.
Papillion, NE 68046
*Nebraskans for Peace post Reznicek's statement with group's
disclaimer on web page... see
Donations can be sent
to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD
21218. Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/
"The master class
has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles.
The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject
class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their
lives." Eugene Victor Debs
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