The Elevator Nine will finally have their day in court on Thursday, September 6, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The court: U.S. District Court, in the 6th floor courtroom at 421 Gold Street SE. The proceedings begin at 9 a.m., and are likely to continue all day.
If you aren’t familiar with the Elevator Nine, you are no doubt in good company—indeed, in my company until a few days ago, when I met one member of the Elevator Nine.
What brings these alleged desperadoes of New Mexico before a federal court judge?
Follow the dusty trail to the other side of the arroyo for more:
Last September 26, nine people went to the federal building in Santa Fe, with a petition in hand: the Declaration of Peace. They wanted to show the petition to Senator Pete Domenici, and then ask him to sign it.
The peace activists stepped into the elevator, but they were foiled in their attempt to reach the office of their elected representative: an official shut down the elevator. It stopped right there on the ground floor, doors open. The activists were to remain in that elevator for the next five or six hours.
One member of the team, John Dear, a Jesuit priest, had brought along lists of names of both Americans and Iraqis killed in the war. The peace activists took turns reading the names aloud. Their voices were heard by the law enforcement personnel who stood nearby.
And, judging by the accounts of those present that day, there were plenty of law enforcement personnel summoned to cope with the high drama of nine people in an unmoving elevator: Santa Fe police officers (SWAT, too); Homeland Security; the FBI; and federal Marshals. (Bear in mind, though, that one of the Elevator Nine is a retired librarian—and we all know what Michael Moore says about librarians and barricades.)
This judge will be called on to consider the exercise of basic democratic rights—the right of peaceful assembly, to petition, and to speak.
If you will be in Albuquerque on Thursday, go listen to the proceedings if you have a chance. The Elevator Nine will appreciate your interest and support. And, who knows? It might turn out to be a case that makes history.
This is a mighty band of peace activists. Speaking with just one member of the Elevator Nine elevated my spirits. I can’t be in Albuquerque with them on Thursday, but I’ll be there in spirit as they speak their truth in open court.
No doubt there are any number of New Mexican Kossacks who are more familiar with this case than I am. Please add your knowledge and insight through comments and diaries.
More reading:
Democracy for New Mexico has an account of the events and a nice photo of a couple members of the Elevator Nine getting handcuffed
Democracy for New Mexico also has a photo of several of the Elevator Nine standing or sitting in the alleged scene-of-the-crime elevator itself. One person is shown reading, others appear to be listening: is this a crime in progress, or no?
John Dear's account of the event is here, in Common Dreams.
And Pax Christi New Mexico has blogged about the event and trial.