Blessed be the Peacemakers:
Bill Bichsel, 82, of Tacoma; Jesuit priest Stephen Kelly, 61, of Oakland, Calif.; Sister Anne Montgomery, 84, of Redwood City, Calif.; Susan Crane, 67, of Baltimore; and Lynne Greenwald, 61, of Tacoma.
The five were sentenced in Federal District Court in Tacoma Washington to prison terms ranging from 2 to fifteen months, as reported by the Tacoma News Tribune
On November 2, 2009, the five cut through the fences securing the Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor (west of and across the water from Seattle), hung banners, scattered sunflower seeds, prayed, and awaited their arrest.
They were protesting the base's storage of nuclear weapons, and its home to Trident Nuclear Submarines.
The News Tribune reports 82-year-old Jesuit priest Bill Bichsel of Tacoma was given a three-month prison sentence; 84-year-old Sister Anne Montgomery of Redwood City, Calif., got two months; and 61-year-old social worker Lynne Greenwald of Tacoma got six months. Two defendants - 61-year-old Jesuit priest Stephen Kelly of Oakland, Calif., and 67-year-old retired teacher Susan Crane of Baltimore - each got 15 months. The five defendants had been convicted of conspiracy, trespass and destruction of government property and had faced up to 10 years in prison. Court documents say the group was protesting submarine nuclear weapons when they cut through fences at the base in November 2009.
Seattle Times
Bichsel has estimated the protesters were within 35 to 50 feet of the weapons bunkers.
Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/...
Kelly and Crane received the longest sentences because they had the most extensive criminal history. Both have several prior convictions for destroying government property at military installations across the country as a protest of U.S. military weapons.
Kelly told KOMO before the sentencing that he was prepared to go to prison.
"I think it's really worth it. I have the solace of my conscience, as I think this is just one little step against nuclear weapons and someday we'll be free, and maybe not in my lifetime, but I have hope."
Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/...
Many of us have engaged in lower-case-a activism. This is an inspiring example of Capital-A-Activism.
Blessed be the Peacemakers.
Updated by VeganMilitia at Mon Mar 28, 2011 at 08:19 PM PDT
Update: The judge ordered Kelly to be taken to prison immediately. Settle was going to allow the other defendants to report to prison next month, but when they told the judge they might not show up, he also ordered them to be taken to prison immediately. [Seattle Times]