Discussion: Uncivil Rights
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You'd think the media are afraid of talking about religion ...
and I see at the Stuff site the vote is running 3 - 1 against there being an allowable "Greater good" defence...
vote hereThis is gonna make it rough for the superhero set too...
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Nice quote in that story:
Mr Leason said the group "broke a law protecting plastic to uphold a law to protect human life".
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I remember reading about the Ploughshares in The Common Good, at the back of Point Chevalier's Catholic church (St Francis & Therese). It stood out quite sharply from the other literature, what with its broader social focus and thoughtful articles about 'taking the preferential option for the poor'.
Of course as a youngish boy I mostly read it for the dramatic protest stories - there were regular letters written from prison by people who had (for instance) broken onto strategic air bases in California with hammers and buckets of blood, to smear and dent up missiles that were suspended beneath jet bombers.
This was of course before 9/11, when it was merely very surprising that these guys did not get shot as soon as they passed the perimeter - these days I think it would be a certainty.
Now I wonder how many at Kiwiblog and YV understood the sickles as a reference to the Peaceable Kingdom as opposed to the more obvious? Just kidding, I really don't think I want to know.
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Paul Buchanan blogs on the Waihopai verdict. A couple of points:
if this action merited acquittal, what does that say about the case against the Urewera 18, who did not trespass, damage or burglarise anything?
And
Imagine what the outcome would have been had the Plowshares engaged their direct action in the US, UK or Australia. I reckon the verdict would have been different, and the sentences severe.
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As ScottY (late of this parish) has pointed out:
Here's a fact that many people seem unable to grasp about the acquittal of the "Waihopai Three":
Jury verdicts do not have any precedent value.
It's quite a simple fact to grasp. Another jury could have just as easily found the trio guilty on all charges. There would be nothing stopping a jury from doing so if an identical case were being decided tomorrow.
In light of that, speculation about the Urewera 18 or Plowshares actions overseas seems a bit pointless.
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As ScottY (late of this parish)
I'm still here!
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The "tradition" of Ploughshares (this is not a single entity) have a number of aquittals & not guilty judgements.
The Trident Ploughshares of Scotland 2001
http://www.tridentploughshares.org/article365Activists Found Not Guilty in Irish Ploughshares Case
http://www.counterpunch.org/browne07252006.htmlAlthough prison is the normal result.
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As for Op 8.
I expect a prison sentence in about 5yrs for Howard Broad.
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