The Community News Project in real items of news and information from Natick, Massachusetts. This is nothing near the quantity of posts the project would have if funded, but these posts are important.
I am thankful to be living in a country with free speech. But I do not forget the one or two billion people in the world who live in poverty and cannot even dream of free speech. Though I appreciate my freedoms and comfort here in America, it does does not mean I am blind to her flaws. I cannot fully enjoy my freedom and comfort knowing that my government’s action is contributing to the world’s suffering.
My father and my brother were in the military – one in a good war, the other a bad war. I saw my father’s pride in having fought the Nazi’s and my brother’s disillusionment with Vietnam. They taught me that freedom is precious, that it did not come cheaply, that we make mistakes, and that freedom will not survive without constant vigilance.
I was against this war from the beginning: I have done everything from signing petitions, organizing public conversations, and working to get good candidates elected to public office. I have cried from grief and raged with anger, but knowing that violence begets violence, I have tried to act in a peaceful lawful way, and to respect those who feel differently about this war. Until the evening of Jan. 10th.
I thought of the soldiers we’ve sent into the hell of war and the innocent victims of our invasion who are waiting for America to stop the madness and I saw this administration disregard the will of its own citizens and try to provoke a new war. When I hear a co-worker say “I can’t do anything to end this war”, I want to ask her, “Who do you think started the revolution for independence from King George, who fought for her right to vote, who fought for the 5 day work week, who ended segregation in this country?” They were ordinary Americans who spoke up, sometimes breaking laws, getting arrested, beaten or killed, then more people joined them, and eventually their radical ideas became popularly accepted fact. If we can’t end this war, who can?
As taxpayers, we have a right to ask some questions. Have we been able to take care of our own under this budget? Will we be able to take care of the veterans when they return home? Judge Singer, I imagine you could think of ways to spend some of the 10 billion* that Massachusetts has contributed toward this war - perhaps to fund day care and early intervention programs, treatment and rehabilitation centers? Will our war on terrorism succeed in ridding the world of people who hate us? We know it will take compassion and understanding. And what will be left of our society here at home?
I cannot know, with absolute certainty, that I am right. History and hindsight will answer that question better than those of us here now. But it cannot be said that I was silent, when I thought I saw evil. I am sorry to have had to take this courts time, but I hope, in some small way, that in the long run, it will help us all. I thank you, I plead no contest and I accept the court’s decision on my sentence. Stop this war and bring them home.
Good afternoon, Judge Singer. My name is Judy Rich. Four years ago, I stood before you, in this same courtroom, having done a similar action of nonviolent civil disobedience at the U.S. Army Natick Labs. That action and my more recent arrest in Sherborn were both protests against our government’s illegal and immoral invasion and occupation of Iraq. At that time, I told you that I had an obligation to follow my conscience and speak out when wrong is being done. It’s hard to believe that four years later the war continues, with consequences more dire that we could even imagine at that time. The war was wrong then and it is still wrong. Today Iraq is a failed state, with ever expanding sectarian violence. We read about 655,000 Iraqis dead, a million refugees, a crumbled infrastructure, massive unemployment and view scenes of utter chaos. We call the other side terrorists. We need to remember that war and terror are not opposites; they are interchangeable. It’s a myth that U.S. war actions are not also seen as terrorism by others. My heart breaks over every American soldier who has been killed. The number of dead is now at 3,154. I know first hand what it is like for a parent to lose a child. Twenty-two years ago, my 19 year-old daughter died in a car accident and our family experienced the shock and terrible loss that so many families are experiencing as a result of this war. Another 23,000 men and woman have been wounded in combat, many seriously maimed for the rest of their lives. Other soldiers return emotionally damaged by what they have experienced. Peace will not come to Iraq through military force. War just brings more conflict, death and destruction. The road to peace IS peace. As one of the regional coordinators for Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement, I am active in promoting nonviolence and peace education. Pax Christi rejects every form of war and domination, and works toward a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. Currently, Pax Christi is circulating a petition that demands “all U.S. troops and military bases be removed from Iraq and that U.S. military spending be redirected to relief and reconstruction efforts overseen by Iraqis.” There are many ways to solve conflicts that are nonviolent. On the evening of Jan. 10, a group of us held a Peace Chain across Rt. 27, because we wanted to speak out against the increase in troops that President Bush was at that very moment announcing to the American people. Our message is end the war and bring our troops home. Thank you for listening and giving me the time to make public my reasons for being arrested. I plead no contest to the charges. Court Statement Judy Rich Natick, MA Feb. 27, 2007