Peace Blockade Traverse City, MI

TC8 Statement
May 1, 2003 - 2PM
Governmental Center, traverse City, MI
At the Peace Pole

On March 17, 2003, fifteen citizens blocked a convoy of trucks from the 182nd Army Reserve Transportation Unit as they deployed to participate in the war against Iraq. Eight of us refused to move and were arrested.

As of today, all eight have accepted responsibility for impeding traffic, which is a civil infraction. The criminal charges filed against us have been dropped.

We feel that the blockade has created a constructive dialogue in Northwest Michigan on the subject of nonviolent civil disobedience. It has exposed many in our community to perspectives about the Iraq was and U.S. militarism that, while widespread, are underrepresented in the press and in our schools.

At a time when our national government is attempting to marginalize and criminalize dissent, through public statements and laws such as the PATRIOT ACT, we are proud that so many in our local community recognize that the actions we took were not criminal. What we did was not only a valid expression of dissent, but indeed our duty as citizens of a democracy. We emphatically agree with the principles articulated at the Nuremberg trials after World War II--that it is not acceptable to stand by and allow oppression and murder of other human beings to take place, no matter what authority orders us to go along with it.

We believe that the invasion and occupation of Iraq have been and continue to be illegal and immoral, in violation of the Geneva Convention, the UN Charter, The Nuremberg Charter and the U.S. Constitution. Thousands of Iraqi civilians have died from U.S. bombs and bullets and many more will likely die as a result of the destruction of Iraq's civilian infrastructure. U.S. forces rushed to secure and guard oilfields and factories, but stood by while mobs looted hospitals, museums and universities. We are now witnessing the beginning of a bonanza for the U.S. corporations awarded the contracts to rebuild Iraq and pump their oil.

We look forward to a time when it is not corporations, but we the people of the United States that once again control our government. We envision a world in which everyone is enabled and encouraged to think for themselves based on access to honestly presented information. We utterly reject the idea that it is acceptable for the United States to dominate the world through the use of and threat of massive military force.

We await and welcome the return of the soldiers in the 182nd, not as victors but as members of our community.

We thank our lawyers: Matt Posner, Randy Karfonta, Marian Kromkowski and Blake Ringsmuth for donating their time and energy to the peace movement and to this case. We thank the prosecutor for recognizing the legitimacy of our actions and offering a reasonable compromise.

We thank each other for working together and taking action at this crucial time. We will continue our work in earnest as will millions of others in America and elsewhere. We thank and honor the many people in Northwest Michigan who continue to work for peace.

Peaceful Blockade March 17, 2003, Traverse City, Michigan
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Traverse City, March 17, 2003 Fifteen people blockaded a convoy of army trucks this morning as they deployed from a compound in Traverse City to take part in the invasion of Iraq. The first trucks, part of the convoy of the 182nd army reserve transportation unit, pulled out shortly after 7 AM. The blockaders converged in the driveway and linked arms to stop a third truck. When the driver tried to go around, several lay down directly in front of the wheels, quickly bringing the truck to a halt. Twenty to thirty anti-war activists stood across the street watching and holding signs such as "182nd, We Love You, We Don't Want You To Go," and "Peace Is Possible." A comparable number of family members and local VFW members displayed a banner that read, "182nd - good luck and godspeed." Those in the blockade emphasized that an invasion of Iraq is illegal according to the UN Charter, the Nuremburg Charter and the Geneva Convention. A statement addressing this illegality, and also pointing to the immense human cost of a war for Iraqi civilians and American soldiers alike was read aloud several times. Some of the soldiers standing there were visibly shaken by statement of the fact that over 9000 gulf war veterans have died of Gulf War Syndrome to date. Dozens of local police arrived and soldiers stood in formation next to the blocked truck. Eight blockers stayed on the ground linked together after the police warned several times of arrest. They were then dragged away one by one, hand cuffed and taken to the jail. All eight have now been released on personal recognizance or a $150.00 bond and will be arraigned next week. The text of a Handout for people at the blockade written by Randy Bond is here	TC8 Statement May 1, 2003 - 2PM Governmental Center, traverse City, MI At the Peace Pole On March 17, 2003, fifteen citizens blocked a convoy of trucks from the 182nd Army Reserve Transportation Unit as they deployed to participate in the war against Iraq. Eight of us refused to move and were arrested. As of today, all eight have accepted responsibility for impeding traffic, which is a civil infraction. The criminal charges filed against us have been dropped. We feel that the blockade has created a constructive dialogue in Northwest Michigan on the subject of nonviolent civil disobedience. It has exposed many in our community to perspectives about the Iraq was and U.S. militarism that, while widespread, are underrepresented in the press and in our schools. At a time when our national government is attempting to marginalize and criminalize dissent, through public statements and laws such as the PATRIOT ACT, we are proud that so many in our local community recognize that the actions we took were not criminal. What we did was not only a valid expression of dissent, but indeed our duty as citizens of a democracy. We emphatically agree with the principles articulated at the Nuremberg trials after World War II--that it is not acceptable to stand by and allow oppression and murder of other human beings to take place, no matter what authority orders us to go along with it. We believe that the invasion and occupation of Iraq have been and continue to be illegal and immoral, in violation of the Geneva Convention, the UN Charter, The Nuremberg Charter and the U.S. Constitution. Thousands of Iraqi civilians have died from U.S. bombs and bullets and many more will likely die as a result of the destruction of Iraq's civilian infrastructure. U.S. forces rushed to secure and guard oilfields and factories, but stood by while mobs looted hospitals, museums and universities. We are now witnessing the beginning of a bonanza for the U.S. corporations awarded the contracts to rebuild Iraq and pump their oil. We look forward to a time when it is not corporations, but we the people of the United States that once again control our government. We envision a world in which everyone is enabled and encouraged to think for themselves based on access to honestly presented information. We utterly reject the idea that it is acceptable for the United States to dominate the world through the use of and threat of massive military force. We await and welcome the return of the soldiers in the 182nd, not as victors but as members of our community. We thank our lawyers: Matt Posner, Randy Karfonta, Marian Kromkowski and Blake Ringsmuth for donating their time and energy to the peace movement and to this case. We thank the prosecutor for recognizing the legitimacy of our actions and offering a reasonable compromise. We thank each other for working together and taking action at this crucial time. We will continue our work in earnest as will millions of others in America and elsewhere. We thank and honor the many people in Northwest Michigan who continue to work for peace.
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