5/15 Thurs 11 am Trial of the Madison Three+ for Civil
Resistance to 5 Years of War in Iraq
– Madison. City County Building, MLK, Jr. Blvd. Contact Joy First at
jsfirst@tds.net
Statement to Municipal Judge Daniel Koval on May 15, 2008 By Janet Parker
Re Case # 08MOR003359
I went to Hilldale Mall on February 15, 2008, and I come here to court today to challenge the illegal, immoral, devastating occupation of Iraq. Until the foreign occupying armies are removed from Iraq, the people of that nation cannot begin to rebuild their country in peace. Most Americans agree that we should bring our troops home from Iraq. The overwhelming majority of Iraqis also want US troops out of their country. The Iraqi parliament has voted into law legislation asking the occupiers to leave their country.
We went to Hilldale Mall to vigil, to remind ourselves and passersby of the war crimes that are bring committed with our tax money, by our government. I did this solemn vigil on private property to draw attention to the devastating illegal war and occupation.
Recently I watched the Oscar-winning documentary “Taxi to the Dark Side,” which included interviews with UW-Madison professor Alfred McCoy, about torture as it is being carried out by US forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo. I already knew some of the realities described in the film, but hearing first-hand accounts from victims and torturers had a tremendous impact on me. Then in March, marking the 5th year of the war, Iraq Veterans Against the War held Winter Soldier( www. ssdfs hearings, testifying to the criminal, racist, tragic effects of the war on soldiers and civilians, Iraqi and US.
Listening and watching these accounts, I realized something about the effects of the killing, torture, and devastation that are being done in our name, every day, by our military and mercenaries. I now see that the effects of our government’s actions will carry on for generations. We might never be forgiven by the people of Iraq for the harm we are causing.
Judge Koval, on this beautiful spring day in Madison, let’s spare a thought for the millions of people affected by the US war on Iraq. Let’s begin building the legal precedent to challenge the war and the war criminals. Please find us not guilty of this trespassing charge. We were speaking out in a public place, and many people who came by that morning expressed gratitude to us and solidarity with our demonstration. As citizens of a country governed by war criminals, we all should be acting, every day, in public, to express our dissent, challenge the illegal actions, and shine a light. - Janet Parker - janet@wnpj.org
From Joy First:
Good morning Judge Koval. I am here before you again
today because I was arrested for speaking out against the war crimes of our
government.
Though I stipulate that I was at Hilldale Mall on
February 15, 2008 and that I was lying on the floor covered with a white sheet,
symbolizing the war dead, I believe that the police report was filled with
misstatements of what happened, opinions of the police officer, and that many
things I said were misconstrued in the police report. It was reported several
times that I said that I wanted to get a citation. I don’t believe that is
true. I would never say I wanted to get a citation or that I wanted to get
arrested. I believe that what I said to the officer was that I could not leave,
and that if he had to arrest me, then he needed to do his job. What I was
involved in at the mall that day was civil resistance. I was not there to break
the law, but to uphold the law. I believe I was exercising my right to
Constitutionally-protected speech while our president and others in his
administration are the lawbreakers.
I believe it is my responsibility to do everything I can
to call attention to the criminal actions of our government. And in fact I have
been trying to do so for the past five years. I have petitioned our President
through letters, phone calls, and visits. I have petitioned our members of
Congress, calling them, writing them, and visiting their offices countless
times. I have been part of vigils and demonstrations, organized and attended
town meetings, signed petitions, collected signatures for petitions and followed
many other means to try to stop the unnecessary
killing.
I do not take any of these actions because I want to get
arrested, but I am willing to risk arrest as I speak out against the war and
occupation in Iraq that is causing unbelievable
suffering to so many innocent children, women, and men. I believe it is my
First Amendment right and my responsibility to continue to take action, to call
attention to the suffering. If we remain silent while our government is engaged
in illegal and immoral activities, then we are complicit in war crimes, we are
guilty of being in violation of international law, including the Nuremberg
Principles. It is our responsibility, all of us, to speak
out.
My fifth grandchild, Linnea, was born here in Madison just six days ago.
As I spend time with her and her 19-month old brother, Phin, I think about what
kind of world we will be leaving for them. My grandchildren and all the
children of the world are my inspiration as I continue my deep commitment
working for peace. The mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers of
Iraq do not have the simple luxury of
believing their children will be safe. But how long will any of the children of
the world be safe if our government continues its criminal policies of
aggression towards other nations? We must look into the faces of the mothers
and fathers in Iraq and not forget their suffering.
Your honor, each time we come before you, you say that
you are sympathetic to what we are doing, but that you have the obligation to
follow the law and find us guilty. In fact, I believe that you do not have to
find us guilty. It is ultimately your decision. As our government continues to
break the law, it is time for all of us to stand up and demand an end to our
government’s criminal actions. You have the ability to acquit us and challenge
the actions of our government. This would be a tremendous step towards justice,
and so I respectfully ask you, your honor, to find us not
guilty. Joy First - jsfirst@tds.met
