Judge Amul R. Thapar passed sentence on Greg Boertje-Obed, Megan Rice
and Michael Walli on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 in federal court in
Knoxville, Tennessee. The three were convicted in May 2013 for their
nonviolent action called Transform Now Plowshares at the Y12 Nuclear
Weapons Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on charges of depredation of
property and sabotage—the convictions carried possible maximum
sentences of 30 years in prison. Sentencing guidelines, based on
factors including history, recommended sentences ranging from 6-10
years.
Sentencing began at 1:30pm; the three were permitted to be in the
courtroom together by Judge Thapar.
Michael Walli received a sentence of 62 months on each count, to be
served concurrently, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Greg Boertje-Obed received a sentence of 62 months on each count, to
be served concurrently, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Megan Rice received a sentence of 35 months on each count, to be
served concurrently, followed by 3 years of supervised probation.
“Judge Thapar has tried to strike a compromise that reflects the
nature of this nonviolent action but satisfies the government’s
demand that Megan, Michael and Greg’s sentence send a deterrent
message to the wider community. For now, their bodies remain in
prison. But their voices are free, reminding us that the central
issue of this action and trial have not been resolved—as long as the
government continues to produce thermonuclear weapons of mass
destruction in Oak Ridge or anywhere, people are required to resist,”
said Ralph Hutchison, coordinator of the Oak Ridge Environmental
Peace Alliance.
At the hearing, each of the Plowshares resisters spoke, reminding the
court of the central purpose of their action—to call the court’s
attention to the ongoing violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation
Treaty at the Y12 plant in Oak Ridge. In testimony at hearings
leading up to the trial, former Attorney General of the United States
Ramsey Clark called the production of nuclear weapons components at
Y12 “unlawful,” and the work there “a criminal enterprise.”
Megan, Michael and Greg entered Y12 in the wee hours of the morning
on July 28, 2012, cutting four fences and traversing a lethal-force-
authorized zone, arriving at the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials
Facility, the nation’s warehouse of weapons grade highly enriched
uranium. They poured blood on the walls of the HEUMF and spray
painted “Plowshares Please Isaiah,” and “The Fruit of Justice is
Peace.” They also chipped a corner of the concrete wall with a small
hammer, a symbolic act reflecting the Old Testament prophecy of
Isaiah who said, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares.”
The statement issued at the time declared the United States in
violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and said Y12 was
chosen for the action because of plans for a multi-billion dollar
bomb plant to be built there—the Uranium Processing Facility. The
sole purpose of the UPF (pricetag now $19 billion) is to produce
thermonuclear cores for warheads and bombs. Y12 is an active weapons
production facility—workers today are performing Life Extension
Upgrades on the W76 warhead at Y12.
Supporters outside the courtroom said, “The United States is breaking
its own law when it builds bombs in Oak Ridge. Any goverment that
would lock up Megan, Michael and Greg is desperate to hide the truth.
By their actions, they have broken the silence; their sacrifice
challenges each of us to speak up for a safer world. In prison or
out, Michael, Greg and Megan will continue to pray and work to save
the life of the planet.”
fr dave eberhardt in baltimore- would have been there but for hip operation- sure Max represented- our hearts and prayers go out to the three and all of you in tenn. fighting the good fight- i personally ws relieved to hear- alto i know the sentences are awful-
now- how does tenn elect a marsha blackburn? a bob corker? i mean- yes we have work to do here in md too- i am not going to preech at u (much as i love to)
how’s tenn on stand yr ground?
i get tired of being like the ancient Xtians- standing alone w a few comrades in windy coliseums as the lions (and maybe a few bobcats) advance (and you know the right wing romans starved those suckers)
let’s change it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yet and still, we stand with Saint Perpetua at Corinth (or was it Rhodes) And remember what she said!
Posted by david eberhardt | February 19, 2014, 8:53 amIt’s This Way
I stand in the advancing light,
my hands hungry, the world beautiful.
My eyes can’t get enough of the trees–
they’re so hopeful, so green.
A sunny road runs through the mulberries,
I’m at the window of the prison infirmary.
I can’t smell the medicines–
carnations must be blooming nearby.
It’s this way:
being captured is beside the point,
the point is not to surrender.
Nazim Hikmet
Posted by david eberhardt | February 19, 2014, 8:57 amTennessee is not a very progressive state which is why we need people like Sister Megan Rice and her associates to spread the message of non-violence and tolerance. It’s not just Marsha Blackburn and Bob Corker–we also have backwards and very nasty people like Stacey Campfield and Scott Desjarlais. I’m not sure how they’re getting elected because no one I know is voting for them. I am ready to abandon my embarrassment of a home state and move somewhere less closed-minded. Does anyone know which federal prison(s) Sister Megan Rice and Michael Walli and Greg Boertje-Obed will be kept? I want to write them letters of support and thanks.
Posted by MB | February 19, 2014, 10:41 amThank you for adding to the story with more of the WHY… I have reblogged it….Prayers for those saints.. Judy
Posted by judyabl | February 19, 2014, 11:51 amWell done the 4 of you. Thinking of you in prayer. From Sr Christine M Austin SHCJ England
Posted by Christine Austin | February 19, 2014, 12:21 pmSomething is terribly wrong with our system when three elderly peace activists enter a nuclear weapons site in Tennessee, spray paint anti-war slogans and pour blood on the walls as an act of civil disobedience and are found guilty of felonies and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
Meanwhile on the same day as the activists sentencing, George Zimmerman (who killed an unarmed child and displays no remorse) is given media coverage and walks free.
I am so sad that harmless religiously inspired, courageous activists-with strong moral convictions that killing is wrong, sit in prison. We should be outraged by our criminal iinjustice system!
Where can we write Greg, Micahel, and Sister Megan?
Posted by Leslie Ebert, Baltimore, MD | February 19, 2014, 3:50 pmThe address for Megan, Michael and Greg are subject to change as they transition from jail to jail en route to federal prison. We will keep the current address on the website (under the green button on the right “Write the prisoners”). Please be aware they can be transported at any time, so if mail is returned to you, just check for the new address and re-send. When they leave Tennessee to return to Ocilla, the draconian “postcards only” rule will no longer apply.
Posted by tnplowshares | February 21, 2014, 10:47 amReblogged this on Deconstructing Myths and commented:
I know I’ll sleep better tonight knowing these three pacifist senior citizens are off the streets.
Posted by Jeff Nguyen | February 19, 2014, 7:34 pmthis sounds good- please befren me- dave in baltimore
Posted by david eberhardt | February 19, 2014, 8:01 pmI guarantee you the prisoners and guards in their world now are being transformed by their witness and service. I understand Sister Megan’s demand that she be incarcerated for life rather than be given special treatment. Her statement at the sentencing eloquently described the hardships of her fellow prisoners. I can only imagine how much good she’s doing now.
Posted by Ellen Thomas | February 19, 2014, 8:05 pmgreat comment- just as there is life in the “slums”, there is life WITHIN prison- having been in w Phil Berrigan and worked there for 33 yrs- I have a great letter from Jack Gilbert who is doing LIFE (for Brinks robbery involvement)- great prisoners also- Wilde, Chenier, Bach, (yes, papa Bach), Hikmet, Scholl, Silone, Martha Stewart? (people tells me she was alright at Alderson)- + all draft action and plowshares, of course
Posted by david eberhardt | February 20, 2014, 7:17 am2/19- small article in ny times, larger one in wash post- i was surprised that Rachel Maddow did a bit on the Transform Now Plowshares- has it been on Democracy Now? I am a writer and a news junkie.
Posted by david eberhardt | February 19, 2014, 8:04 pmApparently it has not been on Democracy Now yet. Here’s how to contact to ask them to do a story on it, as I just did: http://www.democracynow.org/contact
Posted by Ellen Thomas | February 19, 2014, 8:08 pmReading an article on this yesterday, I saw that when confronted by a security officer, the three offered him something to eat. We can assume he declined. After that, the trio began to sing. Very dangerous and subversive behavior, I say…
Posted by Christopher T | February 20, 2014, 9:48 amIs it possible (and helpful) to make a donation toward the fine that was levied on Obed, Walli and Rice? If so, where do I send a check?
Posted by Marian Ronan | February 20, 2014, 11:30 amThank you for your support for the TNP three. Because the court ruled they have no means to pay, no fines were levied against them. They were ordered to pay nearly $53,000 in restitution to the government to cover the cost of removing their peace messages and repairing the fences. All indications are they will refuse to willingly pay any restitution to the US government, and they are not encouraging others to pay on their behalf.
If you would like to support the TNP three financially, there will be ongoing expenses during their incarceration. We are asking people to contribute through the support team. The address is on the web page under the “support” header near the top of the page.
Checks can be sent to:
Catholic Worker
PO Box 29179
Washington DC 20017
designated for “Transform Now Plowshares”
Posted by tnplowshares | February 21, 2014, 10:45 amReblogged this on Move for Change and the Brooklyn Culture Jam and commented:
Yesterday, Judge Amul R Thapar ruled on prison time for Greg Boertje-Obed, Sister Megan Rice and Michael Walli. Details on link. There was some downward departure from sentencing guidelines, but not much.
Posted by moveforchangebkculturejam | February 20, 2014, 12:18 pmReblogged this on Uncivil Liberties and commented:
I honestly did not know we were still making nuclear warheads…I mean, I doubt they are an export product. Megan Rice is 84 years old now…three years may be a life sentence for her. If anyone cares to write her, or the others, this is the link to the Federal BOP Inmate Locator page: http://www.bop.gov/Locate/
Posted by Christopher T | February 20, 2014, 2:47 pm