Category: Drones
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No Jury Trial in Beale Case
Last October, I was arrested for civil disobedience with eight other people during an anti-drone demonstration at Beale Air Force Base. Charges were dropped against four of my co-defendants. The case against the remaining five of us continues. Our trial will be held on August 12 in federal court in Sacramento. We had hoped to…
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Drone Warfare: There has to be a different way
Yesterday I was interviewed by Alan Stahler on KVMR about why I engaged in nonviolent direct action and was arrested at Beale last October. (You can listen to the Podcast below.) In the interview, Alan said, “Using drones must save American lives. What’s your objection to them?” My initial answer: “It may be that using…
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Tax Day Demonstration Against Drones
Our anti-drone action this morning at the federal courthouse in Sacramento was one of many actions taking place around the country this month, during the April Days of Action Against Drones. Five of us still face federal charges for trespassing onto Beale Air Force Base last October during an anti-drone protest. We were protesting drones…
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Why I Crossed the Line at Beale
At church the other day, someone asked me about my upcoming trial, and she ended up putting me on the church’s prayer chain. I love my church. People are praying for me, even those who have no idea why I would cross the line onto federal property at Beale Air Force Base during an anti-drone…
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Drones and Space Warfare
People who are concerned about the increasing use of unmanned drones by the United States point to the immorality of killing people without due process, the loss of innocent life, and the illegality of targeted assassinations. I raise an additional concern: the use of drones as an integral part of a plan by the United…
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Today’s Arraignment
The courtroom was filled with supporters today as nine people faced arraignment in U.S. District in Sacramento for trespassing onto federal property at Beale Air Force Base last October while protesting U.S. drone warfare. Charges were dropped against four of the defendants: Fr. Louie Vitale, MacGregor Eddy, Barry Binks, and Toby Blome. We don’t know…
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Why Direct Action?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=w3GacnLJTic&NR=1 On January 8, the day after tomorrow, my codefendants and I will be arraigned in federal court in Sacramento, 501 I Street, for trespassing onto federal property at Beale Air Force Base in October as a protest against U.S. drone warfare. A legal team has been assembled to defend our actions in light of…
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Witnessing at Beale
On January 8, 2013, the “Beale 9” will stand trial in federal court in Sacramento. On October 30 I joined about 100 people for a demonstration at Beale Air Force Base calling for an end to drone warfare. Beale is home to the Global Hawk Drone, a surveillance drone that is used to determine drone…