Nun Megan Rice gets 3 years for Tennessee nuke plant break-in

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: CBC

An 84-year-old nun has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for breaking into and defacing a storage bunker holding bomb-grade uranium in a peace demonstration at a Tennessee weapons plant.

Megan Rice was sentenced Tuesday along with activists Greg Boertje-Obed and Michael Walli. The men were sentenced to more than five years in prison.

The three activists cut through three fences on July 28, 2012, and reached a storage bunker that holds the nation's primary supply of bomb-grade uranium.

They painted messages, hung banners and threw blood on the bunker wall.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/nun-megan-rice-gets-3-years-for-tennessee-nuke-plant-break-in-1.2542540

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3 or 5 years for cutting fences and grafitti. That's draconian.

[SDjack]

1. She got a bum jury and judge. Her mistake: she should have been a banker

and stole a $B. Then, she never would have been arrested.

[NutmegYankee]

2. I don't think the 3-5 years was about cutting fences or painting grafitti.

I'm sure it had a lot to do with breaking into a nuclear weapons facility so easily.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. And that's draconian - punishing someone for embarrassing the government

As Chelsea Manning found out, and Edward Snowden fears.

[okaawhatever]

11. No, she's not being punished for embarassing the government or hanging banners. She's being punished

for entering a facility she knew was top secret. There are many, many signs telling you you're going to jail if you enter. Oak Ridge used to completely close up at night. The entire little town. Besides the atomic stuff, they have some serious high dollar research. Not all of it is for military use, it's a Dept of Energy facility.
I agree with them giving her the sentence, but I think they should pardon her on humanitarian grounds after a day or two. You can't let people think they can do that stuff. She could have gotten herself shot. But you can't really let someone like her stay in jail for it either.

[phantom power]

13. +1. And I don't care for the headline

Given three years for "protesting" ? Yeah, she was protesting, but she wasn't given three years for marching with a sign. She was given three years for breaking in and trespassing onto a fucking weapons-grade uranium storage site.

If it had been some young Muslim, he wouldn't have been sentenced for "protesting," he'd be in fucking Guantanamo being tortured as we speak.

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. I don't care for your attitude

She did no significant damage to your precious fucking weapons-grade uranium storage site.

On 28 July 2012, the three activists cut through three fences before reaching a $548m storage bunker. They hung banners, strung up crime-scene tape and hammered off a small chunk of the fortress-like storage facility for uranium material, inside the most secure part of complex. They painted messages such as "The fruit of justice is peace" and splashed small bottles of human blood on the bunker wall.

Although the protesters set off alarms, they were able to spend more than two hours inside the restricted area before they were caught. When security finally arrived, guards found the three activists singing and offering to break bread with them. The protesters reportedly also offered to share a Bible, candles and white roses with the guards.

The Department of Energy's inspector general wrote a scathing report on the security failures that allowed the activists to reach the bunker, and the security contractor was later fired. Some government officials praised the activists for exposing the facility's weaknesses. But prosecutors declined to show leniency, instead pursuing serious felony charges.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/19/nun-jailed-break-in-nuclear-plant

Is your attitude really "she should consider herself lucky we aren't torturing her?"

[phantom power]

18. so, here's what I'm getting at...

Trespassing onto a site like that comes with stiff penalties for a reason. It's dangerous. It could be dangerous to the people trespassing. It sure as hell could be dangerous to *everybody* if somebody trespassed and left with some weapons grade nuclear material.

So yes, everybody gets that they broke in with the intent to make a political statement, not to make off with some uranium. But there is a reason we limit the role of "intent" in interpreting laws. Who gets to break into secure nuclear facilities? Anybody who we think had "good intentions?" Who gets to decide?

Digression: The exact reason these "stand your ground" laws are such a travesty is that you get to stone cold murder people and get away with it by claiming your intentions were good.

I don't think this old lady deserves to be tortured, but she may, absolutely, be lucky she isn't. She is benefitting from a form of privilege. She's a little old nun, making a peace protest. Its the opposite of justice, but I'll say it again: if it had been some group of young Muslims who broke in and committed *exactly* the same protest, how do you think they would be sentenced? How do you think the general public would be viewing their behavior?

And one final point, I personally think it's a fucking stupid thing to trespass onto a nuclear facility to hold a protest. If she was doing it with the intent of civil disobedience, I can wrap my mind around that, but civil disobedience is generally committed with the understanding that one will submit to associated penalties. And trespass onto that facility comes with serious penalties. Again, for a good reason.

If you find my thoughts on that offensive, I'll have to live with it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. Who gets to decide? The courts. That's fundamental.

Her intention was a non-violent protest. " If she was doing it with the intent of civil disobedience" - duh, yes, of course she was. Fuck me, isn't that fucking obvious?

When you 'say it again', you look like you think she should get even harsher punishment. And since you posted to say that you don't care for "Nun Megan Rice gets 3 years for Tennessee nuke plant break-in", it seems you want the woman totally vilified. Why are you demanding editorialising in a headline? We're not here to feed you propaganda to your liking.

[msanthrope]

21. Her intent is not a recognizable defense in this case. Now, I think she should get a medical

discharge, but her intent in this case is essentially meaningless.

What if a teabagger told you the only reason he scaled the White House fence was for civil disobedience?

[muriel_volestrangler]

24. Intent can be taken into account in sentencing

That's a basic part of the American judicial system.

I'm not surprised to see you thinking that it's meaningless that an 84 year old woman was practising non-violent civil disobedience.

I don't think a teabagger should get as much as 3 years for scaling the White House fence.

[msanthrope]

27. Indeed..her intent to continue to break the law probably contributed to her sentence.

As I noted downthread some hours ago, I hope she gets a medical discharge. It would help if she agreed to stop the behaviour.

[Politicalboi]

26. ALL 3 deserve a medal

They told us that security was lacking. That 3 old folks can break into such a facility is a joke. The site was so precious that they didn't even respond when the sirens went off for some time. I bet even today, another 3 old people, or 10 year olds could do the very same thing.

[24601]

39. Break into the facility isn't the accurate description. This was more like hopping the White House

fence. Also not recommended since that also will get you arrested. Should be pointed out that she requested a life sentence but the judge was stuck to three years.

[Hoppy]

4. Petition for clemency, but we probably have to wait for appeals to exhaust.

[gerogie2]

34. She annonuced that she would not appeal

She is going to serve the entire sentence.

[kelliekat44]

5. And Zimmerman is walking free!! WTF! nt

[Judi Lynn]

12. Right-wingers approve of both outcomes. Sad. n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

37. Not just right wingers.

Look up thread.

[kelliekat44]

6. Obama will issue a Presidential padon, I am sure. We have to make him!! nt

[FairWinds]

7. Sister Rice . .

will be more free on the inside than
we will be on the outside.
The Veterans For Peace salute her !!

[clandestiny]

8. There are two sets of laws. One for the judges, politicians, corporations

and police, the other is for us. Sister Megan Rice was clearly tried as one of us for daring to stand up to them. Bless her 86 year old heart.

[gerogie2]

9. This is a very good TV report on the sentencing

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/local/downtown-ut/2014/02/18/sentencing-for-y-12-protesters/5573305/

[Gore1FL]

10. I wonder if she will convert to Islam

while in prison.

[malthaussen]

14. Frankly, less than I expected. n/t

[msanthrope]

16. I hope she goes out on medical, or otherwise qualifies for an early release. It would

help if she would agree to not do it again....but I think she's made her choices and I respect her stance.

[The Stranger]

17. I don't get the shit about her asking for the maximum sentence.

Why in the fuck would you do that? If you're standing up for justice, why ask to be unjustifiably incarcerated, and removed from the outside world where you can continue to be an activist.

[ripcord]

20. She should have known

No trespassing means nun shall pass.

[msanthrope]

22. Very bad!

http://m.

&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D2eMkth8FWno

[ripcord]

23. They should give her a break

As long as she doesn't make a habit of it.

[msanthrope]

28. No one can accuse her of being a wimple. nt

[Theyletmeeatcake2]

32. Hahaha!!!!!

Very good!! also What is it you can't face Megan!!!

[ManiacJoe]

25. This is the way civil disobedience works.

You purposely break the law as part of the protest. You accept the punishment as a continued part of the protest.

[NobodyHere]

29. Why did the men get longer sentences?

Didn't they do the same thing?

[uppityperson]

30. Age and prior records.

http://oakridgetoday.com/2014/02/18/y-12-protesters-nun-sentenced-three-years-men-receive-five-2/

Megan Rice, an 84-year old Catholic nun who last lived in Washington, D.C., received the shortest sentence. She was sentenced to 35 months, or just under three years. Rice is the oldest of the three anti-nuclear weapons activists. She also has the least extensive criminal history, Judge Amul R. Thapar said during a 4.5-hour sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Knoxville on Tuesday afternoon.

The other two protesters, Greg Boertje-Obed and Michael Walli, both were sentenced to 62 months, or a little more than five years. They have more extensive prior records. Boertje-Obed is a 58-year-old house painter from Duluth, Minn., and Walli is a 64-year-old Catholic worker and Vietnam veteran from Washington, D.C. Thapar said Boertje-Obed has 40 arrests and more than 20 convictions, and he has previously served time in prison. So has Walli. He was released on Jan. 5, 2012—about six months before the break-in—after an eight-month federal sentence for an earlier trespassing incident at Y-12.

“What do I do when eight months didn’t deter him?” Thapar asked defense attorney Chris Irwin. “It’s getting worse, not better.”

[Token Republican]

31. Is anyone else disturbed by

the fact that an 84 year old nun could actually overcome the security measures protecting weapon grade uranium? I mean, I could understand if she was in her 70s, but she is 84.

I have a hunch the lack of security is a reason she's being prosecuted so severely.

[jsr]

38. +1

[marshall]

33. The inmates in her prison will greatly benefit from her presence

She will have a great opportunity to reach the lives of many women who need her love and compassion.

[ucrdem]

40. I hadn't thought of that.

And reading through the thread it seems she was prepared for this outcome, expected it even, so as wretched as it is, well, maybe it's not entirely terrible.

[brooklynite]

35. Replace "Nuclear Plant" wirh "Planned Parenthood Clinic"

...and replace "Nun" with.....well, "Nun". Would you feel the same way?

[Theyletmeeatcake2]

36. Opening a can of worms there my friend!!!

Nuclear plants are bad for the planet and I think the action is justified to open up the issue.....whereas the planned parenthood clinic is a moral dilemma that only involves the patient and the clinic!!! I'm sick of bible thumpers imposing their beliefs on other people .....I'm sure in a perfect world we'd not need the clinics and most people would not get an abortion but there are so many reasons in our current world that force people down that path....sad isn't it....blame the 1% for fucking everyone over..

[muriel_volestrangler]

41. Yes, I would

3 years for breaking in somewhere, and graffiti, is too much. 5 years is far too much.