Peace activist, 89, begins jail sentence

[Mandate My Ass]

Peace activist, 89, begins jail sentence

By Joseph A. Slobodzian
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER


Bundled in two sweaters and a jacket against the biting wind as she sat in her wheelchair, 89-year-old Quaker antiwar activist Lillian Willoughby went to jail.

"I never dreamed I'd get this kind of send-off," said Willoughby, of Deptford, as she sat this morning in front of the U.S. courthouse in Center City surrounded by about 50 banner-holding members of the Brandywine Peace Community.

The gathering was both a peace vigil and show of support for Willoughby and five other demonstrators as they reported to the Federal Detention Center to begin seven-day sentences for blocking the courthouse entrance on March 20, 2003, the day after the Iraq war began.

"It will be worth it if it gets the message out and people start working for peace," Willoughby said.

Willoughby and the five other demonstrators - Michael Brix, 28; Marion Brown, 58; and Jason Fultz, 29, all of Philadelphia; and Cassandra Heino-Haw, 22, and husband Christopher Haw, 23, of Camden - were among 107 arrested March 20, 2003.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/9968972.htm

[Cha]

1. Bless you Lillian!

You have more guts than the president(sic) of the USA..course that's not a very good yardstick..most everyone does.

But you are one brave lady..thank you for standing up for Peace!

[WI_DEM]

2. Is there any better purpose in life than to work for peace and justice?

God bless her and the others.

[Rjnerd]

3. Lets all join in...

I hope this story has legs... In the mean time, lets give them a seranade. http://www.annefeeney.com/Pages/jailforjustice.html

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Yes, this ought to teach those peace-nicks a thing or two!

Honest to god, what the hell has happened to the sanity that seemed to be overtaking this country in the 90's? They are right, 9/11 changed everything, it has changed this country into a shit pot.

[chelaque liberal]

23. Nov 2000 changed everything

9/11 is just the cover story.

[Ima]

5. sad

I hope some one is really proud of themselves for putting her in jail, the poor, old disabled lady. Don't they have better things to do with their time?

[Oilwellian]

6. Blessed are the peacemakers

like Lillian Willoughby.

[DuctapeFatwa]

7. Those senteces sound very lenient considering the nature of the offense

Blocking the courthouse is one thing, but actively opposing US policy threatens national security.

I would think Ridge and Ashcroft would be all over this puppy.

Is the FBI rounding up these Quakers, and people with a Quaker appearance for questioning?

[Chicago Democrat]

8. Damn Octogenarian Quakers! Always whining about peace.

grrrr

[gratuitous]

9. They can come for me

Church of the Brethren, and deeply, personally, actively opposed to the bloodthirsty policies of this corrupt administration.

[Lefta Dissenter]

11. Shouldn't this include

The Quaker Oats Guy? :shrug:

[gratuitous]

15. Barbara Bush, you mean?

Admit it: You've never seen Mr. "Nothing is better for thee than me" and the Hateful Harpy, spawner of demons, together, have you?

[Lefta Dissenter]

17. whatever are you talking about???

:D

[gatlingforme]

14. I think that they "actively" opposed US policy by blocking the

courthouse entrance..... lol - did it threaten national security --- no....are you serious?

[DuctapeFatwa]

20. They were openly inciting non-violence. Peace is the new terror

You must really be out of the loop.

[Catch22Dem]

21. "openly inciting non-violence"

I almost crapped my pants. Bravo!

[gatlingforme]

22. lol

[kayell]

24. We must all call the breakfast cereal Freedom oats now.

[Chelsea Patriot]

25. Quaker Oppression is nothing new in this Country.

In Our Country's colonial period, Quakers were routinely oppressed, driven out of towns and lynched. Quaker women were frequent targets.

This is another aspect of American History that Lynn Cheney does not want people to know about.

This latest attack on a Quaker woman does not bode well.

[Bandit]

10. And Rush Limbaugh is still allowed to voice his hatred daily

What has happened to the goodness of our country?

[UpInArms]

12. lovely justice system in this country

with peaceful protests being illegal and all - oh my! a blocked entrace to a courthouse versus dropping bombs and killing innocents - the choice is obvious - throw those peacenicks in jail!

/sarcasm on high and rising

[yardwork]

13. Way to go morans! Put an 89 year old woman in a wheelchair in jail

That'll really show those terra-ists.

I can't express how angry this makes me. The good thing is that maybe it will shock some other people into waking up and dropping the koolaid.

Meanwhile, kudos to Lillian Willoughby!

[sonias]

16. Lillian Willoughby is awesome

Here is a true patriot willing to go to jail for her beliefs and for peace.

:grouphug: to all the activists standing up for peace.

Sonia

[Voltaire99]

18. There's an American worthy of the name (n/t)

[G_j]

19. the same thing has been happening

at the SOA protests: elderly activists (such as nuns in their eighties) getting prison sentences.