Published on Peacework Magazine (http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org)
Consequences of War Enacted at Blackwater Headquarters

Authors: Jonah House [4]

Jonah House is a Catholic Worker Community in Baltimore.

Full Article:

On October 20, 2007, demonstrators from East coast Catholic Worker Communities dramatized war's consequences at the gate of Blackwater, the private military corporation earning billions in Iraq.

While fifty demonstrators picketed legally outside the entrance, Steve Baggarly, Beth Brockman, Mark Colville, Peter DeMott, Laura Marks, Bill Streit, and Mary Grace entered Blackwater's compound, staged a 45-minute die-in to re-enact the Nissour Square massacre of September 16, 2007, and placed "bloody" hand prints on Blackwater's signs.

Blackwater Guards are accused of killing 17 Iraqis in Nissour Square, Baghdad, in an unprovoked hail of gunfire. Blackwater was under contract to the US State Department, and as such they are claiming immunity from prosecution in Iraq and the US.

The seven protesters will go on trial for second degreee trespass, injury to real property, and resisting arrest, on December 5, 2007, in Maple, NC.

Post Script added 2008-01-30: Please see Jeremy Scahill's article on Common Dreams [5] commenting on the Blackwater 7's convictions at trial, and observing, "The symbolism was stark: Re-enact a Blackwater massacre, go to jail. Commit a massacre, walk around freely and perhaps never go to jail."
From Issue 381 - December 2007-January 2008 [6]

Regions: Iraq [7] United States [8]

Categories: 1.01 wars between states [9] 1.07 arms trade [10] 1.14 laws of war, war crimes, crimes against humanity [11] 1.15 targeting civilians [12] 1.18.06 military contracts and military contractors [13] 2.01 individual conscience [14] 2.04 countering military recruitment [15] 2.06.04 economic conversion of military bases & military plants [16] 3.01 peace protests (see also 4. Nonviolent Action) [17] 4.01.03 protest art, music, theater, etc. [18] 4.01.04 vigils [19] 4.01.05 pickets, marches, and rallies [20] 4.02.01 sit-ins, bike-ins, wade-ins, etc. [21] 4.02.05 blocking entrances or roads [22] 4.02.12 nonviolent direct action controversies [23] 5.03.08 globalizing liberation, solidarity, protest [24] 5.09.01 countering dehumanizing propaganda [25] 5.11.07 religiously motivated peace work [26] 5.14.01 religious pacifism [27]

Activist Dialog:
What can we learn from these resisters to militarism? [28]


Source URL: http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/consequences-war-enacted-blackwater-headquarters

Links:
[1] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/forward/874
[2] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/print/874
[3] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/audio/play/907
[4] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/authors/jonah-house
[5] http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/01/29/6694/
[6] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/issue-381-Dec-2007-Jan-2008
[7] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/geography/asia/western-asia/iraq
[8] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/geography/americas/northern-america/united-states
[9] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-01-wars-between-states
[10] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-07-arms-trade
[11] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-13-laws-war-war-crimes-crimes-against-humanity
[12] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-14-targeting-civilians
[13] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-18-militarism/1-18-06-military-contracts-and-military-contractors
[14] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/2-resistance-militaries-and-resistance-militarism/2-01-individual-conscience-0
[15] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/2-resistance-militaries-and-resistance-militarism/2-04-countering-military-recruitment
[16] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/2-resistance-militaries-and-resistance-militarism/2-06-disarmament/2-06-04-economic-convers
[17] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/3-working-peace-conflict-transformation/3-01-peace-protests-see-also-4-nonviolent-action
[18] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/4-nonviolent-action/4-01-nonviolent-protest-and-persuasion/4-01-03-protest-art-music-theate
[19] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/4-nonviolent-action/4-01-nonviolent-protest-and-persuasion/4-01-04-vigils
[20] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/4-nonviolent-action/4-01-nonviolent-protest-and-persuasion/4-01-05-pickets-marches-and-rall
[21] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/4-nonviolent-action/4-02-nonviolent-direct-action/4-02-01-sit-ins-bike-ins-wade-ins-etc
[22] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/4-nonviolent-action/4-02-nonviolent-direct-action/4-02-05-blocking-entrances-or-roads
[23] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/4-nonviolent-action/4-02-nonviolent-direct-action/4-02-12-nonviolent-direct-action-controve
[24] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/27
[25] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/5-countering-oppression-organizing-building-alternatives/5-09-countering-racism-promoting-m
[26] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/373
[27] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/384
[28] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/forum/what-can-we-learn-these-resisters-militarism
[29] http://www.afsc.org/store