US grannies on trial for anti-war protest

[Barrett808]

NEW YORK (AFP) - The trial opened in New York of 18 grandmothers arrested for disorderly conduct after they sought to enlist in the US Army as a protest against the war in Iraq.

The women, whose ages range from 50 to 91, have all entered not guilty pleas and some said they would ignore any court-imposed penalty if found guilty.

"Coming to this damn court is nothing compared to what is happening to people in Iraq," said Marie Runyon, 91.

The grandmothers, all members of the "Granny Peace Brigade" were arrested in October during a protest outside a military recruiting station in Times Square.

They were charged on two counts of disorderly conduct, for blocking the recruiting station door and refusing to comply with a police order.

"We should be praising these grandmothers, not prosecuting them," said noted civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel, who was defending the women in court.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060420/ts_alt_afp/usiraqtrialgrannies

[madeline_con]

1. It just gets curiouser by the minute. n/t

:popcorn:

[rodeodance]

2. go granny go.

[jahyarain]

3. burn the witches!

:sarcasm:

[AndyTiedye]

4. Those Grannies Rock

:yourock:
:kick:

[fbahrami]

5. such courage

"Coming to this damn court is nothing compared to what is happening to people in Iraq"

such a contrast to the rest of us who hardly seem to care ...

[Barrett808]

6. Welcome to DU, fbahrami!

:hi:

And for the record, most of us here at DU do care about what happens to the Iraqi people. Check out my journal!

[AuntiBush]

17. agree with you on that point.

brave souls. with age comes wisdom. whats my excuse?

[OKthatsIT]

22. we're at an age when..it isn't our lives we're worried about

it's our children, our grandchildren and generations to follow.

'Saving our children' is no different to us as is 'saving the planet'.

We have nothing to lose and everything's at stake.

[AlCzervik]

7. i wonder if it's a bench trial or trial by jury and if so i would love to

see the jurors looking at a 91 year old grandma.

[gratuitous]

8. Disorderly conduct for volunteering?

I wonder if any of the 101st Fighting Keyboarders have the feel of burning coals on their noggins?

[AnneD]

9. Those guys don't stand a chance...

there is nothing more powerful and fearless than a grandmother (unless it is a mom protecting her kids). These women have lived through and seen it all. You go girls...:yourock: :headbang:

[leftchick]

10. Photo Of Betty Brassell. She is using a walker....

Are you feeling safer yet? :grr:



Attorney Norman Segal (L) and Court Officer Sgt. Peter Dolan (R), assist Betty Brassell (C) into the state court building in New York April 20, 2006 to face charges of protesting the war in Iraq. Brassell is one of 18 grandmothers charged for blocking access to the U.S. military recruiting station in Times Square during a recent protest. REUTERS/Chip East

I Love You Betty!

[0007]

26. Love that song Randi Rhodes plays..."Bounce Your Boobies"

C'mon gals lets get the joint rocking

:hi:

[Terran1212]

11. Good People

[Megahurtz]

12. Gee, I wonder if they will arrest all of those abortion protesters

for disorderly conduct too?:eyes:

[ngGale]

13. Grannies with guts...

gotta love 'em.:-)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. every Dem congressman needs to see these photos. EVERY SINGLE ONE.

Might put some spine in the most spineless.

[TexasLawyer]

14. 91 !

Go, Granny, Go!

[Beaverhausen]

15. Michelle Malkin will post their personal info on her website shortly

These grannies rock!!!

[saigon68]

23. Michelle Malkin is a skank

[AuntiBush]

18. Kicked for Honorable Grannies

With more on the patriot-ball then this kid.

:patriot: :kick:

[Just Me]

19. Heroes,...in their own right. I embrace them for the inspiration they,...

,...generate in my soul. They are proof that,...humanity can be SOOOO amazing and beautiful and brave.

I salute you "Granny Peace Brigade". Maybe, in ten years or so, I'll be a member of that awesome brigade.

:hug:

[Canuckistanian]

20. Ever notice there are no "conservative grannies"?

Do you ever see any of them out protesting? Say, when Clinton was in power?

Old people have their heads screwed on right.

[KyndCulture]

21. Wow!!

rock on grannies!!!!

[struggle4progress]

24. kick

:kick:

[Seabiscuit]

25. Can't those idiot prosecutors find something better to do with their time?

This will be their lifelong legacy. Damn them all to hell.

[Voltaire99]

27. Love those grannies

More guts in one of them than the entire political class.

[genieroze]

28. You tell em granny. Tell them to go (naughty word) themselves.