Legal Update: The Fight Goes On

Dear Friends & Supporters,

Today's pre-trial conference in Vestal brought some good news but also laid out a tough road ahead: Thankfully, six of the eight remaining defendants from last March's anti-war rally and police riot accepted reduced plea deals of 'disorderly conduct' amounting in 50 hours of community service.

Two other defendants were essentially offered nothing; the State wants them to plead guilty to misdemeanors for crimes they did not commit, resulting in a criminal record and penalties.

Beyond the frightening implications of sanctioning dissent against the brutal policies of this government, at this point, such an offer does not seem even legally acceptable to us. It is, however, unclear what the strategy of the Vestal Police is; they could be focusing their energies on two defendants to "set an example" or merely draw out this process even longer to cover themselves.

What's sure is that we have renewed vigor to see these charges dropped. At a time when the US government is engaged in criminal occupations abroad and "bailing-out" the gangster of wall street while impoverishing and imprisoning working people, they have no legal or moral authority to repress legitimate dissent against their brutal policies. We're nevertheless prepared to mount a winning legal defense - if need be - within their framework.

This process will likely stretch out for more months as we await yet another pre-trial conference, and, potentially, a court date. We're still in tactical discussion with our lawyers to figure out what kind of community solidarity is best to build at this point, and where its energies should be directed.

For now, we're calling off our request to write letters to the District Attorney's office. However, there might well come a time when we'll need even more overwhelming solidarity, including a physical presence in a court room.

If you'd like to stay up-to-date with legal proceedings and how you can support us, please consider joining our google-group/listserv. We promise to send out messages infrequently and only when it's important. You can join by following this link: http://groups.google.com/group/solidarity-with-dissent

You can always donate to our much needed legal funds at our blog, http://solidarityanddissent.blogspot.com

Thanks for all your support.

In solidarity and struggle...

the mutilation of bodily and political integrity

The events on Vestal Parkway on March 18, 2008, mean not only a violation of the sanctity of the protesters’ bodies, but ultimately a mutilation of each citizen’s right to freedom of political expression. The incrimination of the 9 anti-war protesters must moreover be understood as a legal borderline case: as the U.S. government is waging an illegal war overseas, the legal framework within which U.S. judiciary and executive practices operate ‘at home’ becomes itself questionable.

illegitimate war
The latest U.S. war against Iraq is unequivocally illegitimate under international law. The invasion of Iraq violates the United Nations Charter, which is a treaty signed by the U.S. government and as such part of the supreme law of the United States. As part of the U.S. Constitution (Art. 6, clause 2) the UN Charter had become “law of the land,” which the government of the United States is obligated to uphold.

state terrorism
The violation of the UN Charter serves the self-understanding of the U.S. as empire. Claiming the right to world domination, the U.S. government fabricates doctrines of a ‘preemptive war’ and the need to defend its ‘national security.’ For the sake of assuring its geo-political and economic interests, a sovereign nation is thus knowingly violating international law, willingly performing state terrorism, and coolly consenting to the slaughter of millions of people.

legitimate protest
As the government of the United States considers itself to be standing outside the law, can this government really tell us what is right and what is wrong? The U.S. government has created a ‘state of exception’ where law has become the framework that assists in the insult of the bodily and political integrity of its citizens, while civil rights are gradually being taken away.