Just watched live the recently-freed Íngrid Betancourt addressing the European Parliament. (Earlier prayers: 2007-07-04, 2007-12-07, 2008-01-17.) She seemed to have got the chamber full of tearful, sympathetic eyes; and a standing ovation at the end. At the subsequent press conference, she said she did not like how politics was conducted all over the world – I suppose this meant she will not run for the Colombian presidency again anytime soon.

Gentle readers using Microsoft Windows can probably watch the recording (with real-time interpretation into English and 26 other languages) on European Parliament Live or EuroparlTV. Irritatingly, these web services are not entirely interoperable on some other platforms. I will try to remember to put a link here to the verbatim report when it becomes available.

The “green” Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All Holiness Bartholomew I, also addressed the European Parliament last month.

Recently the Archbishop of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia, Malkhaz Songulashvili, came to Oxford for a study-leave. By Georgia, I mean the one with Saakashvili and Stalin (alas), rather than the one with Jimmy Carter and CNN. That might answer your obvious question…. Further, as to why there is an Archbishop in a Baptist church, please read the church’s website. As to how to address a Baptist Archbishop in the correct style: pass. In any case: sadly, it was during his visit that the Russia–Georgia conflict broke out.

I happened to be in Finland when the formerly-frozen conflict became hot again. It was interesting to see the newish Foreign Minister of Finland, Alexander Stubb, being thrusted into the limelight, trying to calm things down. Stubb used to be a Member of the European Parliament, and I have been tracking his career for some time. Though I do not agree with him on everything, I acknowledge that he was probably the most funny man in the house, to good political effect. He mediated in this conflict in his capacity as the President-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), an institution I raved about earlier in these pages. Suitably, Helsinki, Finland’s capital, is the birthplace of the OSCE.

Archbishop Songulashvili gave a talk in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, to explain the background and his views on the present conflict, and about Georgia in general – it is not a country about which most English people know a lot. Now I give my own view, in light of the Archbishop’s explanation. It appears that the whole thing was brought to a head as Georgia is attracted to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato). Some Germans (and other Europeans) are trying to explain to the Russians that Nato is no longer a confrontational organization, but is now, after the Cold War, a gentler security pact. I don’t think this cuts it: Nato is too tangled already for this kind of rhetoric to work (recall Afghanistan and ex-Yugoslavia). OSCE is a better way forward.

Gentle readers can read a transcript of a recent United Nations Security Council meeting from a cool website called UN Democracy (available also on the sidebar here), where Alex Stubb gave a briefing (Security Council meeting 5982). Notice that things might start moving again in the next few days: “Sarkozy II plan, with an aim of having the troops withdrawn by 10 October”; “What I have proposed is the formation of an international platform made up of three key organizations — the United Nations, the EU and the OSCE — as well as the stakeholders in the conflict. That platform should be convened as soon as possible. I believe a good starting point is 15 October, when an international conference is scheduled to be held in Geneva.” I hope they move in a good direction.

Notice also that Nato was never mentioned, though both Kosovo and Afghanistan were. I am not steeped in the issues enough to know whether this is a good thing or bad. Representing the United States of America, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Rosemary DiCarlo mentioned another interesting fact though: “The OSCE will observe presidential elections in the United States in November, and we welcome that effort. An autonomous elections watchdog can contribute overall to strengthening democratic institutions in countries in transition and in established democracies.”

Gentle readers will recall that about half a year ago, Barack Obama got into some trouble because of his pastor from a congregation of the United Church of Christ. (Around the same time I also visited a United Church of Christ congregation which was “more liberal than I”.)

Since then, I have attended the United Reformed Church’s General Assembly in which the Reverend Roberta Rominger was inducted as General Secretary of the Britain-wide denomination. I have also attended two induction services (on neighbouring Saturdays): of the Reverend Tanya Stormo Rasmussen to the chaplaincy of Mansfield College, Oxford, a college historically related to the United Reformed Church; and of the Reverend Carla Grosch-Miller to my own church Saint Columba’s. A pattern emerged: all three of them are from the United Church of Christ!

So, gentle readers west of the Atlantic: if in a month’s time you feel an eerie urge to move hitherward, you know where you are sure to find a welcome. But for now, work hard to make yourself comfortable at home for the next few years!

Yesterday, the two most prominent presbyterians in these Isles (neither of them English) spoke out:

Ian Paisley: ‘We must all, in our own way, do what we can to help one another to get some way through this very dark hour for our nation. I know that there are many beliefs in this House; my belief in God is well known and my religious convictions are known. I trust that our whole nation will turn in repentance and cry to God for an intervention so that the calamity will not come on our children and on the babes in their cots.’

Gordon Brown: ‘And that is why we back the work ethic; we support effort and enterprise and responsible risk-taking. These are the morals markets need.’

It is well known that ‘presbyterians’ is an anagram for ‘Britney Spears’. By the way, sorry for the long hiatus from me. Let me know if you want to hear about my recent adventures – things like encountering a Georgian (as in Tbilisi, not as in Atlanta) baptist archbishop, and entryism into Britain from Barack Obama’s church – please let me know.

By Joe DeGeorge for HBML:

Hermes
Barnum
Monkey
Legba

508 is a show about Worcester. Due to technical limitations, this week’s show consists of various subsets of Kevin Ksen, “Diamond Dave” Maciewski, Brendan “Buck Paxton” Melican, and Bruce “Snow Ghost” Russell.

This week in Worcester, the authorities shot a moose.

Image by Duncan A.

Kevin talks about protesting the “Spirit of America” pageant (though not the spirit of America) in 2004 and 2008. Mike critiques the new Worcester Magazine feature “Two minutes with …” and skims the InCity Times. Dave and Mike are saddened by Daniel Yarnie’s arrest. Brendan considers the City Council’s proposed anti-party ordinance. Mike goes negative on the library.

Mike is shopping only at local businesses for the next week. Brendan mentions Polar Classic Sodas.

Bruce is both unintelligible and entertaining.

Finally: tasers.

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The Agape Community, in the woods about 35 miles from Worcester, has been more-or-less closed for the past year, while core members and residents Suzanne Belote Shanley and Brayton Shanley have been on sabbatical (their first in decades).

That sabbatical officially ends this Saturday with the annual St. Francis Day celebration.

The Raging Grannies at St. Francis Day in 2006

“Breaking the Silence: Unheard Voices in an Election Year”

Saturday Oct. 4, 2008
Promptly at 10 A.M. – 4 P.M. rain or shine

Multicultural Voices: Youth Panel on Hope and Faith

Community Dialogue: Women of Faith and Election Year Politics

Demonstrations–solar energy, vegetable oil fueled car, straw-bale house, compost toilet, and organic garden.

Bring your lunch and a dish for the Pot Luck dinner.

Tribute to Tom Lewis - artist and member of Catonsville 9

Agape Community 2062 Greenwich Rd, Ware
413-967-9369 www.agapecommunity.org
peace@agapecommunity.org

Highly recommended. These folks let me take a retreat there this summer, for which I am very grateful.

River Sims moves his blog
River Sims, of San Francisco’s Temenos Catholic Worker, writes the best Catholic Worker blog out there; it’s moved. This is great news, because the new blog has proper RSS feeds, etc.

River Sims in his apartment, with the infamous “Points for Jesus” t-shirt. Photo: Mike Benedetti.

Unreported story of the week
New Worcester Green Jobs Coalition forms.

Related:

• Thomas Friedman’s Argument For ‘Geo-Greenism’ is a good link to forward to friends who think “green jobs” are hippie nonsense.
• The Cringely Plan is short and provocative.

“Maui News kills online story comments”
Here’s the story, via Romenesko:

In a letter published in the newspaper and online Tuesday, [publisher] Bradley said the “frequency and vileness of the abusers’ postings have grown beyond the newspaper’s capacity to remove them in a timely manner.”

How is it that websites with many times the readership of the Maui News and a fraction of the staff can maintain comments sections? I’m sure there’s an obvious reason why newspaper comments sections have been such trouble for them, but at this point I don’t get it. Our own Telegram & Gazette comments section is a good example of the problems many papers seem to be having. Their comments section is at about the third or fourth percentile in terms of functionality, and despite their best efforts they still have probably the lowest-quality Worcester conversation online, yet they have actual paid staff!

Frank Key:

I attended a seminar recently which had the jaunty title “Comments Policies For Bloggers : How To Make Them Harsh And Unforgiving”.

A couple comments on the crisis
Megan McArdle:

I find it extraordinarily easy to sympathize with the bankers who genuinely believed that they had gotten better at pricing credit risk. I also find it extraordinarily easy to sympathize with people who dropped out of college to start a band. In neither case, however, do I wish to reward this behavior with large stacks of unearned money.

John Robb:

It’s instructive to view the US Treasury’s plans for a bail-out of the global financial system through the lens of the hollow state. By this measure, the bailout as it stands today, is a form of financial looting of the US Treasury (it isn’t socialism, since the government isn’t nationalizing the financial system). Trillions of dollars in government monies ($700 billion to begin with) will be infused directly into the coffers of corporations and wealthy individuals (via hedge funds). Specifically, the plan buys toxic assets at inflated prices and sells them back for nearly nothing — no equity or assets of real value are provided in exchange for the purchase. The national debt will likely grow 20-30% in a single year, with obligations extended to many trillions more in guarantees

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Bruce Russell, Brendan Melican, and “Diamond Dave” Maciewski.

We discuss Question One, which would eliminate the Massachusetts state income tax, and conclude it’s a bad idea. Question Two would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, and the panel supports it. (Here’s the study Brendan mentioned on “marijuana as a gateway drug.”)

We don’t know much about Question Three.

Next topic: How much can Bruce bench?

Bruce and Mike attempt to share an anecdote about Tom Lewis.

Despite his focus on serious issues, Tom was also known for a fine sense of humor. Just after his codefendant Father Phil Berrigan was sentenced to six years in jail for his part in the Baltimore Four, the judge asked Tom if he had anything to say before sentencing. Tom said, “No, your honor.” The judge pressed him, “These are serious charges, Mr. Lewis. Don’t you have anything to say?” Tom said, “No, I’ve said all I want to in my testimony.” But, when the judge persisted, “You could be sent to jail for years Mr. Lewis, are you absolutely sure there’s nothing you want to add?” Tom began to suspect that the judge wanted to scapegoat Phil as the priest mastermind of the protest and hoped Tom would make a last minute appeal for mercy, so Tom said, “Since you press me your honor, there is one quote which is important to me.” The judge leaned forward and said, “Yes, yes.” Tom straightened up and said soberly, “You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead. That’s from Laurel and Hardy, your honor.” The furious judge gave Tom six years too.

Mike talks about his federal trial and WCCA’s funding situation.

Brendan says the new wind turbine is worth checking out.

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For much more info, see: “Rosary” trial verdict: guilty of disobeying orders, not guilty of blocking entrance, $250 fine.

For a higher-quality video, download the mp4. If you’d like to use this video, there are Creative Commons-licensed versions in several formats.

Five Roman Catholics, arrested March 19 in connection with praying for an end to the Iraq War in the lobby of the Worcester federal building, were today found guilty of one petty offense and not guilty of another.

Magistrate Judge Timothy S. Hillman today found all five defendants guilty of failure “to comply with lawful direction of authorized individuals (U.S. Marshals)” and fined them the minimum penalty of $250.

They were not found guilty of the other petty offense, obstructing the entrance and impeding performance of duties by government employees.

The defendants in June 2008: Mike, Sandra, Ken, Scott, Roger

Three of the defendants, Michael Benedetti, Sandra McSweeney, and Roger Stanley, plan to pay the fine. Two others, Ken Hannaford-Ricardi and Scott Schaeffer-Duffy, said they could not pay the fine for reasons of conscience. There will be a hearing on their situation November 6.

• Worcester Telegram & Gazette: Activists fined for unauthorized vigil

• Video of the arrest used as evidence in the trial.
• Somewhat longer Telegram & Gazette article: “Kneelers guilty of minor charge: Two protesters refuse to pay $250 fines”

Update:

• T&G video of people marching to the trial (features the Jagerstatter prayer)
• Short video recapping the trial

Here are some of my notes about the morning’s activities and the trial itself. Be aware that these notes may contain errors, and that as a defendant in the trial I’m probably very biased.

Today is the feast day of Padre Pio. We all gathered for morning mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where the celebrant noted in his homily that “Two of the great opponents of the war [in Iraq] are our two most recent popes.”

We marched from the cathedral to the federal building/courthouse, holding our Franz Jagerstatter banner. Jagerstatter was an Austrian Catholic who refused to fight for the Nazis and was beheaded. He was the inspiration for the Lenten fast and vigil for an end to the war that was observed around the country.

About ten supporters joined us. (Many more drifted into court later.)

Karin Bell was the Assistant US Attorney handling the case. The defendants are representing themselves.

First witness was U.S. Marshal Service Supervising Deputy Tom Bezanson (sp? I have his name written down elsewhere….) He is assigned to the federal courthouse in Boston, and formerly worked at the Worcester court.

He supervised deputy marshals. In the Worcester court, marshals provide security for judges, other employees, witnesses, etc. There are security officers contracted to the court as a supplement to the deputy marshals. All security officers are sworn as US Deputy Marshals.

On March 19, 2008, he was working in Worcester. Called at 8:25am by the court security officers. Went to main entrance and observed people entering the courthouse. Approx 5 or 6 people entered. They went to the right of the lobby area. Didn’t go through the security checkpoint.

(Side note: Here’s a YouTube video I made of the arrest.)

Scott Schaeffer-Duffy went to him and said “we’re here to pray and protest, we’re not going to disrupt the court.” He told Scott he needed a permit, Scott said he was not interested.

On March 14 a letter was delivered to the court security officers telling about the planned protest.

Scott went back to the entrance with the others. Explained to everyone that they had to leave without a permit. Then they dropped to their knees and began to pray. Warned them 3 times to leave, and they did not.

He identifies the defendants.

They knelt just inside the threshold to the right. There is a small barrier in there to move people to the security checkpoint.

“People could get by, but it was difficult.” This was the only entrance for the public.

He asked for assistance from court security officers. Three came. They were initially assigned to security screening. Also called 2 deputy marshals from his office. One was normally to be looking for fugitives, the other helping with court process and civil matters.

Also called Worcester Police Department. By the end there were about 15 officers there. “Assessing the situation initially, I really didn’t know what I was up against.”

They did not go through the magnetometer or any security screening. They may have had weapons.

Were members of the public able to enter? “Yes, they were.” “I wouldn’t say unimpeded, but they could get through.”

“A couple times” he positioned his body between the protesters and people coming in.

He says there were 2 camera crews outside and people filling the sidewalk.

Prayer was approx 25 minutes.

When the prayer was ended, he asked them to get up, they went into the lobby and were put in restraints.

Also called the Federal Protective Services. An officer came from the Boston office to assist. He’d called them on March 14 to notify them.

Do they video monitor the courthouse? Yes, by the Marshal Service.

She gives the witness a DVD he made of the events. She plays some of the DVD. (Fires up a video screen and Windows Media Player.)

Here’s a copy of the video. There’s no action for the first 30 seconds:

On the screen, we see the defendants enter the lobby. Scott goes way to the right of the picture. Marshal says he’s showing him a business card at this point. (It’s impossible to tell what’s going on.)

We watch the video, and he is shown the various scenes mentioned in his testimony.

The lights come up.

Are rules of conduct posted? Yes, in the entrance. The building is federal property under the GSA.

No more questions.

Scott Schaeffer-Duffy cross-examines him. Begins by thanking him for his courtesy and respect.

A number of times in his testimony he called this “a protest.” Is it possible that the defendants, in their letter and otherwise, only called this “a prayer,” not a protest? Possible, he doesn’t recall.

Is is true that many of the defendants had been at the courthouse for a daily demonstration? Not sure.

Were the demonstrators every violent or disruptive? Objection. Overruled.

“Everything was fine as far as I’m concerned.” But not sure.

Would you characterize their behavior? “It was nonviolent.”

Is it true that 26 people are shown entering the building on the video? And that nobody is stopped from entering? Sure, maybe.

You mentioned people were called away from other responsibilities. So why were the people praying not removed immediately? “I didn’t see the need at that time.”

Ken Hannaford-Ricardi asks a question: On 2 occasions you said you were “concerned” for people entering the courthouse, and had to “secure” the courthouse. But you let us pray for 25 minutes.

Objection: mischaracterization of testimony. Sustained: clean up the question, make it direct.

He wanted to wait until he had sufficient manpower.

Could you define “protest”?

Objection. Sustained.

Witness steps down. The government rests.

Any motions or evidence for the defense? Defense has no motions, but does have testimony and witnesses. No opening statement but would like to make a summation.

Roger Stanley calls Kevin Ksen to the stand.

Kevin was outside that day and observed the action. Saw at least 10 officers and 10 civilians enter.

Saw Tom Lewis stopped from entering. (Note: Tom was planning to join in the prayer, but was running late that morning….) Everyone else was able to enter.

Karin Bell: Did you see anyone go through security or present ID? No. You weren’t inside? No.

She asks him about being outside.

Roger calls Sandra McSweeney to the stand. (This is not our planned order of witnesses! I think there is some confusion about whether you have to call everyone you want to question in a row, or whether the defendants can come out of order. I know I was confused about this myself. Turns out not to matter.)

Judge warns her she can’t be compelled to testify.

She’s 65, lives in Mendon, and acupuncturist for 26 years, mother and grandmother.

Entered the building, knelt and prayed. Saw people enter, nobody prevented from entering. Did not intend to block the entrance.

“For as long as I can remember I have been concerned about economic and social justice.” Concerned about our troops in Iraq.

Karin Bell: So you admit this was civil disobedience? Yes. You didn’t go through security or show ID? Correct. Didn’t leave when asked? Yes. Etc. etc.

Ken Hannaford-Ricardi calls Claire Schaeffer-Duffy to the stand. We’re now 50 minutes into the trial.

Claire was at the event.

Claire: “Don’t you want to identify me?”

Ken: “Ms. Schaeffer-Duffy, could you state your name and address?”

Was anyone impeded?

Objection: That’s a legal question. Judge: Say what you observed.

People went in and out.

Three photos she took of the event are entered into evidence. She reads the text of the banners in the photos, including John Paul II’s quote about the Iraq War being “unjust, illegal, and immoral.” She describes a photo of an Iraqi baby somebody is holding.

Objection. Sustained as to her characterization of the photo.

Objection: pix taken outside are irrelevant. Overruled. The photos become, after the DVD, exhibits 2, 3, and 4.

Karin Bell: You are related to Mr. Schaeffer-Duffy? Yes, 24 years of marriage. You weren’t inside the courthouse? No.

Judge asks her to describe #4, a photo of people praying taken through the doorway.

Sandra McSweeney calls Roger Stanley to the stand.

Lives in Berlin (MA). Husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather. Army and Marines veteran.

That morning went to mass at the cathedral, received a blessing, marched to the courthouse/federal building, entered for the prayer service.

A photo Roger carried during the prayer is entered into evidence. (Some confusion here because he was in the middle of describing it before the purpose of the photo was established.)

Anyone prevented from entering? No. Intended to block the door? No.

Why did he do this? “I entered after thinking and praying for several years about the right thing to do to end violence.

Karin Bell: You said this event was “pre-approved”? Well, the marshals had been notified. You never received permission or a permit? No. Didn’t go through the metal detector or show ID? No. Etc. etc.

Mike Benedetti calls Ken Hannaford-Ricardi to the stand. I didn’t take notes while questioning him. I tried to introduce the leaflet we gave the marshals, and a photo Ken was carrying, as evidence. I think the leaflet got in, but not the photo.

Ken: “No kid deserves to die. No kid deserves to be maimed or wounded.” Talks about his experiences visiting Iraq to provide aid. (I think at some point he is cut off. Ken is always eloquent and heartfelt about war. I wish someone had good notes.)

Karin Bell: You’ve been charged three other times for trespassing? And once you received probation? Yes. She goes over the same questions as before.

I am called and cross-examined. I mention that we were trying to hold the prayer behind, not in front of the barrier, as seen in the video. I also mention my thinking there was a small chance which we’d get to finish the whole prayer (which we did) and maybe even not be arrested.

A copy of the prayer we read is entered into evidence. The photo I was carrying, of New England vets killed in Iraq, is not allowed.

Ken calls Scott to the stand. Describes his background. Father, Catholic Worker, etc. Had been to the federal building for the 40-day fast and vigil. Talks about Jagerstatter, the inspiration for the fast.

Delivered a letter to building security a few days before the prayer. Reads part of the letter with details of the plans.

No objections to having this as evidence, tho Karin Bell notes that it was somewhat misaddressed.

Describes being sort of pushed out the doorway, and so at that point we knelt.

Shows the photo he had. Objection. Sustained.

Did he see people enter? Yes. Was it your intent to block the entrance? No.

Why did you do it? I’ve had the privilege to shelter many homeless people, including many vets and have learned from them about their experiences in war and how the nation treats them afterwards. Has had misfortune of seeing many civilian casualties in war zones and having people beg him to help stop the killing. “For me, opposition to war is not theoretical, it is very, very personal.”

“The war went on, even with 70% of the American people saying it was wrong.” “Perhaps divine intervention.”

Karin Bell: Many previous arrests for similar things? Yes. Your letter said you accepted the risk of arrest? Yes. No permit? No. Etc. etc.

“I have been in many thousands of demonstrations without permits and not been arrested.”

“We were told that if we did not leave we may be subject to arrest.”

“We did the entirety of the prayer we intended to do.” By the end of the prayer, he was somewhat surprised at being arrested, it had gone on so long. “We were never stopped from praying . . . we were arrested when we were preparing to leave!”

Defense rests. It’s 10:35am. A quick break.

Government closes: Whatever you call it, the facts in this case are very simple.

Suggests the marshals may have thought the prayer was “a distraction,” part of some more sinister plan.

Two charges here. First is: failure to comply with lawful order from a federal officer.

Every one of the defendants has admitted to this charge.

Second charge: disorderly conduct coming from unreasonable obstruction of the entrance and impeding govt employees. It is sufficient for the govt to prove only one of these.

Impeding employeeds: Court security officers called away, marshals called away, federal protective services officer.

Unreasonable obstruction of entrance: “Unreasonable obstructed the usual use of the entrance.” This doesn’t have to be a total blockage.

Anticipates that the defense will raise 2 issues: “total” blockage of door, and not intending to block door. Argues that this is irrelevant.

Defense closing statement: “This case is an extraordinary case about an extraordinary action inspired by an extraordinary man.” If you look at these defendants’ backgrounds, you will find exemplary citizens.

Talks about Jagerstatter.

“He was told by his local authorities that he had to obey and that others were doing it.” “But he saw a bigger picture.”

Objection. Judge: Confine yourself to the facts.

Impeding: we brought evidence that it was not our intent or action to block the entrance. We believe that during the Lenten vigil we demonstrated over and over that we were people of peaceful intention.

Lawful order: Goes back to a question of conscience. Had we been allowed our defense of necessity we might have explored this in depth. We have all been in situations where people might have been arrested but were not.

Ask to consider actions in context. Out of consideration for our intentions and for Americans and Iraqis in Iraq whose situation has become invisible.

Karin Bell rebuttal: While the defendants have characterized themselves as exemplary citizens, Scott Schaeffer-Duffy has been arrested 22 times! (I had to smile at this.)

Judge: Complements Bezanson for his conduct on the 19th.

Defendants are guilty of not obeying a lawful order.

Not guilty of impeding.

No statements are solicited from the govt or the defense.

Always nice when a judge starts off the sentencing phase with, “The minimum fine for this charge is . . . .”

In this case, it’s a $250 fine and $30 court costs.

How long does Scott Schaeffer-Duffy need to get this $ together?

Scott: I live below the taxable level and don’t pay taxes. I am OK with paying costs but I don’t want to pay a fine to the federal government, both because my money comes from donations that are supposed to go to the homeless, and because the federal govt does some objectionable things.

Roger: No problem with the fine.

Ken: My wife and I have a family of 4 living below poverty income. “I put myself in this room today.” Can’t pay the fine, and won’t.

Sandra and Mike: No problem with the fine.

Judge needs to think about his options in re Scott and Ken. Will come back in a month. The hearing will be Nov 6 at 10am.

Scott mentions that in past cases judges have offered jail sentences when he wouldn’t pay a fine. Another judge waived the fine and donated ten bucks to the Catholic Worker. Extraordinary things do happen.

Judge: In my case, that would be extraordinary!

Scott: Regardless of how you sentence us, thanks for your courtesy and patience.

(I gotta say, everyone was very professional and sharp yet polite. Thanks, folks.)

End of trial.

The defendants and a couple dozen supporters gather outside the fifth floor elevators and say a Hail Mary. No one is arrested.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel includes Worcester Magazine’s Scott Zoback and Brendan Melican.

Scott describes seeing some more Asian Long-Horned Beetles. Brendan points out the irony in this article about police details at construction sites:

One potential scenario could have city councilors taking up as soon as Tuesday a new municipal ordinance that would carve out an exemption from Mr. [Governor Deval] Patrick’s plan for Worcester police; such a move could proceed without a public hearing because it would not be the result of a recommendation from City Manager Michael V. O’Brien.

Detective Thomas G. Daly, secretary of police union local 911 and regional vice president of the New England Police Benevolent Association, expressed frustration with a recent Statehouse hearing on Mr. Patrick’s plan that he said was rigged against police. He and other Worcester officers attended, but were not able to testify.

Scott opines on the recent changes at WM and the upcoming changes at the T&G.

Mike talks about his federal “rosary trial” next week. An appropriate quotation from Nassim Nicholas Taleb: “Wear your best for your execution and stand dignified. Your last recourse against randomness is how you act — if you can’t control outcomes, you can control the elegance of your behaviour. You will always have the last word.”

We follow-up on the republished-then-unpublished InCity Times article that has caused some controversy, and spurred ICT editor Rosalie Tirella to e-mail vague legal threats to Worcester Indymedia. Relevant links at Worcesteria, Radioball, and Indymedia. We draw some slight parallels with the hacking of Sarah Palin’s e-mail account.

In sunnier ICT news, this week’s issue features a cover story on sometime 508 panelist Jesse Pack!

Brendan and Scott will be on WTAG radio Monday from 6-7pm, and will likely violate FCC regulations.

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The whole Dianne Williamson-Rosalie Tirella thing
I didn’t find the Dianne Williamson column that started the latest round in this feud very interesting; strange, because so many of the elements would normally appeal to me.

I re-read the column, and when I got to this phrase I found part of the problem:

. . . InCity Times, a small newspaper that purports to speak for blue-collar folks but is actually a vehicle for Ms. Tirella to practice her peculiar brand of yellow, slash-and-burn journalism . . .

This is incorrect. InCity Times is a small newspaper that speaks for blue-collar folks and a vehicle for Ms. Tirella to practice her peculiar brand of yellow, slash-and-burn journalism. And a couple of other things as well.

Williamson’s take is disappointing. Why reduce a fascinating, three-dimensional character to one?

Too often local writers do this, and it drives me crazy. They start with a complex, flavorful, spicy reality, then dilute it way down, punching it up at the last stage with cheap adulterants (in this case, personal rancor).

Also: RT’s offensive response to this article has been posted and removed from several websites, the latest being Worcester Indymedia.

“Spirit of America” in Rochester
The “Spirit of America” is a pageant celebrating our nation’s wars, designed to recruit school-age attendees into the military. It’s coming to Worcester September 19-20, and people will be demonstrating against militarism outside.

It was recently in Rochester, where some of the locals responded thus:

Several were dressed as historical figures such as Emma Goldman, Henry David Thoreau and Dwight Eisenhower.

“I believe the Spirit of America is really intended to get our young people to see the military in a way that makes them want to enlist,” said Kathy Castania, a member of the Rochester Against War Theater Group who dressed as the Statue of Liberty. “What about people who have spoken out against war? Where is the government-sponsored event that shows their voices?”

Peggy Gefell of Rochester was dressed as Dorothy Day, a pacifist and co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement.

“Peace is patriotic,” she told young people who walked into the arena. “You don’t have to join the military.”

Dagwood As Kali

Also: Jeff As Kali

via Worcester’s own Daily Panel

“Jesus Is My Friend
via Iafrate:

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Tina Zlody, Jeff Barnard, and Brendan Melican.

Tina talks about the upcoming arts festival stART on the Street, Sunday September 21, 2008, 11am - 5pm, Park Avenue, between Highland and Pleasant Streets, Worcester, MA.

We talk about agenda items for Worcester in the coming year. Jeff agrees with Jordan Levy that swapping out our old city councilors would be helpful. Brendan would like to see councilors focus on improving owner-occupancy rates rather than criminalizing hot dogs and marijuana. Mike would like city government to admit that it has a transparency problem, then fix the problem, perhaps beginning by making city meetings available on the web. (Related: Begging states to try to enforce ridiculous assertion that the law is copyrighted.)

Yesterday’s protest at Worcester’s Bank of America got complicated. Our friend Sarah Loy clarifies the situation of the local ACLU. The InCity Times is standing on the verge of getting a website. Comments from Worcesteria, Brendan, and Worcesterite. (Sometime this morning Rosalie began phoning around with legal threats–see the updated Worcesteria post.)

Mike recommends this video of a Bone Zone show.

In the new segment “Bruce Is Incorruptible,” Mike and Bruce Russell review Burrito Taylor’s Major Burritos.

Theme song: “Angels Soaring Past (I Realize It Now)” by Stale Urine.

mp3 link, other formats, feed, low-fi versions

On Saturday, I went to the autumn conference of the Green Party of England and Wales. Not as many hugs as previous ones, but after 35 years, we finally elected our first leader, Caroline Lucas: yay! I also got my copy of the new book Making poverty: a history signed by the author, my friend Tom Lines.

I saw there fellow blogger Jim Jepps of The Daily (Maybe), who (gentle readers will recall) not only mentioned this blog in the Guide to Political Blogging in the UK last year, but also said that we were “extra-respectable”. (Thanks, Jim!) This year we were not mentioned in the text, but remain in the listing of political blogs.

In other news, thanks to the efforts of Jim and other Green blogging-activists, a Green Party bloggers home was launched at the conference! My little bit of contribution was to buy the domain name….

Non-political news: If our gentle western-Atlantic readers ever visit our humble town of Oxford, be sure to visit the café Vaults and Gardens next to the University Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, run by local entrepreneur Will Pouget of French aristocratic stock. Most of the food there is local, organic, and/or Fairtrade, and there will always be a vegetarian/vegan option. His newest venture is a healthy “kebab van”, which has already been reported locally in the Oxford Times and nationally in the Daily Telegraph.

On Friday, September 20, an event sponsored by the US Army called “The Spirit of America” will be held at the DCU Center.

It is billed as an educational dramatization of American military history and is offered for free especially to students and schools. This is a traveling sound, light, video, and live-action show that includes state-of-the-art special effects and realistic simulated battle scenes in period uniforms. At the end of the show, cards are passed out asking students what they thought of the show and encouraging them to list their email and other contact information. This information is given to military recruiters.

This show came through Worcester several years ago and I joined over 100 Worcester parents who protested outside the arena.

On November 3, 2004, Pope John Paul II said, “No one can consider himself faithful to the great and merciful God who in the name of God dares to kill his brother…. Religion and peace go together: To wage war in the name of religion is a blatant contradiction.” Before he died, Pope John Paul II said that war in Iraq was “unjust, immoral, and illegal.” Pope Benedict XVI has echoed these concerns.

On September 23, five Catholics of this diocese, including myself go on trial in federal court for praying the rosary for an immediate end to the Iraq war.

I hope the Catholic schools will not send children to the pro-military rally “Spirit of America,” but consider sending them to our trial instead. It too is offered for free.

St. Peter’s ministry fair

People will be tabling about parish ministries after every mass this weekend at St. Peter’s parish in Worcester.

I’ve avoided getting involved in parish ministry in Worcester because I move so much. But I’ve lived in the Greater St. Peter’s Area continuously for the past 11 months, and plan to be here until at least January, so I think it’s time to take the plunge and investigate becoming a lector. (Thanks to TN for a short conversation which convinced me I should get more involved in this way.)

On a related note, from last week’s bulletin:

* Special Notice: The Diocese of Worcester has mandated that every person who is involved in any kind of parish ministry - whether volunteer or paid - must complete a C.O.R.I. form and must participate in a Child Abuse Awareness training program.

I hate filling out government forms as much as anybody, and I have more than enough opportunities to serve the Lord in my daily life that don’t involve paperwork. I can understand a policy like this, but boy it’s annoying.

Worcester’s Planned Parenthood
JayG describes vigiling at Planned Parenthood. A few days before that blog post appeared, I was talking with a young woman about her own experience there. She went there not for an abortion but for other health services, services that left her in a lot of physical pain. As she left, one of the vigilers began yelling at her that she was going to hell for getting an abortion. She told me that she was tempted to yell back, but was hurting so bad that she broke out crying instead.

Why are you a Catholic?
Michael Iafrate:

Gerald is not the first person to tell me that he or she is “surprised” that I am Catholic, not in the sense that they see me believing things or acting in ways that are contrary to the faith, but they don’t understand how I can have the political views that I do and still remain a Catholic when the Catholic Church has so often aligned itself with life-denying politics (such as the case of american Republicatholicism).

The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen
Tony Lorenzen:

I’ve been thinking of this for years and I’ve been calling the Boss the most highly paid theologian in America since Divinity School. Alas someone beat me to writing this.

Google Chrome
I’ve played with this a little. I still remember first using Google search and GMail and getting that “Wow, this is so much better!” feeling. Nothing like that with Chrome yet. In a column on the subject, Robert X. Cringley quotes a guy:

What Google does not want is Microsoft creating a browser that sucks. Actually, Google doesn’t mind if Microsoft’s browser sucks. What they really don’t want is Microsoft to make a browser that sucks and everyone ends up using it. And, if the IE8 beta shows us anything, making a really sucky web browser is Microsoft’s true ambition.

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel is Mark Lund, Cha-Cha Connor, Kevin Ksen, Jeff Barnard, and Brendan Melican.

We revisit the story of Karon Shea Model Management. Mark ran their 2008 International Modeling and Talent Association program (see Pulse article) and has mixed feelings about the experience. If you have feedback on this issue, you might want to send it to renegade blogger Marc Reese.

We talk about the Republicans’ bizarre attacks on community organizing with community organizer Kevin Ksen. We mention that Drew Wilson was arrested at the RNC.

Cha-Cha says the Transgender Emergency Fund, first mentioned on 508, is up and running.

We talk about the new Worcester Magazine, Rosalie Tirella’s attacks on Allen Fletcher in the InCity Times, ICT readers defending the late Richard Preston, and boring commenters.

Discussion of the impending T&G layoffs turns into a general discussion of print journalism in Worcester and the various publications serving the city’s subcultures. (WoMag in 2001: “Buyouts and belt-tightening herald an uncertain future for our local–and no longer independent–daily”.)

Next week’s show is #52. We’ll be setting an agenda for the city in the coming year. If you have suggestions or ideas, e-mail pieandcoffee@gmail.com or leave a message at 508-471-3897.

mp3 link, other formats, feed, low-fi versions

Just got word that a Worcester activist was arrested at the RNC protests. No idea at this point if I should be posting the person’s name, but people are trying to raise bail for this young person, so if you want to kick in a few bucks e-mail us at pieandcoffee@gmail.com and we can give you the details.

Update: The activist in question is my soul brother Drew Wilson. I’m told he, like so many others, is charged with felony conspiracy to riot. Here’s an interview with him from last year. You may recall that he and Allison Vasallo were, despite their best efforts, arrested earlier this year for hanging a banner from an overpass. In Massachusetts, that’s no longer tolerated.

Drew wears silly glasses at HBML.

The first Worcester Magazine under new management is out today.

Here’s a running list of my notes, mostly for my own future reference.

Excerpts from the masthead. Folks from the previous incarnation in bold:

Publisher: Gareth Charter
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Keogh
News Editor: Scott Zoback
Arts & Entertainment Editor: Doreen Manning
Photographer: Steven King
Contributing Writers: Douglass Chapel, Janice Harvey, Ina Irving (this is a pseudonym), Matthew Quinn (also a pseudonym)
Editorial Interns: Nick Vorres

Bylines:
Scott Zoback: 6
Jim Keogh: 3, co-author of weekly picks page
Doreen Manning: 1, co-author of weekly picks page
Steven King: cover photo, “People on the Street” etc.
Doug Chapel: 1
David Wildman: 1
Nick Vorres: 1
Ina Irving: 1

“One on One” is Allen Fletcher (looking sad in what I guess is an old photo) interviewed by Zoback. The only missing feature I notice is Charlene Arsenault’s “Cookie” column on local bands and the like.

“Ina Irving” and “Matthew Quinn” are the pseudonymous restaurant reviewers. If they keep the pseudonym, does that mean it’s the same person? Why is there pseudonyms on the masthead anyway?

They still have the unsigned editorial. Who thinks this is a good idea in 2008?

Anyhow, with Scott writing so much (the contributions from others are either autobiographical or light) it’s not much different from previous issues.