84-year-old activist nun imprisoned in Brooklyn jail hellhole for breaking into nuclear facility, exposing security flaws

[_thaddeus]

I found this to be an interesting article for background information on Sister Megan’s current status. FYI

Sister Megan Rice and two other activists broke into the facility outside Knoxville, Tenn., in 2012 to bring attention to the dangers of unimpeded nuclear proliferation. They also exposed gaps in national security by showing how easy it was to get in. Now, Sister Megan lives in horrifying conditions in a single room with 111 other women in the Metropolitan Detention Center.

nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/exclusive-nun-84-brooklyn-jail-hellhole-activism-article-1.2083481
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The Y-12 Nuclear Facility, which they breached in less than seven minutes, and which can theoretically be breached by real terrorists, houses 100,000 tons of highly enriched uranium. According to Robert Gleason, author of “The Nuclear Terrorist” from Tor-Forge, this uranium is bomb-grade and so explosive that one grapefruit-size chunk, if dropped onto another chunk of the same size from a height of 6 feet, would cause an explosion at least half the size of Hiroshima. The weapons-grade highly enriched uranium held there is, in fact, the most dangerous, destabilizing substance in the world. There is enough uranium to wipe out life as we know it, and yet it was guarded by a few rent-a-cops at this federally financed facility.

Sister Megan was sentenced to 35 months — in part because of her age — for interfering with national security and damaging property. Her co-defendants got 62 months each. Earlier they were ordered to pay $52,000 for the estimated damage, which she says the government never substantiated. She believes the damage was no more than a few hundred dollars. The facility didn’t bother to find or even fix the cuts in the fences for five months — until they were shown them by members of Plowshares.

The three are responsible for paying back the $52,000, about which Sister Megan said, “None of us has any assets anyway. (I live my) vow of poverty.”
"

 

[DaveBj]

Sister Megan’s “cell” is a gymnasium-size dorm unit with 60 bunkbeds for the 111 women, placed a few feet apart. Along one wall are six half-enclosed toilet stalls, six sinks and six shower stalls, and in the middle of the room, 10 dining/work/play tables that can seat 60 women.

That doesn’t sound a whole lot different that where I lived for USAF basic training.

But seriously, she broke the law, and she knew that she was breaking the law when she did it. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.

And I hear some people complaining on her behalf, but I don’t hear her complaining.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Actually, old people are a lot tougher than young people in some ways. They have withstood the test of time, and have weathered a lot more ups and downs. She’ll be okay, and more power to her!

 

[KendraDZ1902]

My dad always says, “if you wanna be dumb, you gotta be tough.”

 

[Pax2u]

When you choose to take actions that are illegal, you must weigh the worst outcome that can happen and be willing to live with it. She acted according to her own code of behavior and what she felt was God’s will for her…now she must live with the repercussions.

Her age doesn’t make a bit of difference to me…people choose to do those actions purposely to get a lot of media attention to their “cause.” She knew what the outcome would be. She’ll probably be a source of light and love to some women in prison who can use it, so it won’t be all bad.

 

[_thaddeus]

Sister Megan is a hero of mine. She reminds me of Sister St. Justin from grade school; a tough but fair little old woman.

I thought Sister Megan and her accomplices should have received at least a medal for their exposure of the grotesque incompetence of the security-industrial complex at the Oak Ridge nuclear facility. The Y-12’s “relatively new” Argus alarm monitoring system was too advanced for its operators! But, it cost millions and financial and nuclear security were enhanced. All is well.

Whatever you do, do not spray paint “Woe to an Empire of blood” at a secure nuclear weapons facility. If you are forced to remind them to fix the fence that you cut to get in then that’s worth another couple of years.

This is the security failure rationale. (which I thought was pretty funny)

The Security Improvement Project at Y-12: how’d they cut costs by 28 percent?
knoxblogs.com/atomiccity/2014/04/10/security-improvement-project-y-12-howd-cut-costs-28-percent/
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“The project team executed the installation, testing, and turnover very efficiently, without the typical starts/stops when jurisdiction changes from construction back to operations. The efficiency translated directly into a shorter schedule, which resulted in lower costs. Other savings were achieved by aggressively eliminating risks and reducing the impacts if they occurred. The use of contingency funds was not necessary for this project, thus contributing to cost savings in this project. While there were some scope changes, effective project execution was the primary reason NNSA achieved these savings.”

Wyatt also confirmed that the new Argus system was in operation at the time of the July 28, 2012 break-in by three Plowshares protesters. While there has been much reported about the failures of cameras and detector systems, Wyatt said all alarms were received by the Argus system. “Additional upgrades to the CAS (central alarm station) were made after the event,” as part of the Security Improvement Project, he said in response to questions.

According to B&W Y-12’s response to Show Cause Notice following the security breach, the performance by the plant’s security force may have been hampered by operation of Y-12’s “relatively new” Argus alarm monitoring system.

“One factor that might have affected the Security Event is the relatively new Argus monitoring system that collects and manages data from the alarm sensors,” the report said. B&W said Argus became fully operational “and supplanted Y-12’s legacy system” in May 2012 — a couple of months before the incursion.

The report noted that Argus is a text-oriented system that operates much like a personal computer and “its display can become somewhat busy.” Whereas, Y-12’s legacy alarm system “featured a more intuitive touch-screen interface,” the report stated.

The show-cause response added, “It is generally agreed that the legacy system was easier to understand and operate.” The contractor noted that even though several hours of Argus training had been provided to alarm station operators, some of the operators with legacy experience — including the one on duty that July night at Y-12 — “continued to adjust to the Argus system’s features.”

In addition, while Y-12’s alarm technology changed early in 2012, the documents governing how central alarm station operators respond to alarms did not, the show-cause response said.
"​

Here are some additional links with background that some people may find interesting.

Y-12: Poster child for a dysfunctional nuclear weapons complex
thebulletin.org/y-12-poster-child-dysfunctional-nuclear-weapons-complex7361
The Prophets of Oak Ridge
washingtonpost.com/sf/wp-style/2013/09/13/the-prophets-of-oak-ridge/

U.S. nuclear bomb facility shut after security breach
reuters.com/article/2012/08/02/us-usa-securtity-nuclear-idUSBRE8711LG20120802
Nun, two others in federal court for nuclear breach
cnn.com/2013/05/07/justice/nun-nuclear-breach-charges/

 

[JimG]

I think they should parole her on the condition that she goes with her confreres to protest some of Putin’s nuclear stockpiles and weapons, which are being upgraded even as the U.S. deterrent is being allowed to deteriorate.

 

[sweetcharity]

I had a relative that was working at this sight the day the break in happened. There was never a doubt that she was going to jail. If the Sister wanted to make a statement, she should have done on the outside of the fences.

 

[CaptFun]

Sister Megan Rice and two other activists broke into the facility outside Knoxville, Tenn., in 2012 to bring attention to the dangers of unimpeded nuclear proliferation. They also exposed gaps in national security by showing how easy it was to get in.

Now, Sister Megan lives in horrifying conditions in a single room with 111 other women in the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Isn’t there anyone who’d be willing to take her place?

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTIOA0ctOBq-_4SAYMNKgfcIt440I5su4VKr6d4hhTtZWZKgKG6ywuMPzaV

 

[otjm]

I had a relative that was working at this sight the day the break in happened. There was never a doubt that she was going to jail. If the Sister wanted to make a statement, she should have done on the outside of the fences.

Some statements do not require words. Having enough insight to go to the site and cite your insight is not as effective as actions - which still speak louder than words.

Sadly, the federal government has neither a sense of humor nor a sense of humility.

She should have received probation, and there should have been a series of subsequent hearings, the result of which would have had heads proverbially rolling.

 

[JimG]

Sister has been arrested over 36 time in the past, something which no doubt dampens the sense of humor of the authorities.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Isn’t there anyone who’d be willing to take her place?

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTIOA0ctOBq-_4SAYMNKgfcIt440I5su4VKr6d4hhTtZWZKgKG6ywuMPzaV

What system of “justice” would permit a convict to hire or otherwise arrange for a substitute to do their punishment for them? Plus, nothing in her history would seem to indicate that she would want someone to take her place.

 

[JimG]

I’d still feel much better about it if she would protest Russia’s nukes, including the newest system, railcar ICBM’s. For nuclear blackmail, you don’t need to use them, you just need to have them.

 

[Personanongrata]

I have no sympathy for her… She knew what she was doing. She should be thankful that no one shot her. At age 84, she should think about what she did, be quiet and do her time.

 

[_thaddeus]

I think they should parole her on the condition that she goes with her confreres to protest some of Putin’s nuclear stockpiles and weapons, which are being upgraded even as the U.S. deterrent is being allowed to deteriorate.

I think that would be proper.

It is quite a problem, you know; “this uranium is bomb-grade and so explosive that one grapefruit-size chunk, if dropped onto another chunk of the same size from a height of 6 feet, would cause an explosion at least half the size of Hiroshima”.

There are a lot of grapefruit-size chunks in 100,000 tons of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium. It is an actual and real threat to your “National Security”. I sure do hope that the resulting crater has a radius less than 583 miles (940 km).

Sister Megan and her gang (Michael Walli, Gregory Boertje-Obed) did the USA a tremendous service by showing that the shiny, brand new, expensive, more better system was just an untested “pig in a poke”. She deserves recognition as a true American patriot.

They should be thanked. All three should be pardoned. The punishment they received was vindictive. IMO

After being pardoned and released:
-they should be asked to test the Argus system’s “Additional upgrades to the CAS (central alarm station)" "made after the event”.
-their inclusion on a no-fly list would have to be ‘fixed’. (easier said than done)
-when their papers are in order, it would be most interesting to see Russia’s greeting of these American heroes.

I’m sure they are up to the task.

“Her actions, underreported by the media and downplayed likely because of the embarrassment caused to the White House and federal prosecutors, proved that it is harder to break into a convenience store than it is to break into a federal nuclear facility.”

 

[JimG]

I think that would be proper.

It is quite a problem, you know; “this uranium is bomb-grade and so explosive that one grapefruit-size chunk, if dropped onto another chunk of the same size from a height of 6 feet, would cause an explosion at least half the size of Hiroshima”.

There are a lot of grapefruit-size chunks in 100,000 tons of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium. It is an actual and real threat to your “National Security”. I sure do hope that the resulting crater has a radius less than 583 miles (940 km).

Sister Megan and her gang (Michael Walli, Gregory Boertje-Obed) did the USA a tremendous service by showing that the shiny, brand new, expensive, more better system was just an untested “pig in a poke”. She deserves recognition as a true American patriot.

They should be thanked. All three should be pardoned. The punishment they received was vindictive. IMO

After being pardoned and released:
-they should be asked to test the Argus system’s “Additional upgrades to the CAS (central alarm station)" "made after the event”.
-their inclusion on a no-fly list would have to be ‘fixed’. (easier said than done)
-when their papers are in order, it would be most interesting to see Russia’s greeting of these American heroes.

I’m sure they are up to the task.

“Her actions, underreported by the media and downplayed likely because of the embarrassment caused to the White House and federal prosecutors, proved that it is harder to break into a convenience store than it is to break into a federal nuclear facility.”

If indeed she did disclose flaws in a new security system she did do them a service. I wouldn’t mind pardoning her. But if they had actually gained acess to the uranium, their lack of expertise with the materials might also have increased the danger of a nuclear accident, thus endangering the public as well as her cohorts. And if her actions give terrorists a clue as to how to infiltrate the building that will be a disservice. I know nothing of the facility or its security procedures.

I do recall instances when she and others would snip the wire fence around a Minuteman II ICBM installation out in the prairie. The security alarm would be set off and the military police would have to respond, and take them into custody. I always thought they should just leave them alone, let them do some vandalism, and observe. At those facilities, there was no real damage they could do. They could have camped out for a week and then left, with TV crews following, and the underground missile would be no worse and still on alert. I thought that would have been a good response. But the military police did not agree.

 

[gracepoole]

I have no sympathy for her… She knew what she was doing. She should be thankful that no one shot her. At age 84, she should think about what she did, be quiet and do her time.

I’m quite proud of her and other sisters like her. This is no passive Christianity. Before her death, my aunt was a sister in a Dominican community in which several sisters were arrested for the same thing and they’re still sitting in jail. They aren’t complaining. They were following their convictions.

Rice, Greg Boertje-Obed and Michael Walli all said God was using them to raise awareness about nuclear weapons and they viewed their break-in as a miracle.

They painted messages such as, “The fruit of justice is peace,” and splashed baby bottles of human blood on the bunker wall.

“The reason for the baby bottles was to represent that the blood of children is spilled by these weapons,” Boertje-Obed, 58, said at trial.

Although the protesters set off alarms, they were able to spend more than two hours inside the restricted area before they were caught.

When security finally arrived, guards found the three activists singing and offering to break bread with them. The protesters reportedly also offered to share a Bible, candles and white roses with the guards.

cbsnews.com/news/nun-84-gets-3-years-in-prison-for-breaking-in-nuclear-weapons-complex/

 

[NeedsMercy]

I’m quite proud of her and other sisters like her. This is no passive Christianity…They were following their convictions.

Amen to that! Whether or not one agrees with her anti-nuclear philosophy aside, you have to admire her action and courage.

 

[pnewton]

I can admire some one who wanted to serve in prison for her faith. Personally, my faith is not in nuclear proliferation nor is trespassing a sacramental. But to each their own.

Anyone else note how incredible editorialized that hatchet piece was? It is truly an editorial, not a news article, unless one takes it as a form of yellow journalism. This Linda Stasi must think all her readers are idiots.

 

[CaptFun]

What system of “justice” would permit a convict to hire or otherwise arrange for a substitute to do their punishment for them? Plus, nothing in her history would seem to indicate that she would want someone to take her place.

You honor me by taking me seriously. But this was not the time for that.

ON the serious side … I agree with what you said above. Both sentences.

With 111 women confined to one room … who on earth would volunteer to be the “exchange prisoner”?

one possible nomination was considered in the previous photo. Post 9.