UPDATE 1-U.S. nuclear bomb facility shut after security breach

  • Thread starter Thread starter Holly3278
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I did a little googling; this particular nun has been on the wrong side of the law before, dating back at least 15 years to protests at the School of the Americas in 1997.

And here ( digital.library.unlv.edu/api/1/objects/nts/1247/bitstream ) is a 33-page interview with her, done in 2005. It might be putting it mildly to say that she leans to the left, but read the interview and draw your own conclusions.
 
Godfollower said:
There are good, faithful, orthodox Catholics who are opposed to weapons of mass destruction. There have been many pacifist saints. The Catholic Church’s official teaching to the world is that “Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation.” (CCC ¶ 2314). To argue that, just because she’s engaged in civil disobedience protest against a nuclear weapon facility, she must be a flaming liberal heterodox heretic who can’t stand the Church is to commit slander based on assumption.

It’s inappropriate for a faithful Catholic.
Click to expand...
Since when does civil disobedience involve breaking and entering and vandalism?
 
Since 1988, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance has organized non-violent direct action protests at the Y-12 Complex, in an effort to close down the weapons plant. Sister Mary Dennis Lentch, a Catholic nun, has been arrested many times for protesting at the Oak Ridge facility. She has said, "I believe the continuing weapons production at the Y12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is in direct violation of the treaty obligations of the United States and consequently, is a violation of Article 6 of the US Constitution”. In 2011, Rev. Bill Bichsel, an 84-year-old priest, received a prison sentence of three months for trespassing on federal property at the Y-12 complex. In 2012, there have been protests about the proposed new Uranium Processing Facility, which is expected to cost $7.5 billion.
Click to expand...
Nothing new about protests at nuclear facilities, nothing new about the religious protesting. They, like us, are entitled to their opinions.

The bold part is why they are protesting.
 
JimG said:
This reminds me of the activist nuns who, along with other peace activists, perhaps including the Jesuit priests Dan and Phil Berrigan, used to break into Minuteman missile facilities back in the 1970’s. It always took the military police awhile to get to them, because the facilities were widely separated and in remote locations. They still are.

But in those cases, there was not the slightest chance of them gaining access to the missile itself. I knew from personal experience that they could cut the fence, go in, wander around on the concrete and do whatever they wanted, but the facility was in no danger whatever of being compromised. I often thought that the Air Police should take their time getting there, and just park outside having a beer while waiting for them to get tired of it and come back out.

Judging by the age of the nun, it may be the same one!
Click to expand...
According to the interview that I posted the link to, she was in with the Berrigans on some of their activities, but she doesn’t mention missile facilities.
 
M-Dent said:
I find it shocking these three actually penetrated four fences and reached the secure side of this facility.

. “They are very lucky they didn’t get shot,” commented Steven Wyatt, a spokesman for the complex. Since lethal force is authorized on the grounds.
Click to expand...
That’s for sure.

I’d also say the guards are lucky they didn’t get shot, considering they let a nun through their defenses. Glad it wasn’t an armed attacker.
 
MODERATOR NOTICE

Negative and rude comments toward CAF members, clergy (deacons, priests and bishops) or toward religious and religious orders are banned.

Everyone, online and offline, deserves to be spoken to and about respectfully. However, some posters seem to feel that clergy and religious are fair game.

If you have an issue with them, take it up in private, not on this forum or any of our forums.

You may cite something from another source, if you are not using it to further an agenda. Agenda posting is not allowed.

If we deem that you are disrespectful to our clergy and religious, you will receive an infraction or even a ban.

Proof what you write before you post.

You may not make disparaging remarks about:
  • Vatican II
  • Clergy (deacons, priests and bishops) of any group
  • Religious (brothers, sisters, and nuns) of any order or congregation
  • Lawful actions and disciiplines by the Church including the historical excommunication of the SSPX. It happened. Rome explained why it happened. End of story. Rome did not put it out there for debate by the faithful.
  • Another poster or his/her ideas. You can disagree. You cannot attack,insult, ridicule or dismiss as unimportant. His opinion is as important to him as your opinion is to you.
  • Parishes, pastors, civil leaders.
  • Other religions – if you’re unsure how to speak in public about other faiths, look at the Pope Benedict XVI. He is fraternal, polite, and intellectual in discussing religious differences.
Avoid arguments that will lead to violations of charity. You don’t have to like what you read and others do not have to like what you post. But you must be civil toward each other and those who are not on the forum.
 
I apologize for my remarks about this nun. I really know absolutely nothing about her and I have no right to judge her or to make disparaging remarks about her. That said, I still think that breaking into and vandalizing a federal facility such as this is very wrong. There’s a difference between protesting and breaking and entering and vandalizing in my opinion.
 
Bill_Martin said:
I’d also say the guards are lucky they didn’t get shot, considering they let a nun through their defenses. Glad it wasn’t an armed attacker.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

WSI Oak Ridge guards dropped the ball in the worst possible way.

I read this incident took place last Saturday around 4:30 a.m. I suppose the Country is lucky someone didn’t encourage these three tresspassers as a diversionary tactic. Ahem.

Count our blessings.
 
Cider said:
Since when does civil disobedience involve breaking and entering and vandalism?
Click to expand...
The very concept of civil disobedience is about breaking laws. And peacefully waiting to be arrested.

I don’t agree with with what this group did, but clearly they saw it as a Christian witness. Here is a link to their action statement:
transformnowplowshares.wordpress.com/about/statement/

The sort of thing they did has happened periodically for the past 50 years. Sometimes Catholic priests or religious have been involved. Here in Iowa, Fr. Frank Cordaro (now retired) committed such actions several times. I know he served several months in prison at least once.
 
Holly3278 said:
in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/02/usa-security-nuclear-idINL2E8J2I0Q20120802

I find it quite shocking that a nun was involved in this. Here we are in the United States and persecution against Catholics is already occurring and a nun goes and pulls this stunt! What was she thinking???
Click to expand...
Megan Rice, I am impressed. You’re 82 years old and were able to get close enough to blow up a building full of highly enriched Uranium. All I can say is, “You go girl!”

Fortunately, you are not the blowing-up of buildings type. Could you imagine what sort of damage could have occurred if you were?

We all owe Megan a debt of gratitude for not only protesting against intrinsically evil weapon systems, but for showing us what shoddy security there is around them.

BTW - I find it offensive to hear the claim that Catholics in the United States are being persecuted in any way. It dilutes the term and detracts from the terror experienced by Catholics in places around the world where such persecution is really happening. :mad:
 
Ridgerunner said:
Guess I can still post. Taking a risk here. vimeo.com/44183265

Not my words.
Click to expand...
Listening to her speak I noticed she condemned the current administration, specifically referencing the year 2010. This seems to indicate her message is not political in supporting one party over another. I also noticed she did not veer off her message against WMD to include any other issues, that could be considered political or against faithful Catholicism as some had assumed.

Was what she did a violation of laws? Yes, the same as blocking entrance ways to abortion clinics is against the law.

This story could have been very different, had those that breached the security of this facility been a well armed group of terrorists instead of a group of pacifists.
 
Prodigal_Son1 said:
Listening to her speak I noticed she condemned the current administration, specifically referencing the year 2010. This seems to indicate her message is not political in supporting one party over another. I also noticed she did not veer off her message against WMD to include any other issues, that could be considered political or against faithful Catholicism as some had assumed.

Was what she did a violation of laws? Yes, the same as blocking entrance ways to abortion clinics is against the law.

This story could have been very different, had those that breached the security of this facility been a well armed group of terrorists instead of a group of pacifists.
Click to expand...
Praising her is permitted in this thread. Further developing any critique of her and her associations may be hazardous. It’s your playground now, folks. I’m getting out of the radioactive zone.
 
DaveBj said:
It’s a long reach from the items you mentioned to the actions that were reported in the OP’s link. And I maintain that actions such as those will have zero effect on the cause that the actors are trying to advance. None. Nil. Nada. Nichego.

(And to pick a rather small nit, Bull Connor had nothing to do with the Selma march; his activities and those opposing the marchers were two totally different incidents.)
Click to expand...
your right,it was Commanding officer John Cloud,a different racist thug.there were so many its hard to keep their names straight .
 
M-Dent said:
I find it shocking these three actually penetrated four fences and reached the secure side of this facility.

http://oakridgetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/transform-now-plowshares.jpg

. “They are very lucky they didn’t get shot,” commented Steven Wyatt, a spokesman for the complex. Since lethal force is authorized on the grounds.
Click to expand...
Y12 covers 811 acres with an additional 4,800 acre fenced security buffer. Since 2008, the guards have been steadily reduced in number at all nuclear facilities. A lot of territory to cover with a minimum of guards!

Lethal force-known as deadly force is only authorized when met with deadly force. That’s the way it should be!
 
bellasbane said:
Megan Rice, I am impressed. You’re 82 years old and were able to get close enough to blow up a building full of highly enriched Uranium. All I can say is, “You go girl!”

Fortunately, you are not the blowing-up of buildings type. Could you imagine what sort of damage could have occurred if you were?

We all owe Megan a debt of gratitude for not only protesting against intrinsically evil weapon systems, but for showing us what shoddy security there is around them.

BTW - I find it offensive to hear the claim that Catholics in the United States are being persecuted in any way. It dilutes the term and detracts from the terror experienced by Catholics in places around the world where such persecution is really happening. :mad:
Click to expand...
I am all for protesting nuclear weapons but not in this way. And by the way, it is a fact that we are being persecuted here in the United States. We are not being persecuted as severely as Catholics and other Christians are being persecuted in other countries but if we let Obama win this election, it might start becoming that way.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top