Introducing Bryan Law
While Kiwiblog is primarily for my views, I have from time to time run guest posts from people with a different point of view.
My good mate Mike Moore (no not the famous one) is mates with Bryan Law, and asked me if I would consider allowing a couple of guest posts from Bryan while he is over here for the Waihopia trial in early March.
My stance to the protesters was rather unsympathetic, but I am a big believer of freedom of speech, and am happy to have Bryan put a different point of view.
The trial of the ANZAC Ploughshares – 3 Catholic Worker “activists” who deflated a Kevlar dome at the Waihopai intelligence base in April 2008 – is due to commence in the Wellington District Court on Monday 8 March. The trio, Fr Peter Murnane, Sam Land and Adrian Leason are charged with wilful damage to the value of $880,000. http://www.cairnspeacebypeace.org/?p=32
A broader collection of peaceniks and greens are supporting the three during their trial, and some will use the occasion to promote fairly extreme views around how to end war and develop democracy. A look at their program http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/pltrial.pdf reveals that Murray Horton (anti-bases campaign), Moana Cole (Ploughshares), Keith Locke (Greens MP) and Bryan Law (Christians Against ALL Terrorism, Australia) will speak about the issues at a public meeting on Wednesday 10 March, at St John’s Church Hall.
Bryan Law is completely unknown here, but enjoys a certain notoriety in Australia. In recent years he’s stood trial with others for breaking into the Pine Gap intelligence base in central Australia, trespassing into the Shoalwater Bay military training area in central Queensland, and swimming out in front of US warships in his home town of Cairns. Bryan is particularly proud of the Christian activists’ efforts at Shoalwater bay, where he claims the live-firing component of Exercise Talisman Sabre had to be stopped because of the trespass actions. He claims this article explains pretty clearly the tactics and methods that allow ordinary citizens to intervene into and stop war. http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/07/01/notorious-protester-hits-shoalwater/
As I said, Bryan’s been in contact with KiwiBlog, courtesy of my old colleague in crime, Mike Moore from CairnsBlog. He says that KiwiBlog looks “pretty cool”, but a lot of the commenters appear to him as hostile and uninformed. He says that:
“If these people had any idea about the traditions and actions of the Catholic Workers, they’d understand just how close to the original Boston Tea Party, the American revolution, and the ANZAC spirit these ploughshares activists stand. I hope the present Tea Party hopefuls in the US and elsewhere get serious about a resurgence of democracy. The world sure could use it”.
I predict we will have some lively debates between Bryan, and others. As always, passionate exchange of views is fine, but deeply personal abuse will get sanctions.