An area man who has actively opposed the Iraq conflict and was found guilty recently of a violation of a lawful order in his protest outside the Pentagon discovered it doesn't cost too many bucks to buck the system. Phil Runkel, 59, Waukesha, was only fined $50 and court costs and he said that is not enough to make him quit on his protests.
Most of the 51 participants in the Pentagon incident were also found guilty and fined similar amounts by a court in Alexandria, Va. They had faced a maximum of six months in jail and a fine of $5,000 for their war protest last March.
They nearly 200 protestors were arrested outside the Pentagon. They were seeking a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, to protest the Iraqi invasion which Rumsfeld so strongly supported.
The group violated the law when they went over a temporary fence that had been placed there to stop such protests. They were carrying a coffin to symbolize the people killed in in the Iraq conflict.
Runkel, who works at Marquette University, said after the sentencing that he was pleased with the outcome.
"The judge allowed us considerable leeway to include concerns about international law, U.S. foreign policy, morality, etc., in our statements and testimony," Runkel said. "Fortunately, we did not draw Pat Buchanan's sister-in law, who had presided over the previous trial, and we were able to establish that our actions posed no threat to ourselves or others, as the law under which we were convicted seems to require."
Runkel said he will probably pay the fine rather than appeal the verdict. "It certainly did not discourage me from future protests," he said, adding that most of the others seemed to feel the same way.
Runkel said he will likely attend the "Declaration of Peace/Week of Nonviolent Action" scheduled for September 21-28 in the nation's capitol.
The Declaration of Peace is a nationwide campaign to establish by September 21, 2006 a concrete and rapid plan for peace in Iraq.
Among the goals are a prompt timetable for withdrawal of troops and closure of bases; a peace process for security, reconstruction, and reconciliation; and the shift of funding for war to meeting human needs.
Runkel said the plan calls for Congress to act on the goals by Sept. 21, which is to be the "International Day of Peace." If there is no action, there are large-scale nonviolent protests planned for Washington, D.C. and in communities throughout the nation.
Most of the 51 participants in the Pentagon incident were also found guilty and fined similar amounts by a court in Alexandria, Va. They had faced a maximum of six months in jail and a fine of $5,000 for their war protest last March.
They nearly 200 protestors were arrested outside the Pentagon. They were seeking a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, to protest the Iraqi invasion which Rumsfeld so strongly supported.
The group violated the law when they went over a temporary fence that had been placed there to stop such protests. They were carrying a coffin to symbolize the people killed in in the Iraq conflict.
Runkel, who works at Marquette University, said after the sentencing that he was pleased with the outcome.
"The judge allowed us considerable leeway to include concerns about international law, U.S. foreign policy, morality, etc., in our statements and testimony," Runkel said. "Fortunately, we did not draw Pat Buchanan's sister-in law, who had presided over the previous trial, and we were able to establish that our actions posed no threat to ourselves or others, as the law under which we were convicted seems to require."
Runkel said he will probably pay the fine rather than appeal the verdict. "It certainly did not discourage me from future protests," he said, adding that most of the others seemed to feel the same way.
Runkel said he will likely attend the "Declaration of Peace/Week of Nonviolent Action" scheduled for September 21-28 in the nation's capitol.
The Declaration of Peace is a nationwide campaign to establish by September 21, 2006 a concrete and rapid plan for peace in Iraq.
Among the goals are a prompt timetable for withdrawal of troops and closure of bases; a peace process for security, reconstruction, and reconciliation; and the shift of funding for war to meeting human needs.
Runkel said the plan calls for Congress to act on the goals by Sept. 21, which is to be the "International Day of Peace." If there is no action, there are large-scale nonviolent protests planned for Washington, D.C. and in communities throughout the nation.
