Paul's Perambulations a personal blog

Today was the usual Hiroshima Day demonstration at Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest war profiteer and nuclear weapons’ manufacturer. Did my usual Civil Disobedience, although a bit different this time. FIRST, instead of standing by the line and first asking to walk onto Lockheed property (in my case, to deliver the petition I carried from the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki), we quickly crossed over the line and got on our knees for a prayer service led by the two clergy of our group of seven.  When told we were on private property, we asked for permission to hold a prayer service at the site of the place where mass destruction originates. We didn’t get permission; we prayed anyhow (led by our two pastors); the seven of us were arrested during prayer. SECOND, generally we’re arrested and simply escorted (with minimal questioning and search) to a waiting van that drives the group of us to the police station. This time there were a number of regular police vehicles that carried us in twos. I was handcuffed behind my back with regulation handcuffs and then got a more thorough body pat-down than usual. I offered some cashews and chocolate cookies when my belt pack was inspected, but the officer declined.  It’s a bit of a trick to get in and out of a backseat with your hands behind your back, but I think I have the knack of it. My vehicle partner-in-crime, Father Pat, couldn’t do it. They took his cuffs off and let him get in, and then cuffed him in front.  Pat thinks of this as clerical privilege. 🙂  The rest was as usual.  For my mug shot I make a point of holding my ID sign next to my “Bring the troops home” button and making a “thumbs up” sign with the hand holding the sign on the other side.