Raging Grannies Arrested At Recruiting Center
by Emrys Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2005 at 1:41 PM

Army recruiters not humored by "room full of elderly ladies"

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Several Raging Grannies, along with an Indymedia journalist (myself), were arrested for trespassing Wednesday after they entered an Army recruiting office and attempted to enlist.

The Grannies were hoping the recruiters would have shown more humor with the activists. Instead, Sgt. Richardson called Tucson police and had everyone cited.

The mood before the action was light and joyous. Protestors have been showing up in front of the military recruiting offices on Speedway each Wednesday morning since the pledge of resistance began over 3 years ago.

Nearly 20 people lined the sidewalk this morning with signs and American flags with peace symbols. Most motorists honked and waived at the rally, which delights Granny Pat Birnie.

“They can hear the honks inside,” she said, hinting towards the recruiters’ offices.

At 9:00 am, the Grannies split off from the rally and made a plan of action. They warmed up their voices with “God Help America,” then headed for the Army’s office.

The Grannies stood in front of the office and sang more songs, prompting Army Sgt. Richardson to close the door to his office. After a few minutes, they began to enter the Army’s office, stating that they wished to enlist. The recruiters tried to turn them away, saying that protestors are not allowed on their property, but the willful Grannies made their way in.

After spending a few minutes reading a prepared statement (see below) and singing a few more songs, the Sergeant told them that they must leave, and that charges were going to be pressed. Both recruiters seemed uncomfortable and were unwilling to confront the elderly choir, keeping their backs turned and pretending to do office work. While on the phone, Sgt. Richardson said he had a "room full of elderly ladies."

“They were afraid of us,” said Elizabeth Richards shortly after leaving the office. “They had to be looking at papers or on the phone.” Richards has been a Raging Granny for 2 years.

After everyone had left the building and filed back to the sidewalk, TPD officer S. Morken arrived and asked Sgt. Richardson to point out everyone who was in his office, including myself (two other journalists were not cited.)

According to Lt. Col. Hickins, a Battalion Commander from Phoenix, the charges were pressed by the landlord of the building, not the Army itself. He declined to give any other information about the incident.

No one was expecting to be arrested for the action. “This is the only contingency we hadn’t planned on,” Birnie said afterwards.

Birnie said that the Raging Grannies have already contacted Mayor Walkup’s office about the incident, but he was out of town for the day.

“My sense is that it’s such an absurd charge that the judg-e will excuse it,” she said.

The Tucson Raging Grannies is a project of the Tucson Branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. The Grannies sing their messages by creating new words to familiar tunes, to convey their angst against federal policies that undermine our national security, environmental sustainability, and first amendment rights (and to add humor to our protests). They have performed at peace rallies and other local events since forming three years ago. The Raging Grannies was first initiated by Canadian activists 19 years ago. The idea has spread throughout the world, and can be traced on the internet. The Tucson WILPF Grannies is included in the local branch web site: www.wilpftucson.org Contact Margaret Pecoraro 885-3908 or Pat Birnie 908-9269

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8:00 am rally in front of the recruiting center
by Emrys Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2005 at 1:41 PM

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For over 3 years, protestors have been coming to the sidewalk in front of the military recruiting offices on the 2300 block of East Speedway. Each branch - Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines - has an office here.

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Begin reading statement
by Emrys Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2005 at 1:41 PM

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WHY RAGING GRANNIES want to ENLIST in MILITARY FORCES

9:00 am Wednesday, July 13, 2005 U.S. Army Recruiting Station, 2303 E. Speedway, Tucson, AZ

The Raging Grannies want to enlist in the U.S military forces to make possible the immediate return of all U.S. service personnel, and to set an example of what REAL diplomacy can achieve. We would meet with our counterparts in Iraq (women) and come to a mutual agreement of how best for Iraq to regain its own independence, as all U.S. troops, bases and corporations leave their country.

The Raging Grannies are angry about the U.S. maintaining a Permanent War Economy, using military might as the U.S.’s primary tool of Foreign Policy.

The Raging Grannies are angry about the U.S. military recruitment system that lies to young people about the reasons for needing more people in the military. We are angry that our young peoples’ lives are at risk for reasons that have nothing to do with defending our country.

The Raging Grannies are angry that the U.S. is using and has used quantities of Depleted Uranium weapons in Iraq, and other places in the Middle East, jeopardizing the health and environment for 4.5 billion years (providing a source for birth defects, leukemia and other adverse health effects for our own service personnel as well as innocent citizens).

The Raging Grannies are angry that the U.S. is building 14 permanent bases in Iraq. We are angry that U.S. policies are driven by fear-mongering and growing losses of First Amendment Rights. We abhor the use of torture by U.S. forces against detainees.

The Raging Grannies firmly believe that:
• The Iraq invasion was planned before 9-11 as documented by the Downing Street Memos;
• The Iraq war has nothing to do with Al Quida (Saddam Hussein was not a part it);
• The Iraq war has nothing to do with Weapons of Mass Destruction;
• The Iraq war has everything to do with U.S. controlling access to Middle Eastern Oil; and that
• The Iraq war is an illegal, immoral war that has everything to do with U.S. world domination.

We insist that Recruiters tell the truth to our grandchildren who come to serve their country.

The Raging Grannies want all U.S. corporations and military personnel (official military troops and mercenaries) withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan as soon as possible, and that the U.S. finance the re-building of what we have destroyed, with local people doing their own re-construction work. The military bases that have been built should be turned over to the Iraq and Afghanistan people to use as they can, for whatever purposes they may have. The U.S. should spend recruitment dollars to (instead) improve education for all students, and gain a boost in our economy for this investment.

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Continued reading of the statment
by Emrys Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2005 at 1:41 PM

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Cops show up
by Emrys Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2005 at 1:41 PM

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Army Sgt. Richardson singles out the grannies to TPD officer S. Morken. Richardson also pointed me out, even though I was wearing a visible press pass. Two other journalists were not arrested, however.

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TPD corralles the Grannies
by Emrys Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2005 at 1:41 PM

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Writing citations
by Emrys Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2005 at 1:41 PM

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At least 8 TPD officers eventually showed up to help write the trespassing citations. Everyone was cited and realeased by 9:45 am.

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