Ploughshares Penetrate Waihopai Base Deflate Satellite Dome

as far as I can see, the only way to get the kind of peace these guys want is to obliterate the human race. I agree that america is not a good example of how the world should be, but the reality is its the way things are

That last comment is redundant. Of course the present reality is that the way things are now is the way that things are now.

What actions like this and protest in general tries to say is that things as they are, are not perfect. They could be better and we should try and make them better.

WOW! amazing - great stuff!! xx

What a pack of idiots!
They should be charged under the anti terror laws as traitors to the country. Hopefully they will get the full term of 14 years. Between Muslim murders seeking heaven and Dominican priest religion certainly seems pointless.

Go hard. How inspiring!!! We must always stand up. Hold your ground and don't let the bastards grind you down. Nil Desperandium - Don't despair!!!

What a pack of idiots the Labour party are!
Fancy having a prime minister who can describe such ethical actions as "a senseless act of criminal vandalism". She should be charged with opening her mouth without engaging her brain first. Hopefully they will never get a term of office again. Between US-backed Muslim fundamentalists and Western social-democrats who quietly back wars and deals with dictatorships government certainly seems pointless.

- Sam Buchanan

Helen Clarks comment about this being a cost that the taxpayer has to bear can also be said about elections. Should we get rid of them? This protest is important in getting the NZ government to be accountable for what it is funding on NZ soil.

Awesome stuff! Direct action works! The coverage this act will and is getting is a great example of the need for more grassroot, direct action. Thanks!

Jared

Not a pack of idiots just a bunch of sour grapes.
How tough and courageous.
Fancy your chances of demonstrating in this way in China, Iran, Vietnam or Zimbabwe.
We will pay your ticket to get there.

well done!

Thanks for the messages (both for and against the action)... the guys will be happy to know at least people care! These individuals were inspired by similar actions elsewhere and hope it inspires others to do more creative and courageous activities... whether just with their families and friends or in the public sphere.
A small request we've had is to remove the image of the group holding the banner in front of the base - some people not so keen to draw attention to themselves.
Instead of a protest march on Saturday we think a fundraiser might be of far more benefit to the guys and their families - the cost of their action is going to be huge - financially, emotionally, and in other ways. So a simple garage sale on their behalf and/or leafleting people in the train station might be more constructive than making demands for things that won't happen until people are educated more - and they won't get educated until there are appropriate opportunities that engage in constructive ways... the guys could have delayed the event until a sophisticated education and advocacy campaign was in place but that's not their job - it could be ours...

Thanks again - keep the comments, ideas and commitments coming!

- Manu (acting-spokesperson for the dis-organisation Ploughshares Aotearoa).

Bloody brilliant! One of the two boils on Papatuanuku's skin has been popped by 3 very courageous and ethical activists. Everybody please send donations to their account ( on ploughshares.org.nz website) - they are going to need support. In NZ we have thousands of children who live in poverty while millions of our taxpayers money is spent on a secret unaccountable instrument of the US torture empire. It's great that this issue is raised in election year by this potent symbolic act of protest. Are we a sovereign nation ? Obviously not. And how sad that Helen Clark, once long ago an anti-nuclear protestor herself, describes it as a "senseless act of criminal vandalism". I say it was an imaginative and courageous act of symbolic protest. And the drooping skin revealing the satellite dish inside - a modern equivalent of "the emperor has no clothes".

What a brilliant achievement!

Having established a focus for solidarity, very much like a flag, or more precisely a deflated anti-flag ;-), its now up to everybody to build on this action with solid support, on streets and with donations.

Ploughshares has also shown the value in direct action, along with the corresponding need for secrecy to achieve such tactical goals.

Steve L

Just wanted to say amazing action people. Much love and respect for all those involved. You have my full support

dan rae

"Fancy your chances of demonstrating in this way in China, Iran, Vietnam or Zimbabwe.
We will pay your ticket to get there"

And I bet you'd love to be a cop in one of those countries, copper.
We'll pay your ticket to get there.

congratulations to all involved. fron riverside community, lower moutere. well done.

Magnificent.

What's all this `Christian' crap? There's nothing Christian about these twats. I thought the bible says love-thy-neighbour....not hate Americans. While you are fasting, brothers, I'd ask your lord for forgiveness.

if a sycle can pierce their war mongering crap so can a thrown or propelled object, whack that second bulbous boobery of Bush's quickly!
and kill the 'judge" Richard Russell on sight any where you can,, shoot that filthy god damned lesbo PM as well for good measure.

"What is it with Catholics? Why are so many lunatics attracted to (or harboured by) this church?"
Considering there are 700 million Catholics, probably a much smaller percentage are lunatics, paedophiles etc. than the human race in general.
May as well condemn the whole human race if you are going to generalise in this way.

Wow. These are the coolest weirdo religious kooks ever. Respect.

Sadly, there are kiwi fascists who think like that Phil.

Where is the evidence to show that this base is used directly to support the war in Iraq and has no other useful purpose?

Can someone please post a link, thanks.

Must be something more out there than just a book written 12 years ago before the War in Iraq even started surely?

I'm an anti-imperialist who happens, by accident of birth, to be a citizen of the United Snakes, living in U.S.-occupied California. I'm very pleased to read about this action, even though I don't, as an atheist, share the religious-philosophical viewpoint of the good folks who did it.

My one serious reservation regarding this action is that the people got arrested rather than getting away to attack the Empire elsewhere. In the words of Tacitus [extended by Aaron], "He that fights and runs away, may turn and fight another day; but he that is in battle slain [or captured], will never [or only much later] rise to fight again." And, if they hadn't been captured, the movement wouldn't have to divert its resources to defending them.