Minot Daily News, Minot North Dakota, Friday, June 23, 2006

Missile site protest was dangerous

Certainly, members of the Wisconsin-based group Nukewatch have the right to conduct a peaceful, nonviolent protest. But the actions of three members of the group who unlawfully entered a Minuteman III missile silo site in McLean County Tuesday were foolish and dangerous.

Greg Boertje-Obed and Michael Walli, both of Duluth, Minn., and Carl Kabat, a priest from St. Louis, were arrested Tuesday after allegedly using hammers to gain access to the site. According a Nukewatch press release, the men painted the word “disarm” on the silo lid and poured some blood on the lid.

Minot Air Force Base officials confirmed that three people had unlawfully entered the site, and that the three were immediately arrested and turned over to local law enforcement officials. The three men were taken to the McLean County jail in Garrison. The safety of the site wasn't compromised, officials said.

The men are charged with criminal trespass and criminal mischief.

Again, we understand the fundamental right to peacefully protest. But at a time when we're at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, breaking into a nuclear missile site isn't the smartest thing to do. Such an incident could easily escalate into much more dangerous consequences. Armed military police respond to such situations, and when armed soldiers meet protesters bent on destroying property and breaking into a nuclear missile site, well, who knows what could happen.

Thankfully, Tuesday's incident ended peacefully. There are other ways for protesters to get their message across that don't involve dangerously forcing their way into a nuclear missile site.