From time-to-time, my activist mother-in-law is involved with a group called Raging Grannies (she's third from the right with a yellow bow on her hat), who promote global peace, justice, and equality through song and humor. There are branches nationwide, and she sent me a link to a New York Times article about 18 Manhattan grannies who were arrested for blocking the doorway of the armed forces recruiting station in Times Square.
It must have been quite a sight to see these women in court:
The grandmothers - 16 of them, anyway, plus a doctor's note from a 17th asking that she be excused because of a hip replacement - appeared yesterday in State Supreme Court in Lower Manhattan armed with symbolic silver handcuffs...Courtroom regulars marveled at the sight of 16 women, some carrying canes and pushing walkers, stretching across the room. Many wore photos of their grandchildren on chains around their necks. Some lawyers complained that the group had taken along about 50 supporters, making it hard to get a seat.My favorite part is that the judge offered to drop the charges against the women if they did not get arrested for at least six months. And they turned down the offer "because it would hobble their protesting." This group is called "Grandmothers Against the War," and every Wednesday they demonstrate outside Rockefeller Center, according to the article.
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