MKE 14 Men burn draft files with homemade napalm

On September 24, 1968, fourteen men, including five priests and a minister, removed approximately 10,000 1-A draft files from Milwaukee's Selective Service boards and burned them with home-made napalm in a nearby square dedicated to America's war dead. After being arrested, they spent a month in prison, unable to raise the unusually harsh bail set at $415,000. Trial was set for the following year, and most members served jail time. Protesters marched on every court date, and Father Groppi came to their aid, co-chairing the Milwaukee 14 Defense Committee. Their actions became legendary, along with other groups at the time, such as the Chicago 7 and the Catonsville 9 lead by activist Daniel Berrigan.

Google milwaukee 14 to learn even more about these historical events

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[ReverendOleson]

We spent last evening at Jim Harney's home. Novermber 19,2008.Jim is the tall priest in the middle wiping the smoke out of his eyes...looks like. Jim has terminal cancer. His spirits are good, and his friends love him. I was in officer training school at the time of the Milwaukee 14's action. Their example inspired me to resign my commission as a conscientious object. G

[milwaukeeindymedia]

right on! You just brought a tear to my eye about getting your inspirations. I got some of mine while home on leave and walking by Cal Roberts who handed me a George Mizo poem. Mike Cullen and the others are true heros. Probably Saints if you could ever get their miracles past Papa Ratzinger.

[CTOL1]

These guys saved my life, I wound up with, I forget the letter number designation, but it was a Agricultural deferment

Yes I turned 18 in June of 1968.

Thank you all 14 for your bravery and decent!!

It IS the American way

[westman34]

This is the most amazing protest video from the 60's I've ever seen. This was far better done than those protests lodged by hippies who waved vietnamese flags and spit on troops that were coming back. Rather than daring people to fight them these men got right to the point, put themselves in legal trouble to accomplish it, and made sure that everyone would remember them for what they did. THAT'S courage.

[spartan2600]

its great to hear about this sort of thing closer to home ( i live in sheboygan). sometimes it seems like everything important in this country happens in DC or NYC.

[strands333]

Father Daniel Berrigan is a true hero. His prison diaries were some of the most spiritually illuminating works I have ever read. As a Catholic leftist I will oppose this war with everything in me.

[jalepeno4]

Thank you Mike and Jerry for standing up to the insanity. We need more people who are as brave as you were long ago to stop our kids from dying in Iraq. The Dems seem unable to do it...

[Wally4363]

I hope things do not come down to this happening again. I have a son who is in high school of whom I am strongly discouraging from the path I took regarding military service and beyond. Good post.

[lonelygirlI5]

Wow. Mike Cullen was starting to have second thoughts in the 90s about whether he should've destroyed property, etc. Guess what happened at the same time? Someone hunted him down, hugged him, cried and thanked him for burning those draft notices. He was one of the many 1A's who ended up in the Phillipines AFTER mopup rather than 2-3 tours in Nam/Laos/Cambodia until death...