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American Friends Service Committee — Part 4

108 pages · May 08, 2026 · Document date: Mar 15, 1957 · Broad topic: Politics & Activism · Topic: American Friends Service Committee · 98 pages OCR'd
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the following kinds of information: Why are we demonstrating? What are our specific demands? Is our demonstration communicating our demands, and putting pressure primarily on those who are re- sponsible for our troubles? At what point will it be right to complete or call off demonstration? Do we demonstrate for the gake of blowing off steam, or do we demonstrate to have an effect? ; Are we likely to be arrested? If 30, what meas- -yres have been taken to make sure some leadership _ remains outside? What measures have been taken | 1. 2. ; ~ 7 3. 4. , 5. 6 to make sure some Jeadership goes inside to lead activities inside jail? ” Will we accept bail? What are the pros and cons of accepting bail? If we accept bail, what arrangements have been made for the posting of cash, property, or other security? If we do not accept bail, what point are we making? Some demonstrations almost inevitably, by their “civil disobedience" nature will result in arrest. It is sone times fruitful to fill the jails in order to make the point that the cause of the arrest is unjust. Is this one of those occasions ? : If arrest and bail are decided on, what shall be the priority of being released? (Students taking exams, and workers whose incomes are needed to support families, first). How much cooperation are we to extend to the police ? What are the pros and cons of going limp? Shall we sacrifice our dignified appear- ance (which has public relations value, and also maintains a certain personal worth) in order to refuse cooperation with an unjust situation? 98 7. Have you announced your intention of br law in advance (where that is appropriate, enc. he in Northern communities where arrest is more likely to come only upon the breaking of a definite iaW, and after Warning)? A prior announc t helps to clarify to the community your honesty of purpose and seriousness of intent. In some situa- tions such an announcement will warn the police and they will try to prevent you access to the place of the demonstration (e.g. a building). ‘Sneaking in" has some handicaps, and you might still be able to enn to confront the authorities outside (possibly sitting down there), On the other hand sometim es the dem- varticalen ple mae its point, must be at the ar place; have you discussed th merits of this issue? © relative The question of paying fines at the magistrate's court, justice of the peace court or higher court hearings should also be discussed in advance of any action likely to lead to arrest. The alternative to paying fines is imprisonment for a specified length of time (Thirty days or $100"). Bail is security for your appearance later in court, hence ia in a sense only a loan to the power structure, which must be paid back. But a fine is lost to you and the movement forever, and furthermore helps to pay the power structure's expenses in running a police force, a prison system, segregated schools, etc. Should you contribute to this by paying fines? Thie must be weighed against even greater losses in wages for some people, if they stay in jail. Again we do not want to answer this question for you, , but only advocate that it be intelligently discussed in advance. Obviously, in a "jail-in," that is, a concentrated attempt to communicate the evil of of a law by having masses of people break it and undergo unmerited suffering, it would be foolish to accept bail, or, later, pay fines. The suffering ia what communicates, not the paying. 99
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