Judge Sentences Occupy L.A. Protester to Write Essay on Thoreau

By Gene Maddaus Fri., Jan. 27 2012 at 7:37 PM

Henry David Thoreau: The original Occupier

Gotta hand it to Judge William Sterling. This guy gets it.

This morning, Sterling sentenced Cajid Heartfield for violating probation by failing to disperse from the Occupy L.A. protest. Heartfield was sleeping in a tent when the LAPD raided the encampment.

Instead of the typical 20 days of Caltrans duty, Sterling came up with a more creative sentence. He ordered Heartfield, 43, to write a 300-word essay on Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience."

Heartfield readily agreed, according to Leone Hankey, who has been observing cases for Occupy L.A. Case closed.

Now, we all read this in high school. But if you need a refresher, here's what Thoreau had to say about the justice system:

It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume, is to do at any time what I think right.

Even now, it takes a pretty cool judge to assign that for homework. Hankey, who was in court today, said that in pronouncing the sentence, Sterling noted that Heartfield was acting out of principle, which diminished his criminal intent.

"This is the most intelligent and enlightened judge I have seen in these cases," Hankey said.

Tags:

Cajid Heartfield, Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau, Occupy L.A.

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MMA Acupuncture

I think this is a good idea and should be expanded more. Instead of just throwing the book at people we should help them to become individuals who can think, reason, and do the right thing.

History_PhD

A 300 word essay? That's barely more than *one page.*

If this protestor is getting out of 20 days of Caltrans duty, I'd expect at least 10 pages. Footnoted. And he'd better address MLK's "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" and Gandhi's doctrine of Satyagraha.

Otherwise, it's just the judge letting him off with a wink and a nod.

Macsplusmore

It is pretty simple. Bet he don't have to write it In APA format either!

icedgreentea

APA format would be illegal, as it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

Lionsclub James

O.k....the judge has lost all sense of Freedom, considering he lives in a country where the Constitution has been shredded to pieces. It's not something we're losing, the Constitution is gone already from protecting us in the major areas of our lives.

So, now he reads a quote from a FREE man, who lives by the Law of One, which is from the Most High, and he thinks Thoreau is wrong???

Does the judge know that he, and those who think like them, have already been erased from the future? The future of humanity is guided by the Georgie Guidestones, and declaration number 7 erases the imprisoned mind and restores the FREE Minds as the future heirs of freedom.

7. AVOID PETTY LAWS AND USELESS OFFICIALS

Just like you can't have Peace when you cheer on war, you can't have a FREE mind when you cheer on the imprisonment of another mind. This judge has a lot to learn about Thoreau and the Wisdom of the Ages. We will preserve the Earth so that he may return here as many times as he needs until he understands what a Free Mind looks and sounds like.

Christopher Neal

I guess that can work in your imaginary little world...

James: There is this place--it's really inconvenient--it's called reality.

StoneyMaloney

He should be forced to rewrite and edit until Prof. Hankey feels he earned an A.

yangdooo

So now why didnt I ever think of that? Makes a whole lot of sense dude. WOw.Total-Privacy dot US

Christopher Neal

This is actually hilarious.

Thoreau was the fool who built a cheap cabin on Emerson's land and insisted he was living "FREE," just like these occufools think they can do when they simply squat.

Great joke Judge Sterling! Love your sense of humor!

VivlianWozz

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