Elaine Brown’s sentencing
Elaine Brown was sentenced to 35 years in prison yesterday for the nine-month standoff against government agents who were trying to arrest her and her husband, Ed, for tax evasion.
I admire her and the defiant speech she gave in court:
“I’m 68 years old. I don’t have much time left on this Earth. But I have no doubt I will spend eternity with my husband and a myriad of others who have fought tyranny and oppression,” she said, pausing several times to clear her throat but maintaining a defiant tone…
Brown insisted that she and her husband were being punished for nothing more than civil disobedience and “daring to challenge and question this massive government.”
“Our state motto is ‘Live free or Die,’ which is what we proclaimed over and over during our resistance,” she said. “I will always resist.”
The judge rejected the defense argument that Ed and Elaine were engaging in civil disobedience. I don’t see why – they believe that the federal income tax is unconstitutional, and so they refused to pay it. Even if you disagree with their beliefs, that sounds like civil disobedience.
Ed will be sentenced after his court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. I think it’s wrong for the court to suspect him of being mentally ill just because he refused to pay the income tax. The Browns’ views may be radical, but neither of them is delusional or mentally ill. They are brave patriots who had the guts to stick it to the man, and I admire them for that.
Further reading:
- CBS – “N.H. Tax Evader Gets 35 Years for Standoff”
- Union Leader – “Elaine Brown given 35-year prison term”
- Concord Monitor – “Elaine Brown gets 35 years”