The footage contained in this film originally came from raw footage used in a 1986 documentary, The Trial of the AVCO Plowshares, directed by John Reilly and Julie Gustafson.
In July of 1983, seven Americans entered AVCO Systems Division, a manufacturing plant for MX and Pershing II missiles in Wilmington, Massachusetts, and damaged weapon parts in a protest against the build-up of nuclear arms.
In this video, Howard Zinn is testifying on their behalf as an expert witness on the subject of civil disobedience.
This work documents the ensuing trial. With minimal commentary, Reilly and Gustafson examine the American judicial system, the tradition of non-violent civil disobedience, and the question of a higher moral imperative, beyond letter of the law.
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