On March 1, 2011 the Boston Tea Party National Committee passed a resolution (4-0 with 3 not-voting) supporting War Crimes trials for “for every person that has violated the ‘law of war’.”

The resolution states:

Whereas Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum states, Crimes Against Humanity “are particularly odious offenses in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings. They are not isolated or sporadic events, but are part either of a government policy or of a wide practice of atrocities tolerated or condoned by a government or a de facto authority. Murder, extermination, torture, rape, political, racial, or religious persecution and other inhumane acts reach the threshold of crimes against humanity only if they are part of a widespread or systematic practice.

Isolated inhumane acts of this nature may constitute grave infringements of human rights, or depending on the circumstances, war crimes, but may fall short of falling into the category of crimes under discussion.”

and

Whereas Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention defines war crimes as: “willful killing, torture, inhuman treatment, biological experiments, willfully causing great suffering, serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer, unlawful confinement compelling a protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile Power, willfully depriving a protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial prescribed in the present Convention and/or taking of hostages.” and

Whereas the U.S. Army’s Law of Land Warfare (Field Manual 27-10) states “Any person, whether a member of the armed forces or a civilian, who commits an act which constitutes a crime under international law is responsible therefore and liable to punishment. Such offenses in connection with war comprise:

a. Crimes against peace.
b. Crimes against humanity.
c. War crimes.

…The term ‘war crime’ is the technical expression for a violation of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. Every violation of the law of war is a war crime.”

Therefore, be it resolved that the Boston Tea Party National Committee calls for War Crimes trials for every person that has violated the “law of war”, and
Be it resolved that the Boston Tea Party National Committee calls for War Crimes trials for every President & Vice President that has authorized military action without a Congressional Declaration of war and authorized the use of “torture” and/or indefinite detention without charges, and

Be it resolved that the Boston Tea Party National Committee calls for Crimes Against Humanity trials for every President & Vice President that has authorized military action without a Congressional Declaration of war and authorized the use of “torture” and/or indefinite detention without charges, and

Be it resolved that the Boston Tea Party National Committee calls for Crimes Against Peace trials for every President & Vice President that has authorized military action without a Congressional Declaration of war and authorized the use of “torture” and/or indefinite detention without charges.

Any potential War Crimes trials should be privately funded, instead of being paid for with taxpayer money. Technically, all war crimes trials are handled by the International Criminal Court which was established in 2002 via treaty and receives both taxpayer funding and charitable donations; though the ICC jurisdiction “is based on ‘complementarity,’ which allows national courts the first opportunity to investigate or prosecute.”

It is obvious that the government of the United States of America will be unwilling to investigate any violations of the laws of war by former members of the federal government. Therefore, we must take the initiative to contact the ICC requesting an investigation into the crimes by this and previous Presidential administrations.

The BTP National Committee also passed a resolution (3-0 with 1 abstention and 3 not voting) condemning government censorship and any press organization and/or members of the media that intentionally distort and/or misrepresent facts. While failing to achieve quorum on a resolution specifically condemning Fox News for misrepresenting the reaction to the results of the 2011 CPAC presidential strawpoll.

The resolution that passed reads:

Whereas the First Amendment recognizes five rights, among them the freedom of the press, and
Whereas a free press is the watchdog of a free society, and
Whereas journalists have a responsibility of upholding the truth, and
Whereas the “mainstream media” has a history of distorting and misrepresenting facts. Be it therefore resolved, the Boston Tea Party National Committee supports free and responsible press, and

Be it resolved, the Boston Tea Party National Committee condemns any attempts of government censorship, and
Be it resolved, the Boston Tea Party National Committee condemns any press organization and/or members of the media that intentionally distort and/or misrepresent facts.

The Boston Tea Party was founded in 2006 with a one sentence platform, “The Boston Tea Party supports reducing the size, scope and power of government at all levels and on all issues, and opposes increasing the size, scope and power of government at any level, for any purpose.”

In October 2008, the party’s National Convention adopted the four point program of the Campaign for Liberty. Their program calls for an end to overseas occupation, a restoration of privacy and other liberties, no increase in the national debt, and a thorough review of the Federal Reserve. During the 2010 convention the Party adopted a new program to End the Wars of Aggression, End the Fed, End the War on Drugs, End the Abuses of Liberty, End the Immigration Fiasco.

- Article Contributed By: Darryl W. Perry

Darryl W. Perry is an Activist, Author, Poet & Statesman. Darryl writes a weekly article for the Mountaineer Jeffersonian, a monthly article for The Sovereign and has appeared on various alternative media talking about his books, political career and goals. Darryl is the Chairman of the Boston Tea Party National Committee and Owner/Managing Editor of Free Patriot Press.

To schedule an interview with Darryl please send an email to editor@freepatriot-press.com or call 202 709 4377