The Harrisburg Seven's Plot to Kidnap Kissinger (1971)

This Day in Esoteric Political History

Jody Avirgan & Radiotopia

History

4.6 • 982 Ratings

🗓️ 11 January 2022

⏱️ 17 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It’s January 11th. This day in 1971, the federal government charged a group of anti-war activists, led by Catholic priest Father Phillip Berrigan, in a scheme to bomb tunnels in Washington DC and kidnap Henry Kissinger.

Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the details of the plot, Berrigan’s life of activism, and how it mixed with his religious pacifism.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to this day in esoteric political history from radiotopia.
0:07.0	My name is Jody Avergan.
0:10.0	This day, January 11th, 1971, U.S. attorneys charged the Harrisburg 7, which is a group of 7,
0:19.1	religious anti-war activists led by former Roman Catholic priest Philip Berrigan.
0:24.8	What were they charged with?
0:25.8	Well, they were charged with a conspiracy to kidnap National Security advisor Henry
0:30.4	Kissinger and bomb steam tunnels in Washington, D.C. under some federal office buildings.
0:37.8	As we will discuss, Berrigan was a longtime activist anti-war agitator.
0:42.4	This was one of many plots and
0:43.8	schemes and confrontations with the government over the war in Vietnam and then a long
0:48.7	history and life and legacy of anti-war efforts.
0:53.1	So here to discuss this moment, the plot
0:55.9	to kidnap Kissinger are, as always,
0:58.8	Nicole Hammer of Columbia and Kelly Carter Jackson of Wellesley.
1:01.6	Hello there.
1:02.4	Hello, Jody.
1:03.6	Hey there.
1:04.5	Do you want to start a little with Philip Bergen?
1:06.6	A really fascinating character,
1:07.8	so when we haven't, I don't think touched on this show so far.
1:11.7	What are you, what do we need to know about them? What an interesting mix.
1:16.5	Can I just say I feel like this whole episode could be a movie maybe because I'm thinking of like
	...

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