LOCAL News :: Media : Peace : Protest Activity
The Death of Malachi Ritscher
Last Friday, Malachi Ritscher burned himself to death on the side of the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago during the morning rush hour. Near Malachi's remains, police found a camcorder with videotape inside and a homemade sign that read "Thou Shalt Not Kill".
Click on image for a larger version

Malachi Ritscher shortly before his unconstituional arrest by the Chicago Police. This is one in a series of photos shot by good samaritan Dan Sloan, which helped Malachi win a suit against the city.
The only attention that this case has received was a blurb in the back of the Chicago Sun-Times (
www.suntimes.com/news/metro/123692,CST-NWS-bodyfire04.article ) and a mention on the local televised news. Each venue has treated the event as a mere suicide and an explanation for slower-than-usual traffic that morning. The only further explanation for Malachi's actions are likely on the videotape that was confiscated at the scene, and it is highly doubtful that the public will ever find out the contents of that recording.
Malachi was a well-known participant in the Chicago art and music scenes, as well as a prominent anti-war protester. In August 2006, Malachi received a settlement in his case against the city of Chicago after he was unconstitutionally arrested by Chicago police for exercising his first amendment rights. Malachi was not merely a "nut" who was hellbent on ending his life. Instead, Malachi was a conscientious individual whose death was his ultimate protest.
It is likely that no further attention will be brought to Malachi's death in the mainstream media. Malachi should not have died for a mention in the paper, completely stripped of his intention.
I hope that this humble notice will serve as a spark for dialogue within this community.
Comments
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
08 Nov 2006
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
09 Nov 2006
Re: Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
10 Nov 2006
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
11 Nov 2006
RIP Malachi And Will
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
15 Nov 2006
www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3222,36-834560@51-829608,0.html
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
23 Nov 2006
he could of done so much more for the world by continuing his activism and demanding social justice
also, Buddhist monks did this in Vietnam, but when they did it was to protest the intensely coercive Vietnamese dictatorship that wouldn't allow them to practice their faith, and harassed everyone
While I can see some parallels, we aren't in that situation yet by a long shot
And trust me, if it ever does, I won't be burning myself in the street, I'll be throwing trash can fires at squad cars
Aka, the honorable thing
Re: Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
23 Nov 2006
Jaungoikoa ez du existitzen!. Egia esanez, Vietnam eta Iraken arteko hilen artean ez dagoz ezberdintasunaz.
Malachi, gixajoa, kokotaraino zegoen, inpotentziaz beterik, gure Lurra bezela.
Re: Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
03 Dec 2006
Re: Re: Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
06 Dec 2006
What does this have to do with that Malachi bloke doing himself in? Pretty much nothing, like weedboys comments. In regards to his suicide - I will agree with Denis Yeter on this point, what's so honourable about burning yourself on the highway? How does it differ from a suicide bomber? (oh, I know, he didnt take anyone else with him, but why not? He definetely would have made the headlines, if that really was the poor buggers intention) Who made and what are and where can I find the parameters for the honorable causes of suicide? The iraq war and afghanistan and indeed the whole war on terror is a thing worth protesting about, but i guess in america you can only protest with your vote. Oops, I forgot, your voting machines are electronically rigged, and most of you dont vote anyhow. Please dont take this to heart, oh patriots, but I thank God I'm not an american.
I suppose Malachi achieved one thing, anyway, I will now have something to talk about at the pub when the subject of politics comes up.
Rest in peace Malachi.
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
23 Nov 2006
Gora Zaldi Eroa!.
Re: Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
29 Nov 2006
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
29 Nov 2006
¡Sigue la lucha!
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
29 Nov 2006
He died for life before he died of shame.
Let's honor that, then mourn and praise.
Retaliate By Striking Back, Do Not Strike Inward
03 Dec 2006
The USA government allowed me to be attacked after reporting criminals and murder and explicit discrimination at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in San Francisco.
I was almost killed on the highway in an attack and then the government turned against me and they do so to this day.
I believe in an eye for an eye, do not jab out your other eye, take one of theirs.
Never again serve the regime in power. Separate your family from their or "IT's" paradigm. The time has come for a war in America and we can not win, so just remove yourself from the criminal leadership of this damned nation.
Mobile Audit Club has music and proof of abuse and videos of abuse. No one cares, and I do not have any political criminals or those who allow or force injections linked to the site. I want some of them beheaded in the USA and have the video put online.
www.angelfire.com/zine2/democracyordeath/index.html
Re: The Death of Malachi Ritscher
13 Dec 2006
出会い
25 Mar 2008