Latest Dispatch from Jeff "Free" Luers

Dispatch 4/29/04

OK. Well, I’ve been less frequent with these than I originally intended. I’m not gonna make any promises but I’m going to try and fix that.

First off, I have an urgent notice. Calls from prison have always been
expensive. It costs my family over $30 for one phone call and over $20 to
call my friends only an hour away from here. On April 15, Qwest and AT&T,
the phone carriers in Oregon prisons, raised their rates making the new
fees retroactive to April 1st.

Months ago, we were promised phone cards that would dramatically reduce
the phone fees by up to 40%-which is still too much cash. In an evil
twist, the new phone fees were raised to a connection fee of $3.95 for the
first minute and 69 cents for each additional minute for an interstate
call. The new phone card will allow inmates to have a discounted rate that
is the same as the old collect call rate of $2.35 and 45 cents. AT&T,
Qwest and ODOC have decided to collect a fortune off of prisoner by
raising our rates and then offering is a discount of the old rate. Please
feel free to contact companies and give them a piece of your mind.

It has been a hot spring here in Oregon. Last weekend, temps hit 89
degrees and we have reached 80 degrees a few times since then. For the
last few years, the 80 degree mark was not reached until May. The world
over has seen a rise in temperature for the last ten years. Earlier this
week, the state of Washington had a tornado bring havoc. All over we are
witnessing bizarre weather patterns as nature reacts to a human made
crisis.

Millions of people from the poorest to the richest nations have recognized
a need for action against future climate change. In the late 90’s, a team
of international scientists stepped forward with the horrible news that we
cannot prevent the greenhouse effect-we can at this point only take steps
to keep it from getting worse.

That was the discussion that occurred at the first meeting in Kyoto. Here
we are 7 years later and no steps have been taken to stop the industrial
march of destruction. The depletion of ozone and climbing temperatures is
very much like cancer. It can sneak up on you without your knowledge and
kill you. However, if caught early, it is treatable.

16 years have passed since the Environmental policy institute warned that
only the total and rapid phase out of all ozone depleting chemicals could
stop global warming. The arrogance of the human race is astounding as
nations steadfastly refuse to even acknowledge the possibility of a
problem. Those that do saw we can adapt, believing we are immune from the
devastation nature has brought this planet before.

The UK Observer recently reported that conclusive evidence shows we are
currently in the sixth extinction the planet has had. It points to manmade
causes. The warnings given a decade ago are coming true and still they are
ignored.

I do not have the words to express the urgency of the matter which is why
in June of 2000, I let my actions speak. It is of the greatest importance
that we bring all ozone depleting and carbon-emitting industries to a dead
stop now. We do not have another 5 years to figure this out. 5 years from
now, these actions will come too late. We need mass action now. Everyday,
every hour, we must be in the streets until those in power have no choice
to listen to us. We must shut it down. It must be a priority. Do not wait,
do not hesitate.

Jeffrey Luers