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Indybay Feature

Justice Has Its Windows Smashed

by uncontrollables
Shortly after midnight on Friday the 13th of June, the Santa Cruz County Courthouse experienced not bad luck, but a deliberate act of revolt. Inspired by recent actions in the area and the struggles of others around the world, river rocks were thrown through two plate glass windows. The breaking of windows was a moment of sheer joy for us. We'd like to dedicate them to every prisoner and detainee who has been forced to undergo the dehumanizing farce of cold Justice, but especially to these specific comrades:
Eric McDavid, currently in Fresno County Jail, recently sentenced to nearly 20 years imprisonment for a "conspiracy" that never carried out any actions. Daring to trust (in the wrong people, in Eric's case) and discuss the possibility of acting is one of the greatest crimes of all in this day and age. May we all commit such crimes, and realize them as well.

Marie Mason, the latest target of the Fed's "Green Scare," accused of ELF arsons against the University of Michigan's genetic engineering program. The government may have captured one brave person and attempted to isolate her, but there are innumerable people who are willing to strike in solidarity with people they've never met.

Daniel McGowan, just transfered to Columbia County Jail in Portage Wisconsin, possibly facing a grand jury subpoena. He had the courage to take a plea bargain for ELF arsons he committed without snitching on those he acted with, and surely will continue to maintain his integrity. We honor Sadie, Exile, and Jonathan Paul as well for remaining silent as well in the Operation Backfire case.

Leonard Peltier, indigenous warrior framed for the 1975 killing of two FBI Agents who invaded in Oglala territory, serving two life sentences in prison. Despite widespread demand for his freedom, the United States persists in keeping this prisoner of war behind bars. His lawyers have again appealed his case in the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

John Graham, indigenous land defender from the Yukon facing "South Dakota Justice for Indians" (aka lynch mob) this September for the 1975 murder of fellow warrior Anna Mae Pictou Aquash, which the FBI originally tried to cover up. Anna Mae's death occured in the context of over 76 Government-sanctioned murders on Pine Ridge Reservation in the span of three years (1973 to 1976), as well as the FBI's intensive COINTEL (counter-intelligence) Program designed to destroy native resistance. The prosecution of John Graham now is a continuation of the colonialist governments of Canada and the US attempting to turn native people against one another and accept colonial rule.

Mohawk warriors of Tyendinaga and Six Nations who have fought for their sovereignty, and after going through numerous trials in the colonial Canadian courts being have recently been served another 12 arrest warrants.

Rioters in Olympia Washington, facing lengthy jail time for throwing rocks through bank windows on May Day.

Lukas Winkler, Stephanie Trager, and Sven Maurer: squatters in Munich sentenced to 5 years imprisonment each for throwing rocks at cops to defend their home, convicted by the German State of the absurd charge of "attempted murder."

Isa, Farid, Damien, Bruno and Ivan of France, accused of "possessing explosives" (smoke bombs) and "criminal association with terrorist ends." Smoke bombs and fireworks have been set off throughout France in revolutionary solidarity with these comrades captured by the French State, continuing and expanding their struggle against all prisons and detention centers.

And lastly, but not least, for you reading this text, and for every rebel who may one day be imprisoned for the crime of freedom. May every courthouse window be smashed, every prison wall broken. May all of us then run free.

solidarity in revolt,

uncontrollables
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Comments (Hide Comments)
by militant sista
As a prison activist who actually works on cases...not just uses them for my own propaganda...I totally agree with your action and the point...to smash all windows of the state and break down the prison walls as well...FANTASTIC!

But...I am grounded in the reality of one who really puts in work through the system to get our people free. WHY? WHY DO I DO THIS? As a person with revolutionary consciousness, I know damn well that I can not bust a tank in through the walls to free em all...or even one. SO...the only recourse is to work with the system for justice. And while there is little of it...almost oll of those people you listed have lawyers...or would have the best lawyer money could buy...or would welcome a committee to work on their case...etc.

BUT...putting thier names on blast can have an adverse effect on the cases you are highlighting. SO...smash your windows, get your shit on...but be careful with your comrades names, if they are still in process, dealing with Grand Jury trials (especially) keep that shit on the down low. For now. For real. Thanks.

by what she said
what she said
by hmmmmm...
I'm always skeptical and a little worried when people talk about "smashing all prison walls" and freeing everyone who's in prison. Granted, our gov't incarcerates way too many black and brown folks. But what about the fact that some individuals are truly BAD? What about Scott Peterson? Ted Bundy? David Lane, the white supremacist who killed a Brinks driver and then called himself a "political prisoner"? Do you really want people like that wandering around society, sitting next to you on the bus, walking a few steps behind you on your way home? You can't rehabilitate everyone. Are you all willing to take such a dangerous step?
by anarchist nephew
Dear militant sista,
I agree that mentioning specific names in connection to illegal actions is dangerous, but on the other hand, I hadn't even heard of half of these prisoners until reading this communique. I think that's immensely valuable, and furthermore that the method of communication makes the information much more intense to people than any support campaign's literature has. I think those support campaigns are crucial, but I really appreciate that people are trying to expand prisoners' struggles into daily life in Santa Cruz as well.

And perhaps you don't feel comfortable destroying prison walls physically, and that's understandable, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible. Other militant sista's liberated Assata Shakur from prison by means of a hijacked aircraft, remember.

And to the other commenter, yes, I personally am willing to take such a dangerous step as the abolition of all prisons. I'm also actively making connections with the people in my community so that we'll be able to deal with rapists as we deem necessary.
by ezln thought
the ezln broke into a prison when they declared war against the bad mexican government in 1994. they literally freed all prisoners except, the rapists, and the drug dealers. something to be said from that. i guess i'd be curious to know what it is the prison abolitionist desire to do with these undesirables.

i'd say 85% of the individuals incarcerated don't belong in prison, but i've never heard a good argument for freeing someone like manson, john wayne gacey or jeffrey dalmer, wait, he got his justice. point being, a rock here and a rock there might raise a little awareness, but organizing, long hours getting people together in community settings, they might do something.

don't have a solution, but i am curious what to do with the hard core criminals who desire to kill or rape and their brains don't function properly. meth heads are about the only drug user who i worry about. the brain synapses don't function properly after one has used it extensively.

food for thought.
by anarcha
Well, I think that the abolition of prisons would require that communities of people deal with "problems" as communities. What that may look like in different communities will probably be very different. In some places it may look quite ugly, but I know that it is certainly possible for this not to be so. I am not a fan of lynching, but I am both prepared to fight against people lynching people I care about and to use the method myself against those who truly harm me or my community. In an anarchistic culture, continuous expressions of freedom and autonomy would be valued and understood, and therefore taboo and morality would be neutralized--these insidious forces often play a significant role in "traditional" cultures; then again, before the advent of civilization such cultures did not have alcohol/drug/rape problems. Many of them valued tricksters as challengers of conventional beliefs, mostly dealt with disputes through dialogue (sometimes escalating to individual violence), and sustained themselves in an autonomous way for generations.
by @
One way--perhaps one of the most important ways--that people discover individual and communal power is through the experience of struggle itself. Poor people who steal and cheat one another discover solidarity and mutual aid when looting and rioting. When individual autonomous action becomes a widespread reality for determining what society looks like, we'll be able to deal with meth-heads and rapists one by one. And ultimately create a culture without either.
by Becky Johnson (becky_johnson222 [at] hotmail.com)
Where to begin? You smash the windows of the Santa Cruz County Courthouse and then don't even name a single case of injustice that has passed through those hallowed halls? What's up with that? You haven't even done your homework!!

There are plenty of cases of injustice in the Santa Cruz County courthouse. Judge Thomas Kelly is insisting that homeless people accused of misdemeanors must take and pass a psychological competency hearing before he will allow them to plead "not guilty" and have a jury trial. Roger Mentch, a medical marijuana provider has been tried twice there for a highly questionable prosecution.

Jason Paschal (a black man) was given a stay-away order from the entire length of Pacific Ave. for a "disturbing the peace" charge where he vocally challenged the failure of the SCPD to protect him from assault by a neo-Nazi skinhead calling him a "nigger." Judge Heather Morse told him he could frequent Pacific Ave. businesses "through the back door only." Paschal was arrested and later extradicted to New Hampshire for a marijuana charge back in 1997 when he sold an eighth of an ounce to an undercover cop! Not exactly the crime of the century and considering that he is now a legitimate medical marijuana patient, makes no sense at all.

Donna Deiss, while attempting to defend a "no RV's in parking lot" charge had her peer counselor, Jhon Golder, arrested on the spot and held in chains. He was released with no charges AFTER Donna had lost her case!

But NO!! You have to name cases so far away that have nothing to do with Santa Cruz! You are lazy activists at best. At worst, you are criminal punks who get your kicks out of destroying other people's property. This is no action to brag about considering you have accomplished nothing and only given anarchists a bad name in the process.
by Eric's new address...
Dear friends,

This morning Eric was moved to what should be his final destination - Victorville, Medium II in southern California. This is a huge relief to Eric and his loved ones - while he is now housed 6.5 hours from his family, everyone is relieved that he did not end up across the country.

Please start sending those letters! Eric's new address is:

Eric McDavid 16209-097
FCI VICTORVILLE MEDIUM II
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
PO BOX 5700
ADELANTO, CA 92301


Remember, the prison authorities read all Eric's mail- and he is appealing his case. If Eric is granted a new trial the government will still try to use anything and everything against him. Please keep this in mind when writing him.

We'll send more information about how Eric is doing when we hear from him.

Thanks to you all!

SPS

http://www.supporteric.org
by No. I don't want to join the Circle A Club
anarchist nephew cries: "I'm also actively making connections with the people in my community so that we'll be able to deal with rapists as we deem necessary."

I've lived in this town for my many years, and have been on the outer fringes of the "anarchist community." Every time I hear an anarchist in this town use the word "community," I feel a sick tension in my nerves, because in my experience, this is nothing at all like "community," it is much more like a "clique." Which is to say, essentially, "if you don't think like me, we are not a part of the same community." Anarchists speak of a "diversity of tactics" when defending their petty, ill-conceived vandalism, but in their own groupings (community or clique?) anarchists do not allow for a diversity of thought. I am a person who dared to question, or 'goddess forbid,' had a critique of some anarchists philosophies and actions, and had an "individual desire" to speak up about it. And I was driven out of the "community." So, I'm a little skeptical there, lil nephew. Who are the people in your community? Or is it really just a clique?
by Author (Required)
militant sista: "putting thier names on blast can have an adverse effect on the cases you are highlighting"

That 'might' be true for some of the comrades listed, but the some of the prisoners in France have put out a letter supporting these kinds of actions (the kind they were arrested for) and their comrades on the outside called for a Week of Solidarity consisting of such actions (after many such had already been carried out).

http://325collective.com/prisons_letter-ivan-bruno.html
by Dragon Lord
There are no windows to smash on justice. Justice is an idea, a moral code based on the beliefs of the people. As such an attack on justice is an attack on us all. Now a court house is a site of many an in-justice but also occasionally justice is served there. Many feel that some who are convicted there get less than what they deserve while many believe that others get too much. It is a system based on the foibles and failings of mortal humans and as such is riddled with flaws. Will breaking the windows help ensure that true justice is served? No, not by any stretch of the imagination. If you want justice to work you must work from the inside to make real substantial change. I may not agree with how Robert Norse does things nor on some of what he fights for but he confronts what he considers injustice head on. He stands up and makes himself be heard. He does not sculk around in the dark and commit petty vandalism. Myself I spend too much time moaning to the wind that things aren't right and saying now if I were king things would be different. Robert for all his faults does something positive and constructive.
I would imagine that if you were caught and convicted of vandalism you and a few other misguided souls would consider you to be political prisoners unjustly convicted of the crime of being a political subversive. Mandela, Ghandi, King, Elijah Mohammad, and others confronted injustice like you can't even imagine. They took the beatings and they took the jail time and the came back and met it head on still. They did it standing tall, even if they had been knocked to their knees, and they did until the unjust saw the light and true change was effected.
by nr5667
I'm curious how vandalism will make a difference -- save that if it continues the criminal code will be rewritten to make punishment much more severe...

Keep it up, diverts money into Law Enforcement, and out of social services...
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