FW: [Peace-discuss] Re: [UCIMC-print] Breaking News: Journalist Charges Dropped

Sun Sep 21 12:24:15 CDT 2008

Actually, there is no reason why both tactics could not be combined; in fact, there was a small fictional novel published in the late 1970s based on

Just such a combination of tactics along with a few more which included the arrested all insisting on jury trials, not accepting any plea bargains or bail, refusing any paroles or work releases, and the like.  The objective was to congest the legal system and overcrowd the jails until the system broke down.

And again, of course, there are a number of other basis for such a strategy apart from questioning the authority and legitimacy of the system and the state.  That basis is only one such basis. One can accept the authority and legitimacy of the system and the state but seek to challenge and radically change the ways in which they work and distribute justice, the inequalities and fairness in the way laws are enforced and sentencing is done, the legitimacy of manner in which alleged violators of the law are treated when arrested and processed by the system, as well as the legitimacy of the laws and everyday practices themselves under which people are arrested and jailed.  In fact, I would contend that in today’s society, one has to have an authoritative system of government and a state and that the old notion of an individualistic anarchy will not work given all the interdependencies within a high tech industrial society.

From: peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net [mailto:peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of pengdust at aol.com
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2008 6:58 PM
To: baldwinricky at yahoo.com; a-fields at uiuc.edu; peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
Cc: sf-core at yahoogroups.com; imc-print at ucimc.org
Subject: [Peace-discuss] Re: [UCIMC-print] Breaking News: Journalist Charges Dropped

Actually, there are two direct action tactics that can be used here. One is the old IWW tactic of intentionally getting arrested to fill the local jails beyond their capacity to overwhelm the localities' rescources, and to practice jailhouse resistance while detained. The other is an anarchist expansion upon jailhouse resistance called 'jail solidarity,' where individuals have no ID on them and refuse to give any personal information that can help the police processs them [in this case they only give an 'affinity name' to the cops, and use their 'one phone call' to contact a local person at the head of a phone tree, still affinity name only, so people can bug the shit out of the authorities while they're in. Oh, declaring the practice of jail solidarity is wise, so that they can claim that not cooperating was an act of civil disobedience at any later trial.] Then the authorities must spend an exorbitant amount of time finding out identities and processing detainees. [Cops would rather be cracking heads on the street than doing hated paperwork!!] Then, when arraigned each detainee pleads not guilty and requests an individual trial by jury. When, if there's hundreds practicing such a tactic, becomes very, very expensive (tax money) and bogged down for the local authorities very quickly! Their 'constituents' then really resent them for having to pick up the tab. 

Of course, a basis for such a practice is that not on ly the detentions, but also the 'authority' of the system and the state, is fundamentally illigitmate.

davep

-----Original Message-----
From: Ricky Baldwin <baldwinricky at yahoo.com>
To: Belden Fields <a-fields at uiuc.edu>; peace discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Cc: socialist forum core <sf-core at yahoogroups.com>; public i <imc-print at ucimc.org>
Sent: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 2:02 pm
Subject: [UCIMC-print] Breaking News: Journalist Charges Dropped

I'm afraid I don't think this is such a huge victory, though it is of course good news.  Police in cities like this, when they want to keep agitators out of the way until after a certain moment has passed (like this), know they can simply round them up and drop the charges later.  I've seen this tactic used for breaking up pickets, etc., and it's well-established - altho (again) of course it's better when they then actually do drop the charges rather than trying to make them stick, which they sometimes do.  I was at a protest once where an officer slammed a 90-lb girl onto the pavement - and managed to get a small scratch on his hand in doing so - and they charged the girl with attacking him!!!  It was purely to cover up the police brutality (the judge in the case, and I think most judges, will treat the mere suggestion of attacking a cop more seriously=2 0than trying to blow up the earth - and the cops know it).

Anyway, I'm not just being picky.  I think that the real victory would be something that took the cops down a notch - a new legal principle that would prevent this kind of thing, for example, a law against political arrests or making it easier to sue for false arrest, some kind of watchdog agency or movement to raise the cost of such fun and games...

Oh, and I moved this discussion from AWARE's "peace" event announcements list because it's not really what that list is for: "peace-discuss" is for news and discussion.  Thanks.

Ricky Baldwin

"Only those who do nothing make no mistakes." - Peter Kropotkin 

----- Original Message ----
From: Belden Fields <a-fields at uiuc.edu>
To: awaRE peace <peace at lists.chambana.net>; imc-print at lists.ucimc.org
Cc: SFcore <sf-core at yahoogroups.com>; "jmohraz at sbcglobal.net" <jmohraz at uiuc.edu>
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2008 7:39:17 PM
Subject: [Peace] Fwd: Breaking News: Journalist Charges Dropped

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Josh Silver, FreePress.net" <list at freepress.net>

Date: September 19, 2008 2:35:12 PM CDT

To: a-fields at uiuc.edu

Subject: Breaking News: Journalist Charges Dropped

Reply-To: "Josh Silver, FreePress.net" <list at freepress.net>

 <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=A9irLKHRkO4w-SKlTnPVSA..> Error! Filename not specified.

Dear Belden,

 <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=FYXSO5_n7O88LmxTegDOXg..> Error! Filename not specified.

Charges dropped against journalists arrested in St. Paul.

Your action made all the difference.

St. Paul City Hall announced today that they are dropping all charges against journalists arrested while covering the protests outside the Republican National Convention -- including Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!

Your action made all the difference.

You and more than 62,000 other people signed our open letter demanding that the charges be dropped. The day after the convention, we delivered your signatures in person to the mayor of St. Paul.

Today's great news happened because together, we responded quickly and spoke out strongly. This is your victory.

But before you celebrate, I need you to do one thing. Please ask three friends to join the Free Press network, so that the next time we need to act, we will have an even greater number of allies to add to our collective voice. Our struggle for an open and democratic media system is so crucial right now.0We need your help bringing more people to the cause.

 <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=CtTkQf4Ra6rzKUILd6KXcQ..> Tell your friends to promote better media.

Our task now is to ensure that our press remains free to report on the events, issues and stories that matter to our country, our communities, and our democracy.

We'll stay vigilant -- I hope you'll join us.

Onward,

Josh Silver
Executive Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=brw5p88JNjeoe-TFfHy8pw..> 

P.S. Please click <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=b1guhKI5MrItrBCeb4qnLQ..>  here or copy and paste the message below into an e-mail to tell your friends about this exciting victory with Free Press.

Dear Friend,

Earlier this month, I -- along with 60,000 other members of Free Press -- signed a letter calling on St. Paul City Hall to drop the charges against Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! and the other journalists who were arrested during the Republican National Convention.

Today, we found out that in response to public pressure, all of the charges were dropped!

I'm writing in hopes that you will join me and the growing media reform movement by becoming a Free Press "e-activist". It is free, and takes about 10 seconds:http://www.freepress.net/get_involved/e-activists <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=ILq2-I6LxsuAhFsnhTveKQ..> 

Free Press is a national, nonpartisan network of people like you and me who care about the future of our media. It is crucial that we increase our numbers in the fight for more hard hitting journalism, and independent media.

Please go to http://www.freepress.net/get_involved/e-activists <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=Btbees2jaj0XUFjrHgQLEw..> 

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Error! Filename not specified. Tell your friends about this campaign at: http://secure.freepress.net/site/Ecard?ecard_id=1621 <http://free.convio.net/site/R?i=NEZNdkI5JzYCRFb-dXdc_A..> 

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