ok this is a long one, but please read it. this is probably one of the most important prosecutions in american legal history.
"It's such a dangerous precedent because you are criminalizing ...someone's intent rather than their conduct, rather than anything they actually did"
Sherman Austin, webmaster of RaisetheFist.com, was sentenced on August 4, 2003, to one year in federal prison, with three years of probation.
Austin's probation stipulates, among other things, that (1) he cannot possess or access a computer of any kind without prior approval of his probation officer, (2) if his probation officer gives permission, the equipment is subject to monitoring and is subject to search and seizure at any time, without notice, (3) he cannot alter any of the software or hardware on any computer he uses, (4) he must surrender his phone, DSL, electric, and satellite bills, (5) he cannot associate with any person or group that seeks to change the government in any way (be that environmental, social justice, political, economic, etc.), and (6) he must pay over $2,000 in fines and restitution.
He has since been moved to isolation due to death threats from the Aryan Brotherhood within the prison, and then changed prisions without notification or without informing his family.
There have been hideous details throughout the trial, and back to when Austin's house was first raided when he was 18. The search warrant accused RaiseTheFist.com of containing "anti-government (primarily the United States), anti-capitalism, and militant messages that promoted communism." It described Sherman's participation in protests and demonstrations and contained information about him from when he was 14 years old.
Although the cops/FBI had been monitoring Raise The Fist for years, it was an article called 'the Reclaim Guide' - a rough bomb-making guide written by a young white guy from a nice conservative family - that formed the basis for Austin's case. Although Austin had nothing to do with writing the article, and had only allowed a link to be posted on RTF, it was him that was arrested and charged under anti-terrorism laws. During the trial, the judge, the prosecutor, the FBI, and the mass media all kept repeating the lie that Sherman Austin had written 'The Reclaim Guide', even though they knew this wasn't the case. This lie was constantly repeated in official court documents by the judge and the prosecutor, and there has been a concerted effort by the media to portray Sherman as the author.
What is most worrying about this case is the precedence it sets. Telling the courtroom that Austin's case has "national and international overtones," the judge said that he wanted to make an example of Sherman. He asked what kind of message four months in jail (the recommended sentence) would send to "some other revolutionary who wants to change the world."
Don't think this doesn't effect you because it does. Look at how the irish government nod to American policy. Think about May Day next year, about protests you might end up at anywhere else in the world. Think about things you've done or said or written and whether of not you're willing to do anything to retain your right to do and say and write what you want. Sherman Austin is 20 years old, he hosted an anarchist website and went to protests and organised gigs. He didn't write a bomb-making guide, he didn't make a bomb, he didn't do anything wrong. He was convicted because of his opinions and his beliefs and as an example to anyone else who might agree with him.
We need to be aware of how things are changing and we need to do something to stop them.
I'm posting the usual letter-writing details - if you can write a letter or an email or make a phone call, do it, it's something. If you can do more, then great, even better.
read more about the case and it's repercussions:
http://www.raisethefist.com/news.cg...3093t4a.article
posted from anarchomedia.cjb.net, where you can also get the standard protest letter:
write to
Institution where Sherman is being held:
Warden Captain C. Burris
Central Detention Center
Western Divison, San Bernadino
630 E. Rialto, CA 92408
Phone: 909-386-0969
Or send an email [email protected]
For more information regarding the Central Detention
Center please go to:
http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/...orr/CDC/CDC.asp
"It's such a dangerous precedent because you are criminalizing ...someone's intent rather than their conduct, rather than anything they actually did"
Sherman Austin, webmaster of RaisetheFist.com, was sentenced on August 4, 2003, to one year in federal prison, with three years of probation.
Austin's probation stipulates, among other things, that (1) he cannot possess or access a computer of any kind without prior approval of his probation officer, (2) if his probation officer gives permission, the equipment is subject to monitoring and is subject to search and seizure at any time, without notice, (3) he cannot alter any of the software or hardware on any computer he uses, (4) he must surrender his phone, DSL, electric, and satellite bills, (5) he cannot associate with any person or group that seeks to change the government in any way (be that environmental, social justice, political, economic, etc.), and (6) he must pay over $2,000 in fines and restitution.
He has since been moved to isolation due to death threats from the Aryan Brotherhood within the prison, and then changed prisions without notification or without informing his family.
There have been hideous details throughout the trial, and back to when Austin's house was first raided when he was 18. The search warrant accused RaiseTheFist.com of containing "anti-government (primarily the United States), anti-capitalism, and militant messages that promoted communism." It described Sherman's participation in protests and demonstrations and contained information about him from when he was 14 years old.
Although the cops/FBI had been monitoring Raise The Fist for years, it was an article called 'the Reclaim Guide' - a rough bomb-making guide written by a young white guy from a nice conservative family - that formed the basis for Austin's case. Although Austin had nothing to do with writing the article, and had only allowed a link to be posted on RTF, it was him that was arrested and charged under anti-terrorism laws. During the trial, the judge, the prosecutor, the FBI, and the mass media all kept repeating the lie that Sherman Austin had written 'The Reclaim Guide', even though they knew this wasn't the case. This lie was constantly repeated in official court documents by the judge and the prosecutor, and there has been a concerted effort by the media to portray Sherman as the author.
What is most worrying about this case is the precedence it sets. Telling the courtroom that Austin's case has "national and international overtones," the judge said that he wanted to make an example of Sherman. He asked what kind of message four months in jail (the recommended sentence) would send to "some other revolutionary who wants to change the world."
Don't think this doesn't effect you because it does. Look at how the irish government nod to American policy. Think about May Day next year, about protests you might end up at anywhere else in the world. Think about things you've done or said or written and whether of not you're willing to do anything to retain your right to do and say and write what you want. Sherman Austin is 20 years old, he hosted an anarchist website and went to protests and organised gigs. He didn't write a bomb-making guide, he didn't make a bomb, he didn't do anything wrong. He was convicted because of his opinions and his beliefs and as an example to anyone else who might agree with him.
We need to be aware of how things are changing and we need to do something to stop them.
I'm posting the usual letter-writing details - if you can write a letter or an email or make a phone call, do it, it's something. If you can do more, then great, even better.
read more about the case and it's repercussions:
http://www.raisethefist.com/news.cg...3093t4a.article
posted from anarchomedia.cjb.net, where you can also get the standard protest letter:
write to
Institution where Sherman is being held:
Warden Captain C. Burris
Central Detention Center
Western Divison, San Bernadino
630 E. Rialto, CA 92408
Phone: 909-386-0969
Or send an email [email protected]
For more information regarding the Central Detention
Center please go to:
http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/...orr/CDC/CDC.asp
