When I think of solidarity in the context of the June 11th holiday, in conjunction with writing the obvious letter to our caged comrades, I believe in the prioritization of engaging in living resistance utilizing/creating structures therein that allow rad folk to circumnavigate being caged. The Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement’s most recent communiqué offers some suggestions that may enrich hypothetical efforts (it’s free online and worth your time).
More immediately, we can also activate general prisoner solidarity by once more utilizing/creating local legal/bail funds to free any and all who are incarcerated and eligible for bail on this day. Even in the move from specific (eco-prisoners) to general terms, prisoners, if we are to be ‘solid’ with one, we must be solid with the other, as they are oppressed by one of the same forces and entities- the state. As always, no prisons means no prisoners. This is not to dilute the focus of this very important day from eco-prisoners, just extend the scope and reach of our support.
Outreach to un-politicized prisoners is a common good that needs doing and also holds potential to radicalize more people, thus also potentially adding them to the cause and discussions of the proverbial “team”. We must be prefigurative in all that we do, valuing the process of achieving and actively living (daily) revolutionary lifestyles just as much as the diverse outcomes of those processes (derived from recent inspirations of Marianne Maeckelbergh’s “The Will of the Many”)
Disproportionately, the poor and people of color (POC) sit in jail due to lack of access to resources or money to pay bond (and sometimes they are very low bond amounts). We must outreach to offer tools that enable more agency on the individual’s part here.
Also on this day, we must acknowledge and undermine the fact that our so-called “government” continues to vilify comrades who defend the earth and all it’s creatures and life forces, in order to distract from the evil-doings+ merciless killings of land, water and people/creatures that the “US Government” is endorsing and perpetuating on a daily basis. They continually take the focus off of their heinous and racist resource-colonial acts and continue to subjugate, imprison, or kill any and all who seem to threaten their relative power.
Lastly, fuck Derek Jensen, but, “Forget Shorter Showers,” and don’t forget other Earth Defenders and Water Protectors that need our attention and support today and all days, like:
Red Fawn Fallis@ HACTC, 110 Industrial Rd. Rugby, ND 58368
Kathleen Bennet @ Morton County Jail, 205 1st Ave. NW, Mandan, ND 58554
as the latter needs assistance getting bailed out of jail! There are so many others we can reach out to as well, including internationally.
While we are reaching out to our wild-caged creatures this day, in the realms of prisoner and legal support groups, be sure to “check” yourselves and others’ privilege if comments like “take care of it” or “it’s better to just deal with it now” are slipping out of people’s mouths in regards to addressing looming and potentially lengthy terms of incarceration. You/they may never have before been in this situation, and you/they may not wish being as targeted or ill-resourced whist incarcerated! We should first seek to find them alternatives if at all possible. For prisoner post-release support, both prior preparational and logistical, to create adequate healing space for all involved is paramount. You’re all human; no one is a romanticized epitome of a radical ideal.
Thank you deeply to all who have supported me or donated to my support fund! My heart and wild appreciation goes out to you and I cannot do it without you! Here’s to having each other’s backs! Please also remember to support the upcoming International Solidarity with Eric King Day on June 28th and extend support to prisoners on food strike for better conditions in Folsom prison.
In closing, “… we threaten our own interests and rights when we condone by our silence the use of the government surveillance, attack on the legitimacy of the political activists, and the use of the criminal law to suppress and punish political dissent.” -Lennox S. Hines
Until All Are Free!
Your Comrade in Struggle,
For the wild
Krow
– marking the four year anniversary of my charges related to the Penokee Mine Struggle
(from Support Krow)