Earth First! Radio News for May 29, 2008

Environmentalist and political prisoner, Tre Arrow has been incarcerated in Canada and the US since March 13th 2004. For almost four years, Tre was imprisoned while contesting extradition to the United States. Like the 125 000 American draft dodgers who came to Canada between 1964 and 1977, Tre came to Canada hoping to escape persecution in the United States. This became Tre's only option when his life in Portland, Oregon was unjustly turned upside down in the Summer of 2002. The US government is laying charges that could see him locked up for the rest of his life if convicted. After working tirelessly for years to protect some of the only ancient forests left in the North Western U.S., Tre had become an extremely well-known and important organizer. Like other peaceful organizers, Tre found himself at the forefront of an environmental movement which successfully interfered with industrial powers; he therefore became a target. Environmental journalist Tim Ream wrote in reference to Tre's case, "If you garner increasing popular support, you are a threat to everything the state stands for. You must be stopped."

Read more about Tre Arrow
http://www3.telus.net/public/trearrow/who.html

Cascadia Loves Tre Arrow: Outpouring of Support in Court Today
author: Cat

This morning, Tre Arrow was scheduled to appear in Judge Redden's courtroom to plead guilty to two counts of arson in connection with the burning of some trucks that were engaged in the attempt to rip down one of the last remaining old growth forests in Cascadia. All of the other defendants in that case sold their souls and sold out their community years ago, in exchange for shorter sentences. Tre, on the other hand, did not cooperate against any other defendants. Instead, he was asked to trade a guilty plea for a greatly reduced sentence -- a deal offered by the government because they almost certainly did not have the evidence to prove their case. (But in this country of terror alerts and witch hunts, it would have been a gamble to assume that justice could have prevailed if the case had gone to trial.)

I arrived an hour early this morning, and there were already a few people waiting in the hall outside the courtroom. As it grew closer to 11am, the room began to fill. By the time the doors opened, there were enough people to crowd the room. And by the time the doors closed, every bench was filled. ...I guess the rumors in Willamette Week recently were wrong. Clearly, there is no question that Cascadia supports Tre Arrow.

It was a strange sort of reunion. People who had not seen each other in years embraced and caught up, waiting expectantly for the moment when Tre would enter the room. Many of us were concerned about what we might see when he came in. I had been hearing rumors that he was having a hard time in there, so I guess I was expecting him to look gaunt and pale and worn. But, when the doors finally opened, he stepped in with his black curls spilling over the shoulders of a white jumpsuit. His hair mostly obscured the gray letters spelling out "JAIL" across his back. He looked almost ...angelic. I saw his eyes sweep the courtroom as he entered, and upon noting how many people had come to see him there, his features lit up into a smile. He nodded and smiled, bowed his head with hands together as he was led to his table. Namaste.

It was very clear to me that it meant the world to him that so many people had come to support him. I think it would have been devastating, had we not all been there. Like so many political prisoners, much has been stripped away from him by the system, and the reassuring presence of people who care can be a lifeline. It's impossible to over-state the importance of the kind of solidarity and communion I saw in the courtroom this morning. This is one of the things that makes Cascadia what it is.

As the judge entered, Tre stood flanked by his two braided lawyers, Paul Loney and Bruce Ellison. He looked small and lost, standing there in front of that bench. But I leaned forward, just to see, and sure enough: Tre's jail-issue sandals lay kicked off under his chair, and his feet were bare.

At this point, the legal mumblings commenced. We all sat through a very long reading, by the State, of all the charges and all the rule citations and all the bullshit. There were lots of letters and numbers and short pauses and long, poorly-executed soliloquies. Mostly, it all sounded like a ritualized degradation ceremony intended to strip "the defendant" of his humanity, of the strength to fight the status quo. Like all such proceedings, it ground down living flesh and bone and regurgitated it out in the form of stale numbers and empty words and demands for contrition. I will leave the reporting on the details of all of that for others. It is important, I think, for people to hear and understand all that -- the threats of "consequences in addition to imprisonment," the expectation for "acceptance of responsibility," the claim of a "reasonable sentence." But, while important, it was mind-bogglingly obtuse and I can't bring myself to delve into it.

(Possibly the grossest moment, in my opinion, was the part where Tre was expected to give the proper answers to a series of questions. Among those questions, he was asked to confirm that his acceptance of a guilty plea was not the result of force, threat, coercion, or intimidation. How could any reasonable person perceive the looming threat of up to 80 years in prison as anything other than "threat, coercion, or intimidation"?)

The long and short of it: Tre was sentenced to 78 months, with credit for the past four years of time served. He can get time off for good behavior, should he jump through the proper hoops. And, while the State magnanimously agreed not to bar him from "lawful political activity," whatever that is these days, it was explicitly noted that he is "prohibited from associating" with known ALF or ELF members. (So those of you card-carrying members of the ALF or the ELF, Tre can't associate with you.)

For all those non-card-carrying-ALF/ELF folks, there will be a sentencing hearing coming up, tentatively scheduled for August 12th at 2pm (though it could be moved up sooner), and he could use your support then, too. Also, he will be housed in Sheridan, so now you will be able to visit both Tre and Josh Harper on the same trip.