Will Potter's Blog, page 35

Powell's Guest Blog: Labeling Political Activists as "Terrorists" Puts Everyone at Risk

Everything about how I approached this book project was focused on raising awareness about this issue outside of activist circles, and even progressive circles, and making clear that this terrorist scare-mongering affects all of us. My guest blog post for Powell's Bookstore today focuses on this:

There are plenty of discussions that need to be had about animal rights and environmental issues and about what tactics are appropriate, but in my lectures and in my book I don't devote much time to them. If there is one take away message from my work, it is that the labeling of activists as "terrorists" affects everyone, regardless of your political beliefs.

The campaigns by corporations and politicians against "eco-terrorists" extend far beyond the social movements targeted, in two primary ways…

 

Read the full post at Powells.com.

Powell's Guest Blog: "We Will Never Forget"

My guest blog post for Powell's Bookstore today is unfortunately timely, considering the absurd op-ed in the Wall Street Journal comparing animal rights activists to Al-Qaeda:

When Barack Obama became president, there was reason to believe that he might make a shift away from the "eco-terrorism" priorities of the Bush administration. As a senator, he responded to a 2005 Congressional hearing on eco-terrorism by saying that the threat from environmentalists was dwarfed by that of other groups. There were only 60 eco-terrorism crimes in 2004, he said, but there were, according to the FBI, more than 7,400 hate crimes in 2003.

"In our quest to apprehend these criminals, I hope we are not headed down the path of infringing on the ability of legitimate advocacy organizations to express their opinions and to raise funds in order to do so," Obama said in a letter to the committee. "I do not want Americans to equate groups that advocate violence with mainstream environmental organizations."

However, the labeling of environmentalists and animal rights activists as "domestic terrorists" has continued, and even expanded, under Obama's watch.

 

Read the full post at Powells.com.

Texas Observer Interviews Will Potter (Video)

When I was in Austin for some speaking events, I had the pleasure of stopping by the Texas Observer offices and sitting down to interview with Michael May, the managing editor. As an aside, the first piece I wrote on what (ten years later) became my book was for the Texas Observer. In my totally unbiased opinion, it is one of the best muckraking, ass-kicking publications in the country, and serves a vital role both in Texas and nationally. Please support them, and the good work of Texas Observer reporters like Forrest Wilder.

Texas Observer Managing Editor Michael May interviews Will Potter, the author of "Green is the New Red," a book about the heavy-handed law enforcement efforts aimed at environmental activists.

Powell's Guest Blog: The Real People Being Labeled 'Eco-Terrorists'

The book reading at Powell's last night was a huge success, with about 80 people there and standing room only. Thank you so much to everyone who came out! It's really an honor that I've been able to speak at such great venues (Powell's and City Lights both made it on Salon's list of the most inspirational bookstores around the world) and to full houses.

The rest of this week I'll continue to guest blog for Powell's. Here's an excerpt from today's post, "The Real People Being Labeled 'Eco-Terrorists'":

When I decided to write Green Is the New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement under Siege, I knew it would be driven by investigative journalism and political analysis, but it had to be more than that. I set out to tell the personal stories of people who have been labeled "eco-terrorists" and let their individual experiences (and in some places my own) guide the narrative.Through it all, I didn't want to lose sight of the fact that this is not an abstract political discussion: It is about real people.

Read the full post at Powells.com.

 

Guest-blogging at Powell's Books

The good folks at Powell's Books, Inc. have invited me to guest-blog all week. (Which is a bit daunting, considering Erik Larson was blogging for them last week. As an aside, Devil in the White City had a huge influence on how I thought about approaching my own book.)

Here's an excerpt of my first post:

The FBI has grayed out Osama bin Laden on its Most Wanted Terrorists List. Nearly 10 years after September 11, his death is clearly a historic point in the War on Terrorism and one that some have even applauded as a victory for America, for freedom. However, another legacy of September 11 endures. Next to bin Laden's photo on this list of the FBI's top terrorism threats, sandwiched between people who have murdered countless civilians, is a listing for a very different type of "terrorist": an animal rights activist.

Read more over on the Powell's blog.

Interview on Alternet About the Green Scare

I had a great discussion with Brittany Shoot of Alternet about the book. Here's an excerpt from the interview:

BS: In light of the ways the post-9/11 climate of fear fuelled debates about domestic terrorism, how do you think Osama bin Laden's death could alter the public discussion about eco-terrorism?

WP: What has stood out to me in the past couple of days is how little we as a country have changed — or to put it another way, how much this rhetoric, these policies, and this way of viewing the world has become institutionalized. President Obama made a statement in which he said that Osama bin Laden may be dead but we will never forget the legacy of what has happened.

I would actually argue that we have forgotten. We really have forgotten what and how much things have changed. We have forgotten the uproar that existed surrounding the Patriot Act that was passed in the middle of the night. We have forgotten how national security policies were completely overhauled in the name of fighting terrorism. We have forgotten when "terrorism" was not a household word heard on the news every single day. We have forgotten all of these things. To me, Osama bin Laden's death really represents a pivotal moment in a long chain of events that is becoming more and more everyday life.

Read the full interview: "Why Does the Govt. Treat Peaceful Enviro Activists More Harshly Than Extremists Who Aim to Kill?"

 

Will You Take 5 Minutes and Leave a Review?

The book has been getting some fantastic reviews by Mother Jones, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and many more publications. But what's also really important is what real people (you!) have to say. Would you take a minute and leave a review on Amazon? It's easy, I promise:

Log in at Amazon.com (or click on "New customer? Start here" at the top center of the screen)
Go to the book page for Green Is the New Red:
Scroll down. On the right hand side just above the other reviews, you'll see a button that says, "Create Your Own Review." Click on it.
Write whatever you like, click on how many stars you want to give, and post the review!
If you're on Goodreads.com, please leave your review there as well.

Word of mouth and "grassroots" publicity has been critical to raising awareness of this project, and it really does make a difference. Thank you for taking a few minutes to do this!

Mother Jones on Green Is the New Red

Mother Jones has a new article by Jim Ridgeway about my book, and the corporate and government campaigns to label animal rights and environmental activists as eco-terrorists.

It's a great big-picture look at the FBI's targeting of political activists, and the chilling implications for free speech. Ridgeway also discusses secretive political prisons called Communications Management Units, and investigates some of the confidential counter-terrorism unit reports that have briefed law enforcement on my lectures and website. He concludes:

When I phoned the Bureau of Prisons media relations office to ask about this report, a spokeswoman said I would have to request the documents under the Freedom of Information Act.  "I know what you mean," she said, "but I can't comment on it."

Read the full article in Mother Jones.

Matt Gauck Limited Edition Screenprints Available Now!

Matt Gauck is an incredible artist and a very kind dude, and he was generous with his time to design these posters specifically for the Green Is the New Red book release party. Even before I put the early images up on Tumblr and Facebook, people were asking about how to get hold of them. So I'm sure folks are going to be excited that we have some to sell on the website.

They're all signed by Matt, and numbered. The prints measure 19″ x 25″. Click the image for a high-res version. They look sooooo good in person.

Get on it, because I don't know how long these will last.

Also, I'm about to head out for 2+ weeks on book tour, all completely paid out of pocket–so if ya'll have thought of buying a t-shirt, apron, or book, it would be a great time to do so. I would be grateful for the gas money right about now. Ha.

In the Wake of the "Guantanamo Papers," Few People Know about Secretive Prisons on US Soil

Wikileaks recently released what have been called the "Guantanamo Papers," described by the New York Times as "a chilling reminder of the legal and moral disaster that President George W. Bush created there." The parallel legal system that Guantanamo represents, though, is not confined to an island, and it is not confined to one administration.

KPFK's Sonali Kolhatkar interviewed Alexis Agathocleous, a staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, and I about secretive political prisons for "domestic terrorists." These facilities, called Communications Management Units, overwhelmingly house Muslim prisoners. Agathocleous discussed the CCR lawsuit against these discriminatory prisons, and I was on the program to talk about how CMUs have also housed environmentalist Daniel McGowan and animal rights activist Andy Stepanian.