Will Potter's Blog, page 38
March 26, 2011
Reading at Powell's Books in Portland
PORTLAND!
Monday, May 16th, 2011, 7:30 PM
Powell's Books (Hawthorne location)
A reading and discussion with Will Potter, author of Green Is the New Red
Powell's Books on Hawthorne
3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR 97214
503-228-4651 (phone)
I'll also be guest blogging for Powell's.com every day from May 16th to May 20th, which is pretty cool, and also pretty intimidating once I checked out the list of past guest bloggers (Greil Marcus?!). So excited to get out to Portland. Also, there's a chance there'll be another event in town, possibly more of the party variety, and I'll let ya'll know.
Here is a full listing of book tour events.
Georgetown Law School Event with Will Potter & Andy Stepanian
I'll be speaking at Georgetown Law School in Washington, DC, with Andy Stepanian on April 7th.
Event: Terrorizing Dissent: Social Justice or Domestic Terrorism?
Andy Stepanian is a social justice activist and publicist from Long Island, NY. In 2006 he was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in the Stop Huntingdon Life Sciences campaign. The last six months of his sentence was in a high security secretive prison called the Communications Management Unit, known by some federal officials as "Little Gitmo". The SHAC7 case was recently denied certiorari by the Supreme Court, but still remains a hotly contested first amendment issue. Andy will be speaking about the SHAC7 trial, prison, and activism.
Will Potter is an award winning journalist focusing on government repression of animal rights and environmental activist. He will be speaking about his new book, "Green is the New Red".
April 7th, 7pm, Georgetown University Law Center 600 New Jersey Ave NW Washington DC, McDonough Hall Rm 203 (use 2nd street entrance)
If you're on Facebook, please check out the event page.
March 25, 2011
Seattle: Will Potter at Elliott Bay Books May 21st
Hey Seattle folks. I'll be reading at Elliott Bay Books as part of my West Coast book tour coming up.
Saturday, May 21st, 2011 at 2pm.
Immediately prior to this, I will of course be getting over-caffeinated at Caffe Ladro and sugar-highed at Mighty O's, so this may be a speed-reading. I'm really looking forward to seeing some old friends in Seattle, and meeting new folks at the reading. Hope to see you there!
Worcester Veg Fest April 17th
I'll be speaking at the Worcester VegFest on Sunday, April 17, 2011. Last year they had quite a crowd, and this year organizers are expecting even more. Other speakers include Bruce Friedrich of PETA, and vegan cookbook author Terry Hope Romero. And did I mention food? Lots and lots of food. As I'm sure you can imagine, the VegFest organizers really had to twist my arm to get me to do this. I apologize in advance if the gluttony results in me speaking in sweatpants.
There will be plenty of copies of Green Is the New Red on hand, and after my talk there'll be a book signing. Check out the Facebook event page to RSVP. Hope you can make it!
March 22, 2011
Discussion of Environmentalism and 'Eco-terrorism' at Atomic Books in Baltimore
I'll 
be reading from my new book on April 21st, 2011 at Atomic Books in Baltimore.
AN EVENING WITH WILL POTTER
A Converstation About Environmentalism and "Eco-Terrorism"
Thursday, April 21.
7:00PM. Atomic Books.
Hampden, Baltlimore.
Will Potter will host a discussion on environmentalism and "eco-terrorism" to celebrate the release of his new book, Green Is The New Red.
Please rsvp and invite your friends on the Facebook event page.
And when you come out for the reading, you can also drop off your stack of John Waters fan mail. Whadda ya say?
March 19, 2011
Austin: Will Potter at Book People & Monkeywrench Books
I'm really looking forward to heading back home to Austin, Texas for two book readings. Monkeywrench and Book People have both become vital parts of the Austin community. (To me this photo is how I always think of Monkeywrench. It's a bookstore but also a community space / meetup / venue / hangout / gallery).
Hope to see ya'll there! As a warning, I've been told my drawl comes out when I'm home. So go easy on me.
Sunday, April 17th, 2011
8 pm
Please rsvp and invite your friends on the Facebook event page.
Monday, April 18th, 2011
7 pm
"Thinking About Animals Conference" in Canada, and Event at UConn Law School
I'll be speaking at a couple events in just a few weeks (technically my first speaking events where I'll have copies of my book on hand, which is exciting).
The first is at the University of Connecticut School of Law:
"Approving Animal Abuse & Punishing Protest"
Will Potter and Justin Goodman will discuss the scope of animal experimentation in the United States, the laws that govern it, and how federal terrorism laws are being created and used against the nonviolent activists who are trying to end it.
Date: March 30, 2011
Time: 5:00 PM
Place: Blumberg Hall, University of Connecticut School of Law
65 Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT 06105-2290
Vegan food from China Pan Restaurant will be provided courtesy of the sponsoring student groups.
Please invite your friends on the Facebook event page.
Right after the law school event, I'm heading up to Canada for the "Thinking About Animals" conference at Brock University, hosted by the Department of Sociology.
This two-day conference hosted by the Department of Sociology will explore a variety of issues concerning the current and historical situation of nonhuman animals and interactions with humans. The conference welcomes participation from both activists and academics. We are especially pleased to be hosting this conference in association with the Institute of Critical Animal Studies as the 10th Annual North American ICAS conference.
Sponsored by: Niagara Action for Animals, Department of Sociology, Department of Political Science, Department of History, Social Justice and Equity Studies, Department of English, the Department of Visual Arts, and the MA in Critical Sociology
Please invite your friend on the Facebook event page.
(NOTE: I'll be speaking Thursday, 3/31, at 7pm)
Anyone planning on going to either of these event? Hope to see you there!
March 16, 2011
DC Book Reading and Launch Party for "Green Is the New Red"
I'm excited that we've confirmed the details for two events here in Washington, DC!
Busboys & Poets
Tuesday, April 19th, 2011
6:30 pm
NOTE: it's the 5th & K NW location
Will Potter will read from and discuss Green Is the New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement Under Siege
Invite your friends on the Facebook event page
But wait! You didn't think I'd work on this dang book for so long and not use it as an excuse to have a party, did you?
Book Launch Party at 826 DC
Saturday, April 23rd, 2011
7 pm
(right on top of the Columbia Heights metro stop)
If you haven't heard of 826DC, it's part of the national 826 project founded by author Dave Eggers. They work with young people to promote literacy and a love of writing. In addition to being an incredible, passionate group of people, they're also very kind, and have opened up their space for this launch party.
Are you STILL not excited about this? Ok, I'll break out the big guns… Sticky Fingers is catering. You might have heard they just won the Food Network's Cupcake Wars. This will not disappoint.
Terrorism and cupcakes, together at last.
If you don't bring your snack pants, the terrorists win.
I could go on all day with these, folks.
Hope to see you at both of these events!
Marie Mason is Being Denied Visitors and Mail in a Special Prison Unit
Marie Mason was arrested three years ago and charged with destroying genetic-engineering research and logging equipment. Her crimes did not cause any physical injury. Leading up to her sentencing, the FBI had warned that "terrorists" might attend the hearing. She was sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison. As I wrote at the time, Mason's sentence was twice that of violent racists who assaulted African Americans on the night Barack Obama was elected president.
From the outset, Mason–a mother of two–was facing the longest prison term of anyone associated with the Earth Liberation Front. Then in August, 2010, she was transferred to FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, TX, which is described by the Bureau of Prisons as providing "specialized medical and mental health services to female offenders."
Since being transferred to FMC Carswell, she has been denied all visitors except immediate family. Every single request by non-family has been turned down. In addition, for months she has not been receiving mail (prison officials say they have not officially refused any correspondence). Marie Mason is not being held in solitary (as she was previously at FCI Waseca), but she reports that she is being housed away from the general prison population, in a special prison unit.
Special Prison Unit
At least one other political prisoner is also housed there. In 1984, Helen Woodson and others entered a Missouri nuclear missile silo with sledgehammer and jackhammer. They said they were inspired by the Book of Isaiah, which says "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." Woodson is scheduled for release in September, 2011, after 27 years in prison.
I have written extensively on secretive prisons called Communications Management Units, which radically restrict prisoner communications with the outside world. Daniel McGowan, an Earth Liberation Front prison, and Andy Stepanian, of the SHAC 7, were both imprisoned in a CMU. (These prison units were recently covered by both The Nation and NPR).
The Bureau of Prisons has not responded to my inquiries about the CMUs, nor about Mason's conditions at FMC Carswell. However, Mason's supporters and attorneys report that federal officials have repeatedly denied that FMC Carswell is a CMU.
Disproportionate Treatment
Whether or not that is true, it's clear that Mason is being singled out for harsher treatment than other so-called "eco-terrorists," and harsher treatment than other prisoners at that facility. Her restrictions on visitation are actually more extreme than those for CMU prisoners, who are allowed non-contact visits with family and friends.
Mason's case truly puts on display the unaccountable, unchecked power that the government has acquired in the name of fighting "terrorism." Like many other defendants, Mason was labeled a "terrorist" from day one, and that label has followed her into the courtroom, through a draconian sentence, to these disproportionately harsh prison conditions.
As the president backpedals on his pledge to close Guantanamo, and alleged Wikileaks conspirator Bradley Manning is inhumanely being held naked and shackled, it should be clear that this is fundamentally about a lack of checks and balances on government power.
"An evening like this"
Marie Mason's support committee reports that she has faced these three difficult years with strength and courage, and she continues to do so. She has been particularly interested in her artwork and poetry. Here is an excerpt of one of her poems, dated August, 2008:
An evening like this: summer sunset…
The air no cooler than my blood, and still, so still
The tiny humming of mosquitos hovering in my line of sight
I will remember this when I cannot see the sun for days on end.
Please visit SupportMarieMason.org to write her a letter and donate to her support fund.
March 8, 2011
Coming this April from City Lights Books…
This project has consumed so much of my life, for so long, that writing this "official announcement" is ridiculously hard. So I'll leave it at this: Next month, City Lights Books will release Green Is the New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement Under Siege…
Special thanks to Casey, Denis, Hal, and Matthew at Open Road Films for their incredible work creating this trailer.
And thank you to everyone who has been reading and supporting this site over the years. I feel strongly that this book will contribute something to the national discussion of these issues that hasn't been possible in blog posts or magazine articles. I hope you'll feel the same way.
The book is available for pre-order through City Lights Books or Amazon.
