A moment of silence for the victims of yet another tragic shooting, and then some healthy conversation about violence in our society

In the wake of Sandy Hook, we must admit that we have a much bigger problem than just gun control in this country. We cannot pretend to be surprised by this kind of thing anymore. It happens every couple of months, and the shock and horror of it have become a sort of numb that I feel about the whole everything. The whole news broadcast, as it is dealt out to me, leaves me feeling helpless and numb. In fact, I took it upon myself to throw out my TV years ago- for my own mental health- and to avoid being sucked into watching the news elsewhere (since it is broadcast in shops and bars, and in the headlines of every newspaper on every street corner). Still, it seeps in and I hear about this shooting from my friends and it makes me cry. Me too, Mr. Obama, I cried when I heard the news too.

But with all the due callousness of a long time peace advocate- what else do you expect? This is what happens in a gun-crazed and violent society, like the one we live in today. This is what you get when the leader of our nation deems himself able to assassinate whomever he wants, wherever he wants, for his own “secret reasons” and never be held accountable. It is a classic case of “Do as I say, don’t do as I do” and if you don’t like to think so- here is another example:

If we are to believe that this gunman is solely responsible for this atrocity, and not just a product of the society that he comes from, then let’s call him a terrorist. And let’s say this schoolhouse was in Northern Pakistan instead of Northern America.

See the difference?

The President gets information that a dangerous terrorist is in a schoolhouse in Pakistan, and what does he do? He orders the strike to have him killed and a Hellfire missile is sent to bomb the entire building. Instead of 27 dead, every person in or near the schoolhouse would be under a pile of rubble and there would be no heroes, no survivors- not even a death toll. It is the official practice of our government NOT to count the bodies of the civilian dead, so that they can wave this strike in our faces later and say

“See? We got our man! One terrorist dead. Now give us another billion dollars.”

Now do you see how big the problem really is? It’s not just about guns. It is the acceptability, and the normality of murder. Murder by any other name, is still murder. And we see it glorified on the news every single day. And what we don’t hear about, mass murder on a scale that any would-be serial killer could envy, is being carried out by our government in our name and with our tax dollars. Every. Single. Day.

People want to talk about video games, and I say TALK. But really, it is a much deeper love of violence than that. Have you ever heard the term war-porn? There are websites set up with official U.S. government footage of drone assassinations, where users can comment and chat with each other while dark figures are blown up on the screen.

Sound a little fucked up to you? How about throwing the term “porn” in there to remind us that violence against women goes hand in hand with this kind of war-loving mentality. That rape is so common in our military that a female solider is more like to get attacked by her own fellow soldiers, then be wounded in combat.

But military service isn’t safe for women? Video games promote violence? These things have nothing to do with one crazy person gunning down a bunch of school kids. Unless of course you look at it as a whole, and see these things as the mere surfacing of the affects of war and violence on our collective psyche.

American culture is a many faceted and beautiful thing. No one thing can be considered the cause of the state of our society, but sometimes it takes only one story for the whole of the conversation to change. Take what happened to Trayvon Martin, another act of gun violence, where what is an everyday reality for black youth in this country came to the forefront of our national attention. It is up to us to make sure these children-all of the innocent children- did not die in vain. Let us take the time to see things clearly for what they are. The man who did this needed help, help he did not receive, and we all pay the price. We must teach our children to love and respect themselves and each other- before they reach for a gun. Until that day, when I see the news idly prattling on in the background somewhere- I will continue to look away.

And I will continue to advocate for a peaceful resolution to the so-called War on Terror (as it as produced more terror in eleven years for “them” and for “us” then the attacks on 9/11 could ever justify) until it is over, and not one more bomb is dropped. My heart goes out to the mothers and fathers of those children. I believe killing children is the worst war crime, because children do not hate. We teach them that by how we behave. And it is time to change the lesson.

On Military Drones (and tearing them to pieces)

Radical poet coming to MPLS!

So, I am really excited to share with you this show I’ve been helping to put together. My friend, Jared Paul, an amazing poet and activist, is coming to Minneapolis on tour this fall.. He will be here Oct. 18th and the show will be at Mayday books, doors at 8, show starts at 8:30p. I am going to do some poetry too (of course) and hopefully we will have a musical act to open (details TBA). This is going to be a lot of fun. I’ve never really organized an event like this, I hope it is a big success.

So, come one, come all, and tell your friends! Hope to see you there!

TRIUMPHANT VICTORY (ok, it was more like a plea deal)

Me in the street in front of US Bank plaza

But it was, in the end, what we had been asking for from the beginning. Yesterday in court, it was more like we skidded into the sweet spot of possible out comes. Thanks to the fancy footwork of our lawyers, the judge saw it our way about the added charges, and about the seriousness of the offense itself (he did deny our motion that the arrest was unconstitutional, but he said that this was an “unusual case”, meaning it was occupy related and not simply about blocking the street) and he gave us his own deal to get this to go away. We entered a straight plea, essentially bypassing the prosecutor for refusing to deal, and all got charged the same thing. A petty misdemeanor with a fine. (Which is what we, as a group, decided was acceptable 9 months ago when we had our first appearance).

Woo-hoo! To be clear, this isn’t a “not guilty” verdict. We didn’t go to trial and we didn’t win. The deal is just a reasonable thing to agree to. The reason the prosecutor had two of us singled out for harsher charges was because we had past arrests for political reasons and he wanted to make an example. For that same reason (our past experience) we were unwilling to take such a bad deal. The prosecutor was being heavy handed and we knew better. This kind of thing (engaging in civil disobedience as an act of free speech) USED to be a fifty dollar fine and a sharp reprimand about not doing it again for a year. Maybe you served some community service time (of your own choosing) something I would not have been at all opposed to because it enriches our community. It is a punishment that fits the crime. The fact that the city is being so hard on non-violent protesters is cause for grave concern. In context with the broader political repression that we are seeing from the FBI raids on activists homes, to the conduct of police in Anaheim, it becomes more and more important that we speak out (and stick together).

The first time I was arrested it was at a political protest with the Anti-War Committee. We were upset about the latest war spending approval or another, so we blocked traffic in front of then-senator Coleman’s office on University ave. We were there todemonstrate what check points and road blocks were like in occupied Iraq, where people were dealing with the consequences of war in a way U.S. citizens never had to see. The police chief, when asked by the press, said that while people have the right to Free Speech in this country, sitting down in an intersection was akin to yelling FIRE in a crowded theater- there are some things you just can’t do.

My response to that was, and has always been,  that it isn’t illegal to shout FIRE in a crowded theater if there IS one. If there is a fire, it is our duty as concerned citizens to say something. In fact, to get up and DO something about it. If there is a crisis, it is up to us to respond! In this case, the crisis is home foreclosures. The banks are forcing people out into the streets while the houses sit vacant. Over 25,000 homes in the last year in this state alone. That is a crisis, if you ask me.

And the cost of my speaking freely about it that day was a fine or some STS (picking up trash on the side of the road for the county). But others are facing much more serious charges. The more heavily they charge folks, the more difficult it is to fight. And the city has made it clear that they are going for real convictions. And what started out being about the foreclosure crisis is now raising all kinds of questions about police misconduct, the clogged and dysfunctional “justice” system, and how Free our Speech can really be if non-violent protesters are going to be dealt with like this by the state.

For now, I am glad to be done with this battle, but we have by no means won the war. Now we need to rally support for the next group of occupiers up for court, the Cruz home defenders. I still believe the next step is to take this thing all the way to trial. People need to start standing up to the banks and to this faulty criminal “justice” system. We need to be ready to fight them in the streets, and in the courts, and in our own homes. The prosecutor said at one point that if we were allowed to “get off so easily”  it would embolden other protesters and I think he’s exactly right. We need to empower people to stand up for themselves.Then we can win.

Peace and solidarity,
Misty

5 reasons why YOU should come to the CSFR concert this Sat

1. All of the coolest organizers in the Twin Cities are going to be there. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is comprised of many groups, as well as ordinary citizens, who see these attacks of the anti-war movement as attacks on us all. Working for peace and justice is not a crime in this country. Yet, with the recent treatment of Occupy protesters, the passing of the NDAA, and the new laws in place in Chicago in preparation for the NATO/G8 protests this Spring, it is clear that state repression is a hot topic.
Come and support the national group that wants to put a stop to it.

2. We have an awesome line up and it is going to be an amazing show. This concert is ganna be a blast! Featuring Guante and DJ Shannon Blowtorch, there will also be performances by James Houck, Housepet, The Running Riot, Dead Skull and poetry by yours truly! I am so excited to be a part of this project and to have one of my poems on this album. I think that art and creativity are what makes our movements strong. And the chance to put all these things together like this is the reason I am an activist. It’s the reason I write poetry. Music with a message, and a fun night out that makes a real difference. What else where you going to do this weekend?

3. The benefit album is so good, you want an actual copy not just the download. I mean, what’s not to love? There is definitely something for everyone on this album. It features new music from local artists, who have all donated their talents to this cause. In fact, the whole production- from making flyers to finding a venue- has been an amazing community effort. Come celebrate the release with us, and help us raise some money for future organizing efforts. Besides concerts, the CSFR brings you more protests, community dinners, out reach and good old grassroots organizing. Not every CD in your collection can do all that.

4. Not only will the CD be there for sale, so will all our other merch! This is your chance to get CSFR t-shirts, hoodies, buttons and stickers as well! Remember this is a fundraiser, people. You definitely want to check out the table in the back of the room. We also tend to carry a lot of informational flyers, and you can get up to date on the case and all our upcoming events. Sign the petition and get on our email list (and you don’t have to wait for the concert to like us on facebook!)

5. FBI repression: you could be doing more. The fact is, this is serious business. We wouldn’t be here today without the support of our friends and community, and we need all the help we can get. Political dissent is not a crime, in fact, it is essential to a working democracy. Help us defend our rights to speak, assemble and associate freely. These 23 people standing up to the Grand Jury, are being targeted for their work as organizers, something that in times like these is desperately needed. Together we can do something about it.
To do it together, we need you.

Now, don’t worry. If you absolutely cannot make it to the show this Saturday, you can still download the album at http://www.stopfbi.bandcamp.com/
And, of course, you can always donate directly to us on our website http://www.stopfbi.net/
(Money helps, but we like volunteers more).
Hope to see you at the show!

Peace
Misty

A year later, standing stronger

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Today is September 24th 2011, and the one year anniversary of the FBI raids on the houses (and offices) of my friends and fellow activists of the anti-war committee. A lot has come to light about this investigation since, about the spy that walked among us for over two years, about the FBI’s covert intervention in our work and travel, and eventually the full on assault (delivered with subpoenas and battering rams) on our rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association.

No kidding. They are calling us terrorists.

Even though we are the ones fighting and organizing against terrorism in countries like Colombia where being a union organizer is a deadly undertaking, and Palestine where collective punishment is being used to oppress an entire population. Indeed, we are the ones right here at home organizing against U.S. funded terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. We stand with all people of the world oppressed by their government or ours, to say that peace is the answer, and justice is the method.

But, in their book, that makes us terrorists. “A domestic threat” if you will. So be it. I am not apologetic to a system that perpetuates war just to make a profit, or that would engage in KGB-style tactics to silence dissent.

So, I wrote them a letter to this affect. I shared it today at the rally on Jess’s lawn, and I thought I would share it here as well. Here is An (amended) Open Letter to the FBI
_________________________________________________________________

An Open Letter to the FBI

Fuck you guys.

Fuck you for Fred Hampton, I just read that they got to Hemmingway. Hell, they’ve still got Leonard Peltier. And now they’re here in the mid-west, looking for anti-war and then all the rest.

Fuck you for the 14 (wait now) 23 – no, one more 24 that you are after right now. I just wanna know how many times you have directly interfered with peace and justice in this country. I wanna know how many lives…

And I wanna talk about it. I want out stuff back- fuck- I want our spy back. She did the grunt work around here and I’ve never seen my tax dollars so well spent. I want to talk about your budget, FBI, gone unchecked since 9/11. Ten years later, and you’re tailing peace activists just to bill the time and tapping phones and raiding homes…

Looking for what? Proof that we disapprove of this government? Well, we haven’t been at all shy about that, have we? We show up. On your Capitol lawns with our signs, and our banners, and our bullhorns and we SCREAM at your buildings, from behind your police lines, I- I guess I should feel honored to have this much of your attention.

Tear gas in my eyes and all. Those plastic zip-tie handcuffs as they round us up like cattle, and now the heat is really coming down because it was never a fair battle and the Grand Jury inquisition has begun. It’s some of that good ol’fashioned McCarthyism, except now the red tag term is terrorism. Meanwhile, the real war criminals are accepting awards. Those torturers and wire tappers, patting each other’s backs at the podium.

Anyway, Fuck them.

I came here to talk to you. To ask what the hell we’re ganna do now that they’re kicking in doors in Dinkytown looking for dissenters. They’re taking down posters off the walls, calling it evidence to be used against us and you’re next if you don’t think so. Anybody left with an opinion. Anybody here consider themselves out spoken? I am talking to you.

So, here’s a quick history lesson in FBI repression.

John Lennon. They tried to deport him-did you know that?- for speaking out against the war. It was right before the Republican National Convention of 1972 and Nixon was afraid it was going to cost him re-election, so they tried to kick him out of the country for having a concert. You see? They were afraid of a concert.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s home was raided by the FBI (now we’re on to something). He received threats and harassment from them for half his Nobel Peace Prize deserving career and was in the end assassinated. I read that he was under surveillance when it happened. That under cover police watched from across the street as King was shot. But they couldn’t kill the dream he started dreaming and we are still coming, ready or not. And I do mean ready or not.

So don’t forget about the RNC of 08. You know, we’ve got a real movement in this state and in case you haven’t noticed it’s going on right now. And hold your breath for the peaceful 23 whose grand jury subpoenas are hanging over all our heads. Don’t be silent! Tell everyone you know about this! Go to stopFBI.net and get involved! Call the president. And tell him to call it off. We said end the war, AND the witch hunt, Defend the first amendment. Enough is enough. No more attacks on them and no more attacks on us.

The huff and puff of my frustration

So, here are the words to my newest poem (to go with the video recently uploaded from the black dog fundraiser). This one is not so directly anti-war as some of my other poems, but it touches on some of that (and a lot of other things!) Thanks everybody who came out. I heard the event was very successful.

***************************************

The Huff and Puff of my Frustration

(laughs) it’s not fair.
If I were to punch you, as hard as I could, I would sprain my wrist. You would maybe notice as I reduced myself to tears, so instead I use my words and I’ll tell you one thing: this mouth? never got me in a fight it didn’t right-and-the-fuck get me back out of. You see, I said I use my words instead and it’s been working (so far).

But, they’re bailing out the banks. Those leeches and their fees, so the question then becomes how much is your money worth? Depends. How much have ya got? Not a lot? oh, that’s okay baby girl. You too could still be president. Just get in line and we’ll call you. And in the meantime, try and find a job worth a damn to do, because the rent is due, and you’re not getting any younger. And these cards aren’t exactly stacked in your favor. I said get a clue, and pay attention. Because the under current is ever changing in it’s direction.
And you wanna stay ahead of that game, you want that spot on top of the food chain, don’t ya? Everybody’s so busy looking out for #1 and then they wonder why they feel so all alone. So many skin and bones while the top 1% clench their law enforcement fist so tight that you have the right to work until you die in this country, and that’s about it. Now pay your bills and buy some shit. Check your credit score.

And it gets harder to ignore when they’re coming right for ya, but these folks they just don’t care anymore. You can change the channel if it bores ya. Me, I threw out my TV. People gotta tell me when I’m on it. People gotta explain the whole commercial, cause I never catch the reference. Man, I got better things to see. And I understand that time is precious. Mine is spent in reverence of this life, because I am in love with it, I am in love with it.

(Deep breath) I need to learn how to slow down and appreciate this moment. This one, cause it’s all there is. And then I’m off again, forgetting. And I’m looking up again, and I’m searching for the lines that I had memorized, so that I, so that, well, so that I could think about something else.
Sometimes I feel helpless. Like I have a needle but no thread, so it’s no good. I can only manage the damage. Sometimes I am the subject of this charade and sometimes I am just the contents, that is displayed as a series of statistics, and yes I am sometimes Y.
So what of it? And what difference does it make when you die?

Well, I want a government that practices something like the “take a penny, leave a penny” system. And there will come a day, but either way I’m for that rain or shine type of activism. The committed, who don’t shed their tears but collect them, weaving them into meaningful tales. We tell each other stories of bravery and compassion to keep ourselves warm. To keep our hearts burning.

I’ll tell you another thing: it’s you, me and everybody. So don’t go making eneimes, cause you can’t win. Instead it’s time to start talking to these strangers, our neighbors, it’s time to start caring for each other again. Call it community, call it permaculture, call it revolution if you wanna- just get on it! Ten years ago woulda been a good place to start, now will do.

Or, at least I think we can all agree that now is the very best we can do.

So come with me and take heart. I got some new year’s resolutions and a good idea of where to start. I got some friends on the outside, the inside, the flipside and the best part is that you decide your place in this world. You decide. So let’s start.

Because to build a better world, all you really gotta do… is your part.

Video | “An Open Letter to the FBI” by Misty Rowan

Misty Rowan, a member of the Anti-War Committee, performs “An Open Letter to the FBI” at fundraiser at the Black Dog Cafe in St. Paul, Minnesota on the 8th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq.

Reportback on Jan 25th demo- Stop the Grand Jury Witch Hunt

Ok, 17 degrees and 200+ people came out to the protest on Tues. That is a testiment to our spirit as a movement and our strength and solidarity as a community. I’m really glad to have been a part of this national demonstration against FBI repression and I know these #s are just #s but I was impressed. Over 50 cities held protests in solidarity with the 9 new subpoena recipients and in Mpls we had one hell of a presence. We chanted “From Minneapolis to the Middle East, we demand justice, we demand peace!” and “1,2,3,4 we don’t want your bloody war 5,6,7,8 we will not cooperate!”

I was MCing the demo, and I got to do my poem An Open Letter to the FBI, which was awesome. We used a real sound system, so it was very clear (and very loud). Political theater. Soap boxing at it’s finest! I really enjoyed the oppertunity to tell “the man” my bit, and the crowd loved it, and I am a happy activist. On the steps of the federal building I told the FBI to fuck off. It was pretty sweet.

It was also really good to see so many people there with us, and to have their support. There were a lot of faces I haven’t seen at a protest in a while, and people I’ve never seen before. The original 9 “honor role” activists were all present and at one point they gathered for a picture. I thought about how far that picture would go. It’s important to remember in all of this that standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people is what got us here in the first place. And as we consider our friends in Chicago we also consider our friends in Gaza and Colombia and Afghanistan and Iraq (I could go on). For our part, I think we did a good job of keeping the focus of this protest on the bigger picture and our role in that. End the war AND the witch hunt.

So, I don’t know. Go team. If Minnesota can turn out a crowd of 200+ people in below freezing weather it’s because we give a damn. We give a damn all year long. And I can’t wait to start organzing summertime fun. I think a few out door concerts and ice cream socials are just what this campaign needs (you know what I mean?)
Ok, 17 degrees and 200+ people came out to the protest on Tues. That is a testiment to our spirit as a movement and our strength and solidarity as a community. I’m really glad to have been a part of this national demonstration against FBI repression and I know these #s are just #s but I was impressed. Over 50 cities held protests in solidarity with the 9 new subpoena recipients and in Mpls we had one hell of a presence. We chanted “From Minneapolis to the Middle East, we demand justice, we demand peace!” and “1,2,3,4 we don’t want your bloody war 5,6,7,8 we will not cooperate!”

I was MCing the demo, and I got to do my poem An Open Letter to the FBI, which was awesome. We used a real sound system, so it was very clear (and very loud). Political theater. Soap boxing at it’s finest! I really enjoyed the oppertunity to tell “the man” my bit, and the crowd loved it, and I am a happy activist. On the steps of the federal building I told the FBI to fuck off. It was pretty sweet.

It was also really good to see so many people there with us, and to have their support. There were a lot of faces I haven’t seen at a protest in a while, and people I’ve never seen before. The original 9 “honor role” activists were all present and at one point they gathered for a picture. I thought about how far that picture would go. It’s important to remember in all of this that standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people is what got us here in the first place. And as we consider our friends in Chicago we also consider our friends in Gaza and Colombia and Afghanistan and Iraq (I could go on). For our part, I think we did a good job of keeping the focus of this protest on the bigger picture and our role in that. End the war AND the witch hunt.

So, I don’t know. Go team. If Minnesota can turn out a crowd of 200+ people in below freezing weather it’s because we give a damn. We give a damn all year long. And I can’t wait to start organzing summertime fun. I think a few out door concerts and ice cream socials are just what this campaign needs (you know what I mean?)

An Open Letter to the FBI

Fuck you guys.
Fuck you for Fred Hampton, Leonard Peltier and my friends the 17 too many to name that you’re after right now. I just wanna know how many times you have directly interfered with peace and justice in this country. I wanna know how many lives…

And I wanna talk about it. I want our stuff back, fuck, I want our spy back. She did the grunt work around here and I’ve never seen my tax dollars so well spent. I want to talk about your budget, FBI gone unchecked since 9/11. Tailing peace activists just to bill the time and tapping phones and raiding homes…

Looking for what? Proof that we disapprove of this government? Well, we haven’t been at all shy about that, have we? We show up on your Capitol lawns with our signs and our banners and our bullhorns and we SCREAM at your buildings, from behind your police lines I- I guess I should feel honored to have this much of your attention.

Tear gas in my eyes and all, those plastic zip-tie handcuffs as they round us up like cattle. And now the heat is really coming down, cause it was never a fair battle. And the Grand Jury inquisition has begun. It’s some of that good ‘ol fashion McCarthyism except now the red tag term is terrorism. Meanwhile, the real war criminals are accepting awards. Those torturers and wire tappers, patting each others backs at the podium.

Anyway, fuck them.
I came here to talk to you.
To ask what the hell we’re ganna do now that they’re kicking in doors in dinkytown looking for dissenters. They’re taking down posters off the walls, calling it evidence to be used against us and you’re next if you don’t think so. Anybody left with an opinion. Anybody here consider themselves outspoken?
I am talking to you.

So here’s a quick history lesson in FBI repression:

John Lennon. They tried to deport him- did you know that?- for speaking out against the war. It was right before the republican national convention of 1972 and Nixon was afraid it was ganna cost him re-election, so they tried to kick him out of the country for having a concert. You see? They were afraid of a concert.

Dr. Martin Luther King’s home was raided by the FBI (now we’re on to something). He received threats and harassment from them for half his Nobel Peace Prize deserving career, and was in the end assassinated. I read that he was under surveillance when it happened. That undercover police watched from across the street as King was shot. But they couldn’t kill the dream he started dreaming and we are still coming ready or not (and I do mean ready or not).

So give it up for the RNC8. We’ve got a real movement in this state and in case you haven’t noticed, it’s going on right now. And hold your breath for the peaceful 3 who’s reactivated subpoenas are hanging over all our heads. Don’t be silent. Tell everyone you can about this! Go to stopFBI.net and get involved! Call the president and tell him to call it off. We said end the war and the witch hunt, defend the first amendment.
Enough is enough!
No more attacks on them,
no more attacks on us.

Get involved: stopFBI.net
antiwarcommittee.org