The Final Straw Radio

No Evil Foods Union and PLAN Line 3 This week on The Final Straw, we're presenting two conversation, plus announcements [02:02-05:47] and Sean Swain's segment [05:47-11:49]. Union Busting at No Evil Foods [11:49-29:44] The first was a chat with workers from the local, plant-based protein company 'No Evil Foods'. The company has been getting flack for using social justice imagery while working to undermine unionization efforts at it's factory here in Asheville, NC. The workers talk about strategies they took in organizing attempts and experiences they had with disinformation about collective bargaining from the management and the union-busting consultants in their employ. In order to protect the anonymity of the workers, we've replaced their voices with our own. See our show notes for a script of the chat. Although not affiliated with the unionizing effort, the fedbook page for Asheville Solidarity Network hosts some of the flyers in support of workers unionizing No Evil Foods and Mission Hospital. It's also acting as a hub for posts about mutual aid responses to the Covid-19 and the Corona virus crises in the Asheville Area. For more resources in different places around solidarity and mutual aid in this intense time, visit ItsGoingDown.org. To see a few pictures of the propaganda distributed to No Evil Foods workers, check our show notes. Here are also a couple of links to flyers against the union busting found on social media (1, 2) as well as a post about a Zapatista school complaining of misrepresentation by No Evil Foods in their marketing and a collection of links including audio recorded from one of the forced anti-union meetings. PLANning for Anti-Pipeline Action [34:30-58:52] After that, you'll hear a conversation with Garrett, an anarchist involved in Pipeline Legal Action Network, based in so-called Minnesota. PLAN has recently published a legal workbook for people planning around resisting pipeline infrastructure expansion, in particular with the Line 3 pipeline. The guide also brings together a lot of other useful resources for any crew or affinity group and is available for free at PlanLine3.com alongside a lot of other material. Announcements Share Your Words For Our 10 Year Anniversary Show Basically, we're opening up the lines to hear what you have to say to us. Send us a message about the show, any memories you have, what you'd like to see or how it has affected you. Instructions for signal voice messages, voicemails or sending us mp3's can be found here. New Free Community Meals in Asheville On Sundays at 4pm near 644 Haywood, just around the corner from Firestorm Books, a project calling itself Hot Potatoes is offering free, hot meals from reclaimed and donated ingredients to the community as well as free produce when available. Grand Jury Resistance Grand Jury resistors Chelsea Manning and Jeremy Hammond have been ordered released from the Arlington, VA jail where they've been held while refusing to participate in Federal Grand Juries concerning Wikileaks and the attempted extradition of Julian Assange. This came days after Chelsea attempted self-harm or suicide in her cell under the stress of nearly a year in prison and after only about a year after being released from an military prison. Amazingly, although the government was imposing a fine of a thousand dollars for each day of her incarceration for refusal, within a few days of her release the fines a crowd source fundraiser paid off the remaining $267,000 in fees she was facing upon release. Jeremy Hammond, meanwhile, is being transferred back to Federal prison where he will resume the last few months of his incarceration. His time was put on hold during his resistance of the grand jury. More on his Jeremy's case and how to write him a letter of support can be found at FreeJeremy.net and more about Chelsea is up at ReleaseChelsea.com. Prisoner Corona Virus Hotline Starting Monday, IWOC and Fight Toxic Prisons chapters will be opening a hotline that prisoners in the so-called US can call into to report outbreaks, denial of adequate medical care and other circumstances related to Corona Virus. To allow for the calls to be free for prisoners, fundraising is happening now. You can learn more at bit.ly/covid19prison Update on Eric King Anarchist and antifascist prisoner Eric King is fighting a possible 20 year charge added to his remaining time. In recent disclosures he talks about his targeting by prison staff at FCI Englewood, who threatened him and his family during visiting time, including consciously sitting his partner and their two kids near to the sex offenders during visitation, rather than in the separate family section. In his statement to the court, Eric says that when he attempted to use the prisons own complaint mechanisms he was further targeted for assault and harassment by staff, including continued harassment about his family, threats that fall under the protections afforded by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003, interferences with his ability to communicate with his family and his lawyers, removal of his personal and legal items and more. You can read the whole thing up at SupportEricKing.org, where you can also find the fundraiser for his legal defense to fight this 20 year hit he might face. The fundraiser is also up at fundrazr.com/e1cKo1. You can also find our interview from last year with Eric at our website. Month In Solidarity with Bomani Shakur Finally, for the month of April, 2020, the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement and others will be trying to focus attention on the Lucasville Uprising death row case of Bomani Shakur, aka Keith Lamar. He's been held for almost 18 years for charges related to the uprising and has been denied the ability to effectively challenge his death sentence even though the state recognizes that it withheld potentially exculpatory evidence in his initial conviction. You can learn more about his case and how to get involved in the month of action for Bomani at revolutionaryabolition.org , more about his case at KeithLamar.org and our past interview with Bomani at our website. . ... . .. playlist

20 Years of South Chicago ABC Zine Distro with Tony & Mike This week on The Final Straw, we'll hear a conversation from a few month back with Anthony Rayson and Mike Plosky, who have run the South Chicago Anarchist Black Cross Zine Distro since 1998. They send zines to prisoners, publish the writings and art of politicized prisoners as a project of public education, and help advocate and support prisoners organizing for their own education and liberation. You can find a full catalogue of zines at DePaul University library's zine special collection. Donations can be made to their GoFundMe, and you can request catalogues and titles or just contact them at: South Chicago ABC Zine Distro PO Box 721 Homewood, IL 60430 We'll also hear Sean Swain, who in many ways was brought to anarchism and had his books, cartoons and zines published by South Chicago ABC Zine Distro chat with Tony and Mike. More of Sean's work, as always, at https://seanswain.org. We're also joined in the conversation by Casey Goonan, an editor of True Leap Press which also does similar work to SC ABC Zine Distro. More of True Leap's work, including their catalogue at https://trueleappress.com. If you're listening to the podcast and want a more concise edition of an hour, check out our archive.org post linked in the show notes. Some of the prisoners and activists mentioned in the interview include: Sean Swain Coyote Acabo Talib Rashid Leigh Savage Anastasia Smith Kevin Rashid Johnson Todd Hyung Rae Tarselli Russell Maroon Shoatz Tony Hunnicutt . ... . .. Playlist Pending

This week William got to sit down with Sarah Lyons, who is an author, activist, and a practicing witch about her new book Revolutionary Witchcraft: A Guide to Magical Activism which came out in 2019 from Running Press. This was a great interview to have for TFS, because this is a topic we haven't yet presented on this show and we cover a wide range of topics; our guest's personal history with witchcraft, what is meant by magic, witchcraft, and animism, how anti-racists and anti-imperialists could approach having a magical practice that doesn't fall into appropriation, and many many more topics! We also discuss her new book at length, what led her to write this book, and what she hopes readers might get from it. . … . .. You can go to sarahlyons.org to see more information by and about our guest, plus upcoming projects. You can also follow her on Instagram @citymystic and on Twitter @_sarah_lyons_. You can read further articles by our guest at her website or at her Medium page! Support the Maroon Movement and the Baltimore Free Store! @MaroonMovement and a coalition of anticapitalist organizers are looking for individuals and organizations that want to assist with a regular Baltimore Free Store that will offer no cost food, gently used clothing, toiletries, books, housing items, & services such as sewing, haircuts, classes, etc. The are actively fundraising to purchase food, toiletries, rental space, transportation, serving items, storage and other fees needed to launch and make Baltimore Free Store happen. They would appreciate the solidarity. Any amount - $1, $5, $10 etc. - helps to alleviate the real life effects of anti working class budget cuts and poverty that impacts our community! Together the village will win. All Power To The People! PayPal: https://paypal.me/simarbg (or fcrcollective@gmail.com) Cashapp: https://cash.app/$Simaleerbg Venmo: @Simaleerbg simalee.bandcamp.com To donate items, volunteer, or for more info email thebaltimorefreestore@gmail.com To hear our interview with Sima Lee, one of the founders of the Maroon Movement, you can follow this link! . … . .. Music for this episode by: Feminazgul – The Rot in the Field is Holy off of their as yet unreleased album No Dawn for Men, scheduled for release in June 2020. More from Feminazgul, and related projects, at their bandcamp! TIMESTAMPS (for podcast version): 00:00:17 Introduction to the show's main content, Sarah Lyons on Magic, activism, and her new book Revolutionary Witchcraft 00:01:11 Announcement to support the Maroon Movement's Baltimore Free Store! 00:02:31 Words from anarchist prisoner Sean Swain, Sean speaks about his experiences with the Parole Board 00:10:05 "speak about your book and what led you to write it?" 00:15:38 "what would you say to skeptical listeners to hold their attention?" 00:19:59 "describe what you mean by magic and witchcraft" 00:23:21 "could you go into animism a little more?" 00:31:22 "we are taught that the witch trials = six crazy days in Salem that one time. Could you go into the actual scope and some of the context?" 00:40:06 – 00:45:31 Musical Break with Feminazgul's The Rot in the Field is Holy off of their as yet unreleased album "No Dawn for Men" 00:45:31 "talk about the tension between inspiration and appropriation in a magical practice?" 00:58:40 "how is capitalism trying to incorporate witchcraft and how can people push back against it?" 01:03:50 "is there a spell or practice that you would suggest to listeners, especially those who are interested in incorporating magic into their activism?" 01:07:34 "how can people learn more about you and get in touch?" 01:09:23 closing sentiments.

Social justice and Struggle in Lebanon and Syria: Elia J. Ayoub and Leila Al-Shami Photo taken from Al Jumhuriya This week on The Final Straw we're featuring a chat with Elia J Ayoub and Leila Al-Shami. In this conversation, Elia tells us of some of the history of Lebanon, since the civil war that ended in 1990 and up to the current demonstrations against the clientelist warlords in power in that country. Intertwined with this, Leila speaks about the sparking of the resistance to Bashar Al-Assad in Syria, the tumult of the civil war, and the state of anti-authoritarian and social justice organizing and media work in that country. Then the two talk about the experience of countering disinformation, conspiracy thinking and poor solidarity in the so-called Left in the West and ways to combat ignorance. This is another long conversation, covering a lot of the last 30 years in these two neighboring nations. The guests proposed speaking about the interrelations across that border because of the similarities, differences, and shared experiences between the two places. Lebanon has Syrian refugees, it was occupied by Syria until 2005. Both spaces share Palestinian refugees, experienced war with Israel, are politically influenced from Hezbollah, mostly speak Arabic and even the flames of the recent wildfires that ignited anti-regime sentiment in Lebanon last fall crossed the border between Lebanon and Syria. We hope to have future chats that play with borders in this way to explore ways we can bridge these borders in our understanding in hopes of increased solidarity. aNtiDoTeZine formatted article (thanks to them for trancription and synthesis!) Transcription PDF (Unimposed) Zine (Imposed PDF) Elia J Ayoub is a Lebanese-Palestinian writer, editor and researcher. He publishes frequently on https://joeyayoub.com/ as well as on the blog https://hummusforthought.com/ and the related podcast by the same title. Leila Al-Shami is a British-Syrian activist and co-author of 'Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War', a founder of the international solidarity site, TahrirICN and writes on http://leilashami.wordpress.com/ . Below are links to some resources that Joey and Leila suggest interested listeners check out to for perspectives by folks on the ground in the region: Lebanon links: An updated list of twitter accounts reporting well on Lebanon: https://twitter.com/joeyayoub/lists/lebanon-2019 a great critique from crimethInc: https://crimethinc.com/2019/11/13/lebanon-a-revolution-against-sectarianism-chronicling-the-first-month-of-the-uprising The Lebanese Politics Podcast https://soundcloud.com/lebpoliticspodcast The Public Source https://thepublicsource.org/ Megaphone News https://megaphone.news/ Beirut Today https://beirut-today.com/ Syria Links: Syrian org working on the ground in Idlib that mentioned: https://molhamteam.com/en/campaigns/177 and another in Idlib: https://violetsyria.org/en/ The women-led campaign for prisoners: https://syrianfamilies.org/en/ The Enab Baladi book free PDF: https://hummusforthought.com/2019/05/06/enab-baladi-citizen-chronicles-of-the-syrian-uprising-free-pdf/ Enab Baladi news: https://english.enabbaladi.net/ Al Jumhuriya: https://www.aljumhuriya.net/en Timestamps: Sean Swain [00:02:32 - 00:09:34] Intro to Lebanon & Syria [00:09:34 - 00:21:35] Lebanese Protests of 2015 & 2019 [00:21:35 - 00:31:40] Syrian Revolution to Civil War [00:31:40 - 00:41:34] Current Social Justice Struggle in Syria [00:41:46 - 00:45:56] Daesh / ISIS and Syrian Civil War [00:45:56 - 00:49:56] Solidarity with Syrians in Lebanese Protests [00:49:56 - 01:05:38] Leila on Tahrir-ICN [01:05:50 - 01:09:18] Educating Ourselves on Syria and Lebanon [01:09:18 - 01:23:07] White Helmets and other Conspiracy Theories [01:23:07 - 01:32:59] Syrian Diaspora and Western Left [01:32:59 - 01:37:19] Rojava and the Syrian Revolution [01:37:19 - 01:41:56] Better Practice in Solidarity with people in Syria and Lebanon [01:41:56 - 01:53:38] Announcements Michael Kimble Benefit Last week we announced a fundraiser for Michael Kimble. Because of issues with the platforms, the fundraiser for Michael Kimble's legal benefit to help raise money for his fight to get him released from prison has been moved. Now you can find it at ActionNetwork.org/Fundraising/Support-Michael-Kimble . Because the fundraiser had to be moved a couple of times, some of the initial push to get word out and initial donations may be irreplaceable. So, folks are asking for an extra push to help rasie this money to get our comrade out and organizing on the outside after 33 years behind bars. BADNews February 2020 (#31) This month, the A-Radio Network released it's monthly, international English-language podcast featuring voices from anarchist and anti-authoritarian radio shows, pirate stations and podcasts from around the world. The episode is up at A-Radio-Network.org by clicking the B(A)DNews. If you're interested in joining the network or learning more, info's up on that site. . ... . .. playlist pending

This week we got the chance to sit down and catch up with Ben Turk, who is an anarchist and prison abolitionist living in Milwaukee WI, about some recent efforts that he has been involved in and some ways that listeners can plug in and do solidarity work from afar. We speak about the lockdowns that have been occuring in Columbia CI, continued efforts to raise awareness about solitary confinement and bringing mental healthcare services to people undergoing incarceration, efforts to change legislation regarding old law prisoners, efforts to free Chrystul Kizer, and how the face of anarchist abolitionist organizing is shifting. If you're interested in getting networked with Ben and the work of Forum for Understanding Prisons, to help with compiling information from the WI DOC shift logs, to help support people being tortured via solitary confinement, to donate to efforts to free Chrystul Kizer, and many more you can email him at insurgent.ben@gmail.com or follow the websites prisonforum.org, freechrystul.wordpress.com, and fireinside.noblogs.org if you'd like to read more about prison abolition. Link to the Washington Post article about the case of Chrystul Kizer Detailed notes from our guest concerning the topics we covered in the show: Resisting lockdowns at Columbia CI and elsewhere. We leaped to action against the prolonged and excruciating lock-down at Columbia Correctional Institution, which started on November 8, and wasn't completely lifted until December 22. Midway through the lockdown Muhammad (Larry) Bracey was killed by guards through medical neglect. We posted 13 reports, letters or updates about the lockdown on our website. We also staged a New Year's Eeve noise demo outside Columbia and two rallies at the Wisconsin DOC building. We mirrored the demands of incarcerated people, including hunger strikers, who called for Warden Susan Novak to be fired. Our efforts got us a meeting with Secretary Carr and other top DOC officials, who haven't yet met our demands, but have fired some racist and sadistic guards, including multiple involved in Muhammad Bracey's death. Unfortunately, conditions remain unsafe at CCI following the lockdown, two more mendied preventable deaths on the week of January 13. We are still getting responses to our open records requests, and will put out more reports shining a continuous light on the horrors that creep in the corners of this institution. We will continue to fight for our demands until they are satisfied, including the firing of Susan Novak. How you can help this campaign: Show up. We plan to be wherever Secretary Carr is and to repeat our demands there. He will be appearing at a Supporters of Incarcerated People (SIP) meeting at Grace Episcopal Church on February 12. Join us there. Shine a light. Much of this work involves research, going through released records and correspondence with incarcerated people to generate reports and expose the hardships. Contact insurgent.ben@gmail.com if you would like to help with that work. Remain vigilant. Shortly after the CCI lockdown, there was a 10 day lockdown at WaupunCorrectional. People held there say it was the worst they'dexperienced. We need to be ready to mobilize and maintain pressure to keep the DOC from dragging out more of these unlawful lockdowns and humanitarian violations. Abolishing solitary confinement and advocating for mental health treatment. Ending the torture of long term solitary confinement has been the driving goal of FFUP's work for more than 15 years. We are continuously dismayed to see this practice and attending tortures expanding in Wisconsin, despite inspiring reform efforts happening elsewhere. In February, we will release a comprehensive report by FFUP founder Peg Swan, describing the history of solitary in Wisconsin and its many impacts, large and small. Joining testimonies from survivors, historical events and legal analysis, the report advocates for strong and decisive action toward restricting and eliminating Wisconsin's use solitary confinement and replacing it with mental health treatment. Governor Evers and Secretary Carr have talked about reforming solitary confinement, but cautioned us that the changes will be gradual. David Crowley and other law-makers have introduced a bill calling for psychological reviews of people in solitary confinement. The trouble is, DOC doctors are already routinely altering mental health diagnoses to enable the use of restraint chairs and other forms of torture that aren't officially sanctioned for use on people diagnosed with serious mental illnesses. We expect that if the proposed law or similar restrictions come to pass, DOC staff will dodge their effect by continuing their practice of altering diagnoses to put whoever they want into solitary. Instead, Wisconsin needs the follow the success story in Colorado. When Rick Raemisch took over the DOC there, he made a dramatic commitment to replace solitary confinement with mindfulness practice and treatment. Within his first year, changes were happening, and now Colorado restricts solitary confinement to a maximum of 15 days. How you can help this campaign: Reduce the harm of isolation. Peg Swan has begun an email newsletter and penpal program to provide people held in long term solitary confinement with what they need most: human connection. If you would like to receive the newsletter or can write to someone in solitary, you may help save lives. Contact Peg at pgswan3@aol.com. Contact Governor Evers. Tell him you support the abolition of long term solitary confinement. Half measures and gradual steps are not enough when lives hang in the balance. Call (608) 266-1212, email GovPress@wisconsin.gov, file public comment here. Fighting for old law prisoners. Volunteers with FFUP have been attending recent parole board meetings to track progress toward reforms and increased releases by the new administration. There are about 3000 people held in Wisconsin prisons under the old law, most of them would be released by the standard expectations of their sentencing judges by now if not for very regressive policies of the DOC and parole commission. Peg and other FFUP contacts maintain regular correspondence with many old law prisoners. Releasing these people will not only reunite them with their families, it will have a significant impact on the overcrowding that makes everyone's life harder in prison- both captives and staff. Last spring Governor Evers appointed John Tate II to be the Chair of the Parole Commission, promising increased releases and long overdue justice for people sentenced before Dec 31, 1999. Unfortunately, from what we've observed in meetings transition to that agenda has been very difficult. On January 8, we witnessed an alarming level of obstruction, disrespect and apparent sabotage of reform efforts by parole commissioners. This behavior, combined with obstructive practices by DOC staff in classification, programming and community corrections are drastically curtailing the possibility for release of people incarcerated under the old law. We have decided that a stronger public voice in support of reform and releases is necessary, so we're encouraging people to attend parole commission meetings and will follow the next meeting (Feb 5) with a rally. We also released Ben's notes from January publicly and sent them to hundreds of people incarcerated under the old law. Last summer we delivered a rules change petition to Governor Evers and Chairman Tate. At the monthly meetings we will be delivering the petitions again, showing increasing public support for the release of old law prisoners. How you can help this campaign: Support Tate's confirmation. State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has delayed Tate's confirmation for seven months. Contact him to demand that he allow a confirmation vote for Chairman Tate. (608) 266-5660 or Sen.Fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov Voice support. Sign the petition calling for parole reform and expanded releases. Bear witness. Attend or invite people to the February 5 meeting at 9:30 and / or the rally at noon. Both at the DOC building 3099 E Washington. Defending sex trafficking survivor Chrystul Kizer. On June 20, 2018 a 17 year old Black girl named Chrystul Kizer from Milwaukee defended herself against a 34 year old child pornographer and sex trafficker named Randal Volar, ending his life. Volar had been investigated by Kenosha police since at least February when he was arrested, but released despite possession of child pornography and other clear evidence. Kenosha DA Michael Graveley failed to charge Volar, but is now pursuing first degree murder charges against Chrystul. FFUP volunteers are working closely with Chrystul and her family to raise awareness of her case and to demand that charges be dropped. We've helped pack the court for each of her preliminary hearings and taken control of the narrative around her case. We are also helping organize a rally at 5:30 pm on February 5 at UW Parkside, where Graveley teaches Criminal Law. On Thursday February 6, 8:45 am Chrystul has another hearing at Kenosha County Courthouse. She is requesting a bond reduction to one we can fundraise enough for, so she can come home while awaiting trial. How you can help this campaign: 1. Follow #FreeChrystul on social media and share the campaigns stories and updates. 2. Donate to Chrystul's family, sign the petition, write to Chrystul and ask organizations you're involved in to contact DA Graveley. -- Phone: (614) 704-4699 Forum For Understanding Prisons- prisonforum.org Further interviews with Ben on The Final Straw: August 19th Solidarity with Prisoners: Ben Turk of IWOC (originally aired 06/25/2017) The Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons (or FTP) and Ben Turk on the recent prisoner strikes (originally aired 05/17/2016) Ben Turk on the silencing of Sean Swain, anarchist prisoner in Ohio (originally aired 04/21/2013) Ben Turk on Insurgent Theatre + Prison Abolition (October 27, 2013) (originally aired 11/04/2013) Waupun CI prisoners on Hunger Strikes (originally aired 07/19/2016) Announcements Appalachian Climate Action Camp From a call to participate in an Appalachian Climate Action Camp: People all over the world are mobilizing to combat the climate crisis. It's time to build skills and take action! Join us for 10 days of learning, training, and taking direct action to disrupt the systems that are destroying our climate. We will come together to build on Appalachia's rich history of direct action against extractive industries, which has included tree sits, blockades, and walk-ons to resist mountaintop removal, fracking, and fossil fuel pipelines. After fighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline for over two years, we aim to grow the resistance to fossil fuel exploitation and take power out of the hands of corporations and politicians that are threatening our collective future. We are inviting community members, activists, students, and families to learn the skills needed to execute a variety of actions that disrupt the power structures wrecking the environment we depend upon and contributing to climate change. We will be hosting people in the southwestern Virginia/ southern West Virginia along the path of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, providing food and trainings to participants for 10 days. We will have more information in the coming weeks. If you are interested in coming to camp and joining the resistance please email appclimateactioncamp@protonmail.com. Location and more event details to follow upon registration! Floods in Eastern Kentucky and South West Virginia There's a request for funds for relief from recent floods in Appalachia in coal-country. Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, in partnership with local activists who helped support Black Jewel Miners Blockade are requesting funds and goods to Harlan County and surrounding areas. You can learn more on instagram at @weloveminersblockades, you can donate on venmo at mutualaidky, cashapp at $ekyswvafloods, paypal via floodreliefkyswva@gmail.com and you can email them there as well. Anti-ICE protestors harassed in Florida A group of activists known as the GEO9 who were arrested while protesting on December 3rd, 2019, outside the Boca Raton office of GEO Group, which contracts immigration prison services for ICE, have experienced ramped up harassment. They received misdemeanor charges for trespassing and the use of a megaphone and were released on their own recognizance after their initial arrests. But now apparently are facing felonies and one activist of the 9, Alexis Butler, was even rearrested under fishy circumstances at her house by Broward County Sheriff on February 7th. More info is available in the write-up at itsgoingdown.org linked in the show notes and a fundraiser for the activists legal defense via EverRibbon.com can be found in our notes as well. Chuck Africa is Free We are happy to announce that Chuck Sims Africa, the remaining member of the MOVE 9 left behind bars was released from prison after 42 years on February 7th, 2019. There is a fundraiser for his post-release situation up at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-chuck-africa-rebuild to help Chuck get rolling on the outside. Free Them All! Michael Kimble Legal Defense His support crew needs funds to challenge his initial conviction. Here's the text from that site: Michael Kimble is a passionate freedom fighter who has been held captive by the Alabama Department of Corrections for nearly 33 years. After defending himself during a homophobic attack by a known white supremacist in 1987, Michael was arrested, charged with murder, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison. His trial was typical of what could be expected from a racist criminal justice system in Jefferson County, Alabama. Since his conviction, Michael has been fervently involved in efforts to free himself and others, assisting in legal defense for fellow inmates, organizing reading groups and Black History events, speaking up for queer folks behind bars, and helping to organize and agitate alongside the Free Alabama Movement for the historic national prison strike of September 2016. The Alabama prison system has recently come under fire from the federal government for its abhorrent conditions, and Holman Prison, where Michael is incarcerated, is being decommissioned and largely shut down. In this context, many Alabama prisoners have been successfully challenging the length of their original sentences. A group of Michael's supporters on the outside have recently joined forces to hire a new legal team to help him push for a sentence reduction. Given the amount of time already served, we are hoping this could result in his release. All the money raised will go directly towards filing motions for sentence reduction, and anything left over will be used to support Michael's day to day life inside with things like stamps, books, and commissary funds. Fingers crossed, we'll also be raising money to support Michael once he joins on the outside. For more information, check out this awesome interview with Michael from a few years back, as well as his blog. Until Every Cage is Empty, –Michael Kimble Support Crew The fundraiser is up at gofundme.com/f/free-michael-kimble. To hear our past interviews with Michael Kimble, check out our website. Channel Zero Network news Mid week, we'll be releasing an episode of Coffee With Comrades, where Pearson talks to Amy & Liz from Rebel Steps and Mitch from Red Strings & Maroons, all fellow members of CZN. The conversation engages the participants podcasts, CZN and radical media. This conversation happened in the context of CZN's continued fundraiser, which we'll have linked in our show notes. Also, if you do the reddit thing, check out the brand new Channel Zero Network subreddit! . … . .. Intro music by: Mad Skillz – Tip of the Tongue (instrumental)

Josh Harper of SHAC7 and Voices from Gidimt'en Access Point This week, we feature two portions of the show. Josh Harper on 'Animal People' film [00:06:27] First up, we'll hear Josh Harper, a co-defendant from the SHAC7 case and former political prisoner talking the struggle to shut down the company, Huntington Life Sciences, a contract animal testing laboratory, in the early 2000's in the so-called US. Josh talks about the case, his post-release experience, archiving the history of earth and animal liberation with The Talon Conspiracy (currently on hiatus) and some views of moving forward. Josh and the other co-defendants are the focus of a recent documentary film called 'The Animal People', which is available on all of the paid streaming sources, which speaks with participants in the case and their prosecutors, plus journalists like Will Potter who documented the Green Scare. Gut wrenching is a great descriptor for the film. Check out our early interview with Will Potter on 'Green Is The New Red' and consider listening to the recent episode of the IGD podcast with Josh Harper and Andy Stepanian for a larger assessment of the Animal Liberation movement and more. Voices from the Gidimt'en Access Point [0:31:51] Then, you'll hear the voices of three warriors who were on the barricade on the road to Unist'ot'en Camp at the Gidimt'en Access Point. Eve Saint (Wet'suwet'en land defender), Anne Spice (Tlinket land defender) and Shilo Hill (from Onandaga nation, Haudenosaunee, Six Nations) were there to defend unceded Wet'suwet'en land from the Canadian state's violent imposition of the Coastal Gas Link pipeline. They talk about what brought them to the Gidimt'en Access near so-called Houston, BC, the buildup to the impending raid by RCMP troops, indigenous sovereignty, land and water defense, the long road to decolonization and the importance of outside support and solidarity from indigenous and First Nations peoples and their allies and accomplices. On Thursday morning, the day after this recording, at about 5am Pacific, the RCMP began their raids and arrests in an attempt to impose the injunction and clear the land and water defenders from the Wet'suwet'en lands. Media have been detained and released and at the time of this publication, 6 land defenders have been arrested and refuse to sign and conditions imposed by the Canadian state and so are still in state detention. Members of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation are asking for people to take solidarity action in support of their autonomy. Solidarity actions have looked a lot of different ways in the last few months across Turtle Island, so-called USA and Canada. You can keep up with news at the Unis'tot'en Camp website (Unistoten.Camp) or on fedbook, YouTube and twitter, Wetsuweten Access Point at Gidimt'en fedbook and instagram or at the sites Yintahaccess.com and Likhtsamisyu.com, all of which will be present in our show notes. You can also keep up on solidarity actions posted on the Montreal Counter-Info site (MTLCounterInfo.org), North Shore Counter-Info site (North-Shore.Info) and ItsGoingDown.org To hear a few audios we've released, including with Delee Nikal and Mel Bazil of the Wet'suwet'en community, Chief Smogelgem and two other members of the Likhts'amisyu clan you can visit our site. Sean Swain segment [01:07:11] . ... . .. playlist: https://spinitron.com/m/playlist/view/10306697

Voices from the Gitdimt'en Access Point This is a podcast special featuring the voices of three warriors who were on the barricade on the road to Unist'ot'en Camp at the Gitdimt'en Access Point. Eve Saint (Wet'suwet'en land defender), Anne Spice (Tlinket land defender) & Shilo Hill (from Onandaga nation, Haudenosaunee, Six Nations) were there to defend unceded Wet'suwet'en land from the Canadian state's violent imposition of the Coastal Gas Link pipeline. They talk about what brought them to the Gidimt'en Access near so-called Houston, BC, the buildup to the impending raid by RCMP troops, indigenous sovereignty, land and water defense, the long road to decolonization and the importance of outside support and solidarity from indigenous and First Nations peoples and their allies and accomplices. This morning (Feb 6, 2020) at about 5am Pacific, the RCMP began their raids and arrests in an attempt to impose the injunction and clear the land and water defenders from the Wet'suwet'en lands. Media have been detained and released and at the time of this publication, 6 land defenders have been arrested and refuse to sign and conditions imposed by the Canadian state and so are still in state detention. Members of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation are asking for people to take solidarity action in support of their autonomy. Solidarity actions have looked a lot of different ways in the last few months across Turtle Island, so-called USA & Canada. Take a moment and listen to your heart, find your friends and do what you think needs to be done to get the ball rolling. You can keep up with news at the Unis'tot'en Camp website (Unistoten.Camp) or on fedbook, YouTube and twitter, Wet'suwet'en Access Point at Gitdimten fedbook and Instagram or at the sites Yintahaccess.com and Likhtsamisyu.com, all of which will be present in our show notes. You can also keep up on solidarity actions posted on the Montreal Counter-Info site (MTLCounterInfo.org), North Shore Counter-Info site (North-Shore.Info) and ItsGoingDown.org To hear a few audios we've released, including with Delee Nikal and Chief Smogelgem of the Likhts'amisyu clan in the last year or so, or other words on land defense in so-called Canada, visit our website, TheFinalStrawRadio.noblogs.org.

This week on The Final Straw, an anarchist living in Mexico talks about the reign of the MORENA party of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (aka AMLO), the new face of capitalism it presents, it's relation to social movements and indigenous sovereignty and the anarchist and indigenous resistance to the regime. We cover mega-projects being pushed through around the country, the repression of activists and more in this whopper of an episode. Here's a great English-language blog based mostly out of Oaxaca that covers struggle in Mexico and across the northern border: https://elenemigocomun.net/ To learn more about the Anarchist Days that our guest spoke on, you can email janarquistas2020@protonmail.com! Channel Zero Fundraiser The gofundme can be found at https://gofundme.com/Channel-zero-network-2020-fundraiser/ .To check out the video to match the audio you just heard so you can enjoy and spread it around, check out our show notes or at https://sub.media ! Final Straw Notes from the guest: AMLO & Mexican social movements Partido Revolucionaro Institucional (Institutional Revolutionary Party) 71 years in power 1929-2000 PRI lost in 2000 to Vicente Fox (PAN) 2006 Felipe Calderon PAN 2012 Enrique Peña Nieto 2018 AMLO (MORENA) AMLO's History (Career Politician) 1977 Director of National Indigenous Institute of Tabasco Late 1980's joined the PRD Party AMLO is elected mayor of Mexico City in 2000 with the PRD Party 2006 ran for president with the PRD Party 2012 ran for president with the PRD Party, afterwards leaving the PRD to form MORENA in 2014 2018 won the presidency with 53% of the vote AMLO's politics, modernization & neoliberal efforts. Fourth transformation? Discourse of "Anti-corruption, address poverty, security, businessmen as mafia of power" Capitalism with a new face "Post-neoliberalism?" Populism- Appeals to national sovereignty, nationalism, domestic self-sufficiency "Popular consultations" to justify and impose megaprojects "mandar obedeciendo" Abrazos no balazos (hugs not bullets) "we don't repress anyone" "Pacifist Government" Modernization, development, overcoming of marginalization, bringing Indigenous communities into the national economy Problematic support of AMLO from leftists in the global north If you want to understand the politics of Mexico, listen to the voices of Indigenous peoples and communities, women in struggle, campesinos Indigenous populations and megaprojects Airport Lake Texcoco New International Airport of Mexico City proposed in 2001 by Vicente Fox, but cancelled shortly after due to organized resistance AMLO cancelled project after carrying out a "popular consultation" Cancel one mega-project to impose three more Expansion of Santa Lucia and Toluca airports Naucalpan- Toluca highway Interurban train - Tren Maya (Mayan Train) 950-mile train connecting principal tourist destinations in the states of Chiapas, Campeche, Tabasco, Yucatan and Quintana Roo 17 stations including Playa del carmen, Tulum, Palenque, Merida, Cancun Infrastructure projects to be built around train stations For tourists and cargo - "Corredor Transistmico" Interoceanic corridor Industrial corridor connecting the ports of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, on the pacific coast, and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, in the gulf of Mexico. The project is meant to compete with the Panama Canal, as a route of land transportation connecting the Pacific with the gulf of Mexico. United States has been trying to get this project going since the 19th century Train routes and a super highway, modernization of ports, and various older train routes - Proyeto integral de morelos (PIM) (Integral Project of Morelos) Project that began in 2012 and has faced stiff resistance from the Frente de pueblos en defensa de tierra y agua Morelos-puebla-tlaxcala (People's Front in Defense of Land and Water Morelos-Puebla-Tlaxcala) The PIM roject includes: Thermoelectric plant in Huexca, Morelos A natural gas pipeline to supply gas to the plant which passes through 60 Indigenous and campesino communities in Tlaxcala, Puebla and Morelos An aqueduct that seeks to move 50 million liters of water daily to the thermoelectric plant from the Rio Cuautla Italian and Spanish transnationals Zapatismo: Armed Indigenous rebellion in Chiapas in 1994. After failed talks with the government, they took the path of autonomy 2003-formation of five caracoles (zones of autonomous self-government) The caracoles are regional administrative units where autonomous authorities come together and from which clinics, cooperatives, schools, transportation and other services are administered. The Zapatista communities are managed by the Juntos de buen gobierno (Good Government Councils), which are made up of representatives of the autonomous councils of the rebel municipalities. Expansion of autonomous territory: In august of 2019 the Zapatistas announced 7 new New Centers of Autonomous Zapatista Rebellion and Resistance (CRAREZ) and 4 new rebel Zapatista autonomous municipalities. Added to the 5 original Caracoles for a total of 16. In addition to the 27 original autonomous municipalities, giving us a total of 43 (CRAREZ). Made up of different assemblies, autonomous municipalities, etc. Zapatista communities made up of Insignous tzotziles, tzeltales, mames, choles, tojolabales y zoques Zapatista activities in December of 2019: Celebration of Life: A December of Resistance and Rebellion Film Festival 7-14 of December 2019 Dance Festival December 15-20 Forum in Defense of Territory and Mother Earth December 21-22 Second Gathering of Women who Struggle December 26-29 3,259 women 95 little girls 26 men From 49 countries Celebration of the 26 Anniversary of the Beginning of the War Against Oblivion December 31 and January 1 EZLN declaration to continue struggle. Autonomous struggles in Indigenous and campesino communities. Processes of self-organization Community assemblies Community and free media Self-defense and community police forces State repression of social movements and migrants Repression and suppression through consultations, social programs 2019: 31 defenders killed 11 communicators Militarization (national guard) (Discipline, hierarchy) The Secretariat of Security and Citizen protection, Alfonso Durazo Montaño, announced at the beginning of 2020 the deployment of 21,170 new elements of national guard in 50 new regions to reach a total of 200 regions. More and more Police in streets of Mexico city National Guard deployed to Guatemala border to suppress immigrants trying to reach the U.S. Samir Flores, Indigenous community radio worker and organizer from Amilcingo, Morelos, killed February 20, 2019 CODEDI (Comité de Defensa de los Pueblos Indígenas) Took over an abandoned coffee plantation in 2013 Centro de capacitación, training center CODEDI assasinations: On February 12, 2018- Ignacio Ventura, Luis Angel Martínez and Alejandro Diaz Cruz. On July 17, 2018- Abraham Hernandez Gonzales On October 25, 2018- Noel Castillo Aguilar COPIG-EZ assasinations: Concejo Indígena y Popular de Guerrero – Emiliano Zapata CIPOG-EZ (Indigenous and popular council of Guerrero-Emiliano Zapata) May 2019- José Lucio Bartolo Faustino, Modesto Verales Sebastián, Bartolo Hilario Morales, and Isaías Xanteco Ahuejote of the Nahua people organized as the Indigenous and Popular Council of Guerrero – Emiliano Zapata (CIPOG – EZ). Other assasinations Samir Flores Soberanes of the Nahua people of Amilcingo, Morelos. Julián Cortés Flores, of the Mephaa people of the Casa de Justicia in San Luis Acatlán, Guerrero. Ignacio Pérez Girón, of the Tzotzil people of the municipality of Aldama, Chiapas. Juan Monroy and José Luis Rosales, of the Nahua people Ayotitlán, Jalisco. Feliciano Corona Cirino, of the Nahua people of Santa María Ostula, Michoacán. Josué Bernardo Marcial Campo, also known as TíoBad, of the Populuca people of Veracruz. Political prisoners Miguel López Vega Fredy García Ramírez (detained November 6, 2019) Fidencio Aldama Pérez (detained October 27, 2016) Loma de Bacuum Prison organizing in Chiapas- Hunger strike of over 130 days in 2019 State of the anarchist movement in Mexico - Primary organizational efforts - Anarcha-feminism, women's movement - Relation with Indigenous and campesino struggles Building international networks of solidarity, both anarchist and otherwise, with Mexico Anarchist Days- July 13-19, 2020 in DF Email: janarquistas2020@protonmail.com Las jornadas en defensa del territorio y la madre tierra "Samir Somos Todas y Todos" February 20-22, 2020 . … . .. Music for this episode by: U.N.E. - Explosion Humana

This week, we have two portions to the show. First, we catch up with Mitch from Red Strings and Maroons podcast about some of what they saw at the A2 rally in Richmond on January 20th, about antifascist intervention and the effectiveness of intervening to call out white nationalists in gun advocacy spaces. More of their work available at RedStringsAndMaroons.com. If you are interested in hearing from Mitch, and also in hearing this week's Sean Swain segment, head on over to our podcast at https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org! Then, we spend the remainder of the show speaking with Alexander Reid Ross. Alexander is a PhD candidate in Portland State University's Earth, Environment, Society Program, a Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right, and the author of "Against The Fascist Creep", which you can get from AK Press or our affiliate Firestorm Books! For the remainder of the episode we speak about conspiracy theories, how they wind their way into some leftist approaches to critique, bleed-over between left and right anti-establishment critiques and media that hold a pro-Kremlin position, the ideas of Alexander Dugin, ways of combating disinformation and some of it's sources. More of his writings and interviews can be found at AlexanderReidRoss.net and this article that we reference a bit is called "Fooling The Nation: Extremism and the Pro-Russia Disinformation Ecosystem". . ... . .. playlist pending

This week we have two segments, an interview with an Anarcha-Feminist organizer in San Salvador, El Salvador on the situation there, followed by Mitch of Red Strings And Maroons podcast on the upcoming Militia demonstration on MLK Jr. Day, January 20th, 2020 in Richmond, VA. Elisa on GANA Govt in El Salvador [starts at 00:04:54] First, you'll hear my conversation with Elisa, an anarchafeminist in San Salvador, El Salvador, talking about the new neo-liberal government of Nayib Bukele's GANA party, repression, immigration, relation to the US and anarchist organizing there. More on her work at ConcienciaAnarquista.NoBlogs.Org and a Spanish version of this audio and transcription are available at our website. English Transcription English PDF (Unimposed) English Zine (imposed for printing) A2 Gun Demo in Richmond [starts at 00:27:19] Then, I spoke with Mitch, host of Red Strings And Maroons podcast on the Channel Zero Network about the upcoming far right militia and gun rights rally on Monday, January 20th 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. More on Mitch's work at RedStringsAndMaroons.com and organizing info by AntifaSevenHills from Richmond can be followed on twitter at @ash_antifa, their response to the Vice article can be found here (https://antifa7hills.blackblogs.org/2020/01/18/in-response-to-vice-news-why-this-antifa-group-is-siding-with-thousands-of-pro-gun-conservatives-in-virginia/) and above that post is a local rogues gallery of known fash in RVA to be aware of. Announcements [Starts at 00:01:20] Jason Renard Walker First up, some prison rebel Jason Renard Walker. Jason had his contacts book stolen by prison staff and has been moved. He's asking folks who have been in contact with him (or any other comrade) to reach back out to him with a letter as he's getting situated in his new spot. You can read Jason's writings up at SFBayView.com by searching his name. You can write him at: Jason Renard Walker #1532092 McConnell Unit 3001 S. Emily Dr. Beeville, TX 78102 Delbert Africa Just got the news that MOVE 9 prisoner Delbert Africa has been released! Now it's time to get the remaining co-defendant, Chuck Africa and their supporter Mumia Abu-Jamal out as well. #FreeThemAll! Marius Mason Marius Mason, an anarchist, labor organizer and trans prisoner who was sentenced to 22 years for ELF activities that led to no harm of humans or other animals has an upcoming birthday on January 26th. You can learn about how to write him or see his book wish list up at SupportMariusMason.org Phone Zap for Hunger Striking Prisoners at Central Prison, NC From Atlanta IWOC: Description: Sixteen folks incarcerated at Central Prison in Raleigh, NC are going on a hunger strike starting Monday January 20, 2020 as an act of comradery to the 200 prisoners being tortured in Unit One (a mental health unit). They need your help to make the calls on Monday, January 20th. And if you have the time thereafter, call any other day you can until their demands are met and those sixteen hunger strikers can eat again. Background: In Unit One at Central Prison, guards are daily using chemical mace against both (level 2) mental health prisoners who receive psychiatric help and (level 3) mental health prisoners who take psychotropic medications. Guards are trigger happy and deploy an excessive amount into the prisoner's small cell at the slightest disagreement. Pursuant to Chapter F Section 1504 Procedure (d): "An officer is prohibited from using force solely as a result of verbal provocation. An officer shall not use force against an offender who has abandoned his/her resistance or who is effectively restrained. The use of force as punishment is strictly prohibited." Furthermore, these prisoners attend a group therapy session every Monday but while these prisoners are in group, Unit One's guards destroy the cells of these prisoners by searching their cells and throwing their personal belonging all around the cell. This is done to deter the prisoners from attending group, discouraging them from receiving treatment. Medical staff continue to show deliberate indifference to the needs of the prisoners housed on Unit One. Several prisoners are not receiving their self-meds (medications given out monthly that prisoners keep in their cells, these meds are but are not limited to blood pressure meds and high cholesterol meds, etc.). To receive these meds, the prisoner submits a medication refill request. The medical staff has neglected to submit the requests therefore leaving several prisoners without their meds. It takes months to be even seen by medical staff when a sick call is submitted. Prisoners are not receiving adequate healthcare. Prisoners are compelled to endure illnesses for months before being seen by medical staff. This medical neglect and excessive use of force towards the most vulnerable population in Central Prison is cruel and unusual torture and a human rights violation. These sixteen brave and selfless activists imprisoned in Central Prison are taking a stand for those in Unit One who are mentally incapable of making these demands, by way of a hunger strike. This is a humanitarian display of unity for those inside who face injustice by the very same who face injustices enslaved right there with them. This solidarity is inspiring. Please help them to expose these human rights violations and meet their basic, humanitarian demands by joining the phone zap and calling in to amplify their voices! Suggested script and demands: I am aware that Central Prison's guards and medical staff are directly torturing the prisoners and there are 16 hunger strikers exposing these human rights violations that will not eat until the following issues are addressed: The excessive use of chemical mace on prisoners who have not been a threat to staff or others. Stop the targeted searches of mental health prisoners who attend weekly group on Unit One. We know that this is an attempt to discourage from attending group to receive treatment. Address the deliberate indifference shown by medical staff not refilling prisoners' self-meds and neglecting to answer sick calls within a timely manner Who to call: (919) 733-0800 Central Prison, Request to speak with Deputy Warden Steven Waddel, Unit One Manager Tenbrook, and/or medical personnel. (919) 838-4000 DPS Office; Request to speak with Commissioner Todd Ishee and/or Dr. Gary Junker Hot tips: You don't have to give your name or any other information if you don't want to. Entering *67 before any number may block your caller ID. Don't worry about anyone giving you the runaround, not getting through or having to leave a message. Just pursue it to the point that you can. We are calling to apply pressure and every call counts. Please report back on calls made in the comment section below or email atlantaiwoc@protonmail.com B(A)DNews Jan 2020 TFSR is also excited to be a member of the A-Radio Network of anarchist and anti-authoritarian radios. Check out our website or social media streams for the latest episode of our monthly, English-language news roundup from anarchists around the world, BADNews. This month with anti-repression updates about the Park Bench 3 case from Hamburg, steampunk anti-eviction activism from Berlin, support for Chilean uprising prisoners, updates from the not-so-united United Kingdom and anti-repression, prisoner solidarity, labor organizing and squat struggles from Greece's two largest cities. https://www.a-radio-network.org/bad-news-angry-voices-from-around-the-world/episode-30-01-2020/ . … . .. A playlist will be available soon (Sunday), on the post on our website when we distribute the radio-friendly version of this chat, but here's a breakdown of tracks: Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa Declive Repunknante – Capitalista Canibalista [starts at 00:25:27] Las Musas – Las 17 [starts at 00:57:52] Los Insurrectos - '32 [starts at 01:21:33] The Ramsey Lewis Trio – The In Crowd