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Imprisoned for protestingEditor's note: Hugh Farrell and Gina Tiga Wertz were arrested and indicted for racketeering--a charge originally intended to target the mob which carries a maximum 12-year sentence--for allegedly "conspiring" to engage in tree sits, talk to farmers, participate in non-violent civil disobedience, and for making an inflammatory blog post. They were protesting the expansion of the I-69 NAFTA superhighway. Below we print an edited article from Hugh. * * * Bloomington, Ind.--In the months since our arrest here on April 24, I've felt more overwhelmed by your solidarity than by the State's persecution. During some moments of isolation, times when repression is so palpable I can barely breathe, the actions of many have kept me strong and grounded. Despite the efforts of the authorities, I've remained a part of my communities. It's these relationships and connections that are really under attack, and in an ever more coordinated way. The State has created a red herring when it claims that theatrical demonstrations or civil disobedience are the biggest obstacles to the construction of I-69. What the State really fears are many people sitting down together to begin, however awkwardly or painfully, making sense of a highway project that no lay person was ever meant to grasp. The State fears those moments when marginalized young people like me, seemingly disillusioned with everything, break out of our isolation and begin talking with people very different from ourselves, with farmers and others, about the ways I-69 will impact our lives. It's this potential for communication that is under attack, that the police call a "racket." When they say "conspiracy," they mean our capacity to breathe together. Being legally ensnared has cut off many of my relationships, especially those with people most socially distant from me already, primarily because so much of my time is spent dealing with legal issues. This is, of course, one of the goals of repression. Others have been subject to persecution alongside myself--Tiga, the 16 others charged with actual blockades, Chad Frazier who was sentenced to two months for I-69 resistance, and many others who are caught up in similar government harassment. I've retained the services of lawyers and Tiga has done the same. This means that the vast bulk of money raised since we were bailed out has gone to legal expenses, a situation which will unfortunately remain for the next months or years. My bail conditions haven't been too onerous; that I require permission from the court to leave Indiana is the most challenging restriction, since it makes it that much more difficult to see people I love. There has been nearly a complete news blackout on our case. It's important to counter this deliberate silence by calling attention to the case, especially its most embarrassing elements. This could be accomplished with more creativity than just sending out press releases. It's often forgotten that communication is itself a project. The extremes of silence and meaningless chatter are the preconditions for repression against Tiga and me and the basis for repression against entire social strata targeted for imprisonment. There are many ways you can contribute to our defense. Raising funds will continue to be important (go to www.mostlyeverything.net). A more important dimension of solidarity is to continue deepening and extending relationships and discussions. The charges brought against Tiga and me are an attempt to spread silence and isolation. Let's avoid these at all costs. |
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