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Many people have asked us what we are planning for solidarity actions outside of Salt Lake City during Tim’s trial. “Where do we sign up? Where did your map of registered actions go? What should people do?”
After much consideration, PeaceUp took a deep breath and decided not to “plan” anything. Here’s why:
PeaceUp board member Dylan Rose at Tims arraignment rally.
Over the last two years, we’ve watched our friend and colleague Tim refuse to back down in the face of intimidation, and we’ve seen first hand that forcing a federal jury trial shines a bright light on the government’s unjust refusal to defend a livable future for all of us. We’ve been really inspired by that. When we remember that he’s probably going to leave us for prison, we feel…well, we won’t let it be in vain.
In Salt Lake City, we are going to gather at the scene of the injustice. We’ll gather around our friend, who is is trapped inside that granite building, and we will sing loud enough that he, the judge, jury and lawyers can hear us. Where intimidation is being used in an effort to silence our voice, we are going to reclaim our voice.
So, for trial solidarity, we suggest that people who are likewise inspired gather together at the scene of injustice and sing.
This isn’t just about solidarity with Tim, it’s about solidarity with anyone who is willing to stand up to an unjust system which is condemning us to an unlivable future. Right now, that system is anxiously awaiting our reaction. How we choose to stand is very important in this moment.
“This trial is nothing but intimidation, and the best answers to intimidation are joy and resolve.” – from A Call to Action
If you gather to demonstrate your joy and resolve in song, please think about doing it somewhere that is meaningful to the healthy and just world you want to see. Find a space in your community that is occupied by a root cause of the climate crisis–gather where greed and injustice are flourishing, and sing them out of there. Instead of protest–replace.
It’d be wise to let the media know what you’re up to. You can take a look at our press release if that helps. You’ll be more likely to get the press there if you mention it is an action of solidarity with the federal trial of Tim DeChristopher. But please, keep it real.
It’s easy to make a bidder 70 sign like the ones you’ll see us holding in Salt Lake. Here’s the stencil, and here are the songs we will be singing. If you hold an action, of course, we’d love to hear about it. But we won’t be coordinating the actions, nor will we become a hub of updates about solidarity.
Should people everywhere be inspired, as we are, to begin standing up to the status quo, then a peaceful uprising will have begun. We feel it must begin as we would like to see it flourish: truthfully, genuinely, and powerfully.
Of course, the future of the movement will require more than just sing-a-longs. We also recognize that the hard work of many groups have built a vast network of people who understand the severity of the climate crisis. But right now we have a chance to come together to set a joyous tone for what must now become a more demanding struggle.
We hope the movement takes this opportunity to show people everywhere that if you stand up for a livable future, you will not be alone, but rather surrounded by joy and encouragement.
In solidarity, wherever this goes,
PeaceUp
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We must stand together to demand justice & build a healthy world. Join our Regional Action List.
I would be willing to share part of any jail time given to Tim. I would support him while in jail, if necessary. I guess I would risk some ‘time’ to help save the planet.
Hurray EF! Durango!
Join Durango’s progressive environmental community in a solidarity & support rally for Tim DeChristopher, aka “Bidder 70″, at 4PM on Monday, February 28th on the corner of 11th Street & Main Avenue in Durango. Bring signs, banners, noise makers, plant & animal costumes (etc.), and your friends. Be creative! In December 2008, DeChristopher disrupted an oil & gas auction to allay further climate change. By registering as a bidder, Tim drove up prices on many parcels & eventually won over a million dollars worth of oil leases before federal agents removed him from the room. He faces 10 years in prison. After the new Obama administration came into office, new Secretary of the Interior Salazar found that the entire sale was illegal. Even though the entire sale was found to have been illegal, which was what Tim DeChristopher was protesting, the government is proceeding with trying to make his heroic action of protest worthy of jail time. Tim stood up for the protection of the commons, the publicly owned property that is there to serve us all. We should all find it easy to identify with him, and we should not sit idly by while our government tries to frame his defiance of an illegal government act as criminal, and as a way to intimidate others from taking a stand of conscience on behalf of the commons. Tim’s trial will be held in downtown SLC on February 28th, and we are organizing many opportunities for those who wish to defend a livable future to do so on a variety of levels. For more info or to get involved, contact earthfirstdurango@riseup.net or go to southwestearthfirst.wordpress.com
Remind them that we will “put them up” if they join us in SLC, and they can learn these solidarity techniques. Your note to them, well-meaning, doesn’t seem to thank them for caring, and willing to help. Letters to our media? They could do that from their network. This isn’t just a fight for Utah’s protected lands and airspace.
Polly