Support Arrested FW Marie Mason

Pardon my ignorance, but what was she arrested for? It's not clear from the OP.

Fuck, this is on Libcom now??? I want to say as an IWW GDC member, if this turns out to be trumped up charges to bring down a successful organizer (as some have suggested to me privately), we need to support Marie wholeheartedly. If it is in fact for ELF activity, the IWW needs to have nothing to do with it.

Double post

I hope she is cleared, but I have a sneaking suspicion she is screwed. The indictment is pages and pages of testimony from someone who infiltrated their ranks. I don't think the GDC is a logical funding source, since she has not been arrested for activity in the class struggle, but I wish her the best. And I hope the ELF folks cool off since obviously, their movement is so deeply infiltrated that at this point, they are just churning out political prisoners.

She is being charged for activity that happened in the late 90's, and I think speculation about the case is not the best thing to do, to put it nicely.

I've met Marie a few times, and she is an incredible woman. The Feds have been fucking with her for a long time now - getting her fired from jobs, losing custody of her kid, putting a GPS unit on her car etc. If IWW folks can't stick by their own when the state kidnaps them, what's the point?

A new statement from the support group:

With all thats been going on its hard to comprehend its only been 5 days
since our friend Marie was kidnapped from us. Over the past few days we
have have received an avalanche of emails, phone calls, and visits seeking
details on Marie and her case. In order to better utilize our energy and
support efforts for Marie we will continue to release updates and
information through public statements that will be disseminated through
the freemarie@lists.riseup.net. and midwestgreenscare.org. We encourage
folks to contact us with their own support ideas, projects, and offers to
help but due tho the sheer volume will likely be unable to answer each
individual question put to us.

Got Your Back is the loosely based collective formed to support Marie. We
all agree on one thing we want Marie home and back into our community
yesterday. She is our friend and we got her back. That being said it is
important to note that we do not claim to speak for Marie in any shape,
way, or form.

We do not want to imply in anyway that the other known four are somehow
undeserving of support. Preliminary reports suggest they are all standing
strong and we hope to make contact with them soon. We also hope to see
others step up and help fill the void of support for Frank, Aren, and
Stephenie. Strong support now will help them better face any coming stress
and hardships. Its important that we do not allow the state to isolate our
brothers and sisters. If you are organizing such support please let us
know, we would love to share resources, combine and coordinate our efforts.
If we have ANY confirmed information about anyone in this case we will
make that public without delay. At this time we have no such relevant
information.

Understand that we have to be very mindful of what we say. Regardless of
their accuracy or relevance prosecutors have used statements made by
supporters against activists in bail hearings, during trials, and at
sentencing. To get a reminder of the lengths the state will go too recall
the Federal prosecutor using song lyrics from a CD insert against Sadie
and Exile during the west coast Green Scare trials. In the face of another
round of government repression let us not practice in the politics of
shadyness. We cannot emphasize the point enough that we want to encourage
people to avoid any speculation, rumors or hearsay. The FBI has already
attempted to spread disinformation amongst supporters when they contacted
a Cincy local claiming to be passing on information on Marie's behalf. We
understand people have questions. Believe me we have questions too, but
the best thing everyone can do for Marie right now is channel your energy
into the various support efforts and projects, or even start your own. If
you have not written Marie yet please take the time to do so. In a recent
phone call Marie wanted to express thanks for the outpouring of support
and wanted to let everyone know that she loves you all.

she is indeed an awesome person, and as soon as i heard i wrote her a letter and sent a big fat cheque (well, as fat as i felt i was able to) to her support group. i stayed with her for a few days last summer and she really is one of the most lovely people and has one of the sharpest brains i've met. it really hit me pretty hard to find out that she had been raided.

re. use of GDC funds - she is a class war-type of person. she's of a similar ilk to Judi Bari. that said, what is there that means the GDC should give her already-existing funds? i'm not sure. as someone who is a wobbly and a big fan of the environment, like, it might be argued that her alleged actions were part of the class war (i think her ex-husband was accused of tree-spiking, but he's not a wobbly), meaning that she is a class war prisoner and could be eligible for GDC economic support.

anyway, whether or not the GDC physically gives her funds, it is perfectly reasonable that:
- the GDC encourages IWWs and supporters to fundraise for her and campaign for her release.
- IWW branches have a whip-round and formally assert their support for her as a fellow wobbly per se.

as i say, i've already sent funds as an individual, but do not assume for a second that all wobs will feel so inclined to do so. i would, however, encourage people to donate as individuals because she is a seriously cool person worthy of support.

edited in italics - thanks si for pointing out the error of my ways!

Obviously not a wob and so maybe don't understand the issue at hand here but... isn't this a debate about whether gdc funds are appropriate or not? Not a debate about whether wobs would support her or not? Yes, no, maybe? Most of the wobs I know say yes to support, are sending a check but gdc funds don't make sense. Am I getting it wrong?

Well nobody knows what the GDC is supposed to do. Its something that started in the teens and never got abolished. Is it to support class-war prisoners? IWW prisoners? IWWs who are in prison for class-war activities? Is it a way to take money from liberals?...

Would it be a good idea not to assume the woman is guilty, but in fact make a presumption of innocence, and have GDC funds support her as a member of the IWW (she is?) in a political trial.....I'm presuming that round-up-the-usual-suspects or in-wrong-pace-at-wrong-time (or even did-something-silly-a-few-years-ago) could potentially fall on the heads of many people in the IWW in the United States.....is that not a useful rule of thumb?

Protests and activist causes would seem to indicate a greenscare defendant would be ok to give funds to.

The form of the aid is determined by what body within the wobs? The GDC itself?

Plus the Wobs seems obligated regardless to issue solidarity statements and beyond.

Any activism any Wob does = good?

Thats not how your website reads. Activist causes are distinctly included as seperate things from labor stuff. Pony up the cash!

But the underlying problem is that the IWW is run more like a social club than a democratic organization. It's run on a who you know and who's your friend manner. If you have friends in the IWW, then you get money even despite non-IWW goals.

What is the process to receive GDC funds? The GDC steering committee decides, I presume?

Point is not supporting an IWW member (?) with GDC funding on the basis you disagree with what they have been accused of is a bollox argument cause it assumes that being charged equals being guilty, an assumption that not even the criminal justice system is supposed to make. What I know of the ELF from Burning rage of a Dying Planet and Igniting a Revolution I do not like, I do not know much about the so-called 'green scare', but surely it involves trawling through likely suspects, which one would imagine includes something of a crossover with the IWW.