|
|
Total Liberation in Erie, PA "We have inherited the spirits of our restless ancestors," Rod Coronado told the audience. "We are a life force of resistance." From Jan. 10 to 11, many rarely-seen radical bands and speakers came together to express a myriad of philosophies on racism, environmentalism, civil rights, indigenous rights and animal rights. On Jan. 10, bands from the U.S., Europe and South America, whose styles included hip-hop, reggae, metal and hardcore punk, performed for an energetic crowd. On Sunday, Rod Coronado, an indigenous traditionalist, convicted Animal Liberation Front activist, editor of Earth First! Journal, addressed an attentive crowd, presenting an inspiring argument for the perceived controversial ideologies and tactics of the earth and animal liberation movements. In accepting the consequences of Earth and Animal Liberation Front (ELF and ALF, respectively) actions, he spent 4 1/2 years in federal prison during the 1980s. "In the absence of true democracy, there becomes need to take laws into our own hands," Coronado said of the ELF and ALF. "This is not a government that has been founded on nonviolence. To take away weapons from people who will use them for violence is the ultimate nonviolent act." Coronado and others speaking on ELF and ALF actions pointed out that their actions have yet to injure or kill anyone despite the use of arson and other destruction of property. Delivering a poignant speech that was also highly critical of the corporate media and the state, Coronado told of his actions, which included helping sink two whaling ships off the coast of England, buying and helping to heal and release an entire farm of mink. He also released coyote held in an experimental fur farm in Oregon then burned down the building. "We are a five-fingered people. It is up to us to stop what others of our kind do," Coronado said, finishing his talk with advice and calls to action. Due to the touting of the actions of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Earth Liberation Front (ELF) by the government and corporate media as terrorism, local venue owners and organizers of the event received harassment from the FBI and local media, causing the fest to be relocated around town four times. On Sunday, the Erie Art Museum Annex, where there was standing room only, finally hosted the speakers. Kevin Jonas, Andy Stepanian, Kevin Tucker, Steven Best, Ashanti Alston,
Russell Means and Rod Coronado spoke throughout the day on Jan. 11, presenting
many cogent and impassioned arguments. Speakers included former members of the
Animal Liberation Front (ALF), the American Indian Movement (AIM) and the Black
Panther Party, among other groups. The Lost Film Fest Collective also screened a
number of short films and groups distributed literature. Erie was an ideal location for the earth and animal liberation- focused fest, as it has witnessed a few ALF and ELF actions. On March 24, 2002, ELF spiked trees and torched a $500,000 construction crane at a bridge worksite in Erie, trying to stop a highway project, and on Dec. 02, 2002 in nearby Harborcreek, Pa. ELF and ALF released 200 mink and set fire to the Mindek Brothers Fur Farm. The first speaker, Kevin Jonas, recognized animal and earth liberation as legitimate social movements that have both public and underground activities, each with very necessary roles. Later, Andy Stepanian, former prisoner and member of the Long Island Animal Defense League, spoke of his involvement with the Stop Huntington Cruelty Animal Campaign (SHAC), a campaign against animal testing and vivisection aimed mainly at Huntington Life Sciences. "We are weeds in the eyes of the American Public," Stepanian said. "SHAC made Huntington Life Sciences lose $10 million to a bunch of punk kids." Stepanian pointed out that ALF, ELF, and SHAC actions have made great gains through their task-based organization and economic sabotage of businesses that perpetuate the torture of animals. One fourth of the fur shops in the Long Island area have closed due to Animal Defense League actions and 118 ALF actions, according to Stepanian. One of the calmer speakers, Ashanti Alston encouraged people to go out into the community and to ask people what issues concern them and especially to get to know people of color. He pointed out that broad solidarity and moving away from capitalism are extremely important to movement building. "The revolution does not happen until you move into a space of uncomfortability," Alston said. - By Toni Bartone For more information: http://www.total-liberation.com
|