Lattitude Zine 11 - November/december 2008

November/

December 20 08

Stay up to date with everything Fuck Gas is up to including bike rides, advocacy efforts, propaganda, shirts & stickers at FuckGas.org

Get a FREE copy of Open Grave

The first 5 people to contact Jeani through her website at OpenGraveNovel.com and mention Lattitude Zine will receive a free copy of Open Grave. What a deal!

Welcome to Lattitude #11, which for the time being, will be the last issue distributed in print. However, subscribers will continue to receive print copies in the mail with each new issue when they become available and you will still be able to download PDFs from the site and print them out at home if you so please. As well, the blogs at LattitudeZine.com & FuckGas.org (formerly fuckgas.wordpress.com) will be constantly updated with both liberty minded and bicycle related content so please keep reading. That said, with the new blog setup for Lattitude I would like to invite anyone interested to contribute content. It (the blog) runs on the Wordpress platform so you can login and add content from any computer anywhere. Good shit. Just email me [email protected] to discuss. Unfortunately, I just don’t have the time to gather all the content, lay it out, get it printed and assembled and then finally delivered each month on top of everything else I’m involved in. I would love for it to be my job, but it just doesn’t seem meant to be at the moment. Maybe in the future. I would like to thank everyone that helped make the last year of print possible, it meant a lot. Hopefully we can return bigger and better. Thanks for reading, jimmy

Lattitude is collectively written and designed with subjects and style that will vary from one issue to the next. The reader base is the staff essentially. There is no formal organization at work. Visit us at LattitudeZine.com for more information. Befriend us at: myspace.com/lattitudezine Contributions and correspondence to: [email protected]

Please Recycle

Contents 05 • News & info 06 • Wasted Votes

Ken Flaherty

07 • Fuck Gas ride reports 09 • Water As A Commodity

Dirty Dave Johnson

11 • Ian Freeman 13 • Inland Vans Berdoo

David Brooks

14 • Democracy Sucks!

News, information & random crap [email protected]

A bunch of people stood in lines and voted to pick one guy or another to make deciscions for them and kill brown babies around the world. Tyranny won out, personal accountability lost. I stood around all day holding a sign and handing out flyers about what a bad idea this was. However, the majority didn’t heed my warnings and here we stand... again. Shit’s getting old. LattitudeZine.com has gone thru a makeover. As you likely read on the previous page you should know I will be focusing more on the web end of things as this will likely be the last issue distributed in print for a while. Not sure where we’ll go from here, but stay up to date at LattitudeZine.com In Fuck Gas news, the FuckGas.org domain has been procured and developed into a daily blog along with product reviews, ride info and there is currently a store in the works. Check it out - FuckGas.org Shitluck Clothing has launched a new website that is being regularly updated. This is something they plan to continue so stay up to date with the nuttiest team in BMX. Visit them at: ShitluckClothing.com

05 LattitudeZine.com

Still more bike news in that Bike Depot has opened their second location on Frankfort Avenue. Looks to be a nice addition to the Clifton area in need of a good Sales and Service shop. Best of luck to Jackie and his crew in their new digs. Keep up the great work. Everyone’s favorite Lucero guitarist, Brian Venable, still has a baby boy and still blindly follows Manchester United. He’s a twat. Brian, not the baby. Send whatever you’ve got regarding anything you like to: [email protected] - I’ll be sure to pass it along...

Wasted Votes Ken Flaherty

One of my most venerable mantras when forcibly engaged in political discourse is “Elect someone to Congress who has never made more than $75,000 a year, then I will feel represented.” Invariably, regardless which side of the aisle they’d been arguing, people will agree, quickly followed by the resounding “It’ll never happen.” Campaigns cost too much for a normal plumber, manager, waitress, or bus driver to even entertain the idea of joining Congress. Is it any wonder we find ourselves represented by the Billionaire Boys Club? The latest record breaking $700 billion dollar corporate welfare package & $650 billion war to keep oil flowing make perfect sense when we realize that Congress is doing exactly what it was designed to do – represent it’s constituents. How many of us think we, as a nation, are on a righteous and positive path? Get outside those reading this issue – think of your family, friends, clients, bosses, bus mates, cellmates & Kroger shoppers. Who’s happy with any of this?

Yet, come election day, a landslide majority of all those fed up and honestly scared of tomorrow will overwhelmingly and dumbfoundedly vote for more of the same. And they reason, no we, we reason that a vote for other than McCain or Obama, McConnell or Lunsford, Yarmuth or Northrup is a wasted vote. So we get disgusted, frustrated and just quit voting. But I am suggesting we don’t not vote. Waste your vote. Waste it on 3rd party hopelessness because the more 3rd parties get; the easier it is to get more 3rd parties. And that might lead to a 4th, which could bring about our favorite – a fifth party! Waste it on write in candidates. If you can’t find someone to write in on MySpace, Mojo or facebook, write yourself in. Or better yet, write in “none of the above.” Waste your vote. It is easy, takes less time than a haircut and they usually have cookies. Waste your vote. One day “other” just might outpoll more of the same.

November/December 2008 • LATT!TUDE 06

Fuck Gas ride reports

The Gutter Ball Bonanza brought to you by your friends at Fuck Gas, Lattitude Zine, Shitluck Clothing, Liberty Tattoo & Art Parlour and hosted by On Your Left Cycles was a underwhelming success, if there is such a thing. In all actuality, we had a great time, there just weren’t a lot of us unfortunately. Our guess was everyone was saving themsleves for the alleycat being held the following evening. Regardless, Derek and Drew (On Your Left propieters) provided an awesome starting line from their new home at 618 Baxter Avenue, and it is sure to be a focal point for future rides. For those of you that missed it, well, you missed it. We started with a hot grill and good food at the bike shop, which then proceeded to a rowdy ride down Bardstown Road and an amazing not so well lit bomb through Cherokee Park. We ended at Executive Strike and Spare on Phillips Lane by way of Eastern Parkway and Preston Highway, which I would like to mention went very well. The bowling was attrotious to say the least, and the karaokee was even worse, just making the evening all the more enjoyable. Next up on the calendar was the Fuck Gas River Ramble. As what seems to be a great meeting point, we started off grilling and hanging out pre-ride at On Your Left Cycles. This was a great

07 LattitudeZine.com

environment. People from all different scenes coming together for the love of riding with BMX, Road, fixed and cruisers all represented. Everyone had a chance to get a bite to eat thanks to the generosity of Gary & Suzanne (Fuck Gas co-conspirators & propietors of the soon to be Liberty Tattoo & Art Parlor), Derek (On Your Left co-owner) & myself. I’ll give Leland a mention as well for showing up with the extra charcoal, but considering he was late as fuck in his usual fashion, we’ll leave that one alone.

course. This is where everyones lights were essential. Although, I would say this was probably the most enjoyable part of the ride. Twenty something bikes flying thru the woods after dark, lights blazing along a 6 foot wide path. Good times.

After all the food had been properly handled we mounted up, music blaring and headed west into the chilly night air. Considering this was a late night November ride, I don’t think we could have gotten better weather. The thermometer resting around 50 was good news. Heading thru the city and out onto the river walk following the Ohio River the temperature dropped a few degrees but it seemed by then everyone was having too much fun to really notice. There was a short stop once arriving outside the Portland neighborhood to regroup as some people ride faster than others and this also allowed for our appointed photographer for the evening, Dan Meece, to get a couple group shots. Back on the trail we proceeded past the McAlpine locks, all poles avoided luckily and into the woods along Shawnee golf

Once we finally made it to Shawnee, more regrouping and a short rest while everyone decided to keep heading west along Southwestern Parkway and into Chickasaw park. A quick lap there then a return lap of Shawnee and we were back on the trail and towards the city. All poles and fences avoided once again while the only altercation came from a bewildered security guard at the locks coming after Derek. Apparently you’re not supposed to be on public property at that hour? Fuck that. Back into the city and another successful Fuck Gas ride in the memory banks. Next month’s ride is in the works so don’t miss it. Magnolia Meander has been mapped out and it looks to be another great run. Thanks to Derek, Drew, Leland, Gary, Suzanne, and Dan for everything. It just keeps getting better. As always, everyone on a bike is encouraged to attend every Fuck Gas ride regardless of wheel size or gear count. If you love your bike, that’s all that matters. Stay up to date with additional info through FuckGas.org

November/December 2008 • LATT!TUDE 08

Water As A Commodity Dirty Dave Johnson [email protected]

According to the American Water Works Association’s study of 2001, The United States of America will need to invest an estimated 250 billion dollars over the next 30 years to upkeep the infrastructure of the water system for drinking (www. awwa. org). With technology and proper use of resources, this figure could possibly drop near half that amount but that is still a staggering figure. With growing economic problems that are plaguing the United States, most citizens are not willing to pay the increase in taxes that would be needed for the government to maintain the water infrastructure and decent water prices. Without these tax increases, there is little money for the water systems of the U.S. to maintain healthy drinking water that is provided to the public for next to nothing. It is apparent that something needs to be done and the already well-known privatization of some European water systems is sparking the interest of the U.S. government. The private water companies, such as Thames Water of Germany, offer the capital, management, and support to back improvement, maintenance, and the updating of the U.S. water system infrastructure (which is nearing 100 years old) for a profit in return. Due to the need of healthy drinking water, the state of the country’s water infrastructure and the pressure on the government to keep the taxes down, it seems inevitable that water is and should be the next commodity of the future. It’s no surprise that water needs to be cleaned and transported to be consumed without the threat of disease and sickness. Below the ground and underneath the daily radar of our lives, there are pipes which bring water to our homes and businesses as well as take waste water away.

09 LattitudeZine.com

These water pipes and the plants that clean the water are aging. A lot of the countries’ cities are running on equipment and pipes that are almost 100 years old. The government had the budget and money 100 years ago to set these systems into being, but the money is no longer there to maintain them, much less update them. Everyday we use water to wash our clothes, prepare food, and clean our bodies without even the remote thought of what it involves to make this water available to us. Also, everyday the water infrastructure is getting older and the chances of contamination from broken pipes and faulty equipment goes up. We, as Americans, tend to forget these things until faced with a ‘bad day’ as the result of these things we put off for so long. Something needs to be done as soon as possible, way before disease interrupts the routine of our daily lives. Also, as Americans we hate the thought of taxes going up and expect that the government will provide us with the water we so take for granted. But again, we all forget that someone has to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the water systems because they obviously are not going to do it on their own. However, at this point, even if the taxes were raised, it still probably would not be enough to fix the problem. Some parts of the government are looking overseas for a solution. In France, people have been paying privatized companies for water nearly as long as our aging public pipes have been in place in the U.S.. This has achieved much success in bringing healthy water to the people of France. They have fewer

problems with the water infrastructure as well as sanitation and the government does not have to raise taxes for upkeep and maintenance. It is clear that privatization does offer many benefits to the state economically. Other places and organizations insist that the water is a right for people, should remain free, and paid for by the government. This is extremely unrealistic because some governments can no longer afford it. Not only is free water unrealistic but people everywhere pay for healthier food so why not pay for cleaner water? Private water companies are also capable of spending the money and time in bringing water to people and places that never had the pipes and infrastructure before. It is clear that water privatization in its various forms is the only option to meet the growing needs and economy of the United States. Sure the water companies are going to profit from the business but without their capital and expertise, we may soon find our selves sick, thirsty, and dirty. Soon we shall find that the aging water infrastructure of the United States is no longer acceptable for the transportation of healthy drinking water and removal of waste water. The government can also no longer afford to maintain and update these services. Some European countries have had success with private companies running the water systems and the U.S. can benefit in the same ways. It should seem ridiculous to put off the privatization of water works any longer; therefore, it is necessary to see water as a commodity. Resources: • PBS - “New Economy of Water http://www. pbs. org/pov/ pov2004/thirst/special_neweconomy. html • BBC - “Water Privatisation: Ask The Experts” http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/ talking_point/2957550. stm • The Documentary “Thirst” http://www. thirstthemovie. org/press. html Dave is a student in U of L’s Geography: Power Of Place Class and he would like to credit his teacher, Dr. Anu Sabhlok for enlightening him.

November/December 2008 • LATT!TUDE 10

Ian Freeman Jimmy Flaherty

As many know, I would rather be typing this settled in New Hampshire surrounded by fellow liberty minded individuals. Due to the fact that my life is not the only one that would be uprooted in such a move, it just isn’t something that is in the cards at the moment. Being that as it may, I follow a lot of what goes on in this liberty movement taking place in the Granite State. Recently one New Hampshire activist, Ian Freeman, was paid a visit by an area bureaucrat Carl H. Patten for what was a supposed complaint regarding a couch residing in the side yard of the property he owns thanks to an initially unidentified Makaela Ingerd, a city planning official. Coincidentally the same Makaela Ingerd that Ian had somewhat embarrassed on a New Hampshire radio talk show a couple weeks before. After multiple unpaid fines and an eventual court hearing of sorts, Ian was finally carted off to jail for a 93 day sentence. In the weeks following the initial removal order, Ian being the sort of fellow to not bow down and follow government orders or even recognize their legitimacy for that matter, stood his ground. First of all, the couch was not even his. The property he owns is a duplex and the accused couch is actually the personal property of his tenants. However, the property as a whole being supposedly owned by Ian, he felt he should have the right to have a couch there if he (or his tenants in this matter) so pleased.

11 LattitudeZine.com

Multiple back in forth’s with the courts and individual bureaucrats involved basically went no where. Ian at one point even offering to remove the couch if the Makaela Ingerd presented herself (who which at the time was unnamed) to discuss the matter in person as adults should. With the Makaela supposedly declining, this finally resulted in Ian having to appear in court. Once in court Ian planned to question the legitimacy of the situation and have the court explain the nature of the proceedings to which he was being forced to take part in. In the end it appears that the judge, Edward J. Burke was railroading Ian into a situation where he would have to abide or be jailed. On Friday, November 14 Ian attended his hearing. Upon entering the court room many fellow activists noticed signs displayed reading that anyone who did not stand for the judge would be found in contempt. This on the heels of multiple situations to which supporting activists in the New Hampshire area refused to stand when instructed to do so upon a judgeís appearance. Ian, already standing, had no reason not to do so at that point. Once Burke was in the court, he irately and repeatedly ordered Ian to sit down to which Ian appeared stunned and as Ian sat and attempted to ask a question was cuffed and removed all within 7 seconds of the judges entrance into the room.

From here details are hearsay, but it appears Ian refused to abide by Burke’s directive and proceeded with questioning the situation to which he was finally given a fine of $120, 3 days in jail for the couch and 3 counts of contempt at 30 days apiece. 93 days in jail and there was never an individual in harms way except for Ian when it was all said and done. As luck may have it, Ian has been released from the states embrace after serving his 3 days for what I am guessing is the possession of an illegally placed couch that does not belong to him in the first place. It seems the state won out on this one. You can’t fault Ian for having a value system that puts his loved ones above his own values. But, due to this, the state gets a win in that Ian apologized for his behavior in court and agreed to play nice in the future. At the same time, Ian took the issue further than most would be willing to, but it’s hard not to flinch when the government bullies flex. What everyone needs to understand is that this is the forceful violence that is government. This is the gun you are holding when you participate in and employ the national, state or local system. Oddly enough, this is the exact point Ian had illustrated to Makaela Ingerd on the radio. It is too bad she had to result to embracing the violence of the system instead of taking a path of non-aggression.

November/December 2008 • LATT!TUDE 12

INLAND VANS BERDOO INTERVIEW BY DAVID BROOKS

Ever head of Inland Vans Berdoo? I doubt that you have but they’ve been around possibly longer than you’ve been alive. They’ve been partying and spreading the good word about vans for 36 years now. These guys were friends with the Hells Angels, threw huge parties that drew thousands of people, and their original sponsor was a bail bondsman. They recently were inducted into the Route 66 Cruisin’ Hall of Fame. No longer considered just a bunch of rough necks but a historic symbol. This honor has brought them into the public eye recently. I wanted to get to know a little bit more about this historic club so I emailed Mike Cook who has been a member since the beginning to fill me in. David Brooks: Inland vans berdoo has been around since 72’. You all formed from a split of United Vans Berdoo What brought about that split and what happened to the other part of that split? Mike Cook: We started as United Vans Berdoo in January of 1969.In order to use the “Berdoo” in our name we had to get permission from the Hells Angels who first started in Berdoo and had total control of who could use it. Use it without permission meant your vans probably would be damaged severely and any member wearing the Berdoo would be subect to a severe mugging. We grew to over 150 vans and it was getting to where we couldn’t recoganize each other if we weren’t wearing our jackets. Plus there were some power struggles with small cliques within the club so we decided that those who wanted to would split and form Inland Vans Berdoo. The same original members that started United Vans split and formed Inland Vans. We started with a very strict rule for future members which said that a prospect would need 100% yes votes to get in, one no vote and they were out. We voted on prospects every week. We soon grew to over 150 vans. We split several times as a reswult and other clubs were formed by our former club brothers such as Hub City Vans, Family of Vans,Vantiques etc. As members got older and got married with children they started to drift away. As far as the other part they remained United Vans for a few more years then disappeared. DB: So you had permission from the Hells Angels to use the Berdoo but they’re pretty rowdy guys from what I hear and it seems like Inland Vans Berdoo is too, did you all ever get into scuffles, or

13 LattitudeZine.com

did guys ever just show up at your parties to start shit? MC: The Angels shot one of our guys at a party once and got their butts kicked good. I have a long history with the Angels since my father owned the bar they chose as their first meeting place. He once beat the living Hell out of their President, vice president and two others all at once. They said he was the baddest SOB they had ever met and made him an honorary member. They later said pretty much the same thing about me. They told my dad and me that if we ever need their help with anything that they would be there. When a bunch of the Psyhcos shot me twice in the back and my brother in the arm I shot 6 of them in the chest and fired over 500 armor peirceing rounds into their motrcycles and their cars and club house. The Angels told them they would kill any Psycho on sight if they ever bothered my brother and me and took their colors. So yes we were pretty crazy back then and we did model our club after the HAs in almost every respect except we drove vans. Today my club still gets invited to HA parties and funerals. DB: Your website mentions being about 70 members strong at times, now days clubs can be as few as 3 or 4 vans. What kind of numbers does inland have now including vans and members? MC: We currently have 69 members. Some have several vans including one that has 13 early Econos all in show condition. Over the years several of our members passed away and since 1980 we have only voted in 3 new members. We only allow vans manufactured from 1961-1968. We don’t pay dues now but back in the 70s we paid $1.00 a week. DB: 13 show Econos is nothing to scoff at. Mike you have quite a few show vans yourself, and one will be featured in an upcoming fast and furious film ( might be out already?). From what I read that was a real pain in the ass and somewhat abusive to some other folks cars, any thoughts on this from your firsthand experience? MC: It was pretty rough on some peoples rides. Several were damaged. Vin Deisel jumped on the hood of a just restored 240Z and caved it in and then laughed about it. They told the guy that all they could give him was $500.00 for the damages. Two cars blew their motors trying to do a race scene with no compensation. DB: Being that a lot of truck ins are in the midwest and on the east coast, were there any challenges keeping the club going or was it nothing at all being that vanning is your life and family and it’s what you would do anyway? MC: No challenge at all since we were kicked out of the Southern California Van Council for being heavy partiers and not conducive to what was becoming a family style van craze. We have gone it our own way since then. We never needed any other clubs or councils, we were so well known here in Southern Cali that when we had a party say on a Wednesday night it would attract several hundred people. Friday and Saturday night parties would draw up to 4000 people. We once went through 38 kegs

November/December 2008 • LATT!TUDE 14

of beer in four hours not counting all the wine and hard liquor. It got to where we had to notify the police when we were going to have a party so they could be there in case any problems arose. This was because our parties attracted many car and van clubs plus several motorcycle clubs such as the Hells Angels, Vagos, Devils Deciples, Psychos etc. to have a party so they could be there in case any problems arose. This was because our parties attracted many car and van clubs plus several motorcycle clubs such as the Hells Angels, Vagos, Devils Deciples, Psychos etc. DB: So vanning didn’t do so well as a family oriented sport, and really the party guys that were such a “problem” to vanning lasted it out, did the 2% movement have any thing to do with this? do you think there will ever be a full size van craze again? MC: Back then families were young so they didn’t have the time or the extra money to go to what we called “Van Happenings” let alone build custom vans. The partiers didn’t let their familes get in the way by always including their wives and kids at van runs. I had two young sons but they went to every run I went to including one my club made to Amarillo, Texas. As far as 2% goes when my club was kicked out of the Southern California Van Council we decided to take another cue from the HAs in that they used 1% to denote that they were outside the norm as far as bikers go so we talked to them and told them we would like to use 2% for the same reasons if it was OK with them. They were all for it so we started as 2% vanners. Today 2% means different things to different vanners but to us it has a special meaning that can never be taken from us. It seems that today everyone is a two percenter which tells me that there isn’t a norm to be outside of anymore.I just can’t figure out how 100% can be 2% but to each his own. There will never be what we had in the 70s but that won’t stop my club from promoting vans every time we get a chance. DB: Inland Vans Berdoo was recently inducted in the Route 66 cruisin hall of fame, this being a huge honor what did it mean to you and guys in the club? MC: Getting inducted into the Hall Of Fame was our crowning glory. The ultimate reward for our club and all we went through to get where we are. It opened doors to the media that we have worked many years to open. None of us ever thought we would ever be recoganized in such a way. Having a superior court judge, a mayor, congressmen, senators etc. stand up and praise our club was unbelievable. DB: I also read that truckin magazine was going to cover the induction ceremony. What was the ceremony like and what did truckin have to say about it? MC: Truckin couldn’t make it to the ceremony but one of their sister mags did and if Dan Ward the editor of Truckin Oks it there will be a story in Truckin about our achievements. If you look on Truckins website there is already a story that salutes us and talks about how we started the van

INLAND VANS BERDOO continued on page 17

15 LattitudeZine.com

So, you did it. You voted. You did all your homework, researched their stands on everything from reading your email to how the wars in the Middle East will be handled. You like most of what you think they stand for, and the things you disagree with probably don’t affect you or if they do, you can deal with it. Think you’ll win? You won’t. You already lost and you’re taking the rest of us down with you. Regardless of who will be taking over or continuing in which ever office come January doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. Problem is, neither of our best interests are close to the top of their priorities. Even if they were, what about those whose best interests do not reflect our own? This is the problem with democracy and government in general. Democracy is aggression. Whether you are holding the gun or not, when you vote to put individuals in power, you aggress against anyone who may oppose those individual’s ideals. For if we do not agree and dare dissent, we may be forced with threat of direct violence, be it the barrel of a gun or imprisonment, to submit. Fact is fact, and this is the path you have chosen. As George Washington stated, “Government is not reason, it is not eloquence. It is force. And force like fire is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.”

November/December 2008 • LATT!TUDE 16

INLAND VANS BERDOO continued from page 13 craze of the 70s and how that got Truckin its start. The ceremony was fantastic. We had a dinner that was attended by over 300 VIPs, some from companies like Ford, some politicians, former Hall of Fame inductees and former football stars such as Jerry Rice. The ceremony was held at our local Hilton and my 65 Econo was used as a back drop for photos of many of the VIPs. A Superior court judge that knew us well got up and talked about how we look like normal senior citizens but were wild men in our heyday and how great it was that we morphed into Hall of Famers. We now have a bronze plaque on the Wall of Fame and one at the National Hot Rod Museum. Awards from congress, the California State Senate and California state Assembly were presented to us at the ceremony as well. Three TV stations, several radio stations, newspapers and magazines also attended. All in all an experiance that none of us will ever forget. DB: That is truly amazing. It seems like Inland Vans Berdoo does a lot to keep vanning in the public eye. What’s in the future for Inland Vans Berdoo? Is it day to day or is the club goal oriented towards keeping vanning out there and in the media as well. MC: We will keep doing what has been successful for us and hope that the rest of the vanning community will follow what we do and hopefully have the same success we have had. One thing about us is we don’t accept failure, the word “no”, and we won’t be ignored. We are in your face type people and that is what has made us successful along with an extremely tight brotherhood. None of us has ever said it was hard or made any excuses, we love challenges and furthering vanning is a major challenge. We won’t stop now, hopefully we are just getting started. David Brooks can be contaced via [email protected] Inlands Vans berdoo can be found online at inlandvansberdoo.com

17 LattitudeZine.com

CALL FOR SUPPORT PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY Hello to all our friends and supporters, In the last week, eight people affiliated with the RNC Welcoming Committee were arrested in their homes or picked up off the streets and charged with conspiracy to riot and furtherance of terrorism. The Welcoming Committee was a group that formed to facilitate logistics (food, housing, convergence center) around the 2008 Republican National Convention Protests in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Most of them were arrested in the days leading up to the convention, and many had their homes raided by law enforcement. They were being held in the Ramsey County jail but as of Thursday were all released on bail or bond. They are now facing serious criminal charges and the potential of a protracted and expensive legal battle. This case is potentially dangerous not just for these individuals but for organizers and activists all over the country. It represents a seemingly coordinated effort between state and federal agencies to crack down on organizers as a way of intimidating and systematically repressing movement building in all its forms. It now falls to all of us to fight these charges not just for these eight people but to protect our friends, our movements and our communities. Currently, our immediate need is for financial resources. We are asking for people to donate money or set up benefits in their own communities. You can donate by going to www.nornc.org and clicking on the “Donate to RNC Welcoming Committee Legal Support” button. To check out ongoing updates on the case visit www.RNC8.org. Thank you so much for your support. In solidarity, The Friends of the Welcoming Committee http://www.nornc.org

November/December 2008 • LATT!TUDE