RAISE THE FIST BENEFIT SHOW

SUPPORT RTF! STOP THE PATRIOT ACT! STOP POLITICAL REPRESSION!

WHEN: Saturday, December 28th
WHERE: Long Beach R.E.A.C.H Center (aka Infoshoppe), 684 Redondo Long Beach, CA 90814
TIME: 5:30pm
SUGGESTED DONATION: $5

- FALSE ALLIANCE
- NABAT
- OVER THE COUNTER INTELLIGENCE
- CUAUHTEMOC

Raise The Fist is an anarchist independent media/direct action network providing an alternative form of radical media, opinion and information.

On January 24th, 2002, RTF webmaster/founder, Sherman Austin, became one of the first victims of the new USA Patriot Act when 25 heavily armed FBI agents and secret service surrounded and raided his home in Los Angeles because of the site Raisethefist.com. All computer equipment, political literature, even protest signs were seized and loaded into a big white truck. Austin was then arrested by the FBI a week later when he decided to attend the World Economic Forum protests in New York. Austin was interrogated repeatedly by FBI and Secret Service before being placed into 24 hour lock-down Maximum Security Federal jail cell. 13 days later he was released from jail as federal prosecutors decided not to issue an indictment just yet. 6 months later, Federal Prosecutors decided they weren't going to let Austin "off the hook". Austin was offered a pre-indictment binding plea deal of 1 month in jail, 5 months in a half-way house and 3 years supervised release. Austin was going to take the deal, but when he went to court the Judge rejected the deal saying he wanted Austin to serve at least 12 months. The plea was thrown off the table and trial date was set for March 15th, 2003.

SUPPORT RAISE THE FIST!

WHEN: Saturday, December 28th
WHERE: Long Beach R.E.A.C.H Center (aka Infoshoppe), 684 Redondo Long Beach, CA 90814
TIME: 5:30pm
SUGGESTED DONATION: $5

Money will go to RTF legal defense fund.

I can't think a less worthy issue for a benefit concert than the defense of some stupid little idiot who posted instructions for bomb making on his website.

"Sherman" is a dunce who should be held responsible for his actions. He should not be praised and defended but excluded and shunned.

Last week another idiot who claimed to be an anti-globalist activist shot to death a Police Officer in a small town in Northern California. The so-called "anti-authoritarian" killer claimed his act of murder justified as an act of protest against Police brutality. The killer took credit for the act of murder in a public statement posted to San Francisco Indymedia. Does anyone wish to step forward and hold a "benefit concert" for that murderer?

"Sherman"... the webmaster for the infantile "Raise the Fist" site, is certainly no murderer.... and he committed no act of violence against another, but he DID publish materials on how to do so. Wouldn't you think that publishing instructions on bomb making is a type of advocacy... especially given the wider context of the Raise the Fist website.

No... I won't be supporting Sherman, and I won't be promoting any benefit concerts for him. I condemn him, his actions... and all those who praise him.

There are HUNDREDS of truly worthy causes that could benefit from funds raised by a benefit concert, defending the remarkably stupid and infantile Sherman of Raise the Fist is NOT one of them.

it isn't illegal to publish information on bomb-making material. The Supreme Court ruled in the 1970's that this is constitutionally protected speech. Sorry you fucking moron.

I do think Sherman's politics need some work, but i support him because he was targeted for political speech. Right-wing militias routinely publish information on bomb-making, but because sherman is an easy target (primarily because he is one individual), they went after him so that some bozo in the FBI can get a promotion and score some points for one of the first uses of the ILLEGAL US Patriot Act.

Support Sherman!

---

"don't forget"

raise the fist

for "Bush Admirer"s

Anybody with a minor knowledge of chemistry plus a
bit of infantry training (thank you Uncle Sugar for the memories ) and some general education could provide what this book painfully lays out in boring abundance.
Hell, I was making fuel-air bombs when I was in the boy scouts ( be prepared ) out in the desert. What's the big deal? Only a fool mix explosives in a frame building.
Reminds me of the time I made about half an ounce of nitrogen tri iodide and blew the windows out of the garage from forty feet away.
Then there were some dangerous things I did. Luck is funny that way.

black-block-head, I find your comments funny, considering you are trying to compare me to somebody who as actually killed another person. This obviously demonstrates an argument of prejudice on your behalf. It's not for my "alleged actions" why you would like me locked up. It's for what I think. If you so much cared about people being prosecuted for distributing bomb-making information, then you'd be pointing your finger at every library, every right-wing militia site, every neo-nazi site, every police force that has shot and killed innocent civilians in these streets. It's not violence that you oppose. It's violence you romanticize in the jurisdiction of the state. And when people recognize that violence, righteously choosing to defend themselves, you label them as "terrorists". Only the fascist mentality would prohibit such a thing. It's obvious your argument has nothing to do with what was posted on the site, but rather the political ideology of the site. If the same thing was posted on a right-wing militia site you wouldn't say a thing. The U.S government carries out an outrageous level of violence on communities around the world every day, yet for some reason they aren't called terrorists? How about when the CIA gave manuals with such information to the Contras, or financed paramilitary death squads in Colombia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, or gave weapons to drug-lord regimes in Panama. Sure, nothing wrong with that, right? No terrorism there, right? Oh, but running a web site that exists on the grounds of free-speech. Watch out. That's a terrorist threat right there! I've never committed an act of violence in my entire life, yet the FBI and Secret Service came to my home with loaded sub machine guns, shot guns, bullet proof vests, ready to shoot and kill. And I'm the terrorist? I'm the one who's violent? I'm just trying to run a fucking web site. If you're so concerned with web sites that advocate terrorism, then go to whitehouse.gov and complain to them.

"rtf" wrote:
>> It's not for my "alleged actions" why you would like me locked up. It's for what I think. <<

Absolute nonsense. I couldn't care less about your unsophisticated and silly "ideas"... but I do care about your posting materials on the net that others could do harm with.

>> If you so much cared about people being prosecuted for distributing bomb-making information, then you'd be pointing your finger at every library, every right-wing militia site, every neo-nazi site, every police force that has shot and killed innocent civilians in these streets.<<

I have yet to see all of the bomb making sites on the internet that some say exist. Pointing to those alleged sites is NO excuse for you having published the same type of info. To say that "every neo-nazi site" has published bomb making receipes hardly puts YOU in good company.

>> It's not violence that you oppose. It's violence you romanticize in the jurisdiction of the state. And when people recognize that violence, righteously choosing to defend themselves, you label them as "terrorists". <<

You my boy... are an idiot. I do not "romanticize" the violence of the state. I oppose Police brutality, the war on Iraq, the oppression of the Palestinians, and the corporate plunder of the world. I never said that people who defend themselves are "terrorists"... those are YOUR words. And I would hardly call publishing a bomb making manual "self defense."

>> Only the fascist mentality would prohibit such a thing. It's obvious your argument has nothing to do with what was posted on the site, but rather the political ideology of the site. <<

You little buffon... calling me a fascist. What a pathetic creature you are... you and all your stupid followers. Your site has an ideology? What would that be... stupidity? You call yourself an "anti-authoritarian"... post positive articles on your website about the Maoist maniacs who terrorize Nepal... and then post bomb making instructions on your site. Ha! And you accuse ME of having a "fascist mentality."

>> If the same thing was posted on a right-wing militia site you wouldn't say a thing. <<

Listen chump... you don't know me or what I think... so don't go putting words in my mouth. I condemn the fascist right thugs with their racist militias and all the rest of the cesspool loonytoons. But we're not talking about THEM... we're talking about YOU... the stupid little twit who posts bomb making instructions on the internet and then deludes himself and others into thinking that's a revolutionary act. You're a real piece of work dumbo.

>> The U.S government carries out an outrageous level of violence on communities around the world every day, yet for some reason they aren't called terrorists? <<

You know peewee... I was protesting war before your parents were born, so please spare me the lectures. I saw Police unleash dogs on Civil Rights protestors in the deep South... I saw napalm rain from the sky in Vietnam, I saw Central America burn... and burn again. Don't lecture me from your middle class house in the suburbs about the horrors of the world.

>> How about when the CIA gave manuals with such information to the Contras, or financed paramilitary death squads in Colombia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, or gave weapons to drug-lord regimes in Panama. Sure, nothing wrong with that, right? No terrorism there, right? <<

Those were all actions that I condemned as being state sponsored terrorist actions.

>> Oh, but running a web site that exists on the grounds of free-speech. Watch out. That's a terrorist threat right there! <<

No... running a website that published bomb making instructions... THAT was a terrorist threat. And while we're at it, the Feds also busted your sorry ass for HACKING and screwing up other websites. Oh... but that was just you excercising your right to "free speech" wasn't it?

>> I've never committed an act of violence in my entire life, yet the FBI and Secret Service came to my home with loaded sub machine guns, shot guns, bullet proof vests, ready to shoot and kill. And I'm the terrorist? <<

Sorry dumbell... I have no sympathy for you. You published materials guaranteed to bring the full force of the state down around your ears... and when they do you cry like a baby and want everyone to come to your defense. When I first heard about the Police raiding your house and closing down your website I was concerned. But then I found out WHY they shut you down. God god... what did you expect?

>> I'm the one who's violent? <<

No, I'm mistaken... you're Mahatma Ghandi. He published bomb making manuals to.

>> I'm just trying to run a fucking web site. <<

Oh... you poor little anarchist hoodlum. The big bad statists won't let you publish instructions on how to construct bombs! Gads, what's our democracy coming to?!

You know... I'm not hoping the authorities toss you in jail. I'm hoping that you will grow up... that's right, GROW UP. Your hate and anger changes nothing. You CAN change the world... but not by publishing bomb manuals. Take a tip from that fellow who published the infamous "Anarchist Cookbook." He's sorry he did it, and in retrospect he wouldn't do it again. Make the world a better place... don't add to the violence and misery. Do harm to no one.

Peace AND Justice

First of all, i wasn't responding only to your comments. I was also responding to Bush-admirer. Secondly, you're telling me to grow up? Every one of your sentences has some stupid ass name-calling in it. I must say it does get repetative after a while. And nobody asked you to support me or show any sympathy. I could care less. You have your opinion and that's fine with me. I don't want your support. You seem so concerned about a small portion of information that was posted to the web site which i didn't even author, keep in mind that I don't author the articles on the site.. except for maybe 2 of them out of the many thousands that are on there. If such information concerns you then I can only imagine how you'd react to the thousands of other web sites out there. Go to google.com and do a search on "explosives". I'm sure you'll find plenty of "how-to-make" sites all over the net. The stupid little "bomb making" material you say you're so concerned about on raisethefist is nothing compared to the information that's provided in librarys, and other internet web sites.
And also, if I don't know you or what you think, then what makes you think you know me? I just can't wait for you to begin with your stupid agist remarks. Why would I take a tip from the person who posted the "Anarchist Cook Book?". I've never even read it, nor do I have any interest in doing so.
I also find it interesting how you finish all your agist and repatative name-callin with "do harm to no one, peace and justice". Perhaps to you I "advocate violence", however I simply share the princples of self-defense. That means if you value your peace so much, then you are willing to defend it if someone tries to take it away. How is one defending themselves adding to violence or misery? You know Malcolm X said once said? "It is a crime to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks", and I agree with his statement. I find it as a rather discriminatory remark against radicals to put "self-defense" into the same category as "violence and misery". It's the divide and conqure strategy. A tactic the U.S government specializes in. If you're such an experianced activist then you'd know that from the 60's during the heavy era of Cointelpro.
With all said, I don't think there's much more to say, considering I probibly couldn't have a constructive debate with you, figuring you'd probibly just respond with assumptions, name-calling, and agist remarks in every one of your sentences.

approx. 2,000+ in under a second

what are the chances that 'black-block-head' will sustain this dialogue?

obvious questions we'd be surprised to have answered:

1. what do you think of Malcolm X?

2. what do you think of Philip Berrigan making home-made napalm?

3. as a technical legal matter, when does publishing become "advocacy"?

4. what sort of activism are you presently involved in to stop the proliferation of information of which you disapprove? (besides telling people to "grow up")

5. would you prefer (as some people do), that our biological nature prevented us from being able to fight, like, say, butterflies or most houseplants?

6. did you see Michael Moore's new movie?

7. how much do you know about the situation of Long Beach anarchists?

8. why are you so interested in it?

9. do you believe freedom of speech is important, and if so, why exactly?

we hope that by some miracle you reply in a meaningful and constructive manner.

not Barnett Newman

BENEFIT SHOW SAT. 28th (flyer + cartoon)

Sheepdog!!! Yeah bra!
THE RISE OF CRUST!!!!

Long Beach Police have contacted the leasing company, Crestwave, and threatened to take legal action against them if the REACH Center was not shut down. The notice came on Jan 2nd, 03, from Crestwave when they called the REACH Center, stating the LBPD called them regarding last Friday's show (benefit for Raise the Fist).

Dear old friend:
When did they reanimate you?
I thought you were in statis until the
M-shift occurred.
Please remember, these humans cannot tolerate high
L or D2 levels without sequenced buffers properly
phased for resonancy. Are you sure the array is synced?
If not, Dog help us all.

where is the anarchy cook book posted?????

I think all of you are missing the point. The issue isn't whether or not the bombmaking content is legal or not. The issue is that sherman is an upper middle-class, priveledged child who is acting out in typical teen angst fashion. As such, what he really needs and deserves from all those compassionate enough to give him help is some understanding and a couple of bashes in the face with about $40 worth of quarters rolled up in an old sock. Won't you help sherman?

Sheepdog is a racist.

Because I hate Jews and blacks? Just a personal preference my friend....