Sherman Austin's 12 month, 3month probation, and $2,100 fine is a cruel sentenced imposed on him. Any other judge would have probably been more understanding and would have taken the prosecutions sentence recommendation with more consideration and looked deeper into the psychological evaluation.
This judge seemed to have involved his personal politics in this case. I felt the Judge ignored request by the defense and prosecution for a four month jail sentence and four month community confinement. Even after the Justice Dept. and FBI in Washington agreed to this sentence. The judge seemed headstrong and only seemed to see the opportunity for the trouncing example he felt he would set to deter future revolutionaries from acting in the same manner. The sentence is nothing more than an example for all those believing in the system to feel assured the "bad people" get punished and for the people wanting to expose the holes in the system and make change to
have fear. It's all a game for the system supporters and even some impulsive wanna-be revolutionaries.

Wilson's position on setting him as a plastic model of punishment for future revolutionaries is vulgar to the full extent. The Judge seemed like a heartless conservative, he could've at least mentioned his motives. This cannot all fall upon the Judge thanks to the FBI Agents conducting the investigation. It seemed it was their goal to get a conviction even after
realizing Sherman wasn't what they thought he was, which might have been a man on a mission creating an anarchist militia to overthrow the government.
The charges seemed trumped up and as well as other allegations. This could have been another reason the judge reacted in this manner.

Sherman did not author the reclaim guide. The reclaim guide (a.k.a. bomb making instructions) was a completely different website that was actually written by a 15 year old caucasian rich boy with republican parents. Why didn't they go after him?

If Sherman would have had a private attorney and was rich he would have been able to pay his freedom, since that's the way the system seems to work. American Justice by the dollar. I wish I had a Phd in law to be able to defend for Sherman's freedom. Many people reading about the story are being mislead with some info on the AP press article. Sherman is displayed as an immature man with a stereotype of
a violent Anarchist. Its as though he is Hester from the Scarlet letter, stigmatized by the letter A circled. I personally know Sherman is not what is portrayed in the media, but of course mainstream media needs ratings and wing nuts need entertainment.

Sherman Austin is not a terrorist. He allowed a link on his site of self-defense, security culture, and incendiary making device instructions. What's the big deal? That information can be found all over the web,
libraries, bookstores, etc. His anarchist ideologies could not be more badly stereotyped during this whole thing. He is non- violent, loving, compassionate, and helpful person. I remember him once mention that he would not engage in any violent acts that would hurt a living thing because he feels there's always an alternative to achieve justice, but it does not mean
he will lay down while someone is threatening his life. I'm sure a large majority would feel the same.

Sherman is non-aggressive and he has never committed a violent act, even the psychologist report stated "Mr. Austin came out very low on his measure
showing no indication o psychopathic thinking. He does not ignore the rights or feelings of other people.no history of criminal behavior." He's really
laid back, non-aggressive, and peaceful young idealistic man. Every time I'm with him he's never shown anger, except at the court sentencing. Even then
he still remained calm and focused. The August 4 sentencing hurt everyone around him. We were in disbelief, especially seeing the FBI agents leaving
the court with a huge smile on their faces was revolting.

The sentence does not only affect him, but also his loved one's, friends, supporters, and our rights. I deeply feel the effect of this sentence, and I know his mother must be 20 times more devastated since she's
known him all his life. It's hard not to love the guy. I've known him for almost to 2 years, but we've only been together for about a year and 5months yet I feel I've known him all my life. He is a huge part of my life, and
having him away for a year will hurt intensely. I'm use to seeing him everyday. Even my family loves him and worries for him while he goes to jail. My family cannot belief that this is happened to such a sweet guy. He'
s Sherman for goodness sake. He may be goofy, nice, shy, opinionated, idealistic, and helpful, but not guilty. He's never ever raised his voice at me nor shown any violent behavior. He can show a little immatureness, but he's only human. Yet he can even be seen as the most rational one in the relationship. Even when we debate anarchism he does not try to push his ideology on me, but tries to help me understand his views. His views are way different than Anarchy is stereotyped as. I think he really enjoys it when I question him about it and challenge his ideals. I do learn a lot and find we
have similar views on rights, non-authoritarian and hierchal structures, education, teaching yourself rather than relying on a system, but I just don't label my views. I'm not an anarchist and I don't feel I'm in love with one, but I know I do Love Sherman Austin.

I will miss him and will stay with him while he's in, helping him any way I can and ask any of you interested to help raise money for his fines, write
to him, organize something against the patriot act, etc. You can e-mail ShermanAustinLegal@riseup.net if you want to help put something together or help with funds.

Strength and Love to Sherman and all those also affected by the injustice,
LUPE

NEVER take a plea bargain. DAs always overcharge to pressure the victim into a plea bargain. Make them $$$pay$$$ to prosecute you all the way. Demand a jury trial. Raise a Fist for justice!

inspiring!

you two rock <3

...wishes he had friends the way Sherman does.

There is nothing unique about posting information on making explosives. You can buy books on Amazon or you can do a few searches with Google and come up with tonnes of information on it.

What would have happened if Sherman said he was a businessman just trying to make a profit?

I went to Raise The Fist and understood it as an Anti Police brutality site. They talked about supporting teenagers (children) who were suckered into the court system. Raise the Fist seemed like a youth site. Children need to talk openly and explore their feelings about violence so they can eventually realise the practicality of non-violence. I understand that Sherman believes in non-violence and did not even post the articles for which he is being jailed. I think he is a good person and will donate 20 bucks to his legals.

Drake

Did the Defense attorney have access to who actually posted the article? I would be interesting to find out who that party was. Even though entrapment doesn't work very well as a defense I am suspicous of the origin of the incendry articles. What if it was a local police officer or an FBI agent? I listened to a speech given by the real Serpicoke who blew the lid on a bunch of corruption in policing in the 60-70s and he still hears police confessions about present day "flaking".

I'm very sorry to hear about the plea of guilty. I wish we could have organized a better defense because this is a very high profile case with the head of the FBI being asked for comment.

Since Raise the Fist has content regarding police issues Mr. Sherman is really a politcal prisoner. When he imerges from the icy tomb he will be wearing the same mantle doned by Nelson Mandella. I pray his meditations will be light and bring us all peace and freedom of mind.

My warmest regards

Drake Dorosh

The white kid did it! The white kid did it! Lupe, is everything racial to you? Sherman is in trouble but whitey got away with it. Quit whining about the white kid, it reveals too much about your real philosophy of blaming the white man for all your problems.

Lupe was only telling the truth. Is there a problem with the truth? Can you not take the truth? Lupe was only bringing up the racial implications involved in this case. If you think that's bad then wait until you discover the overall racial implications in the ENTIRE SYSTEM!

And KOBE ..

"Im black, but Im smart enough to stick with the winners "

2 words, House negro.

"2 words, House negro."

That right! If you dare step outside the line that you as a black person are EXPECTED to tow, then you are a Tom and a traitor to your own people!!

...yeah...just like those Cappos in the Death Camps....unfairly vilified for trying to be DIFFERENT...trying to make the best of a bad situation and pull themselves up by their bootstraps...it seems in your eyes all they needed was better PR....and maybe a radiocon or two to shill for them....

Hi. I abirtrarily assign opinions to people just so I can build a straw man and attempt to tear it down. It's all I have.

...well, if you weren't so mind-numbingly predictable...but as it is, your easier to read than a comic book, and twice as funny...

...no, your perfectly happy playing the WHITE POWER role...and you're good at it, too!

The Man is keepin' me down.

...you're a bigger moron then I even could imagine.

"I hope the rest of you "activist" morons look to Sherman for an example of what happens when you try to destroy the government which gives you the freedoms it does"

I beg to differ but in a representative democracy the will of the governed gives the legitimacy to the government to be the PROTECTORS of our rights. A cursory glance at the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDANCE will inform you that our rights are INALIENABLE and therefore are natural rights and not given to us by any government.

What a fuckin' dipshit.

Wow did you sleep through history class or did you work hard at sucking the teachers asshole to pass. In fact if you read a little further in this document you will find that it says that it is not only our right but our RESPONSIBILITY to overthrow the government if it reneges on protecting these inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Given the current Patriot Act whose scope is so broad that we might as well use the bill of rights as toilet paper, I think I will listen to the wisdom of our founding fathers in adhering to said responsibility for revolution.

In good American fashion true patriotism is putting these principles a priori to any respect for governmental representatives that are at best transitory and after the last election represent nothing but there own antidemocratic ambitions. Put that in your House Negro pipe and smoke it pea brain!

"....or did you work hard at sucking the teachers asshole to pass."

For these schmucks, some habits are hard to break!

Things change? Really? What part of INALIENABLE do you not understand? Inalienable means that it cannot change- just suppressed or obscured by self serving sophists. In fact your argument that there are certain ideas that are not protected because a self elected few hace designated them as "antiamerican" goes back to the inception of this country under the alien sedition act which was directed against the Jeffersonian wing of Democratic Republicans by the Federalists. The former wanted to limit the powers of government the latter wanted to consolidate them further.
In a democracy people have the ability to choose what they believe in- to listen to all sides of an argument and come to their own decision. It may be true today that this is a capitalist country but that does not mean people- a majority of people- can't or won't eventually be convinced by reasoned argument against capitalism. In your own words: Things change. There is nothing in the Constitution or Declaration mandating capitalism. There is nothing intrinisically or finally capitalist about America. In fact these document were written in a precapitalist era. However there is our first amendment that guarantees freedom of speech and as long as one peaceably assembles for such an occasion ( and the government respects that peaceable assembling) then one has the right to exercise that freedom in favor of or against the government or Anarchy. Did Sherman not abide by the rules of the first amendment? Quite obviously he did.

But look it is like I am having to explain this all to a first grader who has never read the history or politics of this country.

In a democracy it is implicit that the will of the people, the consent of the governed, is the final authority and all elected or designated authority is a mere expression of this will and consent.

Oh and by the way Marijuana is a subset of Hemp not the other way around douche bag. As much as you'd like to see these documents go up in smoke no matter how hard you toke on the Constitution or Declaration Of Independence you will not get stoned- just an end to the last functioning brain cell you have left.

First of all 100k a year does not make you rich.
Money does not make you rich.
Living a kind descent life makes you rich.

Second...you might want to try reading the constitution some time...fascist.

That's why I'm a bleeding heart liberal.

Really? Exactly how much milk money have you saved up?

...I am thirty on the nose, have a four year old son (a proud father) and recently divorced. I live with my folks because of the divorce. I work two jobs and have a book of poetry that I am working on getting published. I drink at bars with other working folk here on Long Island. It isn't great but it is my life. Once I pay off some debts I will be finishing out a degree and become a teacher. I do not feel that any of this pigeon holes me to be either right wing or left wing. I could be either but have decided that it makes more sense to work for the common good ( globally that is.) That even if a slight chance winded me on the top of the heap the world would still be headed on a collision course for disastor. It is rather care for my child and his children and children's children that I work to change the present course to avoid a future that few will survive and many will suffer.

Things change indeed.

Meterologists world wide are at a consensus- global warming is accellerating because of human petroleum consumption. Is this responsible to the next generation or the generation after that? Don't you love your children? Or if you do not have children do you really wish to work your life away at a job you resent, paying taxes to a corrupt system, making wages that barely compensate you for what you contribute only for the self imposed destruction of your species?

But let us suppose that we weren't in danger of destroying ourselves due to our own ignorance. What then? It still make sense to work for the common good. Is this not the best message one can glean from when conservatives prat on about our "judeo-christian heritage?" I mean what is the sense of driving around in a limo if there is only four square blocks that are not impoverished and thus safe to drive around in? This is simple enlightened self-interest. There are more then a few societies on this planet that are not based on the profit motive and thrive nonetheless. Hell, the Penan of Malaysia have no record of warfare in there culture, the same as the Yequana of South America. You can say they are nothing but measly hunter gatherers but then again that has been our heritage as a species for thousand of years before the ascent of agriculture. Furthermore it demonstrates your cogent hypothesis- things change. We don't have to have this situation we are in right now things can be different. Nothing is etched in stone.

The ones who change are the "activists" Do you think we have the eight our work day, the end of slavery, women's rights because of the benevolence of the powers-that-be? No, it was the John Browns, the striking workers and then sufferagettes- in sums those that raised hell and stayed true tto the underlying principles of democracy and our "inalienable rights" ( that I didn't make up- but our founding fathers did and as a result we are no longer apart of the Britiish Empire) that "things change"

Things don't change by blindly accepting authority and collectively sitting on our laurels. They change because we have the vision to see that things can be different. That no injustice is "necessary" and that "necessity" is indeed the alibi of tyrants.

Thank you, though- for two reasons:

1) If I am not pissing of right wingers I would think I was doing something wrong and
2) You are the loyal opposition and without conflict there is no progress. Debating the enemy is so much exercising for the larger battles. Take care. And long live Sherman Austin and his rabble raising, rebellious ilk!

KOBE SBM must be the Alpha Male of the pack because at least he tried to use a margin of reason in his discourse, Josef, Will and Bushfucker.

And Josef- why don't you go to Cuba, N. Korea etc. if you are so fuckin' outraged. You seem to dance like puppets every time the government pulls your strings about the latest meany on on the global block. Huh? If you are so caring why don't you go and fight instead masturbating to your monkey faced hero in the Whitehouse?

Oh and Will the reason my "bitch" left me was cause she caught me fuckin' yo' Momma and wouldn't go anywhere near the dick that slid up and down the birth canal your bubble head was farted out of.

Needed to be said, huh Bush fucker?

...really bring out the nine year old in me! (Unsurprisingly)

Nice try at a come back though. Good thing I only have mental midgets to argue with other wise I'd have to really get creative with the insults and fry your pea brains for the next ten years. Crispy fried like yo' momma's coochie!

Okay I'm done verbally wasting your cretin asses. You bore me and waste my time.

In summation: I'm right and your worse then wrong- to be wrong you have to actually be able to think and formulate ideas that you can be wrong about. You just spout other peoples wrong ideas punctuated with sub Beavis and Buttheadesque "wit."

Danny Boy signing off,
(In a language you can comprehend:)

Sherman rules, dude!!!

Huh, Huh, Huh, Huh, Huh!!!!!!!!!!

~~>I am thirty on the nose, have a four year old son

OMG, he reproduced. Kill it!!

could've of been a little more creative....not eye catching