An injury to one is an injury to all? When did L.A. Indymedia feature as their top article... the mass round ups and deporations of Middle Eastern Men here in L.A.? Where was the benefit concert for THOSE men? Where were/are the multiple "top story" postings from L.A. Indymedia focusing our attention on the attack against THOUSANDS of immigrants and foreign nationals? So many were arrested that the LAPD ran out of plastic handcuffs. Meanwhile, readers of L.A. Indymedia get ENDLESS stories concerning Sherman Austin.

L.A. Indymedia is dangerously close to becoming a platform for hero worship regarding Sherman Austin. His case seems to garner more attention than anything else on L.A. Indymedia... the tens of thousands of L.A.'s homeless, the outrageous "recall" election, the miserable war and occupation of Iraq... it all falls to the wayside and Sherman Austin gets top billing.

The volunteers at L.A. Indymedia should take a long hard look at themselves and engage in some self critism regarding their priorities. There are groups and organizations springing up all over L.A. county with the sole purpose of defeating and rolling back the so-called "Patriot Act." Why not give these groups top billing instead of focusing on one person?

The indymedia site has featured the very causes you claim have been absent from their site. This case is a direct link to all of the issues that concern you. It is soooooo important because it demonstrates the daily injustice that we are all subjected to. Sherman's case was silent for many months--it received NO publicity from progressive media--now is the time to speak out--step back for one minute and allow yourself to SHARE space with another cause other than you own! The reverse of what you say is true AND now is the time to change that!

SHERMAN'S FAMILY NOT INDYMEDIA ORGANIZED THE BENEFIT CONCERT--STOP WHINNING AND GET OVER IT. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT IN THE SPOT LIGHT FOR A BRIEF MOMENT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO TRASH A VERY IMPORTANT CAUSE. GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're dispointed in the fact that sherman's is now receiving attention on the LA IMC site? Well tell me this, where the fuck were YOU when sherman was going through all his court hearings, where the fuck were YOU when sherman was being continously harassed by the pigs, where the fuck were YOU when sherman was in a maximum security federal jail right next to the terrorists involved in the USS cole bombing, for running a web site! Mabye if people like YOU would have spoken up about sherman's case early on and helped get more publicity and support, there wouldn't be so much stuff on LA indymedia right now. But because people like YOU didn't, LA indymedia had to take the initiative in getting Sherman's situation out. So don't complain. Sherman's situation isn't just sherman's situation. It effects all of us. It's not just his problem. It's OUR problem. It effects you just as much as it effects him. What happend to Sherman was one of the very first attacks under the U.S Patriot Act. He is now the first to be convicted for the "distribution of information" law. It's thought crime. The roundups of a thousand Iranian's is also a situation that needs to be focused on as well as the events currently taking place internationally. In fact Sherman himself has expressed solidarity with these issues own web site, raisethefist.com. However you cannot sit there and pretend none of these are related to Sherman's case, because all of it is. It's all connected. Sherman's case represents the next level of fascism and police state tactics this government is stepping into. This case was used to set an example, not just for sherman. but for you, and everyone else. So as sherman said, you better do something about it now otherwise we are already prisoners of war.

http://www.beachcitiesimc.org

"L.A. Indymedia is dangerously close to becoming a platform for hero worship regarding Sherman Austin. His case seems to garner more attention than anything else on L.A. Indymedia... the tens of thousands of L.A.'s homeless, the outrageous "recall" election, the miserable war and occupation of Iraq... it all falls to the wayside and Sherman Austin gets top billing. "

I know what you mean. Go to Beach Cities Indymedia and post the article. They will publish it, and Shermie will be nowhere to be found.

Yes, the IMC sometimes focuses too much on individuals but the anti-Sherman Austin griping sounds more like the whining

of white liberals who aren't getting their daily dose of privilege or the cops and other haters who just aren't responding to state repression. Get over it, or post

something else of substance without the petty bickering please.

If you're so upset by what we're publishing, then why don't you get invovled with the IMC and start writing articles yourself? Get off your ass and stop whining. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! This is an open publishing site. Take advantage of it, and until then, shut the fuck up. I have no patience any more for people who sit in front of their damn computers and complain away, but don't do shit about it. TURN OFF YOUR RADIOS, TV'S, COMPUTERS, PDA'S, VIDEO GAMES AND WHATEVER ELSE AND GET OUT ON THE STREET AND START ORGANIZING!!!

Answer to REAL POLITICS POST RE: “Sherman Austin” website

FROM: Jennifer Martin (MOM)

Yes, an injury to one is an injury to all, which is precisely the reason why you might want to consider researching the case so that you can gain a better understanding of the entrapment and coercion involved on the part of the government. This case is NOT just about Sherman, and I challenge you to step back from pointing the finger at a innocent young man who is paying the price for a crime that he did not commit. Sherman has been singled out because of his COLOR and his POLITICS. Sherman, a young man who did not have the financial resources to hire a CRIMINAL ATTORNEY, ended up in the FPD plea bargaining trap. This case received little attention for the past two years from main-stream and progressive media. We were intimidated into silence, so your accusations regarding “ENDLESS stories concerning Sherman Austin” are false.

Sherman is only one of many people of color who has been persecuted by the system for his political beliefs. The round-up of millions of African American men, women, and their families has been taking place for hundreds of years. So many have been arrested that prisons have been built just to hold them. I suggest that you have another look at your statement, “the reporting on Sherman’s case is dangerously close to becoming a platform for hero worship.” You might want to consider taking a long hard look at yourself and engage in some self criticism regarding YOUR priorities.

In response to your statement, “there are groups and organizations springing up all over L.A. County with the sole purpose of defeating and rolling back the so-called Patriot Act.” This case is about the Patriot Act and how the government can and will attack individuals whom they consider a threat because of their politics—the thought police are alive and well in America.

As activists we must learn to approach each situation with a mature and evolving awareness--not judgment. Through this awareness we have the opportunity to contain ambiguity and work towards uniting, instead of falling into the trap that only one cause or politics can be right. I invite you to review the case in its entirety. I am certain that you will see that throughout this case runs a thread that leads to government lies, entrapment, racial profiling, and a level of incompetence that will leave you shocked. You will begin to question if you still live in the United States of America--land of the free.

I fear for my son’s life while he is in prison, however; I know that he is in the very best of company, in spirit if not in body: three nuns just got jailed for pounding on a piece of government property (a missile silo) with a household hammer. We live in a time when our governments focus is on monetary gains NOT the protection of human life.

I would like to end with an often misspoken quote delivered to me by one of my son’s supporters: “My country, right or wrong. When right, to be kept right. When wrong, to be put right.” My son Sherman, who was 18 when he was coerced into signing a plea, was in the midst of helping put this country right again. Sherman is not your enemy, so please try to embrace his cause, rather than judging the small space that has been so generously donated by Indy media to publicize his case as “hero worship”. During this very difficult time we must try and understand that we are all in this together, and replace our feelings of animosity and disrespect with love and understanding.

Mom, lay off the applejack, your'e embarassing me in front of the other kids.

Pass some of that applejack over here, beotch. Also, do you have any crack that I could smoke?

You really fucked your little boy up, filling his head with all that whacked out 60's shit.

I hope you're proud.

I think that I've made it completely clear that I smoke too much crack.

There is more to LA than Mr. Austin...

Intelligent response Tendai. A third grader could have been more thoughtful

WRITE ABOUT IT!! Come join the collective and "BE THE MEDIA"...That's what this space is for! I'm exhausted as hell, why don't you come take over? Instead of complaining...DO SOMETHING!