Humboldt Revolution

 Edited on Thursday June 29th to add that this trial was continued until July 27th.

I sat in on most of today’s proceedings in the SLAPP suit PL brought against Kimberly Starr. Some of the biggest guns have been brought to bear on the diminutive Ms. Starr for whom my admiration has grown exponentially. This suit, which seeks a permanent injunction against Ms. Starr, featured the famous political firebrand Quentin Kopp   the presiding judge and, of course, corporate giant Pacific Lumber Co., well connected by notorious Jack Abramof and represented by local attorneys Mitchell, Brisso, Delaney and Vreize who are the main attorneys representing Humboldt County in civil matters such as the well known pepper spray case which cost the county over three quarters of a million dollars. I was compelled to leave prior to the conclusion of today’s litigation and Judge Kopp had stated emphatically that there “would be no tomorrow” in regards to the length of time taken to dispose of this matter. I will try and relate as accurate a picture of the proceedings as possible though with shortcomings due to my lack of knowledge and experience in legal matters and the inherent bias I share with all finite living entities.

The plaintiffs, with Mr Gans appearing from Mitchell, Brisso, Delaney and Vreize, produced photographs and one video into evidence along with the testimony of three witnesses from PL. Their stories did not match, the photographs were proven to be from different dates when presented as being from one occasion and other inconsistencies were apparent. One location which was alleged by PL to be on land owned by PL was alleged by Ms. Starr to have been proven otherwise in other proceedings though no evidence was produced today. The fact that at least one protest was against PL’s cutting a stand in violation of a stay against logging it issued by Judge Golden was not substantiated to Judge Kopp’s satisfaction during the time I was present. Pacific Lumber’s weak claim that Ms. Starr poses a threat of violence seemed laughable and I think these lumber industry people showed a flush of pink in their faces when they made these bizarre claims. “Lumber jack” is statistically the most dangerous job in America in terms of chance of fatality. In order to obtain a permanent injunction they are seeking to portray Ms. Starr, a demonstratively strict pacifist, as posing a threat of violence.

Tracy Herrin, a brilliant and motivated local family law attorney, associated herself with Ms. Starr, who has otherwise been largely left to fend for herself against staggering odds, and did most of the talking on Ms. Starr’s behalf. This is probably a good thing as Judge Kopp showed obvious impatience with Ms. Starr who, though a very articulate and intelligent person, is not an attorney. Mr. Kopp is known, in particular, for his emphasis on articulation and attention to detail. If you follow the search link on him above more than one page will return articles with this quote; “The North Beach Library has a sentimental place in my heart because my daughters were lucky enough to spend so much time there, and I believe that my political opponents should spend even more time there, because they lack the aspiration for lucid expression. The consistency of their linguistic banality forever emblematizes the deficiencies of their vocabulary, and it has always been one of my foremost motivations to encourage an improvement in the quality of their elucidation, with the hope that it will improve the quality of their political discourse.” While I agree with Judge Kopp in this respect, he is not someone I would want to be judged by in a politically motivated trial with limited representation especially with his clear agenda of getting to a rapid conclusion. I will stop short of saying he looks like a Dr. Seuss kangaroo which is more apparent in his profile than in the above photo… 

Iraq is a quagmire. The plus side is that WE are not bogged down there. It’s the Bush regime that’s stuck with the war.

So let’s see  - where were we when 911 and the Iraq invasion interrupted us? Oh, yes, we were trying to dismantle global capitalism. We may not have a good battlefield to stop the war - but global capitalism is a ripe target everywhere we live.
Follow the World Bank trail.  With the US defeat in Vietnam, one of the major architects left the Defense(sic) Department to head up the bank. The Government successfully shifted its focus from cold war colonialism to colonies of debt, from bullets to bucks.

Where does the WORM track lead now? Why the incredible Dr. Wolfenstein, one of the major architects in the Defense(sic sic sic) Department, moved on to head up - The World Bank!!!

Our Government orginally used 911 and the Invasion of Iraq as a show of strength to distract our Global movement from following the WORM (white old rich men) castings from Seattle to D.C. to Davos, to Melbourne,to Sacramento, to Cancun…. Everywhere the rich and wormy corporados could go, the avenging birdies  of global justice were going there too.

The war took the wind out of that movement. Even better it exchanged the action oriented, consensus and feminist process operating, revolutionary Global Justice Movement for the Peace Movement - liberal, hand-wringing and Democratic Party addicted.  It was a great trade - for the Bushies!!!

Time’s up on that! While the Generals oppose the war and the Democrats will soon be running Murtha for President, we can open up what is now a 2nd front against the Global economy with some certainty that the Bushies own 2nd front - Iran, Syria, Venezuela - is beyond their bogged down power at the moment. (Knock on wood)
Now we can really start to move again. July 15-17, the G-8 Nations of WORMs will be meeting in “St. Leningrad” Russia and Reclaim the Commons is part of a call to respond internationally on a theme of Climate Change. A few of us among the SoHum Greens are planning a Saturday July 15 action in Eureka. We will gather at 11 at Humboldt Hill and at noon walk to the nuke plant. Our slogan will be Nukes are not the answer to climate change. We are looking for support and other independent fronts during this weekend.
Then go on to July 21-23, when a broad Coalition will be focusing again on Monte Rio on the Russian River where at the Bohemian Grove we will confront the “Little Eichmanns on the River.” The cremation of Care by the elite, rich, famous and powerful WORMs inside (Kissinger is usually there) will be met on Saturday with a noon rally in the Monte Rio parking lot, a counter ritual outside the gates about 2 PM of the Boho Grove and a Green sponsored gathering featuring music, talk, food and tabling in the lovely by the river Monte Rio Park from 4 til way dark. We’re planning another drum session outside the gates Friday afternoon and evening - calling Mickey Hart OUT and greeting the Bohos as they enter.  The same will be repeated Sunday morning.

And don’t forget that that August 25th is an international day of solidarity with the victims of MacDonalds. The IWW has already led one action against MacDonalds this year. Time’s up for another.

Hope to hear from you.  My phone number is 923 4488.  Paul Encimer

OKay– So the trial for the Pacific Lumber SLAPP entitled ‘PL and ScoPac v. Remedy et al’ is set for June 28, 2006- 9:00am. Please come and support me!Thanks to everyone who came to court today. I was real upset at first, thinking the judge was going to make me start trial– I apologize for running out of court so fast. Would have been much worse without seeing your faces! Thanks to you folks (you know who you are) who helped me so much today, emotionally and otherwise.