Below is the call for a weekend of support for the AETA4. Get in touch with the support team at the contact info below if you’re interested in organizing an event. :

“February 19-20, 2010 marks the one year anniversary of the arrests of Joseph Buddenberg, Maryam Khajavi, Nathan Pope, and Adriana Stumpo — now collectively known as the AETA4.

The arrests of the AETA4 mark a dramatic escalation in the federal government’s continued war on dissent, and more particularly, animal rights and environmental activism. They are being prosecuted based on
allegations of political activities such as demonstrations and leafleting. Their arrests marked the first under the Bush Administration’s controversial Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, signed into law in 2006.

The AETA statute was introduced at the behest of wealthy biomedical and agri-business industry front groups. It passed with inadequate notice, and with only a handful of Congresspersons present for the vote.

To mark this symbolic occasion and to provide them with the much-needed moral and financial support as they continue to await a trumped-up federal trial, we’re calling for the weekend of February 19-21, 2010 to be a weekend of support for the AETA4. We’re calling on concerned activists, groups, and collectives to organize benefit events in their city for the legal fund of the four.

Please get in touch with the support team at support AT AETA4 DOT org if interested in planning an event, or with any other inquiries you may have.

A support flier can be downloaded/printed out for distribution at:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/09/18631943.php

And if you can’t organize/make it to an event, please consider donating to the legal defense fund.”

February 20 - Portland, OR.
6:00pm
Red and Black Cafe
400 SE 12th Ave.
Portland, OR

“One struggle, one fight - it’s a concept that can elude many people. Please join this panel of speakers as they talk about the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, the Green Scare, COINTELPRO, and how they relate to each other.

Speakers: Lauren Regan (Civil Liberties Defense Center), Nadia Winstead (grand jury resistor), Claude Marks (Freedom Archives, former political prisoner), Jeff Luers (former political prisoner, environmental activist).

Music: Mike XVX, Camping Party, the Dapper Cadavers, and more.

All money raised goes to the AETA4 Legal Defense Fund. In addition, this event will hopefully plant the seed of solidarity and cross-pollination between movements.”

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February 20 - Richmond, VA. AETA4 Benefit Dinner.

Saturday, February 20, 2010
6:00pm – 9:00pm
The Wingnut
2005 Barton Avenue
Richmond, VA

Come to The Wingnut on Saturday February 20th at 6pm to eat an awesome vegan spaghetti dinner and donate money to the legal defense fund for the AETA 4, who were arrested last year at this time. Please bring some money to donate to the AETA 4 legal defense fund, and then enjoy a delicious dinner with friends and new friends. Possibly musical entertainment too.

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March 27, 2010 - AETA victims benefit. Omaha, NE.

There is going to be a benefit show for the AETA4 (as well as supporting others arrested under AETA)

Where: The Hole (beneath Convicted Skateboards) at 16th and Leavenworth, Omaha, NE.

Time: Live music starting around 6:30 p.m. and going until midnight.

Musicians (thus far): Cordial Spew, Eastern Turkish, The Clincher, and Desire to Destroy.

Further Details: $5 at the door, but further donations will be accepted. A raffle will also be held. This is an all ages show, although absolutely no alcohol is allowed inside the venue. Some vegan food and free bottled water will be provided. Christie and Rachel Schoening will be hosting this event, and can be contacted at tuffenoughtorock@rock.zzn.com for more information as it develops.

Donations are still needed to help cover the legal fees.

If you’d like to donate to the AETA 4 Defense Fund, you can send check or money order to:

The AETA Defense Fund

PO Box 99162

Emeryville, CA 94662

Or through PayPal by sending donation to support@aeta4.org

All funds go towards the costly legal battle of the AETA4 defendants.

The defense challenge to the constitutionality of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act was denied today by Judge Whyte.

The case moves on and the defendants need all the support they can get as they prepare for trial.

The court’s ruling can be downloaded at:

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/10/28/18627061.php

For all media requests, please email support@aeta4.org

You can now get a copy of the Revolution Action AETA4 Benefit CD, “Empty Cages, Empty Cells.” It includes tracks from vegan-straightedge bands from around the world.

Details can be found on Revolution Action’s page at http://www.myspace.com/enterthecirclepit

And if you’re a little rusty on your polish, you can translate at http://translate.google.com/#

The comp isn’t available in the U.S. right now but if you are interested in acquiring one, email xbaranx@o2.pl.

Band list:

Together (Portugalia) - www.myspace.com/togetherhxc
Your Fucking Nightmare - (Czechy)- www.myspace.com/yfn2008
Young Ones (Szwecja) - www.myspace.com/youngoneshc
Gather - (USA) - www.myspace.com/gather
Sink or Swim (Niemcy) - www.myspace.com/xsinkorswimx
Surrounded (Niemcy) - www.myspace.com/surroundedv
Subvert - (USA) - www.myspace.com/subvertnow
Balaclava (Czechy) - www.myspace.com/balaclavakids
All Wheel Drive - (Polska) - www.purevolume.com/allwheeldrive
Cherem (USA) - www.myspace.com/cherem
Contend - (USA) - www.myspace.com/contendxvx
Abstientia - (Czechy) - www.myspace.com/abstinentia
The Extinction Process (USA) www.myspace.com/theextinctionprocess
Gattaca - (Czechy) - www.myspace.com/gattacaxvx
xTrue Naturex - (USA) - www.myspace.com/xtruenaturexmusic

From Will Potter’s blog, Green is the New Red

http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/aeta-4-protesters-higher-sentences-than-cross-burners/2240/

Four animal rights activists are facing charges under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act for chanting, demonstrating with masks covering their faces, and chalking defamatory slogans on the sidewalk. If convicted, the “AETA 4,”—Joseph Buddenberg, Maryam Khajavi, Nathan Pope, and Adriana Stumpo—could be sentenced to 5-10 years in prison.

The AETA 4 case is a startling example of how federal terrorism laws are being used to create new crimes targeting political activists, and astronomically increase sentences for existing crimes. For instance, Marie Mason was sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison for setting fire to empty buildings and taking precautions to not harm anyone.

Meanwhile, during a Congressional hearing on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, the Justice Department proclaimed “we are apolitical in this.” But this is anything but apolitical. Animal rights activists could receive 5-10 years in prison, as terrorists, for not harming anyone or attempting to harm anyone. Meanwhile, take a look at what some others are facing for much more serious crimes:

* Burning at a cross at the home of an African-American man, close to his home, while his family is inside: 3.5 years.
* Threatening president-elect Obama with statements including, “I’m going to assassinate the new president of the United States of America. PS you have 48 hours to stop it from happening”: four years probation.
* Setting fire to a hotel with people inside: 1 year.
* Police officer rapes a girl in juvenile custody: 8 months.
* Assaulting black men on election night because Obama was elected president: about 5 years.
* Enron exec guilty of $7 million in wire fraud and securities fraud: 16 months.
* Possessing child pornography: 4 years.
* Tying up a black student and taunting him with racial epithets as part of a high school graduation party: six months.
* Mailing anthrax threats to the IRS: one year.
* “Using the Internet to threaten to destroy buildings of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by fire or explosives”: one year.
* Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth kills a construction worker while driving drunk: 30 days.
* Threatening to bomb an Air Force base: one year.
* Drunken man drives over his brother during an argument: 1.5 years.
* Scheming to defraud an insurance company through arson: 2 years.
* Mailing anthrax threats to an assistant U.S. attorney: up to 5 years.
* Manufacturing and selling home-made explosive devices: 5 years probation
* Sending 65 anthrax hoax letters: four years.
* Dumping nearly 13 million gallons of untreated liquid waste: 15 months.
* Threatening to bomb the Oklahoma city federal building: up to 5 years.
* Setting a dog on fire and burning 50 percent of his body: 45 days.

According to the government, high sentences for animal rights activists are intended as a deterrent, they are intended to send a message.

What kind of message do you think this sends?

Note: Funds are needed for the AETA 4 legal defense. Please make a contribution. You can go to Paypal.com and send a donation to support@aeta4.org.

This petition targets the leaders of key judiciary committees, demanding a repeal of the unconstitutional Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.  There are currently just over 2,100 signatures.  Please add your voice:

http://www.change.org/farm_animal_rights_movement/actions/view/act_now_to_protect_the_rights_of_animal_activists

Radix Media Collective has designed this poster as a fundraiser for the AETA4, four friends and activists who are being tried as “terrorists” for their alleged involvement in protesting animal cruelty in Santa Cruz and Berkeley. Here’s the image:



They are $1-5 sliding scale, or more if you feel like donating. All money beyond printing costs will be donated to the legal defense fund of the AETA4. Please consider buying a poster and showing some solidarity! If you want one, send an e-mail to: radixmedia@riseup.net