Yesterday was a day of shock and awe. A friend in the windy city called me after work to tell me the horrible news: the SHAC 7 were found guilty on all counts! I didn’t post about this yesterday because i was still processing. I didn’t know what to say. The interesting thing about the case is that none of the defendents are being charged with any physical offense. Their crimes are all digital and political. They are convicted of stalking because they had a website that published the addresses of CEOs and others who slaughtered hundreds of animals everyday in the name of science. They are convicted of terrorism because they helped organize a campaign that was actually successful on an international level. They are charged with inciting violence because they showed pictures of puppies with their flesh torn off and their bodies ripped apart. Their only crime was having a website that was successful in organizing the bankruptcy of the largest animal testing lab in the world.

This isn’t the first time that a radical webmaster has been convicted of inciting violence. Sherman Austin was recently released after serving two years in prison because he had a link on his popular site, Raise the Fist, that showed how to make an incendiary device. Persynally, i’m reminded of when i was arrested for inciting a police officer to violence because of a gesture i made. The case was dropped. Their argument was that there wasn’t sufficient evidence, even though the whole thing was caught on police video camera. I think they were afraid to admit that maybe, just maybe people need to start taking responsibility for their actions and stop implying that people are mindless drones who will do anything they are told to.

On that note, though, the testimony of the witnesses who had participated in SHAC actions said that they had either 1) never seen the website, or 2) took full responsibility for their own actions. So in this case, the prosecution and the jury are saying that these witnesses are so fully brainwashed by this group of kids that they can’t even testify without lying. Ridiculous!

For those of us that are webmasters. This serves a very ugly precedent. In fact, for anyone who believes in First Amendment rights or the right to fight against injustice or the right to speak without worrying that what you say may incite someone to violence then you should stand up with the SHAC 7 and support their appeal. You can get more info at www.shac7.com.

Or maybe we should do nothing. In fact, maybe we should start arresting Queer folks who get the shit beat out of them because they incited the oh-so-innocent fuckheads to use violence. They didn’t mean to use violence, officer, they were just a group of sweet young kids who saw that fucking faggot and got so enraged by being confused about the other persyn’s gender that they became temporarily insane. Sounds like a logical argument to me. In fact, it sounds oddly familiar. Wait, i remember… “i didn’t rape her. she was asking for it wearing that little skirt and that tight shirt.” Of course, she incited him to violence. Pour innocent fuckhead. You have been so wronged by those conniving wimmin.

Ok. I’m really starting to rant. I’m going to go take a shower and calm down. Please, check out the site and do what you can. If not for the animals, for yourself. For a world where its safe to fight for justice using nonviolent means.