Fwd: Frontline: Andy Stepanian Statement (NY, USA)

[Guest guest]

--- frontline wrote:

> Mon, 22 Jan 2001 01:34:47 -0600

> frontline

> frontline-news

> Frontline: Andy Stepanian Statement (NY,

> USA)

>

> Frontline Information Service - Update 1/21/01

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

> - - - - - - - - -

>

> Andy Stepanian Statement

> ________________________

>

>

> Dear Fellow Activists,

>

> My name is Andy Stepanian, I am a 22 year old animal

> rights and environmental

> activist from Huntington Long Island, and currently

> a prisoner at NY's

> Riverhead Correctional Facility for a crime I did

> not commit. This was the

> most recent consequence I have experienced in my

> life for my dedication to

> animal rights and environmental activism here on

> Long Island. This charge of

> criminal mischief in the 2nd degree follows almost 2

> years of surveillance,

> wiretaps, arrest, beatings, and harrassment I

> endured as a result of my

> convictinos.

>

> I am a firm believer in the unified struggles of

> earth, human, and animal

> liberation, and I support all strategies and means,

> excluding violence, that

> help to further the goals of environmental

> conservation, human liberation, and

> animal liberation. I believe in order for our

> movements to be sucessfull they

> must be unified, and must rely on a variety of

> tactics. There are nitches that

> must be filled whether it be leafletting or arson

> each has it own necessary

> role and each shares equal importance. I support

> the non-violent direct

> actions of the ELF, ALF, Plowshares, and other

> direct action groups, and I am

> outspoken with my support of such groups.

>

> In January of 1999 myself and others founded the

> Long Island chapter of the

> Animal Defense League. Along with our above ground

> campaigns of peaceful

> protest and public outreach, we began to see a

> growing underground contingent

> that mirrored some of our anti-fur campaigns. The

> Animal Liberation Front left

> Long Island furriers with serious economic dents and

> increased insurance

> premiums as a result of their massive window

> breaking and lock glueing

> campaigns. In the Fall of 1999 the ALF put

> Huntington Village Furs out after a

> relentless summer of attacks.

>

> With the rise of direct action, local media outlets

> became hungry for a story,

> and eager to put a face on Animal Rights activism.

> The L.I. ADL and The North

> American ALF Press Office served as conduits to news

> media, and pumped

> information to news outlets regarding the receipt of

> anonymous communiques.

> When TV and print outlets were eager to put a face

> on activism ADL members were

> there to provide interviews. It was at this point

> where we became victims of

> the massive campaigns of police and political

> repression we are currently

> experiencing.

>

> Local, state and Federal officials goals are simple;

> to put a cap on activism,

> to eliminate direct action, to cause social dissent

> within activist groups in

> the hope they collapse, and to intimidate other

> activists into providing

> incriminating information on testimony.

>

> These tactics have not changed in decades, perhaps

> some of their technology

> has, but the underlying tactics remain the same.

> These same tactics were

> applied to the Black Panthers, The American Indian

> Movement, Vietnam War

> demonstrators, and within all aspects ofthe Civil

> Rights Movement.

>

> Coincidentally today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day,

> and today I was fortunate

> enough to hear his " I Have a Dream " speech on the

> radio. He accliams that from

> every mountain top " Let Freedom Ring " and to " All

> our Brothers and Sisters in

> Jail, Let Freedom Ring! " At that moment I realized

> that even though I am a

> captive of my enemies, confined to a cell, starving,

> and belittled, I am truly

> free. I may be behind bars, but they cannot touch

> my heart, cannot dent my

> soul, and this the only thing can deprive me of

> freedom. Each civil rights

> activist behind bars in the 60's followed their

> hearts, and in doing so great

> strides were made in that decade.

>

> So if I am not a captive then who is? America wants

> it's citizens to sit behind

> the couch impatiently awaiting the commericial on

> T.V. so they can see what

> " need " this week. The true prisoners are those who

> care not to change or feel

> that their efforts to change are futile.

>

> The activists who see an ill and correct it are

> truly free. Those who raid fur

> farms are turly free, those who disarm weapons are

> truly free, those who

> destroy genetic experiments are truly free, and

> those activists dedicated to

> saving the Long Island Pine Barrens regiion through

> massive direct action

> attacks are truly free!

>

> Our society revolves around slaughter, the slaughter

> of the animal nations, the

> destruction of biomes and habitats that all species

> share, the same society

> that easts the hope of the poor for breakfast, and

> tells you how to consume.

>

> Today capitol takes rank over compassion, and

> property is of greater importance

> than people. Our Earth and it's animals are being

> murdered. One must assume

> that today legality no longer coincides with

> morality. So in order to live

> morally you must be living outside the law. I write

> you this as a captive of

> the law, but ask this of yourselves...Do I want to

> be held captive any longer?

> Will I sit by and watch the rich eat the poor, the

> people eat thee animals,

> society devour our hope, and watch as our earth dies

> around us?

>

> LET FREEDOM RING!

> SUPPORT DIRECT ACTION!

>

> -Andy Stepanian.

>

>

> ----------------

>

>

> Letter of support can be sent to:

>

> Andrew Stepanian 8/8/78

> 100 Center Dr.

> Riverhead NY 11901

> USA

>

> All letters will be opened and read by the

> authorities

>

>

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

> - - - - - - - - - -

> F R O N T L I N E - N E W S Now With

> 3300+ Subscribers!

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

> - - - - - - - - - -

>

> Brought to you by www.animalliberation.net

>

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

> - - - - - - - - - -

>

> Questions? Please read our FAQ before e-mailing us.

> http://www.animalliberation.net/about/faq.html

>

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

> - - - - - - - - - -

>

> Would you like to Un or Subscribe to the

> Frontline-News mailing list?

> http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=frontline-news

>

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

> - - - - - - - - - -

>

> - For general questions, feedback and requests:

> infosite-mail

>

> - For problems with Frontline-News Mailing List:

> owner-frontline-news

>

> - Frontline Information

> Service/animal-liberation.net administrator:

> frontline

>

>

> PGP keys available at:

> http://www.animalliberation.net/about/pgpkey.asc

>

>

> Animal Liberation Frontline Information Service

> bringing you uncensored news

> from around the world since 1994

>

>

>

>

>

 

>

> Auctions - Buy the things you want at great

> prices.

> http://auctions./

 

 

 

 

Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.

http://auctions./