calls x bus to kurtz protest june 15th

[by way of claudia westermann]

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    The Calls and Opps List
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Hello everybody on the list.


Here is an update to last week's info about Steve 
Kurtz.  There is potentially a bus going from NYC 
to Buffalo this June 15th.  Please go and voice 
your protest!  Get in contact with Sharon Hayes 
or Valerie Tevere for more information.


Michael


---


SHARON HAYES    purpleshaze at yahoo.com

VALERIE TEVERE  neurotransmitter at mail.com


BUS FROM NYC TO BUFFALO for

PROTEST JUNE 15th

Calling for an IMMEDIATE END TO THE INVESTIGATION OF STEVE KURTZ and the

CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE


PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY TO ANY INTERESTED NYC folks.


Sorry for the cross posting.


A group of artists in NYC are organizing a bus to go to Buffalo in support

of Steve Kurtz from the Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) who is scheduled to

appear in front of a Grand Jury in Buffalo on Tuesday June 15th, 9 AM at the

Mahoney Federal Court House, Court St. Buffalo, NY. (If you are not familiar

with this case, please see below for more details.)


Thus far seven subpoenas have been issued to: Adele Henderson, Chair of the

Art Department at UB; Andrew Johnson, Professor of Art at UB; Paul Vanouse,

Professor of Art at UB; Beatriz da Costa, Professor of Art at UCI; Steven

Barnes, FSU; Dorian Burr and Beverly Schlee.


Please see the information about the CAE, the case and the peaceful

demonstration attached below or visit www.caedefensefund.org.


The plan for the bus from NYC is to leave on the evening of the 14th, drive

overnight to be there for the 9am hearing and return that same day to arrive

back in New York City on the 15th at night. EXACT DETAILS TO FOLLOW.


We are currently researching commercial bus rentals and the type of bus and

would like to gauge how many people will be interesting in traveling from

the NYC area to Buffalo. The cost could run anywhere from $45 - $70 each

based on the amount of travelers and the bus size. If we can get 47 people,

we can keep the cost at $45 and make a strong showing in Buffalo.


If you are interested and would like to take the bus contact us ASAP as

reservations must be made soon and we have to asses the amount of people

joining the protest from New York City.


SHARON HAYES    purpleshaze at yahoo.com

VALERIE TEVERE  neurotransmitter at mail.com


Please pass this request on to your mailing lists as we'd like to bring as

many people as possible up to Buffalo. It is crucial to have a large

presence of supporters for Steve Kurtz and the Critical Art Ensemble.


best, Valerie Tevere

and Sharon Hayes




PRESS RELEASE: June 8, 2004

Contact: organize at caedefensefund.org


PROTECT USññDONíT PROSECUTE US!

SECURE LIBERTYññCRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE IS INNOCENT!


CALL FOR DEMONSTRATION AT GRAND JURY HEARINGS IN BUFFALO.

SUPPORT CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE, FREE SPEECH RIGHTS, AND FREEDOM OF KNOWLEDGE.


The committee to organize CAE Defense is calling for a peaceful

demonstration of support outside the Grand Jury hearings on the case of

Steve Kurtz (CAE), on June 15th.


WHERE:  Mahoney Federal Court House, Court St. Buffalo, NY

(See map at: www.visitbuffaloniagara.com)

WHEN: 9 AM, June 15, 2004


Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) is a collective of internationally recognized

artists who work in public, educational, academic and art contexts. Most

recently their work has been directed towards providing the general public

with awareness and understanding about biological research. The aim of their

work is not alarmist or sensational. Through participatory performance

experiences CAE provides information and knowledge. It brings people into

contact with the reality of scientific research often not accessible to the

general public.  The work is always undertaken in a safe and considered way,

using materials commonly available in scientific education and research

practices.


The FBI in its efforts to protect the public is now overreaching its mandate

by using an overwhelming amount of pressure against a group of artists

making their work for the peaceful purpose of vital public discussions.

Artists like CAE stimulate public debate necessary to a healthy democracy.

Our constitution guarantees the right to freedom of speech and our

government is charged with securing that right.  The job of democracy is to

protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority.  In the United States

we are not governed by mob rule, nor should government exploit its

responsibilities to the public by persecuting innocent people. We too, as

citizens must stand up now to affirm our rights and defend our liberty.


This is a peaceful demonstration. Please bring signs and banners. Check the

website for PDFís of signs and slogans you can print out.


CIRCULATE THIS CALL AS WIDELY AS YOU CAN

PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK THE WEBSITE FREQUENTLY FOR UPDATES ON THE DEMO.

www.caedefensefund.org


A Word About Demonstrations.

As with all demonstrations it is advisable to bring personal identification

(driverís license, passports, student idís, proof of address, etc.) Let

someone know where you are going to be. Stick with a buddy.


If you can't join the crew on the bus but want to drive yourself.

Driving directions: From Interstate 90 take 33W into downtown all the way to

the end. It will put you onto Oak St. Continue on Oak for 2 long blocks to

Broadway. Go right on Broadway which runs right into Court St. The first

square is Lafayette and then comes Niagara Square. There are paid parking

lots all around this downtown area. Information on possible housing will

soon be available on website also.


BRIEF BACKGROUND STORY: To date Steven Barnes and Dorian Burr, founding

members of CAE, as well as Beatriz da Costa and Paul Vanouse, artists who

have collaborated with CAE, and artists Adele Henderson and Andrew Johnson,

have been served with subpoenas to appear before the federal Grand Jury that

will consider bioterrorism charges against University professor Steve Kurtz

whose art involves the use of simple biology equipment. The subpoenas are

the latest installment in a bizarre investigation in which members of the

Joint Terrorism Task Force have mistaken an art project for a biological

weapons laboratory (see first press release on www.caedefensefund.org). The

artists involved are at a loss to explain the increasingly bizarre case that

shows how vulnerable the PATRIOT Act and other post-9/11 ìsecurityî measures

have made freedom of speech in this country.


According to the subpoenas, the FBI is seeking charges under Section 175 of

the US Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, which has been

expanded by the USA PATRIOT Act to prohibit the possession of "any

biological agent, toxin, or delivery system" without the justification of

"prophylactic, protective, bona fide research, or other peaceful purpose."

(See http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/175.html for the 1989 law and

http://www.ehrs.upenn.edu/protocols/patriot/sec817.html for its USA PATRIOT

Act expansion.) For more detailed information on the nature of CAEís

projects and the biological agents they were working with please see the

website: www.caedefensefund.org.

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