Shared from http://freejasonhammond.blogspot.com/
I
write this statement after pleading guilty to state charges against me
for my participation in an organized direct action taken against a group
of white supremacists in May of 2012. I would like to share my thoughts
about this action. First, major thanks and love to my friends and
family who have supported me, for my amazing partner who kept me sane,
my band for letting loose and my lawyer Sara Garber who has been
ridiculously helpful in fighting this case with me.
While
Chicago was in rebellion against the western military super-alliance
NATO summit in 2012, a small group of racists organized their own ‘white
nationalist economic summit' in the nearby suburb of Tinley Park. They
booked a restaurant to hold a luncheon under the guise of the "Illinois
European Heritage Association.” For over six months this event was
promoted on Stormfront.org, a very popular online forum where racists
and neo-nazis converse. Being in a prolonged state of resistance against
racism, this summit became known to organized anti-fascists throughout
the Midwest. Through research, they had ascertained the time, location,
and even some identities of the attendees of this meeting, some of whom
were already known as being members of white supremacist groups such as
the KKK, National Socialist Movement and Council of Conservative
Citizens. Upon becoming aware of this information, myself and others
decided to confront the fascists at their meeting. A righteous melee
ensued, many of the ten white supremacists were injured, and we left the
scene in less than two minutes.
In
the aftermath, the police was called and two of the fascist attendees
were arrested one for being a fugitive of pedophilia charges in another
state and the other for illegal possession of firearms in their car
onsite. Unfortunately after leaving the restaurant, five comrades from
Hoosier Anti Racist Movement were also arrested for their involvement by
an off duty cop. They are known as the Tinley Park 5, all of whom spent
time in Illinois prisons after taking a non-cooperative plea, and have
since been released on parole. Please read about their struggles at
their wordpress.
A
year after the action, in July 2013, I was arrested outside my home by
the FBI and Tinley Park Police. I was charged with armed violence and
mob action, the same as the other 5 anti-fascists. My indictment states
the Tinley Park Police were given a report from the FBI stating that
they had identified me from DNA gathered at the scene and a surveillance
video from the restaurant where the meeting was shut down. I was held
in Cook County Jail for two months but was fortunate to have friends who
raised enough money to release me on bond. I have since been fighting
these charges. The wheels of the bureaucratic judicial system moves
deliberately slow and another whole year and a half passes. Now, even
with the privilege of being able to examine all the evidence and
evaluate all of my options while out on bond, I must accept the judge’s
offer of 3.5 years. My chances of winning the case were very low, and if
I lost, it could potentially mean a significantly higher sentence.
It
is difficult to decide whether to plea or not when faced with gambling
years of your life in prison, but I also completely detest the narrative
of the state and their courtrooms. Their story is that they rightfully
apprehended the criminal, tried, and put them away in prison;where they
will learn not to do it again while separated from society where they
cannot spread their infectious ideas. That system does not work and it
never will. I abhor this monopoly of justice and violence; the reality
is that the state wants people in their prisons especially people whose
political interest are in conflict to the “business as usual” violence
that their police and armies perpetrate. My crime is standing up against
the flag of hate and the violence against people of color that it
represents. The state, in a petty act, went out of their way years later
to prosecute me.
Furthermore,
the state has always supported a white supremacist power structure.
Even after the endless series of racist wars and hundreds of years of
oppression on this soil, they don't see it as a problem when neo-nazis
get together and in fact grant permits and have lines of police to
protect their free speech. In Ferguson, New York, Chicago and beyond, we
see police use military grade equipment in conjunction with the
National Guard to combat people protesting the unjust murders of Mike
Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of law enforcement. These are not
isolated incidents, but rather symptomatic and indicative of a
deliberate move to uphold the pillars of white supremacy in this
country, which will not change unless we fight against it.
I
went into this action following the principles of anarchy, equality and
freedom which have guided my life. For many years I have been involved
in different projects engaging social justice, from volunteering at
social centers, community public libraries and food distribution
programs.I have also supported and participated in anti-war,
environmental and immigrant rights movements. Through these experiences I
became more aware of how the system that governs this society depends
on the mass exploitation of large parts of the population and in fact
the Earth itself for the profit of the rich and powerful. I was inspired
and motivated by the people I met in the movement to strive to make
change at the root of the problem, even if it meant possibly sacrificing
my own personal freedom. Throughout history, any movement that
struggled to change this system was considered dangerous by the
government and was met with immense repression and state violence.
But there were successful moments within these movements not only
because they were justified, but because people fought for them and
despite how history is presented like a Disney movie, not all of their
actions were non-violent.
Today there
still is police brutality, a massive prison industrial
complex, there are presidents waging endless wars for profit and power,
and there is violence, alienation and marginalization at the crossroads
of gender, sexuality, race and class. It would be naive to think that
all of these problems could only be solved through pacifism; working
with or within the system, following dogmatic and assimilative reformist
agendas that take over and sell out movements; the answer lies in
creative resistance that utilizes a wide diversity of tactics. I think
some people have always known this but more need to reject the
privileged tendency to reject destruction of property, or of the bodies
protecting the state as taboo violence instead of as a legitimate form
of resistance. As our collective patience is constantly being worn away
by failures of government to address people’s actual needs, it is up to
our own communities and individuals to decide for themselves what is an
appropriate form of self-defense
But
I would also like to note that the hyper-spectacularization and
priority of violence amongst folks in the movement might also be folly,
because I believe it in itself is not sufficient for a real radical
transformation of society. People need to look within to make the change
they want to see in the world as well as raise hell in the streets.
People are improving their communities through their own support,
healing circles, discussion groups, rallies, speak-outs, prisoner
support, popular education, community health projects and asking hard
questions and challenging oppressive thoughts however they manifest.
The
ideas and actions that these white supremacists are pushing are
dangerous and poisonous and is unfortunately still deeply rooted within
the fabric of this society. Racism manifests itself in a number of ways
and none can be ignored; from the blatant and overt bigots like those at
the meeting in Tinley Park but also the subtle micro-aggressions that
people experience on a daily basis. We are all obligated to confront the
dead old ways of these oppressive ideologies using every means
possible. My actions were in the spirit of continued resistance against
racism and fascism and for the rights of people to live without fear of
racist attacks. Those in struggle know the risk of jail, pain or death
when trying to radically change the structure of society but it is a
struggle we cannot ignore and we intend to win!
After
the interruption of the meeting in Tinley Park, the organizing group
for their economic summit disbanded and the individual who booked the
event said that they were “stepping away from white nationalist
organizing.” When a comrade is arrested the movement bears a high cost
but actions like these can prove affective as they dissuade people from
joining hate groups and preventing the work that they do. I feel these
tactics could also apply to different avenues of struggle, directed
towards exploitative bosses, racist cops, gentrifying landlords, sexists
anywhere, and fascist politicians.
Some
people have speculated my arrest was part of some revenge plot of the
FBI because of the hacking and whistle-blowing my brother Jeremy
Hammond has done against various sectors of the government and the
private intelligent corporations they work with. While I love and
support my brother and his actions 1000% and condemn the FBI and the US
government for their own cyber wars they wage, I think it is unlikely
that was the reason why I was held in custody. As stated earlier, the
FBI did provide a report to the local police putting some of their
pieces together which raises questions to why they would consider a
bunch of neo-nazis getting beat up a matter of national security.
Regardless, my brother and I were both apprehended because our actions
were not carried out with absolute precision and every precaution made
to disguise our identities and ensure we would not be busted.
However,
it is absolutely true that we live in a vulnerable society with extreme
governmental overreach, where anyone could be subject to surveillance,
entrapment, targeted prosecutions and trumped up treason and terrorism
charges purely for ideological reasons. It is a context deliberately
cooked up by politicians and the national security complex to create
fear and distrust amongst activist circles, as we can see looking at the
huge number of dissidents who have been jailed or killed. Again, I’ll
state my respect for political prisoners in any country who are staying
strong and struggling to fight the power. I would encourage anyone who
considers taking direct action to know why they are doing it and do so
carefully as to not jeopardize themselves, their comrades, or the
movement itself. A person in prison is another person we have to free.
To those whose worlds were shaken and who are angry or displeased at my
actions, remind yourselves humbly of the atrocious history of violence
that white supremacy has done and continues to do so to this society
and ask yourself, do I support it? Do I benefit from it? Will this be my
legacy? Or do I want to change it?
I have set up a blog where I will post updates regularly that will also
include my mailing address and visiting hours. Also I will have set up
an Amazon Wish List where people can send me some love through books.
This will be set up once I arrive at the state prison where I will
likely carry out the majority of my sentence. While I am here I intend
to make the most of my time staying positive and motivated through
reading, working out, and meditating. I am interested in continuing
communication and having discussions with people through letters, so
please write me when you have the chance!
Yours for the struggle!
With love and rage,
Jason Hammond
freejasonhammond.blogspot.com
