(A)narchists held a ‘LAW & DISORDER’ conference at Portland State University recently where two ardent feminist women were tabling literature from their group. Reportedly, 2 male ‘transgender women’ approached and challenged the feminists for the views of their group respective of gender politics regarding trans men and women. When the feminists refused to mollify the 2 males, they were assaulted. One male took out a magic marker and began to deface some books/literature on the table. Shortly thereafter, one grabbed a stack of literature and fled the premises on the college campus.
Nobody present during the attack did anything to discourage it. Later, blaming the victims, the organizers of the event apologized to the group said to be associated with the attackers, i.e. the ‘trans’ community. The following posts/comments gleaned from a site reflecting on the incident, attitudes, and those responsible are published here to provide a glimpse of the same to ensure against deletion.
Peacey Spacegoat, Seattle, WA
Gregory Lewis
Lauren Riot
Bryan Michael Wiedeman, 25
As reported in the Portland Radicle:
Portland, OR (6-9-12) — By Anon.
“Revolutionary solidarity is, above all, a revolutionary practice. What this means is that it carries within itself the aims of revolution. For this reason, as anarchists, we cannot base solidarity on any authoritarian or economic foundations. It is not a matter of obligation, duty, or debt. No one owes anyone solidarity, regardless of what they have done or what they are going through. Rather the basis of solidarity is the recognition of one’s own struggle in that of others – in other words, complicity. This is of major importance. If solidarity is the recognition of my own struggle in the struggle of others, it is carried out in practice precisely through continuing that struggle, continuing to attack this social order, and doing so with a focus on what unites my struggle with that of others.”
-“Revolutionary Solidarity: A Challenge” by Wolfi Landstreicher
On the morning of May 3rd, members of the Portland Police Bureau broke into and ransacked Pax’s house and arrested him on 36 felony charges of Criminal Mischief and 36 felony charges of Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Mischief. The police claimed this arrest was the result of a two-year ongoing investigation and that further arrests are possible. Bail was initially set to $360,000, an absurd amount considering the relatively minor crimes of which Pax is being accused. After the initial court appearance 64 charges were dropped and the state lowered its ransom fee to $40,000, only $4000 of which actually had to be paid. Friends and community members pooled resources to bail him out. At the arraignment one more charge of Criminal Mischief and one more charge of Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Mischief were added, bringing the total to 10 felonies.
Pax is a proud anarcho-communist with a fierce and uncompromising commitment to anti-oppression and liberation. He is known for his goofy humor and love of anarchist banners. He has been involved in various anarchist projects since his teens.
It is important to note the context in which Pax’s arrest occurred. Over the last few years an insurrectionary anarchist milieu in Portland has emerged, despite the overwhelmingly activism-oriented tendencies of the visible anarchist scene in town. Just in the last year there have been attacks on an Umpqua Bank, multiple branches of Wells Fargo, Chase Bank, US Bank, Bank of America, Key Bank, as well as Starbucks. According to communiqués and news reports, most of the attacks have consisted of rocks through windows. So far no one has been caught engaging in any these acts of resistance. Pax has very clearly become a scapegoat for these acts – the police want to make an example of him.
The police clearly recognize some truth in the old Wobbly maxim “an injury to one is an injury to all,” and we must as well. By kidnapping Pax on some extremely trumped-up charges, they hope to scare the rest of us into passivity and complacency. But locking up our friend won’t lessen our hatred for capitalism and the state – if anything, they have stoked the fires in our hearts that we one day hope to see actualized as fires to every police station, bank, prison, and border.
We must extend our support to Pax, but also recognize our own struggle in his struggle for freedom. We must see ourselves not as benevolent charity workers lessening the pain for someone unfortunately caught up in a government witch-hunt, but as comrades, as co-conspirators, and as friends with Pax and with whomever committed the attacks of which Pax is being accused. For a permanent practice of revolutionary solidarity! Until every prison is razed to the ground we are at war!
For updates on Pax’s legal situation visit www.freepax.org. His next court appearance is July 2nd [2012] at 1:30 pm at the Multnomah County Courthouse.
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As part of Occupy Portland, Bryan “took over” (cough *stole* cough) a house from a 66-year-old African-American woman named Gloria Canson (WATCH THE VIDEO ).
Bryan was arrested in 2012 in Portland on 72 felony counts of vandalizing ATMs.
Bryan accepted a plea in the fall of 2012 for his ATM-bashing that apparently included 5 years supervised probation, 20 days of weekend jail, 80 hours of community service, and $43,084.59 in restitution.
He was also ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and any recommended treatment that comes as a result of it.
Bryan Michael Wiedeman, 25
Bryan Michael Wiedeman, 25
Bryan, et al, Complains of CPD Violating his Photojournalism Rights
Bryan @ 9-13-12 Seattle federal courthouse rally for Grand Jury Resisters
Cathy Brennan doesn’t represent this cisgender lesbian in any way shape or form. She’s a vicious person who’s made a career out of doing her best to destroy the people who make her mad. And she is mad! She’s a full-tilt psycho and represents a small, minority Feminist movement under the “RadFem” umbrella.
I won’t defend a person saying something online that any idiot could construe as a threat, because I can’t. I wish people like her weren’t so good at baiting people, but they are. By “people like her” I mean the deliberately hateful and the willfully ignorant. The best thing would be for everyone to stop talking about Cathy Brennan. Forever. But she’s a lightning rod and unfortunately that’s not going to happen, at least not at this time. Still, I really wish people wouldn’t take her bait. I really do.
This is a good [albeit MOR] write-up on transphobia some people interested in learning more have found accessible ~ http://jezebel.com/5975828/transphobia-is-a-goddamn-embarrassment-to-us-all