I’d Rather Firebomb An SUV Than Own One!
By Kirsten Anderberg (www.kirstenanderberg.com)

I understand why people are driven to firebomb new SUV’s on sales lots, I am not clear why people are driven to buy and drive them though. The pure gluttony of the American lifestyle is assaulting to people who care about the earth and its living things. Driving around, one driver, one car, in gas-guzzling, class-insulated, oblivion, is not innocuous, or even innocent, at this point in the game. And firebombing SUV’s is not innocent behavior either. I am sure when people do things like firebomb SUV’s, they do it with some understanding of the risk involved and realize if caught, they will be punished. I think all that is a given. So when I see a story like Jeff “Free” Luers’ (www.freefreenow.org), it saddens me that our government is so lagging behind in so many areas, and they all culminate at the epicenter of Jeff’s sentencing. Yes, he admits he firebombed three SUV’s on a sales lot in Eugene, Or., when he was 22 years old. The estimated damages were $40,000. And yes, he admits he did it for political reasons. So that leaves us at the part that is the reconciliation with society for that political statement, and property damage, and that is where everything fell apart in Jeff’s case, in my opinion.

This is not like the case of activist/musician Darryl Cherney, where the FBI and Oakland Police accused him and Judy Bari of car-bombing themselves in some bizarre anti-environmentalist scheme the FBI dreamed up (in the end, Darryl’s case was awarded $4.4 million in damages). Jeff’s case is instead one of an admitted action, for a stated environmental reason, “to bring attention to global warming and the environmental crisis facing the world,” which is a coherent political statement, which is why he chose SUV’s as a logical target. An under-funded, poorly-run “justice” system, a McCarthyistic hysteria over “anarchism” in Eugene, Or. (of all places!), a new precedent of preemptive strike sentencing, fumbling “intelligence” agencies, and courts with outright political prejudice, have all taken a huge chunk of a politically-conscious, intelligent, kind soul’s life. Jeff “Free” was sentenced to 22 years in an Oregon prison, in June 2001, for firebombing three SUV’s, arson, amidst a slew of other charges revolving around that incident. The issue is not whether he should be punished, the issue is what is a reasonable punishment, and what is an excessive punishment? The sentencing of Jeff “Free” Luers can only be seen as Draconian.

The logic in sentencing Jeff “Free” to this outrageously long sentence, as compared to the sentencing standards for similar and like crimes, is to set an example, to discourage other potential SUV firebombers in Oregon, I suppose. So he is being sentenced for all the POTENTIAL firebombers now? I know this country is PREEMPTIVE-STRIKE-HAPPY, but where does this stop? (Really, I think the sentencing is meant to try to discourage all anarchists, but that is part of why this type of sentencing is so egregious, it is so generalized that it is stupid and hysterical).The paranoia of the American government has seriously run amuck, placing even greater burdens, unnecessarily, upon the already crumbling “justice” system. Since Jeff “Free” took precautions to not endanger humans in the action, the risks that Jeff “Free” were taking when he torched the SUV’s should have been getting burned himself, or getting caught. Not some crap shoot of a justice system. And I commend him for not bending to their bullying plea bargain system. That takes A LOT of guts in his situation. Just like Bush says he will not negotiate with terrorists, it is usually wise not to negotiate with the people prosecuting you, is my opinion. If Jeff “Free” had signed the plea bargain saying he was guilty, and reducing the charges a bit, he would have also signed away his right to appeal. Every day people sign plea bargains under duress in the American “justice” system, and do not realize until months later that part of that “bargain” was you signed away all rights to ANY appeal of the case ever. That is a major reason plea bargains suck. Jeff “Free” could have signed that plea bargain, and the prosecutor and the public defender could have both recommended 5 years in jail, and that judge could have STILL sentenced him to 22 years if he wanted to. And then, he would have no right to appeal! So it is good he did not do the plea bargain dance in the beginning of all this, and that is a lesson all of us can learn from Jeff “Free.”

But I want to get back to the judge’s lesson for us all in this. This is obviously not about keeping one guy, who committed an arson that caused property damage, but no injury to life, to make a political statement, away from the public for public safety reasons. As serial rapists, child molesters, and worse, have lighter sentences than Jeff “Free.” And let me tell you, I would rather live next door to an SUV torcher than a serial rapist or child molester! Additionally, the threat to the world from Jeff “Free” and all SUV firebombers collectively, is still really minimal, compared to the threat to the world from SUV drivers’ collectively, as far as residual effects go. And the threat of a few SUV firebombers on empty sales lots, which really is only property damage, pales next to the sight of a politically askew and corrupt “justice” system. So this excessive sentencing does not seem to involve public safety, as much as “political safety.” Now, if the judge’s sentencing IS politically motivated, which appears to be the case since similar cases do not match the patterns of sentencing in this case for these crimes, then that opens up a whole new can of worms. Now instead of one crime being committed, two are being committed. The courts are supposed to be impartial. Yet I have noticed that anarchists, protesters and activists are being targeted with stiffer and stiffer sentences, as an example, to try to deter such arrogant dissidence. But as I have said often, that kind of behavior from my government only makes me ANGRY, not AFRAID. I think that through excessive sentencing such as in Jeff “Free’s” case, not only are the courts degrading their reputation as fair and unbiased venues for conflict resolutions, but they are also radicalizing more and more people.

I bet if a group of protesters went to an SUV dealership and threw foam bricks at the windows of the store while also yelling things and waving signs on the sidewalk, police would be called. And for some reason, even though there would be NO property damage, NO injuries, and NO THREAT OF EITHER, I have the feeling THAT action alone could even trigger RIOT POLICE in Eugene. Eugene Police LOVE their riot gear. I bet the foam brick throwing brigade would be charged with very trumped up charges, far beyond the minor event they would have caused. I could even see them doing jail time. For what? WHO KNOWS? That is the problem with political sentencing, you are punishing the political belief, and the statement of that belief, not the action, really. You are attacking what the action MEANT, rather than the action itself! Thus there is an erratic pattern, at best, where sentences can now be followed by politics, rather than charges. Now you can see instead of Jeff “Free’s” sentencing corresponding with other arson cases, we see his sentencing falling into synch with activists’ and anarchists’ patterns of sentencing. It is a dangerous thing when political precedent, rather than legal precedent, is applied randomly in courtrooms. By sentencing Jeff “Free” to what appears to be double the time of the standard sentences for those crimes, what we are also seeing is the Oregon courts setting an example of bad behavior and behavior that will make the average citizen feel they cannot trust the courts. And to reiterate, as one editorial comment in the Eugene Weekly said, “While Free has been labeled an “eco-terrorist,” (a term originating in timber industry p.r agencies) and sentenced to more years than he has been alive, what court will dare hold Bush accountable for self-serving acts of extreme violence to the planet and the people on it? Is the law not supposed to protect public safety?” Good point.

In Jan. 2002, Jeff “Free” filed a 50 page appeal with the Oregon Courts. Oral statements in the appeal process will begin in late July 2004. You can help this appeal in several ways. June 12, 2004, is an International Day of Solidarity for Jeff “Free” Luers. Support events will take place in many countries, and past support for Jeff “Free” has come from Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, US, Canada, UK, New Zealand, Russia, and Holland. You can sign onto Jeff “Free’s” letter of support for his appeal process, at www.freefreenow.org/signon.html. Organizations and individuals who have signed the support letter so far include: Mumia Abu-Jamal, Jello Biafra, Carter Camp (Founder OK chapter of the American Indian Movement (AIM), former National Chairman of AIM, and Board Member, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee), journalists and authors, such as Howard Zinn, physicians, peace activists, professors from Univ. of Colorado, Evergreen State College (Wa.), Univ. of Oregon (Eugene), Syracuse Univ. (NY), UCLA, as well as scientists, labor union organizers, prisoner support groups, vets, film makers, musicians, attorneys, law students, former political prisoners, street medics and more.

Other things you could do on June 12 to show solidarity with Jeff “Free” include writing the Governor on his behalf, (Governor of Oregon Ted Kulongoski, 160 State Capitol, 900 Court Street, Salem, Oregon 97301-4047, Fax: 503.378.6827), as well as writing to the media in Salem, Oregon, and surrounding areas, such as Eugene, and asking they cover his appeals trial closely. Let the papers know you are interested in seeing his story covered in depth. You can join an email list with alerts about Jeff “Free’s” case to help you keep the media alerted, at lists.riseup.net/www/info/freejeffluers. You can help with his legal defense fund, or deposit money into his commissary account for pens, stamps, envelopes, phone calls, etc. by going to www.freefreenow.org/howtohelp.html and donating online, or using the snailmail addresses on that site. You can send letters of support to: “Jeffery Luers #13797671,OSP, 2605 State Street,Salem, OR 97310.” You could make a website page devoted to spreading the word about Jeff “Free’s” case. You could link to www.freefreenow.org on your website. You can put a blurb about Jeff and the www.freefreenow.org link in your signature on your email all day June 12. You could join a prison or environmental support group, such as The Prison Book Project (www.prisonbookprogram.org), Education Not Incarceration (www.may8.org), Cascadia Forest Defenders (www.forestdefenders.org), or the Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network (www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk).

Many events have been scheduled for cities all over America on June 12, as well as in other countries, to support Jeff “Free” either through public education or fundraisers, or both (www.freefreenow.org/j12.html). But you can also do environmental actions on your own that day to show the world that Judge Lyle Velure’s lesson that environmental activism is somehow EXTRA punishable, and thus we should fear the long arm of the law for participating in that form of free speech, is not working. Such thinly veiled threats to our freedom are not deterrents to our need to protest the continuation of the REAL eco-terrorism, which is in the form of pollution and corporate greed. You can print up two different types of SUV tickets at www.baaction.org/SUVticket/ and earthonempty.com/ and go ticket SUV’s in your neighborhood just like a Meter Maid. You can download a free NO SUV logo to make signs to hang in your neighborhood at 4wheeldrive.about.com/od/antisuvbumperstickers. You can make a long banner that says “SUVs KILL THE ENVIRONMENT” and have one person stand at one end of the crosswalk and unfurl it as a second person walks to the other end of the crosswalk, just USE the crosswalk for the duration of the light, then cross with the light to the next crosswalk, and do the same thing. There are many actions you can take today, that are legal, to get these points across to people. But whatever you do, remember they already have this guy as a political prisoner, do not make it harder, or worse, for him by going out and breaking laws foolishly in his name! On this day of solidarity, remember he is stuck inside a dehumanizing hole with little power, and the authorities would love to make life harder for him, to teach all of US more of a lesson. Let us not endanger our brother in jail with our actions. But let us show the authorities that we are watching, we are aware of what is going on, and that we stand firm in our support of Jeff “Free” Luers’ appeal for a reasonable, and hefty, reduction in his previously excessive 22 year sentencing.