FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 21, 2011

AS ELECTION YEAR APPROACHES, NEW BOOK REFLECTS ON THE POLITICAL ORGANIZING AGAINST THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC CONVENTIONS IN 2008

Phoenix, AZ - Arissa Media Group is proud to announce the publication of its newest title, Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism: The Collective Autobiography of the RNC 8.

Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism is the collective autobiography of several members of the RNC 8. Charged with violations of the Minnesota Patriot Act for organizing logistics for protests against the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, the authors reveal their upbringings, early political involvements, the “RNC Welcoming Committee,” infiltration, arrests, legal defense and outcomes of the case.

Authored by RNC 8 defendants, Luce Guillén-Givins, Max Specktor, Eryn Trimmer, Monica Bicking, Robert Czernik and Garrett Fitzgerald, and edited and introduced by Leslie James Pickering, Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism offers lessons and a glimpse into the contemporary reality of dissent in America.

Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism additionally contains a foreword by Tom Hayden, former president of Students for Democratic Society (1962-1963) and part of the “Chicago Eight,” a group of political activists including Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin who were indicted on federal charges of conspiracy and incitement to riot for their part in protests surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Mr. Hayden’s participation in Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism places modern day protests and attempts at social and political change into a fascinating historical context.

Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism: 416 pp., printed on 100% PCW recycled paper, 8.5 x 5.5, ISBN 9781936900183, retail price $14.95.

Arissa Media Group titles are distributed in North America by Small Press United, a division of Independent Publishers Group, or direct through the company’s online store at www.arissa.org.

Contact:
866-476-0964/info (at) arissa.org

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What people are saying about Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism:

“Part memoir, part recent history, part manifesto, Conspiracy to Riot is a collection of stories by a group of ordinary folks who awoke to a world in flames, and the extraordinary and courageous choices they made in response. In straight-forward language and direct prose each engages the central questions of our time: Who am I, and what is my responsibility to myself and others? What does the known demand? What does it mean to be human in the 21st Century? And where are we on the clock of the world? An eye-opening and provocative book, CTR is also an invitation to revolution in a time of peril and possibility.”

- Bill Ayers, author of Fugitive Days, a memoir, and To Teach, the journey in comics

“These narratives of the RNC 8 spotlight the underbelly of political repression: surveillance, preemptive arrests, intimidation, cruel and unfair punishment, and inflammatory accusations of terrorism. This important, passionate, and courageous book is a necessary read for everyone who stands on the frontlines of social change.”

- Dr. Jason Del Gandio, author of Radical for Radicals: A Handbook for 21st Century Activists

“In an age of state-sponsored terrorism, the rise of the Patriot Act, and their concomitant chilling effect on dissenting voices, Leslie James Pickering gives us Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism. This book details the life and times of eight organizers for social justice who should be hailed as dedicated resistance fighters, but were demonized and railroaded as "terrorists" by a monstrous state apparatus that has increasingly turned its attention to domestic rebels. A must-read for anyone interested in basic human rights, civic engagement, and freedom from the prying eyes of the state."

- Deric Shannon, co-editor of Contemporary Anarchist Studies (Routledge 2009) and The Accumulation of Freedom: Writings on Anarchist Economics (AK Press 2012)

“Any country's pretensions of democracy are tested in moments of conflict, when dissent flowers amid social, cultural and economic moments of change. In Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism, readers get an uncompromising look at a flashpoint that, when the powerful, law enforcement and the criminal justice system could operate at their best, unambiguously demonstrated state power at its worst. Through equal parts idealism, ideology and sheer determination, the authors relate a story that demands to be heard.”

- Ernesto Aguilar, Program Director, KPFT, Pacifica Radio

“If you want to learn about state repression and its effects on activists, then this is the book for you. It chronicles the inner thoughts, reflections, and emotions of the RNC 8. Their courage and determination comes across clearly through a first person narrative, bring with it an avalanche of lessons for individuals and social movements confronting power. Don’t miss it.”

- Dr. Luis A. Fernandez, author of Policing Dissent and Shutting Down the Streets

“Leslie James Pickering has a done a great service by continuing the revolutionary spirit of books like "Look for Me in the Whirlwind" with his "Conspiracy to Riot in the Futherance of Terrorism." By bringing these stories to light, and allowing them to speak for themselves, Leslie has created a book that counters the effects of Government repression on some of our best and brightest revolutionary organizers. May their stories, and our struggle, live on!”

- Dylan Powell, The Vegan Police

“The Collective Autobiography of the RNC 8 documents important lessons for those engaging in civil disobedience, and should be added to the historical record of political conflict. Unfortunately, this volume also documents the ability of the state to repress political dissent--possibly the most important lessons for those of us interested in imagining and striving for another world.”

- Dr. William Armaline, Department of Justice Studies, San Jose State University

"These first-person narratives constitute a unique document that illuminates processes of political awareness among a particular section of American youth and their responses to state repression."

- Dr. John Sorenson, Chair, Department of Sociology, Brock University