The ranks of glohal-warming |
deniers have mostly heen
forced to concede that the
Earth really is getting warmer.

Welcome to On the Line #2. | must say, it feels really good to publish
my work, especiallyin this type of formal. | feel the excitemen of a
child on their last day of school before summer break. This is most
likely the last zine | will produce while my husband is still incarcerated.
He gets out 6-6-09 and we are counting down the days. As of today,
‘W are at 78 and a wake up.

‘Thanks for all the feedback | received from issue #1. | expect the
others | appreciate greatly. It makes me feel like | am not just putting
this out in a void. A few of these essays (An Army of One and Cry of
the Wolf) have been reprinted in other publications but the rest are the

‘Thanks to my husband Double D. for the artwork on the front and
back cover.

Te contact Me weite:
Abiqail.
Po“Box (02543

Clevel and , O
Yoz,

IN""II‘U"I‘VGQ‘G'“M.‘,M
ANEW ORDER 3

‘Where did the dea of bithdays orginate anyway? Who was the person
respons_e for making each person's birihday thelr own persona holiday? Td
ke o oot i and s s couk came p vith et e pan

The day each of us was bom into the workd s no doubl sacred. Ifs the mesling
of the heavens withthe earh,the spirt made flesh. s the time when the
‘mother sruggles on the border betwoen e and dealh and puls both herself
‘and her babe safely o the side o Ife. Why, | wonder, is the celebration about
the person being bom? What exacly did they do? I the mother who i the
heroine of any and al bidhdays.

1 prooss new clebaton and gt ghing scheme for bithdays (fyou arento
Shiog . h o o ke Yaah.yeah, | Know, w aenc hove
othes Day,bu that s 8 losey version ofwhal he e bond between mother
and oh s 3 about- blood,grunt, weat,ears, and the piacents, Celebrating
urmothersonth day wa e bor i o honor i pain and sufeing they
‘endred o getus hre. How many of you kow he nimalo detals o yout own
57 Porhapa you were facin poslerorandshe had excruciating pan tho
ol Ume,o you wee (e waeks overdue and ddr want o corhe o ofher
oy woms, or parhaps when you care o, you mado hr ea 50 bad,She was
Sor for woeks. Maybe shal e you how il he pub halr was shaved i the
Hosptalagains hr vl o ow he was gven syrthlcdrugs o timale hr
arys ha made her coniracions unbearaie o how o screamed i the
it forcheckingher e S e an hour. Maybe she had a homebith and
e stry s ha 59 i you o a fursbfors g i even ot tere:

Justas each on of us s unique croature, 5o every brth story s unique and
‘Worthteing, and reteing. How many of us ruly approciale what our mother's

‘went throughto bing us info is worid-from conception o pregnancy to bith,
‘and boyond? Sure, some of you are saying to yourselves, 1 never wanied to

come hero in the fst place o why should | honor the person who brought me.

hero against my wil7" | have my own assumptions about being bom inlo his

‘workd (handed down to m by my mother actualy), but | willkeep phisophy out
ofthis since i only speculation anyway. To those who ha ffe an hate their
parents, | can oy say, i you don'twant o celebrate your mother for bringing

You hero because you never wanied o come hers in the frt place, then don't

Gelebrate yourselfon your birthday efther (or eceive any presents), since it is
celebrationof the day you were bor.

1aiso realize there ar ofher people out there whose mothers used desinuciive
behavior il they were il in the womb, had a zombified Iabor, and cared less
‘aboutthem once they were bon. Thatis truly sad. But for most of us, our
moihers tred fo do the bes_ they could to bith heaity bables and for hat, they
deserve specialremembrance and praise.

I havent been into celebrating my bithday for lose 0 15 yaars. Whats the
paint? 1 oathe geting presents fom others and let my friends and family know
3long time ago that | don' gve presents on holidays or bithdays and please
don' get me any efther. ' not a parer so the appeal of an excuse to tiow a
party on my bithday is nothing to me. But his—| can get behind ths idea of
celebrating my mom 100%.

The day | was bom is ot necessarly a day o celebrate me. I ol a day where
Idemand other peopie remember me with cards nd call, presents and a party.
What did 1407 | was just along for the ide. My mom is the true heroine o 8-5-
76 and from this ime forward, 1 e talking o her on the phone about my birth
and wha it was e to raise e, giving her thaniks for allshe went through, and
Singing her praises. Mother's day s for barbeques, birthdays are for mothers.

S0, who wants 1 oin the zommitiee 1 get the meaning of bifthdays changed?
AN ARMY OF ONE

Jne of anything can accomplsh a . 1t only takes one goat to produce lfs of
‘allons of mik, one sperm and one egg lo make a baby, ono un 1o warm
{anet, There s one of you. There are 2.3 milion of them. You are an amy of
0 thatcan help berato a population of Americans subjected o cruel and
nusual punishment ight here n our borders, who are trapped within tha web of
tale and Federal prisons called the US Prison indusiral Complex. This s the
Jiace whers thugs called prison guards, generals, capiains, and seargenis fle
Jith an‘ron fist. Those who don' cower under ther eror g th ful wrath
nleashed upon them,. Prisoners, especially those who have no one o the
utside, ae far game o thesa lerorsts. They are flesh wih a number.
\nything goes.

dove into the underground world of prisons a few years ago when | became
‘ascinaled by what prisons were ke n other couniries and wha prisoners in
Saudi Arabi, Vietnam, and China had o endure. Then | became more involved
nihe local anarchistscone and was tumed on o Independent Media and the
Anarchist Black Cross (ABC). | became a reguiar connoisseur of Democracy
ow with Amy Goodman and leamed about Stanely Tookie Willams and Mumia
Abu Jamal: two very high profle death row inmaes who had a positve
nfluence on sociely, bul were trappod n the sysiem wih o way 1o Get out,
Sespie each man's mighly supportfrom peoplallover the word. | found out
Sbout an open listserve called “ABC fiends" which i an intemational email
3roup that s focused on Anarchistprisaners and prison issues in general.
Through these many emals, | was quickly broughtinto a deeper awareness of
e level ofinjustie going on within the so-calied ustce system.

Prior 1o moving 1o Cleveland, | became engaged 1o man who s curtenty
Serving an 8 year mandalory senlence or a marjuana charge. He was my
Ghildhood hero and self-appolnted brofher/body guard and | have supporied him
Since the day | found out about his incarceration. We wers ust marred n the
Summer of 07 so nalurally having a husbandiest friend in prison has increased
my desi 1o become involved i the work of pison activsm.

‘When | maved to Cleveland, the anarchists here were staring an ABC 01
s

Jumped fght . Oncs Cleveland ASC'sadress waspublshed inthe b-monthy
Network newsltter, we began recieving mallfrom prisoners, mostly
Teess o o 1k Tl o g o s s g ot
ferature, which to me, was the most ineresting aspect of the network. | also
became a part of Cleveland Indy Media and co-hosted a weekly radio show.
Using the infemet and the contacis | was doveloping, | eamed aboul allinds of
polticalprisoners and the way the system works. One of the reasons people.
don' rse up ke they used 1o is because the etalation against leaders of
poltical movements was harsh and a fear hushed over the people which st
fnges ey, Acists whopushod aglnthepalce wal and embraced the
of sif-empowerment and self-goverment wero put in heir pace real
Rk, i wace o Wi oo ko S 3
fow f the tacics the govemment used 1o put “he dangerous™ behind bars or
ffe and throw away the key. Such prominent poitcalprisoners include AIM
vt Loonard ollr, ihe MOVE S, Wuia Abu Jaml, an Avero Luna

My inentions fo doing prisoner soidarity work i to break down the walls of
seperation between thase of us on the outside and those o us on the nside.
“The most important aspect of my work is buling relationships and helping out
people as much as | can. The original purpos of the Anarchist Black Cross
wasto supportthe anarchists who were put n prison during the Russian
Tevolution. A group of people on the ouside organized themselves and
elvered much needed support and help o their comrades on the nside. The
ABC st has that mission, however,in the states, has grown 1o encompass all
prisoners who have the intentions of making ther ives rght and Hiing
themselves up to a higher plane of existence. Many of the pisoners | have.
‘come accross have becorme anarchists whie n prison and i has been a rue oy
o work wih them. From the get go, | wanted to reach out past the walls, past
the concrete, past the stee, past the laws o the state, and bring te pece of
e from the outside o those who are hungry for the humaniy that s i ther.

‘The relaionships | have developed with prisoners over the years have become
very precious o me. | have also come to realze how important those
relationships are to those who | have formed them with. Those of us who reach
outo those i prison are ke a feine. We are the most valuabl thng they
posses. Relatonshps wih prisonrsar nol e cases o etaleh and
ot prtes are oo o v darerssnfoments and
T nosoe o psonst e S | v b o st ot b & e f
Instancos tolt the other person know whero | was coming from and what my
imits were. 1t akes fime to get something established and 1o get on the same.
page. It takes patience and continual communication but once the swing gets in
‘motion, then things can start to happen. Each prisoner s dferent as far s their
‘needs and our relationships. Some of them, | consider comrades and wo.
‘collaborate on projects. Some of them, | keep i regular commurication e a
pen pal and send zines and Hterature. Whatever the case, s a small thing on
‘my par, but huge to the one on the oiher sde, ahd we both gain. | have leamed
‘50 much about whl prison i ke from all iferent angles: being i a supermax

cfime or he person they used o be. | belisve prisoners deserve an environment
i of punishment and forture bul one whero they can develop the human within
them and leam sidls o be able o cope In the ouiside word.

Prison s designed to break down and destroy, and this becomes more apparent
the higher the securily level. There are men and women behind bars who are
innocent. Some look a plea bargin to evade an even worse senience because
the odds were agains! them. Some have commitied crimes but thei punishment
‘does not i the rime. Some are decent people who made mistakes and are
dealing withthose mistakes.

tis not easy for the human spirl o rise above s situaion i i feeis ke the:
workd s againstthem. This i exactly how the prison sysiem s set up today.
Prisoners, regardless of what they have done of the Gitumstances sutounding
thei case, ae dehumanized and casiraled. Good, gelthem OUT OF OUR
SIGHT! And thats what happens: they Go out f sight, outof mind. Time afer
time, i nol the rch and famous who are given steep sentences, s those at the:
botiom. It was hard enough forthe worid 1 endure Martha Slewart n prison-
even i or a shor ime. Whalever they do, they are not worthy of the dregs
because money somehow forms a magic Carpel under them thet floats sbove.
the dirt. But those withless clout and social esisem, they ARE worthy of the
dregs, regardiess of what they do. Its easy 1 put hem behind bars because no
‘one cares, and those that do-usually are notrch and powerlul enough (0 do.

The justce system i designed to ive blanket punishment for cime. Obviously,
for vilant crimes that harm othe iving creatures, there should be some type of
‘punishment and way for he person o make restision. But even wihin these.
‘rimes there are grey areas in so many cases that were never nvesiigated. |
know of one man who got ten years for etting nlo a fight with someone al a bar
Who died o weeks later. He was charged withinvoluniary mansiaughier and
was finally released from prison ate his second parole board hearing. | know
of another man who got 25-fe for kiling the ex-boyiiend of his curren girfiend
‘Govermment has reached nto every aspect of people’s ives and the beyond in
an attempt 1o maintain law and order to such a degree that sexual acts basween
‘o consensual poople can be criminalzed. Heck, | could get ficke! because |
don't have a pemit o ride my bikel The law is everywhero put the morsl and
spirtual progression of man is going nowhere. Whatthe law has done is each
everyone from the top down how fo getaround i and not get caught. Ther
thers are those who get caught. Ouch. To those at the lop, s a siap on the
wrist. To those o the bottom, ks lock em up and hrow away the key.

S0 you see, there are criminals on both sides. Those who break the law and
those who Mmako and enforce the aws. Laws are for robots and computors. A
human belng is too complex t i nto the casie of laws because there aro S0
‘many peces o the puzzl. Look ata young man who was given a ffe sentence
when he was 16 for kling his mom. “Oh, thatis horble He Kiled his mother!

it goes on....

No matter what s going on in my I, the ass is greener on this side, no doubt
2hou | semtimes ik sbout at o bt or s avars
‘someone waiching me, f | had barely no privacy, i my body was not my own
and was subject o daly searches in piacas no person but my husband should
0. I had no one on the oulside 1o help me and had 1o get by with a stala pay
‘f 20 dollars a monih (| was lucky). 1 had no money for envelopes or paper,
if couldn't buy any ofthe healiier choices o food from the commisary and $0
had 1o at the prison fare day afler day. If| i have the lberly o take a nice
long wak ina forest, f had Iolsten 10 gossip and screaming allday long wih
o whers 1o escape. i1 had fo work long hours a day with no pay, I was a
vitim of a perverse guar who sought me out and nio one believed me when |
0k the truth,f | was silenced, forgotien, a ghost of socety...... Thaugh they
‘shoukdn’ forget about m because they are spending an average of 3,000
dollas a yoaron me. For thatkind of money, | shoud be getiing the kind of
reatmant | desarve, but m not. I forgolten, neglecied, sienced. | on't
matter. The prson sysiem s not ssigned to it me up, o help me t have o
‘healthy mind and body 301 can face the workd out hers and succsed. No, tis
esigned Iotake the monoy from the stale and run from i responsibilies o
taka Cars of us. For we are at the mercy of the stale. W are theirproparty, we
aro ther slaves. Rarely will you fnd a siave qwner who caras about his
roperty. Usualy the wardens are just acors, and thir cast of characiars follow
their scipt. Itsjust ke a nursing home. They got all he maney and leave the.
human torot. WAl gt outof here? | don'tknow. Wil survive this helf? | don't
know. Suicide s @ viablo opton some days, butother days | want o ive,
regardass of my cicumstances. Thero i a glimmer of hope out thore,
‘somewhero. It dim most o the time, but know s ther. And is enough to
‘koep me going, even though the woridis against me.....

it was me in there, | would definately appreciate any and ai kindness. |knowt
‘would make my worid jus a itle moro palatable. People on the outside have
the power 1o reach though the cold bars of seel and fouch a human heartthat
lis trapped betind those bars~—the heart that can soar above s circumstances
ifgiven a window. | want o bring out the human behind the ron ammour, Thats
‘What we can do through our communication and assisance 1o those who are
tnly seeking holp and want o survive, 10 do bettr, o Ive. We can biing ther a
petal o reedom. A peta they wil save and cherish and eventualy, i wo keep
p the Work, they will make a beautiul flower wih. Yes, flowers can grow in the
cold sione. Tve soen it happen.

tis important fr people in the free word to g nvolved with peaple in prison.
Prison does not provide a wam, hurman almosphere,the ype of aimosphere
that s necessary o change, grow, leam a now way io ive, and 1 gt i fouch
With the human side. Prisons are harsh and woro designe o punish and prison
9uards are the perlect creations o carry that out. Guards and correcional
offcers ke o make s worse for prisoners. Many of them are on a power trip
9

To me, the goal shouid be 1o edeem the human, 0 help them understand they
have a reason and purpose fo ive and that they can live in sociely and do no
ham, boih fo themselves andior others.

Prisoners need f be trealed ie human beings. They need o be around other
people and feel the wamih of kindness. They need 1o be abls o rlate o olhers.
In a nomal setingin oder forthem to move forward and not backward.
Usually, when people committan act of ham towards another, there is a eason,
oot cause. Perhaps i the neighborhood they grow up i, he fiends they.
‘sumounded themselves wit, perhaps it was their home if where they never
‘exparienced love and compassion from ther parents, perhaps they chose o
themseives violent role models, or were addicied o cinugs or alcoho, o perhaps
they were just an innocent victim caught up n the wrongdoing of someons else.
'Wnatever the case, many prisoners. noed help, compaseion, riendly amil,
‘and human contact.

1am alfor taking down the prison system as i stands fodsy. But 1 do think that
‘ven in an Anarchist socity, something needs to be done with peapie who
‘commit crimes against humanty. They noed to be removed from the general
‘Population o a space where reform can take place through kindness and
mercy, where the issues of their past can be dealt wth in a sensilve way and
‘Where the outcome can be healing and emotional health. Granied, some people
il no take to this ype of Kindness and will never change. So bo it Let ther
iv i the hel they crealed. But | beleve the majorty of people wil respond fo a
diflerenttype ofreform. Peopie can change with the rght kind of extemal
props-—especial i they fve in a sociey nol based on cut throal princiles and
instutionalzed inequaltes.

The struggle against the US prison system i real and gaining momenturm.
People o al belies and backgrounds are educating themseives on the current
state of things and are tying to do someting about . tis one of the gos of
Buming River ABC to bing o ight what is happening behind the pison walls:
and to put a human face behind the nsttutionalized number and societa sigma.
tis common sense that fa dog biles a stranger, you can' tie up for a week.
‘and not feed t as some sort o punishment. Thal would make R even more
Faving mad and when you released that dog, i would probably ash out on you
‘and anyone elsa n sigh. So tis withthis puritivo system of punishment and
revenge. Sticking a person's head farther into the dirt s not Going 1o do them or
society one bt of good. Thers you are, reading this on your bed or on your
Junch break or uring a long bus rde and you are pondering 1 all..You wonder f
R realy that bad in prison and it mattrs what you do or dorit o, Yes my.

riend, R mattrs. Dorft have the |

desperately needed. Flowers do grow in the cold sone of pison cells. You
posess the seeds.
PUT AWAY YOUR TOYS e
O Moder man.you mustenjoy being a faure. Youve faled at everyting you
put your hand to-and you've faled a the most basc necesty o them all:

ing mother eathand il her cresturesgreat and small. Yes, you evolved
£ have the highes unctoning brainof sl mamimals. You have hands that can
graband you can walk uprght, You are a he top of al th rest. But being at
e 1op doesnot hways ean bein th greatest. 1 hink s ae o sy thee are
more fees than men who posses wisdom, more dogs than men who poses he
Vit of oyahy, more ans than e wha work hard fo th whole of theic
Communiy, and more ravens than men who posesth ntellect and keennes 0
‘arviv in thel enviconment.

Neither does being a the top mean you ge to dominate. [ 1ot sure where you
ot thatidea. Being a the top mears you have the geatest resporsibilty of all
‘other living beings~to make sure the earth and her creatures remain inthe
harmony and balance theyve maintained for millons of years. Sometimes |
wonder why man evolved the way he did. What was the purpose of 7 The
arth would be a lot better off f man stayed in the tate of Aomo erectus. AL
leastthen he knew he was not much diffeent from the beasts tha surrounded
him.

"Modern man is the biggest curse this world has ever seen. Every viog thing s
hurting because o his indiference, his arogancy, and his greed. Ou Iiving water
s dying. the nutrent rch sl s toxic. pecies are becoming extinct at an ever
more rapid pace, wild animals are losing their habtats and are forced o five n
captivity in the name of science,the ai s pollute, the natura resourcesare:
Squandered. Modern man has lftno stone unturmed In his ques to destroy the
earth. Lite does he know he's on a sicidalpath. | guess hes 50 out of balance
it the patural world, he doesnt even grasp the concept that he pee the
natural world to suvive.

"Modern man has made second hand diarette smokers out o all iving. No.
human, animal, green thing, i, or water is immune from being daily exposed to
deadly toxins that are slowly strangling us. | don't know about you. but fm not
into a slow, ntentional suiide. 1 love the beauty ofthis worid and | love being
alive. | want my chidren's children 1o know what tree are. But |and those ke
me are stuck o abide i this suffocating environment. Theres nowhere we can g0
10 escape the by-products of this destructive polsonous, cvilized world.

O Moder man. you have rined everything. _The earth and her children are
daily crying out n agony and sofrow but you chose t0 gore them. You, our
destroyer, could tum ths thing around in an ndtant. You could tur offyour
insatiable hunger for expansion and dominance and turn on the process of

regrowth and regeneration. You could liveup 1o your responsibilty of being at
the top—chief cartaker and servant 10 all You could.....but, s there hope for
You. O modem mant
Wihen penis i bor 0 the world, ths peis s the word“respect e il
over it Men by binight oo s aarcha sy e raned a tomaic
respect epecally by tei per), unknown t wormen. Men have the advaniage of
e respectefrom the e-go il proven oxherwise, while women bave the
dindvantage of ot beng respected fom the et go i proven oherwie. ||

Why i that? Why do we have to fight twice s bard for something you doriteven
‘have 01ft a finger fox? Sure here are varying degree ofrespec and one must
show himself worthy to mave up the ldder,but the baeline s there for men, no
matter what.

s a man'sclub and a man's world. Women are il bitches and servats and men
are ill dominaing predtors who ae affordc mmch mor sack than wormen due to
e foct they were born with penises and we were't. Make no mistake: Ifpenis
‘envy were actullya real phenomenoa, s due t thefactof the birthrigh o that
penis that makes most of s falous, not th pens el (1 personally would nok want
0 bave an orgen banging between my legs tht had a mind of its own).

Wit It sbout being man tha causesthe respec tflow? 1 suppose s sort of
ke how someone in st and teor udge i courtroom elct respect due t0
e position in society. So i with men. Regaress of how far women 153 whole:
ave progresed in the past 100 years, we are sl below the all-knowing, all-
‘powertul men. Don'tyou wane to move over a lce bit 5o we can rule with you?
it you lear bow toshare when you were ice?

Those ofus wheo enter typically mal arenas such s skl Ibor fob, ually have
0 prove ourslves before gainin the espec of our male pees. On the opposite
side, when men enter typicaly female arenas such a cooking, sewing, and
hildbieh, they cal ¢ something el and levate thir positon aboveal those "y
‘women.* Men who cook ae alled “ches’, men who sew are called tilons”, and
men who deliver babies ae calld "obteticans”. Al tese professons are
respectable and wel-paying. Yet women, who perform these tasks in a dometic
sttng are il comehaw lessr than the professional. 1tsal mixed up spd
backwards. One thing issure: when men enter traditomuly female arens in 3
domesic seting without rying o take aver, sch asrying some new vegan ecipe
nthe Kitchen,sewing a buton oo your pants, or taking a vital rol i supporting us
through pregaancy and childbish, we welcome you, yes, we wank you there.

T wrtethis for ll the men out there who fol bestle owards women whosiep onto

el trf because s obvious moetof you don't waat us there. Somebow you see
mechanic shop, a consrucion e, service truck a your sacred teriory.
‘Something that defines you 8 8 man. When we come around and want tolea the
ame skills that you have, we ar trested with suspicion and hostlty. We re not
the enemy. Ifyou gnore us, treatus bacly, o efuse o help us, most likely that's
oo going o chase s away. We ae not tying tochallenge your masculinity, we ust
want to expand ou femininty. We realize thata women, the more we know how.
0 do, the beter.

So maybe you won't be sbi t sve the damse in distress who has Bt on the side
of the road becauseshe'l poll ot hr tools and do it hersel. But you can sill save a
‘menstruating woman by masaging her belly and chasing those nasey cramps away.
The tru show of masclinity i notinthe rolesyou play. it in how you lve your

Iivesand treat e opposit sex, women, your equals.
1z

THE AVESOME VAGTIA

Vagina, vagina, vagina. Eve Ensler's "Vagina Monologues”
sparked a movement to get women more intimately conmscted
£0 their genitalia and not be ashamed to say the V- word
in public. Women all over the world began talking about
their vaginas and their sexval experiences, both good and
bad, and needs, auakening in most of us the very veal
sen3e that we are so utterly disconnected from that which
is situsted between our Legs

I understand the Vagina Wonologues and V-day (Vagina day)
's 8 Bovement. I understand the power of uomen al) ousr
the world getting together and re-connecting with theiy
most prinal feminine selves. I understand it but mewer.
got caught up in it. To me, I needed more than just
Salking about how my vagina was feeling today with a group
Of other women or making quilts that look 1ike vaginas
{though thia is empowering to many women). I neeged to
know uhy ny sexuality is somsthing to be celebrateds §
needed acientific fact. And that's exactly what T got
uhen T began to read books that portray a fotaily
different world than the one we 1ive in now.

discovered facts about the female vagina in humans.
mammals, birds, and insects that blew me away. I mever
realized I was'part of the gender that is sessally
superior in every way. I believed the lies sublisnally
£ed o us about the man being the superior sex; i
genitalia and sex drive more important and he being the
key to procreation, while females are just passive.
Jeceivers of his glorious manhood.” T rejoice o know this
has nothing to do with the facts.

Before Jesus, Mose:

giving powers that it has. Ancient peoples made seate,
gacthen vessels, carved pictures into stone of femsie
figures, great and small, with huge vulvas, pubie
triangles, clitoris's, aiong with other animsls snd
aymbols dénoting 1ife giving power.

9ate keepers of 1ife and death,
Power that was evidently dispiayed
4t each of us possess-—a vagina-—the sourcy of iy
creation. Women were also seen as the keepers of
2griculture and skilled crafts. Women, especially the
priestesses and her maidens, held high status and were
buried with mich posp in the most honorable places. hen

2

had a role in ancient society too, albeit not one of
dominance. Male gods were pictured alongside femaye
goddesses at. times, but were usually smailer in stature
and fewer in nusber.

Yomen ruled. Our sexuality was considered sacred and was
integrated into religious worship, There was peace in the
land. There is no archeological evidence that viilages
and neighboring towns were at war with each other. ima
didn't cone till mich later when a foreign people with
forelgn concepts smashed matriarchal societies to the
ground. It was the Kurgans riding on horses, with s lust
for war and pover who destroyed such a harmonious way of
Lite- It was their male gods who told them to divide and
conquer the land.

Regardless of what god or gods have the grip on the
masses, our male-dominated western world cannot deny the
facts of science. It cannot dispute the extremely compiex
orkings of the vagina and associated reproductiva organs
£hat have evolved over millennia to ensure the continuum
Of the human race. For example, some species of mamals
4nd insects have i storage sac for sperm that they can
Xeep for a number of days or even months after copuiation.
Many female species copulate with more partners than their
male counterparts and ultimately make the choice of who.
411 be the father of their offspring by sjaculating out
01d stored sperm when r. Right comes along. For seme.
females, it takes quite a 1ot of work fo get them aroused
and convinced to open up. The males know this first hand
a8 foreplay can take up to two hours. Some female species
suck the sperm right out of the male, while others have
such complex vaginas, the tract tuists and turns so mch
it stretches a number of feet in length. In many

females, the vagina is able to discern healthy sperm from
unhealthy, weeding Gut the bad from the good before it
even has & chance to meet with the egg. It is even
speculated that the vagina in some apecies is so precise,
that it can pick out the perfect match for the egy.

Women's sexuality has always been misrepresented,
misunderstood, and demonized since male-dominated
zeligions like Judaism, Christianity, and Tslam took over
culture and thought. Sexuality, procreation, and
satisfaction have always been defined from the view of the
Phallus. His needs, his sex on demand, his orgasm, his
conquest are all more important somehow than ours. But as
¥ can see from these few examples, famale sexuality is
complex and has evolved as it has for the purpose of

continuum of the species of which, she is in control over,
ind pachaps to ensure female pleasure as vell.

A world ruled by men has alvays de-valued female sexuality
and genitatia. I wonder, in light of the facts of the
{ife giving nature of female sexuality and its powerful
mysteries and allure, if men, especially those looking
fron the outside in, vere afcaid and maybe a bit jealous.
In their jealousy and fear, they subjugated that which
made then only a footnote in the story of life, creation,
Rouriahment, and death, We see this played out in 3o meny
Gifforent vays. The high rate of domestic violence, vomen
Dot having the right to own property in some parts of the
Vorld, women s0ld as sex slaves, women getting
Circuncised, women not getting paid as much as men, wamen
Rot being ailowed to becone priests and pastors in some
Teligious denominations, the prevalence of sexist lingo
amongst men, the lack of women in political positions.

The list goes on and on.

Men love pover. And since they don't possess the gentle
kind of innate pover females do, they have stolen it for
themselves, tuisting the facts and totally neglecting our
needs-—relegating us to the back of the bus (if they even
Give us @ ride).

For hundreds of years, women's sexval desires and needs
were not seen as worthy of discussion. We were told by
those in power that what we had between our legs was bad,
dirty, seductive, and dangerous. Women have aluays been’
Villianized as the seductress, drawing in her prey, the
adulteress, the haclot, the witch. But even in thi
analogy, it reveals the woaan is the stronger of the two,
the man being the weak one, vulnerable to her every chamm.
Here again, men, out of their love of power and dominance,
tuist all the facts to put themselves on top. They even
made all their gods look like men and made “the father”
the creator of all things, even though male animals,
husans included, don't really create anything. They
provide the paintbrush and paints, but it is the female
who turns out the beautiful picture. It is we who choose
to sweep your sperm along to its desired destination or
destroy AT on the spot. It is we who hold the key to the
door--allowing you access or leaving you out into the
Cold. It is we who can have multiple orgasas without
years of practice, it is we who nourish you from birth and
are your biggest influence, it is e who you hold most
dear, it is We who are the gatekeepers of life and death.

Women and men both need to do a lot of soul searching. To
the men I say, if you would stop trying to box us up,
Gefine us according to your terms, and keep us on your
Jeash, then, not only would we find the much needed peace
and respect ve Geserve, but 5o would you. To the vomen I
Say, if we could see ourselves as we truly are and stop
Gevaluing our own sexuality and femininity but glory in

{ta pover and use it for good, there would be a social
revolution.

+ vors rn haw Alreadv heoun in mv heart.
DONNY AND M

b boen bt 4 yearssioe 1t sid 4. Nox i proger marige ey
foc my

but in my heart. Iwas wumhluwu
Somm L S T

ted i dcpide b Linew i woukl v bppen e . e e oy

siner in that way (or 10 T thoughe), nor et my love deep down, deep deep
w10 where it even ik sout . Doy ha mary gliends (g sy was
s oo of hem) nd s jlos, L it e, He s my bk ey s
e woudsee ech e, he would giveme # g bear hug, 20 e s
oold bun. He woulall my sser a1 o e roud l e e, ling v where
e s, how he ws oing, seing how we were. He woukd avays el e o g
when he bung up the phone. H was my brocher.

Then, when I cune o g, nded up lwing town by th back cocr, ot 0k 10 0r

m Sends o iy for ove v yer. 1t was my geu xcape o he prsse
om0 socie's xpecaions: college, ul ime b, e 1 warne 10 spie B
1 dit want 10 be b 1 soping and 1 sure it wan 0 e wapped i s doed o
1w s e e before 1 e comecion wilh Donryagan, I 200, 1 goxa
al o my ser, foring e v he was i rion. P, 1 acunly
pred. e e forbim. Fie i e aglednd o i be cupad 5
‘hrowing pkes e e o it o i i 1 g i ks ac i him ke,
e e dinking i my beart e st koep i il i, A o e
1, for ooty s e ey edd 0 be ke e than i, bt |
sheaysstayed i the s i, endly by The we on e . Bhind
1he smes, b neversaw how excied L was 1 receve e o i, o how 1 would
i enr i doy and e 10 e eare 5 ok madbor dop 1 oul e ot
10 i that doy, o how ¢ woukd lk 8 i in i, o the e | hd of i
il s e 10 0 e, 0 the dcpetpart ofmy e ht s ady i v

coming 10 me and aking my hand.

Our leers were geing more imerse-—not romanic, but more requen, O ler
sround his time, e 10kd me 10 e 0 the ongs “More Than A Feeing” by Bomon
nd he song “Hard Headed Wornan" by Ca Seves. s was through thse songs o
he communicated 10 me his rue felings. Then I knew fo 100 cemioty tht what we.
both b been exprincing was ea and that my ov for him was ecprocaed. Then
e wive me ancther leer where e sare out by seying tht b just wanwed 1 il e

oday.

Geveland, Ohio. Nooooo. Yex. Ifonly he could have ben incarceeied somewhere
dose 1o Minneapolisor Ghicago o Albequergue. .No sch lck. Oio has beem my ko
fo over three yeurs and 1 mustsa 1 cn happy 10 make my fight o of hre om 6.6:0.
My tme here has bee very inersing. 1 don’t recorumend Clevelae 0 aayone or
Ohio in genensL Pechaps i the poliion in the Ciyshog rive and Lake Ece? Not
e bt his place. dort want 10 dwel on th bad experiences and would ke 10

acknowlde hat whil her | was able 10 apprenie bt a o ad a 1 b
mechaic o tades 1 hav b waig 0l for 8 vry kg e, wel as have
ad he cppornnity 0 mee few s peope, people I wil iz Thugh nevr &
plce I would choose o n experienc: 1 would e 10 repen, | do o, by ny meas,
g oyt My B o . op o, e, vk oy
al, weely v, acivimn_. 1 dont g0 o, rely go 10 shows, ey do anyhing
imelvs raveling ouside 410 ik . He worrssboutme. He & afd for my
ey 1t hurs him 10 know the oxher popleget 10 be with m and e dose. [ have
aceeed e which comes with beng priscves wilc the acrfice we mus ke on
o o s i e o o on e e st e P e 0
i medean b s acantags_ prson s prison, ot mate
hat o st 1l d s b o of e, e, e,
o sometimes hysical e

1 move here 10 do my ime slngside my husband. He encourged me ot 10 com, 0
‘g0 live wih iy o o 10 sy whee L ws (e st away). Bur refsed 1o e
e bim o tis one. My v was made . [ came 0 Clevelaod for one purpose ©
e chser o im. 1 knew the rest would work islfou. s sill impossbe 0 bleve
tis amos over. Almost over. | never hoouy thoughi e dey would come. Whea [
decared my love 10 my o, wes looking st over four yers 10 go 0n bis sneae. |
vied 10 negodte with the heavens and pray raly badtht he scmehow ge elessed
eady. 1 convioced mysef it was goig 10 happen w casethe puinof i al. cinge sow
T was 50 weak i, Four years st nohing i what many 8 women woud sy
who hus sood by her man 5,10, 15 yer, o longer. 1 have mes them. Y, they exi.
T am ooe of hehcky anes. My man s geing out-be s relsse daie and he prison
canno legally hod b any longes. He s o suck n he goizing gesiog game of
the purcle bourd.

6609 wha e we giog 10 do f? Tim s hafs 0t b qusion 10 answes.
ot it comes s ot What? Fo o, e e ot lwes mel§ 0 ik
ot e e ogeher. Ovofncesiy, L o on my every il i he e od
o, 00 alowing sl ch deydeaing of e . But now he e i vpon
o um sy lsing down my guurd. Bachdey e pses ke more of my
rden als ewey and 1ol ghersonebow. 1 am rady o i (um 7). L an do
s (7). My dysae il i excied apeion i wilh wves o .
The wht 7" ot s 10 wast 0.0 away. Now that y ship s cose 1 ding
on ely’s waves, my e i 50 e ofhesll s, Those waves g e,
s ivescosh agi th rcks, s vaves cun be deadly. But ey can s b
ke escfl and way 10 move oe'ssip orward

1 know et T have ncing 10 e, T know that ll ny insecucies about mysel, my
body, my ably 10 ve wih ancihs peson (L am and abeays have been oner), 0

love ancer person...l hose feas will pss away the momen 1 am i hisarns and
thereare o ards in our presoce ewiog s aper. 1 am yours. 1 love you.

7
CRY OF THEWOLF

The uber gt to b t the o, Ty sl yor denghtes gty and et the
Debleof arformetrevler. Thee o chse ey et thele s brid o he e
o cyc ey ey eers. What cresure s capable o sch xtreesof oo n o st
e cumeime? Thewell. A Rle e e, sl and prteco_penpe v bad o e

et e o whet 1 ik o the reture s b s demorized
o et e o ot il o rsecrs hascaptvatd th honan i,
i vy e o bt e everrce, spec e, s ve.

A U
B T
S e ;
B e e ,
e e
T ,
S
e G S,
SRR

T wolf pcien caieepi b b roedforevr 150,000 yers, eing from e,
trercnien efor man beg ki oo o wol with vengence 10 Gty evry
1o o s e he ey of oyt o the ok ndecest mumbers, ezt or
tren woter dimtes 1 ot oAb, Oetral ad Sty A, Ther were
i o sepeie of wove o il ve the word, o hichhave become exi,
et whh coeres o dvmeicnted doa. Ol fow v

ot America before cloiaton s st a e wolf popeltion, soe e tobe e
iione, i e ey o e . Th oot comeso s abandast woll he
o ey ol whoos erai covre ot of A, Cade, Ak Todey the
7oy o s b redoced 5 s 35000 s ety the uribabite terin of
X, Ak, e Minpesots s Micigs. Tere s oo bl wlf popultion et
sk bl Yellwatons Neosal Poret cd he srvouning res.

1 the ot of the wod, kv v b sty Wipe ot o Western Buropean
cotanios o s g, Gemazy, Stland,and Fraoceby e ate 1700 tody waves
recly populatethe s bl of o world. Todey, Kasabtan, formey 8 ey of the.
i U bk o he e wlf ogultion e word, spasin Carda b mare
hanbalft spimitely 90,000,

Thon ey i oo, s ks, e e v of e el They
e e s, T sy el
prr e T vy et
ot b i 3t e Sl e i e e o sl
e e e e e, o i, O

o ey i ey ke ey vt il
e el o ychs f o, Wl re mesegoos e g it ,
e ke b o a5y e, Wl s o
S e e L ey b s e e )
e ot o A e i e o e ety of g o e o
e et e s vl o e iy e g ot e
e N el pack e o 6 0 e o 6P

v are et canrve o e i shert peiod o e They mark e

i

i s et hare ol o nderichld e, o th bt All ol wlves £000
Sl e e gl e e b
o ipha el il ypicly e hepack when ssrchin o i place sl d he
i walftyp leada o s, Howere,hee rles, ad sy atherways i whichwoives
opperate e neverconree O hing walf bologit hve s n theie s het woves
B B o serctype very well Thre i gralpttrnof behavi, bt ter s Kih
e of ndvalason ngs waives 1 well s then 30 xcitiog 10 vich 5

ity bt o o s o e sight o s ch o e d. They can
T o o o e d S 1 ey cnne v o i ke by wiht.
Bt e e et b e
e oy i o vy o 3t i

el s 10 g ot . Oberwis, when sanding s, moct omaiveres cold
Tty r Kl vl with oo powerl b o gt g
eyl e v b do et i, Ty e el
el ot bk . 11 e herd o ol of e e pocked
o h v b e ot v then el s
ey e s sk, .o young 1 prey a. Wobves ek runnes, bt ey of
iy e v e d can e up e pce o il i s, Wobvesgo 0y
L e bty v e o, Bl et the e pr ot e the
iy Mosteeve by e e o e v v o s oo e e of b

Anoberove o tei pastimes play. Theyronandjnpae oy rcks o cach ter. The
ksl ith the s nd ech ihr. 1 hroagh Py st ach wlf ershe lace
bt pock o hey born emoiomaly b insinctvely n T with ench bz, They
et have vy goc s of oo e, evn o o istancs vy, Foc stz .
‘o waves e ou ogther ey bear b, they aeabe o fio thel acnae i the
ot et

Wl play el nth et whereheyve. As s oppao e resnc bl
oot and it ey Where et ar o o, Ut Gy Al

e e, ol e
oy b e W vl e i o
e i o et e i Ty el
e oo e f ol rs. O elaoip it s
oo e vl e i b ith e e A oo v ety o2
T oo are e st ot vl i 8 et o b
g et et for o . Rav e o s pry ol vl k-
el e h B ot s Dk They e e ot
e G f el b sl gt i B, Becae o hi el
e,y ar e et coctocongrep o 3 s e h el rogh
i To g o of sy et el M, e cveyons b b i sare, il
T e o i 2. o, ot b .

bl st bodof i b el e s . S
ity a0 e e ogehe o thovsands o e pace 1
T i e e s doviep
e e s e o A o

e e e T e T o

oy dangon vy Wl e ying s h, st e

ey oo e (55 Mo ok Ao gy e

‘iR the et e colonit o i i (nd o Ry ot

Syt e .Gt S o o ey
ks

Asmentiooed abore s bvious fct 10 st rencingtis,Native Anericans were o e
25 theenemy in e ces of Butopean setes. They, ke woives, populte e lderoes.
The. ke woves, v tight Kt comemntio wbere s s ey defioed n every bl
‘ody iched o forthe sl of the el Natve people e el e

hey
‘e some ofthe et morters itory b v s MY $pecs o g (1
ander e harethe ol beng ane o the et seght e and cebatedvcri. Prom he
1600810 e i 1900, wlvs e nt e and Ml e s One o th ot avere
method of dstrocion s oconed mest. Huntrswould e syehein i crcoly et
z/

dend carcas o ieceof st ad vai 10 s the wolf s deise. Whensioers came o the
kvt o bl M, they e wlves would e of i dond arasmn. They s 4
g qprty fr e g e bl e, e iy

e 1 Ving h pop,detyio i a5 o he ok st apen, Ausiog

i ag o heort 600 o of Aghin e hre e adge of o
e s ren. e v g chldrn ke o hey G 1t o o,
e o e cpe et hom .

T —r————
g G et b i e S

it o e s o s B Mary
e e ey o el oy e
e T

Wave wer e g abere. were espcillyveagetil.
v ko peinco o . One i o e b .
sl doeiated e 1 s o o 1y i o ek e

u-.u\.—u—n b hem sl the wousd fo eyt i o,
G, they wold augeou i e, ot off hl enmakin them .t 6.
e ] thy ecasd woives

e oy T e o e o g o
et ) s o e e e o
o kot b s e 420 e el s .

nilln ol i the “Scc v e of e depr o
..::“:_..................._.......*....,
e bt T v v s e

Anotber man eho vas sl velf e o acvoctefor the nturlworkd was vt
Thompaon Seon. Setonwas enhralled i he i n il befors he ecare by
i et v, e v o e o1
e il Lo the hd e oty of e bonders o yers by Wing ey
‘method devieed o Kl . His ncountr it Lobo wa e changing, Lobo bd 8 ate
Bl who s aeo 1 mart a b was o ogeher a s thy el ecapcl et
clraio e sy B o g 5. Ty ke wounied
okl orared e s sh died s i b o ianes o e, Lo
‘Sbanioedall his oo caviion 4o baialy srendered. B wasealy cpunired s dcd
21

the et dy. Seton s eeply e by the welves éelligence nd devoion,ccsog i o
cease ising renchers o ety voves. He irtesd venk oo write s b abot
e oderkl apete of el e Arercan e o th portaesof i e 10
andapreiting atore.

Aferhe goverrment ok everthe ilin ofwolves in ey prt fhe 20t ety ek
ety by s b ding e, e, b e worhes s by
urers pracicd foa of o sty by embeihig wolf s ro he . They warted o

‘eeded prtecion. In1973 the Endangered SpecisAct s sgned o s wolvesof e
e 4 states e o of th s sples o be st a o encorts, e fderl
e ol ome. T 15, they were e st Yelowstone Reiona Foest an e
orelsiencf weves i Yelewaone 100 e mrrourding res s ot o crase. There
a0 refiroductio progr o oo et sl o th e woln e Nt
Forest of North Carlo. Threare mary oter pockets 1 the county where wolves coud
e such 5 n the Northwest and mamyenvironenta povpe are e for mors -
intrabocion programs soch o e st i Yellowetone. Derpie pner) ki inpublic
apiionowards velves, theeare sl mary peape whocppose thi et and expend uch
Erery o ick e wock of g, enviomcora st e yTh etk i i b -
g vy har i e el b v he America 4ndscape

At prse welve il e ravenin eemies who et t dcry hemsuch s Gor. Sarsh
aliol Al who s g o e & ol by e ot Ak and former

(George W. B who took e ey wf ff e Erdanered Sy ot
gl o survive woives have come o vay <t hi rightil lace i the word
Wheres o centurispat, they were illarie, foday they ar practcaly vonhipped by he
enerat i, W bev mad 10 he el s, e ot [ Breck Obasn,
i mage sl ey, Peopie ok inhe thamrds o Vellton n e Bopes of i -

‘Unfortnately, Amerianapision towards wobve s ] ot of tlance, d ina ntaes,
o whe v thewoll mightorly e foenced by pop e, The vl ock e,
bt ht i Rappe 2, 30 et e el opolan conines o grow snd prba.
z3

g b i o e bl e
T bt g e
it sy vy 5y e o Yl s
ki mre. Thy o ey, b e e o B
i o oth At e e ek e e
e o gt e o ok s oo
st i ot sy e ey ket

i e bt hey o bough e ety o ooy and
e e s e e e

S
e ———

P ——————

e Bl e it

R et e
i et s 7

s B ottt i
‘Beriely, CA, 2007

Francico Vare-Ot."Sarah Pl Under Totens i fom Al Rights Groupe’, Lo Angeln
i, Gt 10,3008

e, e Lskiog Wolves o Plaots: Ao Laopld e TropicCascdes, b 55

T ae———
Dot o i .

Bt Wi Colion

B Thampane S oot o ooty
NT CALL M
DONTCALLME SISTER 2

Alongtine ago they ol me | nceded 1o wear long Aoving ki, andlse iting
topa. tocover up my b because men would st sferme and | couldcause them,
tosin Ittock gears For me tobe confortable wearing pants sgainin public. Now |
have Founda confortable st that e

Theytod m | nceded tokeep mg e o nd could v cutit because ta mg
covering. ltook a whi before hadthe courage o tamper wthit. [ st deadedit
pthen shaved it about earlaer. Now,my i roving back nd ' happy |
‘want o wear tlongbcause i e ienly prescnce,not because t the .
Theg oldme | couldnt amde st men because they would ik | was nlovewih them.
Thi wasone of the casicat les ot 0 of because | nver really socaumbed tothis
o inthe frst place, getng colded otenfor being to riendl. Now my snde s
‘aginmy o and | e recly whencverit decides to showtc.

Theg toldme | couldt develop frendlg elationships with men. They ssd tis
inpossbe formen and women b riends without lending o romance. Had |
Follomed thie schice tl death, | would never b the person| amtodg. Foritathe
mamy men| have befiended ave the yeas that have b mg comraden guides,
eachers, and those who gond m forard.

They ol me | coukdt ouch men, not even shke thei-hands. Thisled meto reuse
tohg myown grandiather. | hovght | wasbeing ghteous. | wes ony being v,
the paininbiscyea toldme s, Now, g llmg elaties. Thovgh sl keepmy
hands and arms to mysclf Forthe most part | el she urge o cmbrace o mle Fiend
inahug, orbe me, | walkightin ratherthanstep owny and decine.

They tod me | ok becondemed nd never suvieenthe ol | evr et them.
Bout e fv gear, | ens able 0 s theie wn bible againt them and Found the
words nd srcngththerein o finaly e, never to retun.

1det dicfteral. [nthose s e wecks | was awag from theiprison, i was e |
wossbiding under the cooines of s wateFall.bsking i my reedom,and esting my.
wcany pit For th batle shead against the giprelgon had on my mind.

Tei sl batlc nd | owe much of mg power to mg husband who, one dag o a i,
afersecing my it confuion and sgony sbout some sl relgous hang p,he took
imghands i, looked m i th cyes,and asidverg Femly snd clerl, There arc ro
len There re no vl It was the inensiy ofthewag he snd it that llowed m to

vt up g anchor and s out 0 s, eting the waves take me where they
ould.
1o come back o some ofthe things | eamed rc g i i iht ke, lonted

lgous communitybut the thing | rein s iversal e, the et of e
consinedinalcreation. | dor't defne .| dont nt o, and t nolonger defnes me.

25

‘SAVIOR, SAVIOR

Obama s the new Savior. Don't they know Savior's die?
Why are they putting so much trust in a man? Ah, finally,
someone who will do for us what we need. No o nol
‘Waiting for goverment to shape up and actually be for the
people will never happen. Its shape is too fat and distorted
£ ever look or be human. Obama is an acceptable face for
the ugliest beast of them all, acceptable from sea to shining
sea. Putting candy on a fumace doesn't make the furnace
3ny less volatile-—-eventually the fumnace will melt the candy
away. So too will Obama's pretty face eventually be eaten
by the beast he rides on. People’s hopes will liquefy and
wash away when the man they worked so hard for shows his
true colors; when he becomes one with the machine he
spoke so adamantly against. Imagine if those same people
put all that effort and enthusiasm into something greater,
Something that would allow them to be rulers of their own
lives. Imagine....

a2l

2N REVIEW
Zero To Anarchistn 1.2 Seconds: an nferview with Lisa Lee Savage.

“This zine i a must read for a nteested in incarceration, esbian feminism,
‘sexual abuse, anarchism, and ising from tho ashes. This is a o hokds barred
interview conducled via the mail answered by Loe n the depths of winler i her

by he mother, abused by her mother's boylrends and rolaives: he grandpa,
Pap, the only man 1o love her and encourage her n he alents, died when she.
was sl a il i a suvivor of a heroin addicion, soltary confinement i a
Florida prison,losing custody of her only chid, and the siigma of ealizing she fs
lesbian, Lee has a powerful story tha tlls of her joury rom vicim fo
‘survivor o ihter. She i no shit talker. She takes no sht. She stands up for
‘Whal she bolieves in and for those who are oppresse. | know this first hand.
having the bessing of befiending this woman. _She s sl incarcerated s of
the spring of 09 but i due 1o be eleased in the end of June 03. Her

have been featured in Profane Existence, @ zine called Tenacious, and another
‘anarchistpunk zine. Her next project will actually be a double nferview with
mysel:. e inferviewing her and she interviewing me. Coming s00n to an ABC
nearyou.

‘You can get sholdof this zine by wriing 1o Burning River ABC Zine distrol PO
'B0x 602543/ Cleveland, OH 4702 or
‘South Chicago Zine Distol PO Box 721/ Homewood, L/ 60430
'BOOK REVIEW

‘ibwa Wantor: Dennis Banks and the Rise of the American Incian Movemen
By Dernls Banks wih Richard Erdoss.

came totis book afer having checked out a verylengihy book from the lbxary
called I the Soi of Crazy Horse by Pelar Matihessen. | was/am niarestad in
leaming more about AM and the American Indian stnuggle in general. Tho
‘Crazy Horse book was very informative but it was 100 detalled for my taste and
taking me forever o gel through. | decided o search for another book about
'AIM, somehing that was possily more concise and closer 0 the source.
‘Ojiwa Wartor s he perlect book fo an nside tate of AIM and delailed
‘scoounts of some of heis most memoriable and important acions such as the
take over ofthe Bureau ofIndian Aflairs buiding n Washingion DC, the rot and
buming down ofthe Chamber of Commerce buling in Cusler, Souh Dakota,
and the occupaton of Wounded Knee.

Barks was one,ofthe founders of AM. He was borm on a resenvaion i
Minneapols in 1857 when adiona e was st hoking on by a tread. L on
he ez was able, alives wer il bl 0 o e hing or the most part
Wihout nererence. Deoris ed wih s grandpareis,both Who $p0ke e
alive langusge. He remarmbers the yearly Wi rce harvesis, apping rees for
maple sp, setng rap, huniing and fbing v his rande, and he aroma
ofthe herbs and iobacco i grandparents wouk smoka. ALG years od e
‘authories rounded up al he chiren on the rez nd 0ok hem 10 a bosiding
school whose solenlenion was 10 wie out any “savage” stincs withinthes
chidren and fuly indockinala them o white, modem chilzaton. He ran away
8imes and on he S, 10 years ae s coing 0 the school, he was
‘successtul. He riumed o th re bul was diing. Times had aready chinged.
Ho foined the mitary and was dishonorably discharged ale h reused orders
{olsave Japan whero ha had a Japanese wil and young baby. Ho was akan
10 Amarica by force and never made f back 0 Japan befors his wi remarried
and disappeared siong wih thie chd. He ended up in Minneapols bioke and
obles, ol no some ouble and was aled for o and a half years. twas
Jalthi o eleamed al abou hiscuture, his ancestors, the stuggle of s
people, and te ising unrest throughout the word. nspied by the Black
Paniners, tho anwar movement, ihe Stuens or a Democratc Socety, he
Weather and he many olher movermentsof e day who wero
fghting orthe ights o thelr communies, hepulleda fiend aside afe being
leased and said thal there needed 1 be an Amedcan ndan Movement.
Thus, AlM was bom.

“This book s writen in the first person. Banks speaks of his experiences ina
very persanal way that makes it ejoyable o read and hard t put down. He
presents a cose up view of everything that went down during the years AIM was
a strong forc, ighting forthe righs of and prolacting naive tbes al over
America. Ho s of el founding, how the moverent grew e wid fre, how it

‘was the women who were the influence behind much of the action aken
ncluding the occupation of wounded knee, how AIM had 3 spirtual foundation
rooted in racitional ways, the ceremonies fhey praciced such as sweal lodges,
the sun dance, and the ghost dance, how the Trbal Govemment of Pine Ridge
reservation, the FBI and the US Gov. conlinued o belray them, infitrate them,
‘2nd Kl hem, and how all hey basicall wanied was for the US 1o honor the

reaties t mad withthem n the 1 eaties,
oo Lmade wlt B 1800's, specifcal dealing wih land

‘There is much tragety intis book but aiso e, e worth celebrating.