[microsound] [OT] Steve Kurtz/Critical Art Ensemble defense protest [NewYork]

[derek holzer <derek@xxxxxxx>]

OT, but *extremely* important for free speech and the freedom of artists 
working in the field of technology and politics!

See bottom for details about a planned bus from NYC to Buffalo if you 
are a resident of the Big Apple.

On a side note, to the guy who would be "nervous if Steve Kurtz lived 
next door to him": I have been involved with two events in Holland where 
CAE set up their small laboratory. And I haven't contracted Anthrax or 
E.Coli poisoning yet.

One was at the travelling World-Information.org exhibition, where CAE 
set up a greenhouse to grow their reverse-engineered Monsanto 
linseed-oil plants. These plants were developed with the same technology 
which Monsanto uses to produce plants which are immune to their 
"Round-Up"[tm] herbicide, allowing farmers to spray their field with 
even more poisons than usual. CAE's version was extremely sensitive to 
"Round-Up"[tm], and if allowed to cross-pollinate with their cousins, 
would contaminate the strain and render the Monsanto plants useless for 
their intended purpose. The point of the exhibit was not necessarily to 
do so, but rather to show that a bunch of artists with no scientific 
training can educate themselves to become "bio-hackers" and use the same 
technology as the major corperations against them. Demystification and 
discussion was the focus, and not biological blackmail.

The second event was at Next 5 Minutes 4 in Amsterdam. Steve Kurtz and 
others brought their portable laboratory which tested foodstuffs for 
contamination by transgenic materials. In Holland, using genetically 
modified foodstuffs is not legal. However, there is no agency to 
regulate this, so it is unknown how widespread the practice actually is. 
The aim here was to create dialog about genetically modified crops in a 
public and accessible way. Visitors were supposed to bring food from the 
McDonald's or Albert Hein accross the square for testing, and return the 
following day for results. The "laboratory" itself, as has been noted 
many times by now, was hardly more than my high school chemistry class 
had [I daresay my high schoool was much better equipped than CAE!].

d.

***********************************


PRESS RELEASE: June 8, 2004

Contact: organize@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PROTECT US--DONT PROSECUTE US!

SECURE LIBERTY--CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE IS INNOCENT!

CALL FOR DEMONSTRATION AT GRAND JURY HEARINGS IN BUFFALO.

SUPPORT CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE, FREE SPEECH RIGHTS, AND FREEDOM OF KNOWLEDGE.

The committee to organize CAE Defense is calling for a peaceful 
demonstration of support outside the Grand Jury hearings on the case of 
Steve Kurtz (CAE), on June 15th.

WHERE:  Mahoney Federal Court House, Court St. Buffalo, NY

(See map at: www.visitbuffaloniagara.com)

WHEN: 9 AM, June 15, 2004

Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) is a collective of internationally 
recognized artists who work in public, educational, academic and art 
contexts. Most recently their work has been directed towards providing 
the general public with awareness and understanding about biological 
research. The aim of their work is not alarmist or sensational. Through 
participatory performance experiences CAE provides information and 
knowledge. It brings people into contact with the reality of scientific 
research often not accessible to the general public.  The work is always 
undertaken in a safe and considered way, using materials commonly 
available in scientific education and research practices.

The FBI in its efforts to protect the public is now overreaching its 
mandate by using an overwhelming amount of pressure against a group of 
artists making their work for the peaceful purpose of vital public 
discussions.

Artists like CAE stimulate public debate necessary to a healthy democracy.

Our constitution guarantees the right to freedom of speech and our 
government is charged with securing that right.  The job of democracy is 
to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority.  In the United 
States we are not governed by mob rule, nor should government exploit 
its responsibilities to the public by persecuting innocent people. We 
too, as citizens must stand up now to affirm our rights and defend our 
liberty.

This is a peaceful demonstration. Please bring signs and banners. Check 
the website for PDFs of signs and slogans you can print out.

CIRCULATE THIS CALL AS WIDELY AS YOU CAN

PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK THE WEBSITE FREQUENTLY FOR UPDATES ON THE DEMO.

www.caedefensefund.org

A Word About Demonstrations.

As with all demonstrations it is advisable to bring personal 
identification (drivers license, passports, student ids, proof of 
address, etc.) Let someone know where you are going to be. Stick with a 
buddy.

If you can't join the crew on the bus but want to drive yourself.

Driving directions: From Interstate 90 take 33W into downtown all the 
way to the end. It will put you onto Oak St. Continue on Oak for 2 long 
blocks to Broadway. Go right on Broadway which runs right into Court St. 
The first square is Lafayette and then comes Niagara Square. There are 
paid parking lots all around this downtown area. Information on possible 
housing will soon be available on website also.


BRIEF BACKGROUND STORY: To date Steven Barnes and Dorian Burr, founding 
members of CAE, as well as Beatriz da Costa and Paul Vanouse, artists 
who have collaborated with CAE, and artists Adele Henderson and Andrew 
Johnson, have been served with subpoenas to appear before the federal 
Grand Jury that will consider bioterrorism charges against University 
professor Steve Kurtz whose art involves the use of simple biology 
equipment. The subpoenas are the latest installment in a bizarre 
investigation in which members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force have 
mistaken an art project for a biological weapons laboratory (see first 
press release on www.caedefensefund.org). The artists involved are at a 
loss to explain the increasingly bizarre case that shows how vulnerable 
the PATRIOT Act and other post-9/11 security measures have made freedom 
of speech in this country.


According to the subpoenas, the FBI is seeking charges under Section 175 
of the US Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, which has been 
expanded by the USA PATRIOT Act to prohibit the possession of "any 
biological agent, toxin, or delivery system" without the justification 
of "prophylactic, protective, bona fide research, or other peaceful 
purpose."

(See http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/175.html for the 1989 law and

http://www.ehrs.upenn.edu/protocols/patriot/sec817.html for its USA 
PATRIOT Act expansion.) For more detailed information on the nature of CAEs

projects and the biological agents they were working with please see the 
website: www.caedefensefund.org

****************************************


SHARON HAYES    purpleshaze@xxxxxxxxx
VALERIE TEVERE  neurotransmitter@xxxxxxxx

BUS FROM NYC TO BUFFALO for

PROTEST JUNE 15th

Calling for an IMMEDIATE END TO THE INVESTIGATION OF STEVE KURTZ and the 
CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE

PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY TO ANY INTERESTED NYC folks.

Sorry for the cross posting.

A group of artists in NYC are organizing a bus to go to Buffalo in 
support of Steve Kurtz from the Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) who is 
scheduled to appear in front of a Grand Jury in Buffalo on Tuesday June 
15th, 9 AM at the Mahoney Federal Court House, Court St. Buffalo, NY.

Thus far seven subpoenas have been issued to: Adele Henderson, Chair of 
the Art Department at UB; Andrew Johnson, Professor of Art at UB; Paul 
Vanouse, Professor of Art at UB; Beatriz da Costa, Professor of Art at 
UCI; Steven Barnes, FSU; Dorian Burr and Beverly Schlee.

Please see the information about the CAE, the case and the peaceful 
demonstration attached below or visit www.caedefensefund.org.

The plan for the bus from NYC is to leave on the evening of the 14th, 
drive overnight to be there for the 9am hearing and return that same day 
to arrive back in New York City on the 15th at night. EXACT DETAILS TO 
FOLLOW.

We are currently researching commercial bus rentals and the type of bus 
and would like to gauge how many people will be interesting in traveling 
from the NYC area to Buffalo. The cost could run anywhere from $45 - $70 
each based on the amount of travelers and the bus size. If we can get 47 
people, we can keep the cost at $45 and make a strong showing in Buffalo.

If you are interested and would like to take the bus contact us ASAP as 
reservations must be made soon and we have to asses the amount of people 
joining the protest from New York City.

SHARON HAYES    purpleshaze@xxxxxxxxx
VALERIE TEVERE  neurotransmitter@xxxxxxxx

Please pass this request on to your mailing lists as we'd like to bring 
as many people as possible up to Buffalo. It is crucial to have a large 
presence of supporters for Steve Kurtz and the Critical Art Ensemble.

best, Valerie Tevere
and Sharon Hayes




--
derek holzer ::: http://www.umatic.nl
---Oblique Strategy # 83:
"How would someone else do it?"

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