Fascism, Ashcroft's World. Coming to a town near you, any time.
Quote:
May 25, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FBI ABDUCTS ARTIST, SEIZES ART
Feds Unable to Distinguish Art from Bioterrorism
Grieving Artist Denied Access to Deceased Wife's Body
DEFENSE FUND ESTABLISHED - HELP URGENTLY NEEDED
Steve Kurtz was already suffering from one tragedy when he called 911 early in the morning to tell them his wife had suffered a cardiac arrest and died in her sleep. The police arrived and, cranked up on the rhetoric of the "War on Terror," decided Kurtz's art supplies were actually bioterrorism weapons.
Thus began an Orwellian stream of events in which FBI agents abducted Kurtz without charges, sealed off his entire block, and confiscated his computers, manuscripts, art supplies... and even his wife's body.
Like the case of Brandon Mayfield, the Muslim lawyer from Portland imprisoned for two weeks on the flimsiest of false evidence, Kurtz's case amply demonstrates the dangers posed by the USA PATRIOT Act coupled with government-nurtured terrorism hysteria.
Kurtz's case is ongoing, and, on top of everything else, Kurtz is
Steve Kurtz is Associate Professor in the Department of Art at the
State University of New York's University at Buffalo, and a member of the internationally-acclaimed Critical Art Ensemble.
Kurtz's wife, Hope Kurtz, died in her sleep of cardiac arrest in the
early morning hours of May 11. Police arrived, became suspicious of Kurtz's art supplies and called the FBI.
Within hours, FBI agents had "detained" Kurtz as a suspected
bioterrorist and cordoned off the entire block around his house. (Kurtz walked away the next day on the advice of a lawyer, his "detention" having proved tobe illegal.) Over the next few days, dozens of agents in hazmat suits, from a number of law enforcement agencies, sifted through Kurtz's work, analyzing
it on-site and impounding computers, manuscripts, books, equipment, and even his wife's body for further analysis. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Health Department condemned his house as a health risk.
Kurtz, a member of the Critical Art Ensemble, makes art which
addresses the politics of biotechnology. "Free Range Grains," CAE's latest project, included a mobile DNA extraction laboratory for testing food products for possible transgenic contamination. It was this equipment which triggered the Kafkaesque chain of events.
FBI field and laboratory tests have shown that Kurtz's equipment was not used for any illegal purpose. In fact, it is not even _possible_ to use this equipment for the production or weaponization of dangerous germs. Furthermore, any person in the US may legally obtain and possess such equipment.
"Today, there is no legal way to stop huge corporations from putting genetically altered material in our food," said Defense Fund
spokeswoman Carla Mendes. "Yet owning the equipment required to test for the presence of 'Frankenfood' will get you accused of 'terrorism.' You can be illegally detained by shadowy government agents, lose access to your home, work, and belongings, and find that your recently deceased spouse's body has been taken away for 'analysis.'"
Though Kurtz has finally been able to return to his home and recover hiswife's body, the FBI has still not returned any of his equipment, computers or manuscripts, nor given any indication of when they will. The case remains open.
All I can say is I hope Prof. Kurtz sues these FBI assholes for ever single @#$%ing dollar he can get.
Fascism, Ashcroft's World. Coming to a town near you, any time.
All I can say is I hope Prof. Kurtz sues these FBI assholes for ever single @#$%ing dollar he can get.
I happen to know that artist very well.
[EDIT: removed at the request of my conscience] Part of his art (CAE) is to 'tinker' with genetic modification, and rumors abound -some started by him whispered in my ear!! it has nothing to do with the ME or that sort of thing . . . he is rabidly anti-Monsanto and it would have to do with their genetic manipulations . . but even so it was probably something to do with one of his art pieces which DOES involve genetic manipulation: of people's DNA and beer !!! --completely harmless
I also must admit, and this is like a shot in the foot to say this in the art-world, I don't exactly feel ultra-cozzy about his 'revolutionary' politics: he yelled repeatedly at a party about the need for 'Revolution' (I don't disagree when it comes to Bush and Co, but, he meant in a proto-situationist, cast-off-your-chains sort of way: you know re-educate the people): though his heart always seems to be in the right place. . . and I could never ever imagine him hurting anybody . . . never!!
He is a super-great guy, super sweet and generous, he drinks more than even I used to, smokes a ton and is very very very elloquent and very smart. He is also a great teacher . . . bringing tough concepts into clarity and situating them perfectly.
I'll donate to his cause . . . .
BTW: check out his books . . . anything written by The Critical Art Ensemble is written by him.
The GA state of emergency went into affect on Monday, May 24 and runs through June 20, 2004. Though a few permits were recently issued for G-8 demonstrations they could be revoked under the state of emergency, thus creating a situation where all assemblies are declared unlawful. In addition, the state of emergency could allow for:
*\tMartial rule to be declared
*\tCurfews to be imposed
*\tMilitary units to "guard" the streets
*\tDetention and arrest of demonstrators until the "emergency" is over
*\tEscalation of use of force with limited accountability
Gov. Perdue: yet another tinhorn jackbooted thug for corporate power and excess. Scumbag.
The worst and scariest part of all this kind of stuff, is that so many people innocently and trustingly believe it's all for our benefit. Talk about lambs to the slaughter, or lemmings over the cliffs. And supporters of these trends hold the ace card: they can label doubters "paranoid" or "donners of tinfoil hats". And those labels stick.
No apologies for my cynicism: human nature, being what it is, does not allow for benevolence from powerbrokers any more than, say, a viable version of communism.
Comments
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2...tml#1085354422
May 25, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FBI ABDUCTS ARTIST, SEIZES ART
Feds Unable to Distinguish Art from Bioterrorism
Grieving Artist Denied Access to Deceased Wife's Body
DEFENSE FUND ESTABLISHED - HELP URGENTLY NEEDED
Steve Kurtz was already suffering from one tragedy when he called 911 early in the morning to tell them his wife had suffered a cardiac arrest and died in her sleep. The police arrived and, cranked up on the rhetoric of the "War on Terror," decided Kurtz's art supplies were actually bioterrorism weapons.
Thus began an Orwellian stream of events in which FBI agents abducted Kurtz without charges, sealed off his entire block, and confiscated his computers, manuscripts, art supplies... and even his wife's body.
Like the case of Brandon Mayfield, the Muslim lawyer from Portland imprisoned for two weeks on the flimsiest of false evidence, Kurtz's case amply demonstrates the dangers posed by the USA PATRIOT Act coupled with government-nurtured terrorism hysteria.
Kurtz's case is ongoing, and, on top of everything else, Kurtz is
facing a mountain of legal fees. Donations to his legal defense can be made at http://www.rtmark.com/CAEdefense/
FEAR RUN AMOK
Steve Kurtz is Associate Professor in the Department of Art at the
State University of New York's University at Buffalo, and a member of the internationally-acclaimed Critical Art Ensemble.
Kurtz's wife, Hope Kurtz, died in her sleep of cardiac arrest in the
early morning hours of May 11. Police arrived, became suspicious of Kurtz's art supplies and called the FBI.
Within hours, FBI agents had "detained" Kurtz as a suspected
bioterrorist and cordoned off the entire block around his house. (Kurtz walked away the next day on the advice of a lawyer, his "detention" having proved tobe illegal.) Over the next few days, dozens of agents in hazmat suits, from a number of law enforcement agencies, sifted through Kurtz's work, analyzing
it on-site and impounding computers, manuscripts, books, equipment, and even his wife's body for further analysis. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Health Department condemned his house as a health risk.
Kurtz, a member of the Critical Art Ensemble, makes art which
addresses the politics of biotechnology. "Free Range Grains," CAE's latest project, included a mobile DNA extraction laboratory for testing food products for possible transgenic contamination. It was this equipment which triggered the Kafkaesque chain of events.
FBI field and laboratory tests have shown that Kurtz's equipment was not used for any illegal purpose. In fact, it is not even _possible_ to use this equipment for the production or weaponization of dangerous germs. Furthermore, any person in the US may legally obtain and possess such equipment.
"Today, there is no legal way to stop huge corporations from putting genetically altered material in our food," said Defense Fund
spokeswoman Carla Mendes. "Yet owning the equipment required to test for the presence of 'Frankenfood' will get you accused of 'terrorism.' You can be illegally detained by shadowy government agents, lose access to your home, work, and belongings, and find that your recently deceased spouse's body has been taken away for 'analysis.'"
Though Kurtz has finally been able to return to his home and recover hiswife's body, the FBI has still not returned any of his equipment, computers or manuscripts, nor given any indication of when they will. The case remains open.
All I can say is I hope Prof. Kurtz sues these FBI assholes for ever single @#$%ing dollar he can get.
Originally posted by sammi jo
Fascism, Ashcroft's World. Coming to a town near you, any time.
All I can say is I hope Prof. Kurtz sues these FBI assholes for ever single @#$%ing dollar he can get.
I happen to know that artist very well.
[EDIT: removed at the request of my conscience] Part of his art (CAE) is to 'tinker' with genetic modification, and rumors abound -some started by him whispered in my ear!! it has nothing to do with the ME or that sort of thing . . . he is rabidly anti-Monsanto and it would have to do with their genetic manipulations . . but even so it was probably something to do with one of his art pieces which DOES involve genetic manipulation: of people's DNA and beer !!! --completely harmless
I also must admit, and this is like a shot in the foot to say this in the art-world, I don't exactly feel ultra-cozzy about his 'revolutionary' politics: he yelled repeatedly at a party about the need for 'Revolution' (I don't disagree when it comes to Bush and Co, but, he meant in a proto-situationist, cast-off-your-chains sort of way: you know re-educate the people): though his heart always seems to be in the right place. . . and I could never ever imagine him hurting anybody . . . never!!
He is a super-great guy, super sweet and generous, he drinks more than even I used to, smokes a ton and is very very very elloquent and very smart. He is also a great teacher . . . bringing tough concepts into clarity and situating them perfectly.
I'll donate to his cause . . . .
BTW: check out his books . . . anything written by The Critical Art Ensemble is written by him.
why were they in his refridge?
. . . who knows . . .he knows that he has been watched for a long time . . they were probably waiting for an opportunity
and yes it is scary
http://www.gov.state.ga.us/ExOrders/05_07_04_01.pdf
The GA state of emergency went into affect on Monday, May 24 and runs through June 20, 2004. Though a few permits were recently issued for G-8 demonstrations they could be revoked under the state of emergency, thus creating a situation where all assemblies are declared unlawful. In addition, the state of emergency could allow for:
*\tMartial rule to be declared
*\tCurfews to be imposed
*\tMilitary units to "guard" the streets
*\tDetention and arrest of demonstrators until the "emergency" is over
*\tEscalation of use of force with limited accountability
Gov. Perdue: yet another tinhorn jackbooted thug for corporate power and excess. Scumbag.
Fascism USA, 2004.
and
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/k...20040612.shtml
The worst and scariest part of all this kind of stuff, is that so many people innocently and trustingly believe it's all for our benefit. Talk about lambs to the slaughter, or lemmings over the cliffs. And supporters of these trends hold the ace card: they can label doubters "paranoid" or "donners of tinfoil hats". And those labels stick.
No apologies for my cynicism: human nature, being what it is, does not allow for benevolence from powerbrokers any more than, say, a viable version of communism.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...adlines-nation
yikes.