I'm really pissed off and the only thing I can do is write about it, so here goes. This is more stuff about my arrest, specifically my co-arrestees, many of whom are assholes. What I'm noding here is a couple of email messages. I'm kind of paranoid about noding this, but it's a lot more likely that the arrestees mailing list is monitored than that Everything is.
The first one is from me:
This is just a note about behavior I saw in the courtroom at Monday's
arraignment. I appreciate that people want to show support, but I've got to
say this:
BEING DISRUPTIVE IN THE COURTROOM ONLY MAKES IT WORSE.
The judicial system has a stereotype that they want to fit you into, and
when you go into the courtroom and go out of your way to show disrespect,
you aren't helping anyone except the prosecution. One of the best things
you can do if you want to support is to display that you are not what they
expect and that you can comport yourself with dignity. When you disrupt the
proceedings, you demonstrate that you don't understand the gravity of the
situation, you don't understand the process, and that being disruptive is
more important to you than the people you're ostensibly there to support.
Please. Support is great, but if you can't behave in a mature fashion,
please don't come.
And then I got two responses. The first had some points that were good, but not well-thought out. I haven't touched the writers' formatting; the errors are theirs:
we make noise in court because it's fun. because if
we're gonna be forced into this legal system we're at
least not gonna be bored by it. because it's a way to
reclaim that space in some little way. because they
don't let us have voices in court so we're gonna make
noise anyway.
the people we are there to support is ourselves and
our friends. all the people being disruptive are
people who were arrested and are in court either for
their own court dates or for their friends. we drag
our asses out of bed at 7.00 am to be at court to show
support for our friends. and we refuse to sit there
silently out of fear. we never do it when the judge is
in the courtroom so we don't have to worry that he'll
think badly of us (i think the whole
anarchist/riot/assaulting police thing has already
ruined our image). and we're not gonna be charged with
contempt of court, they just kick us out. and it's not
just people who are trying to be disruptive, i was
sick and coughing and they kicked me out for that. if
we're gonna have to spend hours in court we're at
least gonna laugh through it...we can't let them kill
our spirits no matter what they do to us.
The second message is less well-structured:
In response to my courtroom behaviour:
I don't respect the courts of this country. I don't
respect the laws of this country. I don't respect this
country at all. I'm not going to kiss the judge's ass,
nor the prosecutor. The only reason why I'm even going
to court is because my collectives bail money is at
stake. If I could take a shit in the middle of the
court room and throw it a the judge's head, and get
away with it, I would do it without hesitation. If we
are in court we mine as well show how much of a farce
this judicial system is. I don't take the courts
seriously, at all. I realize (And I'm sure we all do)
what kind of impact the courts can have on our two
comrades in jail. Keep in mind we are not in the same
court room, or even case that Ruckus, and Jaavy are
in. Javy pled guilty and is going through immigration
courts right now. Ruckus is in felony court. I have 8
hours of video tape from evidence, and it shows
nothing at all but police brutality. Things are
looking good so don't worry to much. I will not act
mature (nor will I ever grow up!), I'm going to act
like a child. There is no such thing as acting grown
up, only acting in the normal responsible way that the
system has set up society to act. I will not be told
that I have to dress or act like some middle class
chump to get repect. Stay wild, stay crazy, scream
like your on a roller coaster, cos that is what your
life is. Long live anarchy! Long live the
insurrection! And long live court room outbursts!
It was signed "in solidarity".
And my reply:
However anyone feels about the court, you're missing the point that court officials don't see your disruption as commentary on the flaws of the system; they see it as a sign that everyone there is too stupid and to behave for half an hour, and that they don't care about what happens to the defendants. You can behave any way you want to at your court dates; I'm asking that you don't disrupt mine - it's not okay with me.
(To the first writer), your point about the bad image of everyone arrested is good, but you don't take it far enough; going to court can be an opportunity to contradict that image, and showing the courts that you are not what they expect can be very effective.
My request remains: If you're going to a court date to show support, great. If you're going to be disruptive, then please don't go unless you've cleared it with *ALL* the defendants.
I know that I should have dropped the subject, but I was angry and didn't stop to realize that they're not going to listen, and that it might make things worse.
And they wonder why anarchists have such a bad image...