This website launched back in February 2010 with a run down of Vegan Superfriends #2 a fundraiser for the AETA 4. It seems wild now that everything that has happened on this site has happened since the last Vegan Superfriends. For the uninitiated, Vegan Supefriends follows a pretty standard format, they are all day vegan fundraisers here in St. Catharines that try to bridge community building, prisoner support, grassroots support and critical thinking. I have this thing about subversive humor being able to break down preconceived ideas about animal liberation and veganism and centering on vintage photos of the Superfriends series made a lot of sense, not in the “we are all superheros” kind of way, but in the, “fuck, if only Superman was vegan” kind of way. (Fun fact: Josh Harper’s email signature reads: “Sometimes, I wish there was a real Batman.” Spoken by Kevin Jonas shortly after watching Batman Begins.) Nothing has really changed with the format because I still believe all of the things listed above are still necessary. This time around though, we have shaken things up a little bit.

I missed the SHAC generation as well as the case itself. I was too young and then stuck in a drugged out-hate the world-do nothing about it phase. By the time I had a good handle on the case and the people involved I was already trying to drum up support for the AETA 4 case and as a result of that met a lot of people that would eventually put me in touch with some of the SHAC folks, Will Potter, Anthony Nocella, Joseph Buddenberg, etc. Out of that came my first interview with Josh (I think there have been four now) and a deep respect for not just Josh but everyone involved in the case. There is still a bewilderment of how that case actually went down. How the fuck did so many people get dragged through hell over a website?

Since I wasn’t around to support the case when it originally happened, I’ve always felt like I should do something to support those involved as they carry on with their lives. Although all of the defendants will be transitioning for the rest of their lives and deserve support, two people and two projects really stood out as needing support.

Andy Stepanian’s, Sparrow Project, was something I admired for a long time before we got in contact. Andy still had the passion that drove him, even after spending time in a Communication Management Unit (CMU). The things he was working on were all amazing projects that took on some of the most disheartening issues (Palestine, Haiti, Uganda, Repression, Racism, etc) and met them with action and critical reflection. Andy’s outspokenness around his own experience in Communication Management Unit’s has also helped blow the cover off of what has been termed “Guantanamo North,” secretive prisons-within-prisons. Aside from all of the great work Andy has done with the site and the project, he has also been a huge help for us. We sat on the idea of a Gorilla Biscuits-esque design for over a year with no real contacts for the band (it was important for us to get band approval.) Andy stepped up as he is close friends with Arthur Smilios and the rest is history. That contact has helped raise close to $700 for the Storybook Farm Primate Sanctuary.

Explaining Josh and Conflict Gypsy is a bit harder for me. I get myself into a lot of trouble for criticizing hero worship in the animal rights movement, but if I am going to be honest Josh holds special status for me. He is unrelenting and has that bang on mix of sarcasm and cynicism. An endless stream of stories, Josh is pure gold for any history nerd. For a movement that is so transient and drop out prone, his insight is like kryptonite for just about any person or theorist who thinks they have this puzzle solved. Since it’s idea stage, I have been one of the largest supporters of Josh’s project to chronicle the radical earth and animal liberation movements print history online (for free, fuck you capitalists!) I cannot think of a better resource that currently exists online and playing a small role in that project has been amazing.

These are two people who have faced a lot of unwarranted repression, but haven’t let that slow them down. Both of them will carry a stigma with them for the rest of their lives and it is important as a movement that we recognize that prisoner support does not end upon release. If you can’t make it out for the event on September 24th in St. Catharines (you really should – it will be worth traveling/ditching other plans for), I really hope you consider donating money and buying tickets for our Ultimate Online Raffle Package. $10 gets you a ticket. The more money you donate, the more tickets. The prize package is growing, but currently includes:

Bold Native DVD
Conflict Gypsy Magnet Set
Copy of the South East Liberators #1
Vintage ALF Support Group Stickers
Sparrow Project T-Shirt
Vegan Police T-Shirt
Signed Copy of “Green is the New Red: An Insider’s Account of a Social Movement Under Siege” – Will Potter
Secret Society of Vegans T-Shirt
$20 Herbivore Gift Certificate

If you are into Animal Liberation, this is one of the best online raffle prize packages ever (and we are not done). You can buy tickets by getting in touch with us at theveganpoliceradio@gmail.com. Humongous thank you to all of our raffle donors, Herbivore Clothing, Vegans Love Lava, Vegan to a Tee, Will Potter, Denis and Open Road Films. If anyone else would like to get on board and offer up a raffle prize, either online or at the fundraiser, please get in touch at the email above! For everyone else, I will see you on the Saturday! You can follow updates for the schedule at the facebook event page, or check back on this post.

xo,
Dylan

Also, huge thank you to our favorite drawist, Matt Gauck, for this dope as heck poster!