The Let Live conference in Portland was fantastic, even better than last year. I was invited to open the conference (which was quite a daunting task, because my talk was followed by vegan soft serve ice cream and karaoke) and talk about building strong communities within the environmental and animal rights movements.

I fully expected folks to show up late just for karaoke, but man, what a great turnout. I was really nervous about this talk, but I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. For those couldn’t make it, there’s vegan ice cream at the end of this video, too. I promise. Really. Just watch it.

Related posts:

1. What’s At Stake With the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act? (Radio Interview)

When I was in Minneapolis, I sat down with a few local Indymedia journalists and Friends of the RNC 8 to talk about the connections between the RNC 8 case (above-ground community organizers facing terrorism charges for organizing mass protests against the Republican National Convention) and the broader Green Scare.

“The government has been starting with animal rights and environmental groups, and they’re broadening that net. They’re bringing more people into it. And they’re doing that by going after other marginal groups, other so-called radical groups. In this case it was people that they’re smearing as anarchists.”

Related posts:

1. Vermont Law Review Article on “Eco-Terrorism” and the Green Scare

Thanks to Matt for posting this video clip of me speaking at a benefit for Green Scare prisoners in New York City. (Sorry for the audio quality but it was just really loud in there.)

In this clip I touch very briefly on Communications Management Units, which are high-security facilities that severely restrict inmate communications with the outside world. The government has moved some “eco-terrorist” prisoners to these facilities. Andy Stepanian, one of the SHAC 7, was recently released from a CMU, and Daniel McGowan is currently housed in one. Expect to see much more on these secretive facilities here in the coming months.

Related posts:

1. Animal Rights Activist Jailed at Secretive Prison Gives First Account of Life Inside “CMU”
2. Communication Management Units on Democracy Now, Will Potter Interviewed

Thanks to Mike for posting this video of my talk at the University of Washington Law School, about legal issues facing activists and attorneys. (You can also check out footage of the presentations by Lauren Regan and Shannon Keith).

I haven’t really explored using YouTube or posting video. For one thing, that jerk Harry Potter totally dominates YouTube search results: a search for “Will Potter” picks up a Harry Potter puppet show, among other clips. Plus, public speaking can be embarrassing enough, but to have it floating around on the Internet? Geez. I feel so exposed. The real question, though, is: Is it effective?

What do you think? Should GreenIsTheNewRed post more video footage of speaking events? What about interviews with activists or attorneys? We need your suggestions…

Related posts:

1. How to Build Stronger Communities in Response to Government Repression