Youth Activists Attacked by Hometown Newspaper

The Peoples Revolutionary Organization (PRO) have been attacked by the Argus-Courier. PRO is responsible for the Petaluma Food Not Bombs which happens every Monday at 10am at the corner of Howard and Washington, a popular gathering place for day laborers. PRO also organized 31 days of consecutive political and social actions in July. These are the kind of youth we should hold up as positive examples, that the Argus-Courier has decided to cynically attack them is shameful and reminiscent of COINTELPRO. Undoubtablely this editorial will be used as an excuse by law enforcement to surveil and harass members of PRO and their friends. I encourage anyone outraged by this editorial to write to the Argus-Courier at these e-mail addresses:

csamson [at] arguscourier.com (letters to the editor, Managing Editor News: Chris Samson)
jburns [at] arguscourier.com (Publisher: John Burns)

You can also call Chris Samson directly at 776-8458

a full list of contact information is available here: http://www1.arguscourier.com/static/contact.html

and now the main event from: http://www1.arguscourier.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060823/OPINION01/60822029


Vandals’ motives include hate, political animosity


Police, community members must act together to control problem

Published: Wednesday, Aug 23, 2006

Since summer debuted in Petaluma two months ago, the community has been gripped by an increase in vandalism often described as senseless. Residents and business owners scratch their heads wondering why anyone would maliciously destroy others’ property with no apparent provocation. It just doesn’t make any sense.

Now, it seems, we’ve learned that at least some of the vandalism that’s occurred in Petaluma this summer was far more directed, and less random, than previously thought. Some of Petaluma’s vandalism apparently has its roots in prejudice, hatred and political animosity.

The 16-year-old boy who was arrested last week for smashing five historic stained glass windows and tossing a crudely made fire bomb into St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on June 13 apparently did so because he hates the church, according to police.

Though equally lamentable, this is quite a different situation than the angry drunk who knocked over planters, ripped out plants and turned over garbage cans in the downtown area the same week in June. One was thoughtless destruction, the other a specific and premeditated act intended to hurt a single institution and the people associated with it.

And it may be a similar kind of hatred, or twisted political animus, that led some people to go on a graffiti rampage one Sunday night at the end of July by spray painting anti-capitalism slogans on several homes, vehicles and personal property in two separate Petaluma neighborhoods.

The people responsible for the mess probably thought they were striking back at “the man,” but instead they wound up destroying property belonging to 12 innocent Petaluma families.

It may be a coincidence, but it was only one week earlier that the Petaluma-based People’s Revolutionary Organization presented “Pirates of Propaganda,” a workshop in which people were given pointers on political graffiti. Organizers advised would-be taggers to go out “in groups,” have a “lookout” and, “For best results, go out on Sunday nights — when fewest pedestrians are out, especially before 1 a.m. and after 3 a.m. Wear an orange safety vest and hard hat and you won’t be suspected.”

We don’t know whether any of the young people associated with the anarchist-leaning PRO participated in the graffiti rampage at the end of July, but we do know that those responsible committed crimes against others and need to be brought to justice. Rather than make a political statement, these people set out to destroy other people’s property. With the myriad of legitimate ways for people of all ages to effectively express themselves in person, electronically or in print, committing vandalism can hardly be justified under any circumstance. Nor can it be confused with legitimate forms of civil disobedience.

No matter what the motive, vandalism is an assault not only on property owners, but on all of us who strive to make this community a peaceful and just place to call home.

We applaud the Petaluma Police for taking effective steps to stop vandalism in Petaluma this summer, and continue to encourage those who witness acts of vandalism to report them immediately. The problem will only continue if we do nothing to stop it.