Weekly update: Courageous action to largest coal mine

We had planned to devote this week's email to the Occupy Election activities, but we feel that the brave and powerful action taken this past weekend in southern West Virginia is more important right now. 

If you haven't read Bill McKibben's article in Rolling Stone, "Global Warming's Terrifying New Math," we urge you to do so. It is very clear what must be done to try to prevent the end of our existence on this planet. And in some places, people are taking necessary steps. Earlier this month in the UK, activists closed down 77 Shell gas stations to protest Shell's plans to drill in the Arctic.

 This past weekend, there was a beautiful action taken by 50 courageous people with Radical Action for Mountain People Survival, the type of action that makes real change (click on the photos to see videos). They maintained strong nonviolent discipline in the face of harrassment and circumstances that were physically challenging. In the course of the action, 20 people were arrested and their bail has been set at the outrageous amount of $25,000 each. Now, they need our help and support. 

Please make a donation directly to their legal fund if you can. And spread the word to others. 

The virulent reaction by locals who have been brainwashed by generations of coal propaganda and live in very insecure and frightening financial realities, as well as the extreme bail and abusive police action, show these activists are on the right track. (Click on photo to see video of Dustin Steele, one of those arrested) This action, and the whole series of actions by mountaintop removal opponents, is scaring the power structure.  They recognize that this is all part of the big transformation of our era -- a corrupt power structure of concentrated wealth and big finance capitalism that cares little for the people and the environment but only for their gluttonous profits needs to be replaced by a democratized economy, participatory democracy and a shift of power from concentrated wealth to the people. This is the kind of work that makes real change.

Watch for updates on Occupy the Debates and Occupy the TransPacific Partnership in our next e-alert.  There are lots of updates on our newsfeed that will interest you. It is continually updated. Below, we highlight upcoming actions you can participate in:
August 1st - Action to Stop Grand Jury Repression in the Northwest
August 9th - Global Day of Action to Chalkupy the World
August 27th to 30th - Actions at Republican National Convention: Visit Romneyville, stand with the Postal Workers (both conventions) and shut down Bain Capital.
September 3rd to 6th - Occupy the Democratic Convention, March on Wall Street South
September 17th - One year anniversary of Occupy Wall Street: A Beginning.

In peace and solidarity,
October2011.org/Occupy Washington, DC