ABC - ATF: Alpha-Beth Gestapo
After inadvertently photographing an Alabama Alcohol Control undercover agent, Jackie Betz, a Rainbow participant, is arrested. ABC agents Mike Reese, Mike Jones and "Bob" drive Betz to a barn in a wooded area near the Talladega '93 Gathering. She is emotionally harassed, has male agents threaten to strip search her. One agent lifts her dress, exposing Betz to other male agents in the Game Warden barn. In the Cleburne Jail in Heflin, Ala., Betz is charged with obstructing governmental operations and has $500 bond set. Betz has returned to the Gathering. Civil action against the three ABC agents is pending.
This episode took place on 6/24/93, following claims by Little Hawk that he was taken by ABC agents and a gun placed to his head, whereupon he was warned that he'd better not cause any more trouble.
The word from Alabama is that the locals love usQ we're getting good pressQ and we're under government harassment. (At one point agents came in wearing bulletproof vests, in black uniforms with the trigger-finger cut out of their gloves.) Drive legal and follow all the rules.
Little White Owl
P.S. cancel the second phone number for the Birmingham office; 205/933-6012 is the only working number there through July 1, when it will be changed to one in Heflin.
ANNOUNCEMENT
A Celebration of Life
Stand Your GroundQ It's the Right Thing to Do!
July 14-27, DeSoto National Forest, south of Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Q a political and environmental statement to reclaim the National Forests as our lands without "Special Use Permits," exercising our First Amendment Right to peaceable assembly
Q a weekend concert/campout with constant music each weekend from Friday p.m. to Sunday p.m., 14 days of artistic, cultural & environmental events and workshops (bring yours & come!)
Q free & voluntary Q music will be recorded & used to benefit Rural Alliance for Military Accountability (equipment needed) Q performers, environmental groups, etc. contact Tony at 205/933-6012
Why?
1. to bring attention to the mis-management and abuse of National Forest lands by the Forest Service and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
2. to stop the F.S. from issuing the Special Use Permit requested by Camp Shelby to establish an additional 33,000 acres in DeSoto Forest as a military training area
3. to seed the idea of folks again beginning to use their N.F. lands without permits
4. to formulate an active tribal clan in the Alabama/Mississippi area
This is not a Rainbow event Q Rainbow resources needed!