I am not sure what is going on here. I guess this message speaks for itself.
JBK
Miranda Miller miranda.rae.miller@gmail.com 1/2/2011 12:49 PM
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Laura Steepleton lnsteep@gmail.com Date: Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 4:12 PM Subject: Climate Ground Zero Direct Action in West Virginia To: Virginiagraf@aol.com, rmeads@shepherd.edu, ssoltow@gmail.com, rglenn51989@gmail.com, ktreve01@shepherd.edu, lynwidmyer@gmail.com, tkthorson@comcast.net, pwaitster@gmail.com, smorrick@aol.com, rh1936@frontier.com, jan.hafer@gallaudet.edu, Brent@potomacriverkeeper.org, Rkphillipsjr@yahoo.com, bethraps@earthlink.net, wind.dance@earthlink.net, glnelson@hughes.net, dccates@gmail.com, info@sleepycreekwatershedassociation.org, goldfairy39@gmail.com, mike@mtvsolar.com, robinmills4@yahoo.com, russell@morgancountyusa.org, Ronald Wilson ronwwilson1@yahoo.com, irongate12@aol.com, bluheron7@netscape.com, blueheron7@netscape.com, rainbowjams@yahoo.com, angelbemer@yahoo.com, carolwv08 Carolwv08@suddenlink.net, cmathews@shepherd.edu, Carly Queen queenc@nwf.org, Brittany Harthan < britharthan@yahoo.com>, Brannon Jones jones.brannon@gmail.com, briant@pshift.com, Buckey Boone buckey@svlas.org, Collin Jones < jollincones@gmail.com>, Jane Laura Doyle janelauradoyle@gmail.com, elisayoung@meigscan.org, firefly19 firefly19@bellsouth.net, Kara French < sprinklesomesunshine@yahoo.com>, "Rachel F." earthactionteam@gmail.com, benard fiorillo bfiorillo@gmail.com, forestmongrel@gmail.com, LJ VANISH < moviemaniac7303@hotmail.com>, Miranda Miller miranda.rae.miller@gmail.com, "Nathan W. Joseph" njoseph@uvm.edu, Nativa Kesecker < lovinthedrumin@yahoo.com>, nickelpickle@hotmail.com, northernrockiesrisingtide@gmail.com, gladysann tinymite01@bellsouth.net, steve steves1952@gmail.com, sarahlu1983@yahoo.com, Sarah.McManus@ncf.edu, bo webb webb.bo@gmail.com, Angela Wiley wileya120@gmail.com, Trevor Swan trevorswan3@gmail.com
It is with great sadness and regret that we must inform you that the vast majority of the activists with Climate Ground Zero have decided to separate from the CGZ name and Mike Roselle. At this point, the only people still affiliated with CGZ at its base camp in Rock Creek are Mike Roselle, Robert “Dr. Bob” Slusarenko, and Tom Smyth. Many of you are aware that the environment on the Ford Addition, CGZ’s base of operations, has become an unhealthy space that is difficult, if not impossible, to operate a successful campaign in.
We have spent year attempting to create a healthier and more supportive working environment by confronting a variety of destructive behaviors, including alcoholism, violence and other abusive actions. Unfortunately, Mike Roselle has attempted to block this process and make unilateral decisions about our communal living and working space. Mike responded to our attempt to eject an abusive person from our community by cutting off all future funding for the action campaign. We cannot run a successful campaign of autonomous direct action against MTR under these conditions. Due to the fact that Climate Ground Zero is set up fiscally as a for-profit consulting business of Mike’s, with sole control of the finances resting in his hands, we must make a break with the CGZ name and identity completely in order to rebuild a healthy and successful campaign.
We remain steadfastly committed to using sustained and direct, nonviolent interventions and general civil resistance tactics as one piece of a large tactical puzzle to defend the land and people. We see this separation as necessary to continue our work to abolish strip mining. We also remain committed to battling Massey Energy in civil court as we defend ourselves against their specious Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.
We’re actively looking for a place in the Coal River Valley to which we can relocate the action campaign and for funders to support continued direct action in southern West Virginia. We are currently in the process of setting up alternative financial infrastructure. For the moment, anyone interested in lending support to the action campaign is encouraged to contact us at: wvdirectaction@gmail.com. When we have new infrastructure set up, we will send an announcement with all the pertinent information.
More than ever, we need our friends and allies to support us as we continue to improve and strengthen the campaign of active resistance in the West Virginia coalfields. Too much time and energy has been lost to dealing with the internal problems at Climate Ground Zero. We greatly look forward to rebuilding a campaign that provides the healthy and supportive environment necessary to most effectively contribute to a vibrant and diverse movement against strip mining in Appalachia. Thank you all for your support over the last two years. We are all proud of what we have done and the work we will continue to do.
For the mountains,
Mathew Louis-Rosenberg, Annie Jane Cotten, Kim Ellis, David Baghdadi, Charles Suggs, Laura Steepleton, Bridgette O’Brien, Grumble, Glen Collins, Maureen Farrell, Laura von Dohlen, Dea Goblirsch, Dave German, Ivan, Andrew Munn