Report Back from Eric McDavid Support Tour

For more info on Eric's case, go here.

Eric McDavid Tour Reportback
By Jenny

Real communication can only happen when we’re face-to-face with people. When we can look them in the eyes as they nod their heads in understanding, or answer their questions when they raise their brows in confusion, when we can share our stories and our energy and our love. And so for a month we carried Eric’s story, which is our story too, to people on the West Coast. In comparison to last summer’s tour—which carried us all the way across the country—the limited geographical focus somehow lulled us into believing that this would be easy. But how could eight people (including a 3-year-old) and a dog, packed like sardines onto a short bus, ever be easy? We certainly had our work cut out for us.

The tour itself was fairly simple—we would travel up and down the coast, to whoever would have us, talk about Eric and his case. The presentation consisted of a fairly lengthy, in-depth look at the creation of Eric’s case (by the government and their undercover informant, “Anna”), his time in Sacramento County Main Jail, his trial and his sentencing. The second half of the presentation was more focused on infiltration and government informants, as well as some information on the use of entrapment and conspiracy law (as applied in Eric’s case specifically). We also spent a bit of time talking about some of the other Green Scare cases and government repression in general. After the presentation, which admittedly could leave one feeling a bit heavy, we brought in the folks that would lift our spirits and leave us feeling rejuvenated and energized. Two bands—Nora & Gnoll and Spokepants of the Flowering Skillet—came along to inject some fiery musical catharsis into each one of our stops. And much to our delight, we were often joined by local musicians as well.

This tour sprang from our desire to share Eric’s story with people, to communicate what it has been like for him and his loved ones and to give people a more complete understanding of his struggle. This seemed important for a number of different reasons. Obviously, we wanted to grow support for Eric—but we also wanted to share some of the information we have learned during the last three-and-a-half years. We wanted to educate people about government repression and informants. We were anxious to talk about the Green Scare and the wider implications of Eric’s case. Our wish was for the tour to serve as a beginning for a much broader conversation—a conversation that we all must have with ourselves and in each and every one of our communities. We have seen the kinds of things the government is capable of—it seems they will stop at nothing to destroy our connections with each other and with our world. In sharing our stories and having these conversations we can better prepare ourselves for the future, and we can strengthen the connections we have now so as to better support each other.

Our goal was not to instill fear—which would be easy to do—but to hand people some tools so they could do more effective work in their own communities. When we cower in fear—of the state or of each other—then we’ve already begun to lose. Only in standing up do we find our true selves, our courage and strength and love for each other, and our integrity.

In comparison to the tour last summer, this trip was far less lucrative (in strictly monetary terms). In fact, we were not even able to cover costs this time around (last time we came back with over $1000 for Eric’s support fund), and all of us are now facing significant financial strain. Perhaps this should not have been as surprising as it was, given the somewhat meager response to our announcements about the tour. Last summer we were inundated with requests from places all across the country (and even some internationally)—so many, in fact, that we had to start turning people down. Our experience this summer was drastically different—we had to actively seek out hosts in places we had been sure would contact us without any prodding. To be fair, we realize that currently a lot of folks are actively engaged in struggles of their own. With the recent repression stemming from the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), to the forest defense campaigns all along the coast and more—people are probably (hopefully...) pouring resources and energy into other projects right now. Yet we also want to make sure that people remember the folks who are still struggling from behind bars. Eric was arrested over three-and-a-half years ago and has been in a cage ever since. The outpouring of support he has received since then has been amazing—but there has certainly been a marked decline in tangible support efforts. We hope this is not an indication folks’ ability to be in it for the long-haul.
In evaluating past experiences, it always seems pertinent to ask the question—how could we do this better the next time around? Please tell us! (tour@supporteric.org)

In fact, that is probably the first thing we would fix—providing for some sort of direct feedback mechanism. If you saw the presentation and have ideas on what we could improve, what you would like to see more of or less of, or just general thoughts and impressions, please share them with us. Although logistics were already incredibly complicated (there were eight of us), it would have been wonderful if we had been able to spend a bit more time in each place. We could have used that time to learn about other campaigns and projects, and to brainstorm with folks about how to build stronger support networks.

We also wish we had been able to devote more time to reminding people of the historical context of this kind of repression. We tried to address this in the presentation, but with limited time it was not given its due. This is not anything new—it has been happening for a long time and is part of a very clear, calculated agenda. It has been the purpose of the FBI, since its inception, to crush dissent and resistance in all its forms. The FBI is only the logical extension of the state, which seeks to protect its interests at all costs. Folks involved in the Black Panther Party, AIM, Puerto Rican Resistance, etc. have far too much experience dealing with these kinds of government tactics. We need to work on building our connections with these communities and movements. We need to learn from each other, and we need to remember that our struggles are not separate, but part of a broader struggle for liberation.
Overall, the tour was a rewarding endeavor. We saw a lot of discussions focused on the Green Scare, the AETA, and prisoner support issues. These conversations are vital, and we were glad to be a part of them. But we must all remember that, in the end, our talk means nothing if we don’t follow it with action. Making prisoner support a more integral part of our movements is an incredibly important part of this. Many of us have been wounded and scarred these last few years—we’ve had our friends and loved ones ripped away from us and thrown in prison. We’ve had people we once knew and trusted betray us—betray themselves. But we are not defeated. And neither are our loved ones who are serving time. It is absolutely necessary that we do everything in our power to make sure that folks are not forgotten—that they are cared for and supported in their continuing struggles. One of prison’s main functions is to separate and isolate those on the inside from those on the outside. To make them feel as if they are completely disconnected from those they love, and from the communities they are still a part of. With this in mind, writing a letter could be viewed as a strike against the state—it is in direct opposition to their goals of deprivation and seclusion. But we also need to be careful with this kind of thinking, because clearly writing letters is not enough. We need to make sure people are supported before, during and after their release—physically, emotionally, and yes, financially. There is a lot of work to be done, and we sincerely hope that some of the energy we experienced this summer gets transformed into concrete support efforts for Eric and other political prisoners.

Our most heartfelt thanks to everyone who hosted us, fed us, played music with us, shared stories and laughter, read tarot for us, howled with us, who watched sunsets and gathered around campfires and waited for the rain that almost never came (and then gazed at the rainbow when it finally did...). We send each and every one of you our love (this includes everyone of you from the tour last summer as well...). But most of all we want to thank Eric—for his courage and strength and love. For reminding us what it really means to be free...

We are still waiting for the opening brief for Eric’s appeal to be filed. Once the brief is filed, we will post it on his website for folks to read. He asked that we send his “thanx & Love 4 the letters of support” and to let everyone know that he is “still creating spaces & energy N the asshole of the b.o.p. toward writing, wishing all the best...” He recently recalculated his points—which help determine the security level of the facility he is in—and discovered that he qualifies for a low-security facility. He put in for a transfer and is waiting to hear back from the Bureau of Prisons. If you would like to learn more about Eric’s case or how you can help, please visit www.supporteric.org.