Kristian Williams

I’m going to be giving a talk on political repression at the “Econvergence” conference, Saturday, October 3, 2009, at the First Unitarian Church in Portland, Oregon.

I plan to briefly outline the counter-insurgency model, explain its domestic application, and suggest some of the implications for today’s social movements. The discussion will cover some of the history of domestic political repression, the emergence of the counter-insurgency model, its application today both domestically and abroad, and the possible consequences for the environmental and economic justice movements.

My talk will start at 11 a.m., on Saturday, October 3rd, 2009. The church is at SW 12th and Main in downtown Portland.

For more information on the conference, see: http://www.econvergence.org/

A couple months ago I gave a talk in Portland about state repression, and the Green Scare in particular.

The Seattle paper Eat the State! has printed the text of my speech, and you can find it on their website:
“The Green Scare, the State’s Priorities, and Day-to-Day Repression.” Eat the State! June 9, 2009.

To see what Willamette Week had to say about the “Liberating Dissent” event where I gave the speech, go to their site. (You can also see a particularly unflattering picture of me.)

For more on the Green Scare visit greenisthenewred.com

I have a short essay, “Five Theses on Violence,” included in the online journal The Body as a Site of Discrimination.

I’ve also written several reviews for The Comics Journal recently: The February issue has my review of Brian Azzarello’s Joker. April featured a review of Elijah Brubaker’s comics biography of Wilhelm Reich, along with a brief historical note on anti-comics crusader Fredric Wertham’s role in Reich’s downfall. And the May issue has my review of anarchist artist Seth Tobocman’s latest collection, Disasters and Resistance. None of these are online.

Liberating Dissent II: Against State Repression
May 23, 2009 at 7pm
Liberty Hall, 311 N Ivy, Portland Oregon

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu58/destroyiscreate/liberatingthisentwords72psd.jpg

I’ll be speaking about the cops and political repression, alongside attorney Lauren Regan. And, a bunch of bands will play, including Resist, Adelit@s, and Coffinship.

The event is a benefit for Rose City Copwatch and prisoners incarcerated as part of the “Green Scare” crackdown on environmental activism. The suggested cost is $6 and up, though no one will be turned away for lack of money.

For more info, visit: http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2009/05/391299.shtml

If you can’t make it to see me talk in person, you can now find recordings of two of my talks online.

Multnomah County Library has audio of my talk with Jules Boykoff on policing and the suppression of dissent (April 2008):
http://multcolib.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=436932

And indybay has a recording of my recent lecture at Oakland’s Continental Club, on policing and violence:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/01/18585333.php