Defiance in the Face of Adversity
by Walter Bond
www.supportwalter.org
In this essay, I'm going to delve into a much-neglected topic in the
underground, namely remaining stouthearted after an arrest. Its a touchy subject
that I feel qualified to address. So before I get into the bulk of what I have
to say, let me throw my own credentials on the table. I'm not trying to impress
as much as verify that I have earned the right to critique on this subject.
In the winter of 1997, I was convicted of arson in Mason City, Iowa for burning
down the house of convicted drug dealer Steve Gomez and the methamphetamine
operation in that house. I was pretty much caught in the act, being as he was
under federal investigation for selling large amounts of meth and I was younger
and acted purely on emotion, throwing all caution to the wind. This was my
introduction to the criminal injustice system.
Then as now, a whole circus ensued around my case. Steve was a very violent man
that wanted me dead for burning down his dream house. The police, knowing this,
put me on what's called the "county shuffle", moving me from jail to jail every
couple of weeks and only bringing me back to Cerro Gordo County on the day of
court appearances. During this time, Steve's sister got busted stashing a
stockpile of illegal weapons for her brother at her Mason City home (all of this
was published in the Mason City Globe-Gazette, for my critics that think I'm
just inventing comic book stories out of my previous case). Steve himself was
busted for drug-dealing on a large scale.
After his arrest, Steve snitched on 18 other dealers across four other states,
and when the feds seized his property, it included a Harley-Davidson shop, a
jewelry store and land in Mexico (also printed in the Globe-Gazette). What
wasn't printed was how Steve had a 20 thousand dollar contract out on my life,
or how the feds tried to get me to help them out in their case against Steve by
attempting to get me to agree to a completely fabricated story. I said no thanks
to being a snitch, and in turn they ensured that I received the maximum sentence
of 10 years in my case, for harming no life; as a first-time felon, I spent 4
years in prison. Most of that time in Anamosa, Iowa, a maximum security
penitentiary built in the 1800s and surrounded by 40 foot walls.
I am now facing three federal counts of arson involving animal enterprises
across two states, and despite it all I remain in relatively good spirits and as
defiant as ever. While arrest and imprisonment are never desirable to the
individual or movement, and I definitely have made my mistakes, namely confiding
in my brother who fed me to the ATF for pocket change. But show me any
imprisoned activist and I'll show you mistakes made. That is why we are, or
were, jailed (excluding the rare political set up and growing number of
conspiracy cases).
There is an old adage that goes "If you can't stand the heat, then stay out of
the kitchen."It applies well to the underground for animal liberation. Activists
in other countries seem to understand this far better than we pampered
Americans. If you read prison letters from animal rights activists like Mel
Broughton, Heather Nicholson, Gerrah Selby, Natasha and Greg Avery or Adrian
Magdaleno, you will see reflected in their writings and mine a primary concern
concern for animal and earth liberation and acceptance of our fate as prisoners
as par for the course. That is a healthy attitude.
We are the landmarks on the road to victory and there will be many more of us
before our mother earth and her animal nations are released from the mechanized
oppression of our species. That being said, prison is obviously an unpleasant
situation. I would love to be outside enjoying the fresh air in autumn, which is
my favorite time of year. But I'm not, because ultimately I choose to resist
death and suffering for those that cannot defend themselves. I choose to do so
in a clandestine manner and when the hammer of injustice falls down upon my
head, it will ultimately be because I decided to act directly and put myself in
harms way.
That's the way the vegan cookie crumbles, and there is no regrets to be had, no
apologies to make. At the bottom of my heart, I care for the plight of animals
and the earth. I know I can't single-handedly change things, the hell that our
kind inflicts on all kinds is bigger than any one person can fix; but I know
what I can do. I can fight against it. I can speak out. I can reject abject
cruelty in my day-to-day life. I can realize that even though the system seeks
my incarceration and a million cowards spread rumors about me online, that only
I can make the decision to be reactive and fearful or revolutionary and
unapologetic.
I love my life and I believe in what I say. Adversity, for me, does not change
that, it only tests it. This oppressive system wants you to feel as though
you've lost before you've begun. It wants us to be reactive and unsure. This
system wants us all to be dependent and frightened. They want us divided over a
million inconsequential political, religious and personal issues. They want us
to seek validation from groups and organizations instead of acting alone. They
want these things from us to better control the masses and continue with
business as usual. They spend incredible amounts of time, money and effort to
ensure and enforce this apathetic and oppressed mentality. Because the truth is
scary. That truth is that one person or a small group of people that are
empowered, focused, and courageous can make great changes. Indeed, its the only
thing that ever does.
The struggle for liberation is not about the individual, even more so for the
animal rights and earth rights camps. It is not who we are, or the hardships we
face as activists that are ultimately important. What is important is that we
take every opportunity to further the cause, the animals' cause. That we remain
vital and even and especially in the face of adversity because that's when it
counts the most, fair weather activism only goes so far.
When events radically change in our own life, we need to exhibit enough
versatility and integrity to not only weather the storm but embrace opportunity
where others see only hardship. As I said in the beginning of this essay, it
takes a stout heart. But there is no great reward that does not involve risk.
There must at some point be a counterbalance; that is what the radical wing of
any movement strives for. Incredible malice demands incredible compassion. The
cure for greed is selflessness, and the death, torture and abuses that
other-than-human animals endure in secret behind walls and in the country,
intentionally outside of the sight of the masses, demands outspokenness.
My heart goes out to every person that has sacrificed their freedom for earth
and animal liberation. I hope your time is well-spent and you come out of all
your trials and tribulations stronger and better off. For all those who have
fought for the entire earth's fate: animal liberation whatever it may take!
Walter Bond
from the oppressor's cage, Golden, Colorado.
November 1, 2010
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Write Bond letters of prisoner support at:
Walter Bond # P01051760
PO Box 16700
Golden, CO 80402-6700
Walter Bond is facing federal arson charges for his alleged role as an ALF
operative known as “Lone Wolf”. “Lone Wolf” took credit for three different
arsons throughout the Spring and Summer of 2010 in Denver and Salt Lake City:
The Skeepskin Factory, a store selling furs and pelts; Tandy Leather Store; and
Tiburon, a restaurant serving foie gras.
Walter’s brother alerted the FBI and the ATF about his suspicions that his
brother, Walter, was behind the attacks. While Walter was visiting Denver in
July 2010, his brother helped participate in a sting operation, allegedly
wearing a wire and helping procure audio evidence against Walter. Walter was
arrested in Denver and is now being held in the Jefferson County Jail in Golden,
Colorado awaiting trial.
Walter has been a dedicated animal rights activist and anarchist for several
decades and has struggled for animal liberation and against a deadly and
genocidal culture of drug abuse in the United States. Walter was the subject of
a song by the vegan straight edge band Earth Crisis. The band’s song “To Ashes”
was inspired by Bond’s 1998 prison sentence for arson. Bond was convicted of
burning down a meth lab owned by a drug dealer who was selling to his brother.
Contact: (818) 227-5022
Animal Liberation Press Office
6320 Canoga Avenue #1500
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
