Free Jeff “Free” Luers - The Interview

Interview by Claudette Vaughan

This is Jeff’s sixth year in prison. He was sentenced to 22 years and 8 months in prison for burning three Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) at a car dealership in Eugene, Oregon, and on attempted arson charges. Jeff set fire to SUVs to call attention to climate change and to protect oil wars and environmental destruction. He was motivated by compassion and a desire to protect life, not to harm it, despite what others might think of his tactics. Prior to his arrest Jeff was a popular community activist in Eugene. He was well-known to law enforcement because of his involvement with national forest protection (starting an occupation of a controversial old-growth timber sale in 1998), anti-police brutality activism (documenting rampant police abuse in Eugene), free food programs in a local park and his teaching of self-defence.

Abolitionist: How would you describe your activism Jeff?

Jeff Luers: I grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles. I was in the 6th grade when the riots broke out sparked by the beating of Rodney King and the subsequent acquittal of the police officers involved when it happened.

Racial tensions were high throughout my youth and my earliest activism, if you can call it that, was anti-racist activities that usually involved violence against Nazi skinheads.

As I got into my later teenage years I got heavily involved in anti-police brutality and animal liberation campaigns. It wasn’t until I was 18 and working with the Sierra Club that I became aware of and involved in environmentalism.

While I am in prison for my radical environmental actions I try to link all of my activism together. Social justice, environmentalism, animal liberation are all linked. Oppression all comes from the same top down source. We have to unite and work together if we are to over-come.

Abolitionist: What are your thoughts on the Green Scare Jeff?

Jeff Luers: When you put the “Green Scare” into a historical context it is easy to see that this is a government attempt to break a movement.

The same tactics are being employed by the State again and again, generation after generation. Unfortunately these tactics often meet with success. Sadly I know many of those arrested or who are cooperating with the authorities.

The Earth and Animal liberation movements tend to romanticize radical actions. When you combine the pull of human liberation politics, like anarchism, into the mix, which the “guidelines” of the radical earth and animal liberation movement seem to engender it is not hard to see why so many disillusioned young people are drawn to these movements and rightly so.

However, there is no strong political or ideological structure involved. It is a movement that relies on abstract generalizations. “Free all the Animals!”, “Free The Land!”. These movements too easily become a scene and there is nothing to compel loyalty or honorable behaviour.

Those people who turned traitor never truly believed in radical change. They likely never truly believed in the ideals in which these actions expressed. Because anyone who engages in illegal direct action because of their beliefs does so willingly to sacrifice everything for their struggle.

Until we start treating sabotage for what it is: a last resort backed by necessity, an action not taken due to desire but need, we will continue to set ourselves up for failure.

If you are going to fight back do so because you believed you have to, that you have no choice but resistance. Never, ever do it because this movement thinks it’s cool.

Abolitionist: What is prison life like for you?

Jeff Luers: Prison is prison. There are gangs, violence, exhortion. People handle it differently. Myself, I take it head on. I get a lot of respect on the yard from fellow convicts and even some guards. Everyone here knows what my politics are about, whether they agree with them or not. They know I’ll take my struggle to the max, if that’s what it takes.

It’s not just about my actions that make me a political prisoner. It is the fact that I keep fighting from behind bars. Prison cannot silence truth and depression cannot quell resistance.

Abolitionist: What are your politics in George W.Bush’s Amerika?

Jeff Luers: I think Bush and the US Government are a threat to world peace everywhere. I believe Bush and his Administration should be arrested and tried for crimes against humanity. I believe the nature and ferocity of our resistance should correspond accordingly.

Abolitionist: What are your thoughts on Bill Rodgers?

Jeff Luers: I never had the honour of meeting Bill Rodgers. My thoughts are definitely with his family and friends at this time.

Abolitionist: You have written a zine magazine to raise money to help you while in prison. It’s call “Heartcheck”. Can you tell us about it please?

Jeff Luers: “Heartcheck” was really just an attempt to stir up a stagnant movement. It is nowhere near as through or as insightful as I would have liked it to be. But, there are some limits to what I can say.

I wanted to piss people off and shake things up. It seems like all of our movement have gotten comfortable with losing. We talk a good game and accomplish very little. It doesn’t cut it for me.

I am a very blunt person. The way I see it is either we give up or we actually dedicate ourselves to creating change. There is not a lot of grey area on this one for me, especially with as bad as global warming has gotten. It is no longer as simple as an individual action taking precedence. It is going to take a true movement and a real struggle to create change. We either build that movement or we lose. That’s how simple it is.

Abolitionist: Is any legal appeal pending and how hopeful are you on that score?

Jeff Luers: I have been in my first stage of appeal for more than 5 years. Obviously I am crossing my fingers and hoping I get to go home. But I am in prison because I am against what my country, it’s corporations and its people are doing. I will not be surprised if I do not win my appeal.

Abolitionist: Is there any advise you wish to impact to activists on the outside?

Jeff Luers: The only advice I can give activists and people in general is rather apocalyptic. Things are going to get much worse before they get better. Learn to survive, learn who you really can count on and learn to fight for yourself. Those skills and knowledge will prove invaluable in the future.

Abolitionist: How can readers help you?

Jeff Luers: I am often asked how people can help me. The truth is I don’t really know. I can always use money for any legal defense but that seems trivial when I think of how fucked up this planet is getting. If people really want to help me and not just emphathise with me what they can do is listen to their conscience. They can act on their conscience. They can do what they know is right.

Abolitionist: Are you heartened by the support your cause receives all around the world?

Jeff Luers: Of course! I’m heartened and inspired by the worldwide support I receive. Not only does it keep me going but it also shows the authorities that I’m not alone.

I have no words that can begin to express my deepest gratitude for the support I’ve so far received.

Abolitionist: What’s the way forward Jeff?

Jeff Luers: At this point there is only one hope for the eco-movement. We must truly unite the above and underground elements of this struggle. Our planet is rapidly changing. Tens of thousands of species are becoming extinct every year. We are in the midst of a mass extinction comparable to that of dinosaurs.

If we had any hope of stopping climate change we must force governments and industries to listen to us. The only way we can accomplish that is through massive resistance that utilizes both reform measures and the power of revolution.

Until we realise that neither one standing alone can create real and meaningful change we will continue to be ineffective.

Collaboration whether contrived or organic is our only hope. We must act and we must act as one.

Please write Jeff a letter of support; Remember to always add the prison number on the envelope.You can reach Jeff "Free" Luers at:

Jeffrey Luers
#13797671
Oregon State Penitentiary
2605 State Street
Salem, OR 97310

You can get in touch with Jeff's main support crew via the groups below:

Free's Defense Network/Friends of Jeff Luers
PO Box 3
Eugene, OR 97440

Email: freefreenow@mutualaid.org
Website: www.freefreenow.org