Support Marie Mason!

Support Fellow Worker Marie Mason!

Marie Mason is a 46 year old mother of two. She lived and worked in the Detroit area for most of her life. Like the late Earth First! (EF!) organizer, Judi Bari, she was part of a generation of radicals who worked to link the environmental and labor movements, and was jointly active in both EF! and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). It was this alliance which led to the initial success of the anti-globalization movement such as at the 1999 anti-WTO demonstration in Seattle. Mason was an editor of the Industrial Worker, the IWW newspaper, and a musician who recorded a neo-folk album, Not For Profit, with fellow EF!er Darryl Cherney in 1999. She also worked with numerous political as well as traditional charity groups.

In addition to her work with the IWW and Earth First!, she is also an avid community gardener, a musician, a writer, and a volunteer for a free herbal healthcare collective. She also was an extended care assistant at a small Cincinnati school when she was arrested on March 10, 2008 by federal agents.

She has been charged with involvement with a December,1999 arson at a Michigan State University genetics laboratory at Agriculture Hall and a January, 2000 arson of logging equipment in Mesick, Michigan. Both arsons were claimed by the Earth Liberation Front.

Legal Case

Government Monitors and Harasses Marie

In the years preceding Marie’s arrest, she and her husband at the time, Frank Ambrose, had been questioned multiple times by authorities, summoned to grand juries, and forced to surrender DNA evidence; at one point authorities attempted to affix a GPS tracking unit to Mason’s car.

Husband Turns Informant


In early 2007, Frank Ambrose became an informant with the FBI. He began traveling throughout the Midwest spying on activists and tape recording their conversations with a concealed wire. He filed for a divorce the day that Marie was arrested. He even tried to entrap other activists with emails he circulated and has now offered to give workshops to law enforcement on topics such as the Earth Liberation Front and security culture. He is currently serving nine years in prison.

Green Scare

Marie is currently serving the longest sentence of any environmental activist in the US. Her charges are part of the Green Scare, a trend by the government of labeling environmental direct action as “eco-terrorism” despite the acts ensuring that no life, human or otherwise, is being harmed. In addition to labeling environmental activists both publicly and legally as “terrorists,” the government also charges activists with inflated sentences. In Marie’s case, she was facing a life sentence. She decided to plea guilty and is now serving nearly 22 years in prison.
Here are a few simple and easy ways that you can show your solidarity with this long-time social justice and environmental activist, and loving mother of two.

GET ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT LIST:


The list sends out the latest information. Get updates, info on benefits, pertinent articles and ways to help. Sign up by sending an e-mail to freemarie-subscribe@lists.riseup.net or to freemarie@riseup.net and we’ll put you on.

DISTRIBUTE FLYERS:

 You can now download support flier for Marie here!


DONATE:

Marie Mason General Support Fund

Funds donated to this account will be used  for Marie’s prison commissary,  book purchases for her, telephone costs for her family, and last but not least her massive attorney fees.
Make checks or money orders out to “Karin Mason” and send to:

Karin Mason
PO Box 352
Stanwood, MI 49346
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SEND LETTERS, PHOTOS, BOOKS AND ENCOURAGEMENT:

Marie is currently in the Federal Correctional Institution Waseca  away from her community and young daughter, which comes with its own hardships and stresses.  Letters, Photos, Art, vegan recipes are all welcome. Please be sure to review the mail guidelines and federal prisoner mail rules found below in detail before sending anything.
We are encouraging folks to write Marie while she is incarcerated. Letters from the outside will serve as a lifeline and help keep her spirits up.
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Letters of support must have a complete return address and must be addressed exactly as below for them to be accepted. Further mail rules and restrictions for Federal prisoners are listed below.
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If you send Marie a letter and it gets returned to you, please let us know about it so we can add any other restrictions to the guideline list.
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All letters must have a return address on the envelope. Also put a return address on the letter itself, as prisoners are almost never given the envelopes. Avoid using white-out, stickers, tape, colored ink/paper or glitter. Written correspondence and drawings may be in pencil, standard ink pen, typewritten, or computer generated. No felt pens, markers, crayon, or colored pencil, etc. All personal artwork must be in black & white, copied pages can be in color. Most facilities do not allow torn pages from books, magazine or newspaper clippings. Photocopies, however, are accepted. Keep in mind that all mail is read by authorities.
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Again, DO NOT bring up or attempt to discuss Marie’s case, her co defendants, illegal acts, or the Green Scare when writing her. Please remember that, even if unsolicited, mail can still result in sanctions against a prisoner.
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PHOTOS


Marie can get up to 3 photos per letter. no larger then 4 x 6. She would like photos of nature and animals, specifically wolves and whales, hiking trips, and gardens. No Polaroid photos.
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Send letters of support and photos to -

MARIE MASON #04672-061
FMC CARSWELL
FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER
P.O. BOX 27137
FORT WORTH, TX 76127