SACRED events- "Monsters of MAXXAM", CAFTA march, review of Gypsy's events, and

In this issue:

*SACRED October Events

*SACRED Tabling Events

*Other Forest Defense Events

*Other political October Events-

*New Announcements- includes November Forest Watch Weekend!

*Review of Last Month’s Events

SACRED Events

Freedom Fridays at MAXXAM-**

October's Freaky Friday Street Theater presents:

 Monsters of MAXXAM

LAST Friday of the Month, October 31, 4:30-6 pm

To avoid conflict with the Mecom Fountain vigils, and to prepare for winter weather, we are rescheduling Freedom Fridays for once a month- every  LAST Friday of the month.

Houston corporation MAXXAM is mowing down our ancient Redwood forest. We must NOT allow MAXXAM to take away our children’s future, demolish the habitat for countless creatures, or ruin the quality of life for Humboldt County citizens.

Be a part of Freedom Fridays as we fight for the freedom of the earth that is being held captive by these corporate raiders. These include our monthly street theater acts.

This month's Montsters of MAXXAM features Count Hurwitz, the money sucking vampyre, FrankenSchwartz, the Son of Hurwitz, Dead Dudley (The Bride of Hurwitz), Kent the Creature of Legal Affairs, Mummy Pecht and Josh Reiss the Wharewolf.

This event will be  held at MAXXAM headquarters, 5847 San Felipe. It will be taken around town on Thursday, October 30. If you are interested in participating with an active role, or to help organize, call 713-858-0074 or visit

Other Forest Events

Film Screening: “Tree-Sit: The Art of Resistance”

U of H Main Campus

October 8, 7 pm

Another local forest defense group called Dirty South Earth First! will be showing the movie Tree-Sit in Room 101 of the Social Work Building on University of Houston’s main campus.

DSEF! Protest at MAXXAM Headquarters

October 17, 4 pm

Dirty South Earth First! is planning a Nationwide protest at MAXXAM Headquarters (5847 San Felipe) on Friday, October 17, at 4 pm. For more info, email

Other Political October Events

CAFTA Protest in the Galleria- TWO events to join together

Monday, October 20

1) From Grady Park (1700 Yorktown), 4 pm

March will begin at 5 pm to Westin Galleria

Masses of people are rising up against the neo-liberal polices of the World Trade Organization, The Free Trade Area of Americas and governments supporting Central American Free Trade. Thousands in South America are speaking truth to power and challenging corporate globalization. Now it is time to tell the power-brokers meeting in George W. Bush's hometown that our world is not for sale and we will use whatever non-violent and intellectual means available to challenge the destructive neo-liberal policies that undermine worker's rights and well-being, the environment, health and safety standards and the fabric of our democracy.

SACRED supports CAFTA and we must march in Solidarity! CAFTA and WTO are directly related to environmental issues.

Forestry:

Excessive logging: The WTO may exacerbate global deforestation. There are plans to negotiate a free trade agreement in forest products. The timber industry admits this would increase global consumption of wood products. More trees will be cut to satisfy this new demand. The agreement could later extend to "non-tariff barriers" including such forest protection laws as certification schemes and raw log export bans.

Invasive species: Invasive insect and plant species threaten native trees and other ecosystems. Trade is the main route by which these invaders spread throughout the world. U.S. controls to prevent the introduction of invasive species can be challenged under the same WTO rules controlling food safety laws.

Air:

Clean Gas: Venezuela challenged an amendment to the United StatesÕ Clean Air Act that necessitated foreign gasoline refiners to make the same improvements to gas quality as the average U.S. refinery. This means that imported gasoline may be diminishing air quality in major U.S. cities.

Fuel efficiency: Japan is considering strengthening automobile fuel efficiency standards. The U.S. government has told Japan this could violate WTO rules because the requirements would fall mainly on medium-sized cars, which is the class of most U.S. car exports to Japan.

Water:

Water contamination: California recently decided to phase out use of a gasoline additive that contaminates ground water. A Canadian corporation used special investment rules in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to argue that this phase out is a "regulatory taking," and that the U.S. must pay $1 billion in compensation. A possible WTO investment agreement could extend these rules, which would force governments to "pay the polluter" worldwide.

Water exports: Americans and Canadians are both concerned that trade in bulk fresh water- on refitted oil tankers- could transform water from the Great Lakes into just another commodity. Under trade rules it may be difficult to prevent international trade in water.

The rally will begin at 4 pm in Grady Park, located at 1700 Yorktown, and march at 5 pm to the Westin Oaks and Westin Galleria hotels to confront the CAFTA meetings.

2) From Neiman Marcus, Anti-Fur demo at 5 pm

Anti-Fur demo hosted by In Solidarity with Animals

This event will start promptly at 5:00 pm. ISWA will join with marching CAFTA group (see above) to show our solidarity when they reach the Galleria Westin vicinity.

WTO is directly related to fur issues. For example (as stated in Environment and the WTO By: Alejandra Tres):

Leg-hold traps: Animal advocates consider leg-hold traps to be a particularly cruel form of trapping. Europe had announced that it would ban imports of fur from animals caught in these traps, but backed down after the U.S., Canada, and Russia complained that a ban violated free trade. Under the WTO, fur is fur, regardless of how it was caught.

To see how WTO relates to other environmental and animal concerns, visit

Sponsors include: The Texas Fair Trade Coalition; Houston Young Democrats; Houston Campus Greens; Not In Our Name-Houston; The Houston Global Awareness Collective; SACRED; In Solidarity With Animals; School of The Americas Watch; Houston ANSWER; The Art Car Museum and The Station

New Announcements

Forest Watch Weekend

Boykin Springs Campground

Angelina National Forest

November 7-9

Co Sponsors include:

SACRED (Southern Alliance of Coastal Redwood Earth Defenders)

Sierra Club Southern Plains Region

Texas Committee on Natural Resources

The Texas Forest Watch Weekend is an opportunity for you to dedicate your ideas, energy, and passion to the campaign to protect your National Forests from the destructive commercial logging program and help stop attacks on our wild forests. You'll start your Forest Watch experience Friday with a short "Welcome to the Forest" briefing and informal reception Friday night with local musicians. Saturday and Sunday will be filled with issue briefings and intensive workshops, taught by experienced individuals who share your passion for protecting National Forests! Saturday night will also be an opportunity to enjoy live music and the old-time campfire with a possible guest appearance of an eco-folk singer from Humboldt County.

SPACE IS LIMITED! REGISTER NOW! ONLY $20!

Please Register by October 31 by calling Chris Wilhite 512-472-9094 or Holly Ferguson 479-571-3005 or by writing

**Houston CARPOOL: From Houston’s KPFT studios (419 Lovett Blvd.) will leave Friday November 7 no later than 1 pm. Contact 713-858-0074 or

Sierra Club will provide food and accommodations (vegan food will be provided), and some travel scholarships will be available.  Don't wait to let us know YOU want to come to Texas Forest Watch Weekend! Bring a tent or camping trailer and anything you’ll need to stay warm and dry while camping on this Autumn weekend (sleeping bags, extra blankets, warm clothes, rain slicks, flash light, musical instruments, etc.).

Directions

U.S. Hwy 69 south from Lufkin for 20+ miles to Zavalla; Texas Hwy 63 east from Zavalla for 11 miles; turn right (south), on Forest Service Road 313 for 2.5 miles to campground.

Sign up for SACRED’s Free Newsletter!

Please donate to SACRED

We need money for our current project: our newsletter, our official banner and leaflets, and costumes for the nest street theater performance, not to mention website fees and other monthly expenses. We are officially running as an organization now. All check/ money orders can be made payable to:

SACRED

PO Box 980751

Houston, TX 77098-0751

Review of Last Month’s Events

Meditation at MAXXAM: Remembering Gypsy

Monday, September 15

This event held on the lawn in front of MAXXAM’s headquarters, 5847 San Felipe was to honour David Nathan “Gypsy” Chain for his dedication and risking his life in the Redwood forest. He was killed when a tree was felled on him by a MAXXAM logger.

Rhea was the only one in attendance due to unexpected situations for other activists. Many others who could be there in person prayed and meditated at the same time.

Open Journal: Remembering Gypsy

Wednesday, September 17

KPFT 90.1 FM

Guests included David “Gypsy’s” mother, Cindy Allsbrooks, forest defender from California who witnessed David’s death, an old friend/ roommate, Jeremy, and Gypsy‘s cousin, Nikki, who read a poem she wrote after his death.

If you’d like a copy of this, email

Benefit Show: Gypsy’s legacy rocks on

Friday, September 26

At Super Happy Fun Land, bands included Dubtex, Igneous Rock, Audio Telepathy, Bojones and 9 Volt.

Approximately 100 people attended this event to honour Gypsy. The bands were great! Audio Telepathy played experimental mood music with a Sitar, a middle-eastern instrument. Bojones were a great punk band full of energy. Igneous Rock was unique rock/jazz/experimental that was soothing and refreshing. Instruments included the standard set plus tribal drums, chimes and a flute. Dubtex was full of energy and reggae beats mixed with Dub- Texas style! (www.Dubtex.com) They had an especially emotional element as singer Jeremy was good friends with Gypsy. They included a song Jeremy has written about him. 9-Volt was the perfect final band, with classic rock ‘n’ roll.

Gypsy’s mom, family and friends attended this event and it was the first time for some of them to see each other in years.

The first performance of SACRED’s street theater troupe was acted out here with their rendition of: Pirates of MAXXAM. The performance received many chuckles and was received by an audience new to the topic of MAXXAM’s forest destruction.

Memorial Service for Gypsy at his gravesite

Saturday, September 27

We commemorated the spirit of David Nathan “Gypsy” Chain at his gravesite. With his family and friends (thanks to you all for coming).

There were appx. 10 Friends and family, and 5 forest defenders in attendance. This was a beautiful event as family and friends shared memories of David Nathan “Gypsy”, and forest defenders played guitar and drums.