[IMC-pgh-discuss] Emergency Meeting: Rich Mackin

[Branden Dudek]

sorry if this comes twice

The following email was sent to me by a friend urging an emergency 
meeting about the Rich Mackin show on Wednesday, April 2nd at 2pm.  
Because so many people are rising up to show support against this show 
we have decided to call a meeting to decide whether or not to continue 
with the show.  We will also be planning alternative events for that 
evening if the consensus is to ban him from our space.  Please come so 
that we can peacefully resolve this issue.

Thank you,
Branden Dudek

===========================
I feel that some things have changed drastically in the Rich Mackin 
situation over the weekend and I want to call another meeting to 
rediscuss our decision to let him speak.

At least five women have come out publicly to accuse Rich of sexual 
assault, including rape. More women are coming forward every day.  
Several of these women have created a 'zine about their experiences 
with Rich and have drafted a letter adressed to spaces hosting his tour 
asking communities to not allow him to speak as an act of solidarity 
with the survivors of his attacks.  These women have confronted Rich 
and asked him to cancel his tour and to take immediate action to deal 
with his serious problem.  Rich has not honored this.

It seems clear to me that Rich is a real threat to women.  The women 
that he has abused have not only been strong enough to speak out about 
it, but are now planning to follow his tour and to block him from 
entering spaces where he is sceduled to speak.  I am in full support of 
these survivors, and if our space does not officially cancel Rich's 
talk, I will support and help them in physically keeping him out of 
1877.  I hope that neither I nor they have to resort to this, and I 
hope that our community can join as a whole to support these women.  I 
feel that this is no longer an issue of free speach and censorship, but 
an issue of safety for every community that Rich effects.  As much as I 
don't want to shun him, I feel that supporting the survivors of his 
attacks is much more important.
-elina