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Will Potter

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Will Potter
Will Potter presentation at Green Scare Event, Wooden Shoe Books, Philadelphia
EducationJohns Hopkins University
University of Texas at Austin
OccupationJournalist

Will Potter is an American independent journalist and public speaker, based in Washington, D.C. He has written for several publications, including the Chicago Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, and Legal Affairs. In his writings, he has focused on how the "war on terrorism" affects civil liberties, becoming a leading voice for the cover of the Green Scare, through his website, Green Is The New Red. He has written several articles on this topic, as well as participating in conferences and giving lectures on universities, with some of his papers found on courses. In 2006, he spoke to U.S. Congress about his reporting on these issues, and in 2008 an article on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, from his website, was discussed in the book, Censored 2008, as one of the top 25 underscored news stories of 2007.

Background

Will received his master’s in writing from the Johns Hopkins University and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism.[1]

Green Scare

Will Potter sees a parallel between the accusation of some activists with the charge of "terrorism" by the government, and the use of the media in exploring these cases, to the effect of the persecution of leftists in the Red Scares, during the McCarthyist era. According to him, the Green Scare is this new phenomenon associated with environmentalist groups that may or may not engage in legal activities, who are being disproportionately attacked by the government for extra-legal explanations. He thinks that ultimately there is a threat to civil liberties that can progressively reach more groups and individuals.[2] He speaks of another age of repression in the US history.[3][4]

He believes the word "terrorism" is being used as a fear tactic to go after peaceful activists. He points out to obvious differences of what is generally considered to be terrorism and what these activists are about.[5] The real agenda is then associated with the defense of corporate profit and control over social activism.[6][7] Will Potter believes that the targeting of animal rights and earth liberation movements, considered the number one domestic terrorist threat by the FBI, has got nothing to do with security. He warns of a possible seeking of other groups protected by the First Amendment, in the future. He makes clear that he is not about excusing acts that are considered criminal or about saying that they shouldn't be prosecuted by law as such.[8]

In 2006, Potter spoke to congress about the AETA. Concerning this law, he has explained why he doesn't believe that pushing for a broader basis of prosecution among activists will deter the more radical fringe. He says they are moved by ideology and not fear. Also, he called attention to the erosion of civil liberties for peaceful activists, while stressing the cause done in the name of state control and not security.[9][10]

Works

  • Green is The New Red (City Lights, 2011) ISBN 9780872865389 [11](2011)

Awards

His reporting on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act has been recognized by Project Censored “for outstanding investigative journalism,” as one of the top 25 “stories that didn’t make the news in 2007". He has also received the Mark of Excellence award for feature writing, presented by the Society of Professional Journalists, and recognition from Scripps Howard, Lantern Books and the Press Club of Dallas.[12][13][14][15]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/bio/
  2. ^ http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/green-scare/
  3. ^ "Green is the new Red: An interview with journalist Will Potter". The Minnesota Independent. 2009-12-02. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  4. ^ "Boycott Feinstein". SF weekly. 2009-11-28. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  5. ^ http://www.archive.org/details/WillPotterInterview
  6. ^ "Do you know what a CMU is?". The Huffington Post. 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  7. ^ "Animal activists hail NYSE deal on listing". The Washington Times. 2007-01-01. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  8. ^ http://www.archive.org/details/WillPotterInterview
  9. ^ Torres, Bob (2007). Making A Killing: The Political Economy of Animal Rights. AK Press. ISBN 1904859674.
  10. ^ Phillips, Peter (2007). Censored 2008: The Top 25 Censored Stories of 2006-07. Seven Stories Press. ISBN 1583227725.
  11. ^ http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100839230
  12. ^ http://www.eviltwinbooking.org/events.cfm?view=Speakers&artist_id=120
  13. ^ http://www.lanternbooks.com/blog/entry.php?id=442
  14. ^ http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=99
  15. ^ http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-10-2001/0001612904&EDATE=
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