The strange case of Steve Kurtz: Critical Art Ensemble and the price of freedom

Afterimage, May-June, 2005 by Robert Hirsch

RH: How did you meet your late wife Hope, what was her role in CAE and how will her death affect CAE?

SK: We met in our freshman philosophy class at UNT in 1977. We were lovers and cultural, political and intellectual partners from that first day of class until she died 27 years later. She was the gateway to the public, our editor, poet and voice of reason. Before any project was released, she reviewed all the materials, suggested necessary changes and in the end gave final approval. Her genius lay in her talent for pattern recognition especially text). She could look at something and even if she didn't understand the content (which was rare) she knew if something was wrong. I call her the voice of reason, because whenever a project was getting too abstract, specialized or too "insiderish" she would call us on it. We don't know the consequences of her death yet, but we will have a hard time continuing CAE without her.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For both detailed background as well as the latest information about the case and how you can offer support visit: www.caedefensefund.org/.> For more information on CAE visit www.critical-art.net. CAE publications are available at www.autonomedia.org as PDFs. The website states "This book may be freely pirated and quoted. The authors and publisher, however, would like to be informed at": Autonomedia, P.O. Box 568, Williamsburgh Station, Brooklyn, NY 11211-0568; phone & fax: (718) 963-2603.

NOTES

1. In the Spring of 2001, six men of Yemenite decent from Lackawanna, New York a poverty stricken former steel town south of Buffalo, were charged with attending an al-Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan. In September 2002 they were arrested and each defendant admitted training at the camp, but denied any intention to engage in acts of terrorism. Facing 25 years in prison, all pleaded guilty and received sentences of eight-10 years in December 2003. The truth about this case remains murky because there was not a public trial. Critics claim the guilty pleas were extracted in the post 9-11 atmosphere of fear to mitigate the possibility of harsher punishment, including the threat to deem them "enemy combatants," and to legitimate a dubious prosecution.

2. RoundUp Ready corn and soybeans are genetic engineered plants. According to the University of Maine, "Roundup Ready plants produce the same natural proteins as any other plant with one notable exception. These plants make an additional protein which allows them to grow in the presence of Glyphosate, known commercially as 'Roundup,' one of the most widely-used herbicides employed by back-yard gardeners, homeowners, golf courses and commercial farms for the past 25 years. The protein is not a toxin to plants, animals, insects, humans or bacteria. "However, in 1999 opponents of genetic engineering, identifying themselves as "Seeds of Resistance" claimed that they did not want "poison pollen" in Maine and cut down part of the crop grown by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, attracting national attention. Organic producers are concerned about pollen drift--the transport of pollen from GM (genetically modified) corn to non GM corn is increasing, which could result in their product not meeting organic standards and potentially losing their organic certification.