Hello there, Northwest supporters of incarcerated
comrades-Our friend Rob (Los Ricos) Thaxton has been
released from prison,following nearly eight years behind
bars for 'perpetrating' an act of self defense. As much
(if not more) an anarchist as the day he was taken from
us, Rob is now embarking on a speaking tour and will be
in Seattle thisweekend to talk about his experiences and
perspectives. On friday the 28th, as many of you know, Rob
will be speaking at Wayward Cafe (detailsbelow)- but just
announced is a Sunday (07/30) vegan dinner fundraiser and
Q&A with Rob:
Sunday July 30 @ 6pm
Vegan Dinner and Q&A with Rob Los Ricos Thaxton
Plus surprise film showing at 9pm
Suggested donation $20-$100 per person
Location TBA (with reservations)
There is limited space available for people who want to
demonstrate their solidarity and break bread with Rob on
sunday night. To confirm your attendance please email
Joe Ball at freejoeball@riseup.net or call 206.508.1406-
We hope to hear from you soon and see you on Sunday!
To make a donation to Rob Thaxton, or arrangements for
future speaking engagements, please contact Marlena Gangi
at 503.493.2505
ABOUT ROB (LOS RICOS) THAXTON (from www.roblosricos.net):
The self described ‘one hit wonder anarchist rock star’
Rob ‘Los Ricos’ Thaxton wasn't always a rebellious ‘rock star’,
or an anarcho-activist, or a "punk" political prisoner. There
was a time, not that long ago, when he was just another chavo
chicano growing up in some forgotten field town called Pampa,
Texas, Watching rebels, reformists, rioters, racketeers, and
real rock stars tap dance across his tv screen. But while
changing channels, culture, capitalism, corporatization, and
the clarion call of chaos came crashing down in the form of the
radicalizing revelations of the terroristic Tet Offensive; the
political proclamation ‘No Vietnamese ever called me nigger’ of
black (power) boxing champ Muhammad Ali; and finally, the
seditious inspiration of the women fighters of the radical
Weather underground who seized his catholic grade school for
two years when he was a child. By the righteous (r)age of
twelve, Rob began to work with various revolutionary organizations,
and eventually left Pampa for the streets of Dallas, Texas, where
he joined CISPES (the Committee in solidarity with the People of
El Salvador), worked with ACT UP, and KNON-FM, a peoples (Pirate)
radio station, where he served as program
director.
In the early 90s, as Rob Thaxton began to fade into a memory, and Rob Los
Ricos entered the forefront of a radicalized reality, he began to delve
deeper into the history of the international anarchist movement, and once
again relocated, this time to Austin, Texas, to engage in anarcho-specific
activity. He began to focus his political energy into (dis)organizing with
the small anarchist movement that existed in Austin, and also worked with
The Palestine Solidarity Committee, Earth First!, The Black Banner
Brigade, and organized street protests against the gulf war and direct
actions against globalization.
But the mute mainstream media silence over any opposition to the war, and
the perceived ineffectiveness of the protest that he had been organizing
and attending, led Rob to believe that ‘protest-as-usual’ was a waste of
time. He then made it his mission to develop anarchist networks throughout
Texas, and traveled within the entrails of the monster organizing and
revolutionizing. Through the 90s he lived in Portland, Oregon where he
worked with the Anarchist Info Shop, and spent time in Columbia, Missouri,
where he helped to publish Anarchy: A Journal of Desire Armed, and
Alternative Press Review, as well as working on book projects of the
Columbia Alternative Library Press.
By the late 90s, Rob began to reexamine his anarchist ideas in order to
redirect his efforts to create a life in line with his desire for a
liberated existence. He also became a father (to his daughter Raven) and
abandoned urban existence to ‘rediscover a simpler way of life’ that
included low impact gardening techniques, eco-friendly architecture, and
low-tech living in the woods of southern Oregon
On June 16, 1999, Rob Los Ricos traveled to Eugene, Oregon to attend an
anarchist conference and a Reclaim the Streets festival. Arrested by
police during the June 18 Reclaim the Streets demonstration-turned-police
riot, Rob was accused of throwing a rock at a cop, and was subsequently
beaten by police. He was ultimately charged with rioting, first degree
assault, and second degree assault. Used as a Latino, out of towner,
anarchist scapegoat example of what can happen to those who dare to rebel,
Rob was given a nearly 8 year prison sentence.
Determined to continue la lucha even while in the belly of the beast, Rob
and his supporters in Portland, Oregon formed the Anarchist Prisoners¹
Legal Aid Network, a resource-sharing and communication network for
incarcerated anarchists, and Rob continues to struggle and to dream and to
write.
- Not4Prophet
Body: Friday, July 28, 7 pm
Speaking event with Q+A to follow
Hosted by the Wayward Café and Left Bank Books Collectives
Rob Los Ricos Thaxton
Political Prisoner RELEASED!
On September 3, 1999, anarchist Robert Thaxton was sentenced on charges of
assault and riot. This was for his part in the June 18 International Day
of Action Against the Global Economy Reclaim the Streets action held in
Eugene, Oregon. Scapegoated for being Latino, an out-of-towner and an
anarchist, Rob received a seven-year prison sentence for the purpose of
example as a message to others who dare to rebel.
Rob is a Latino activist and anarchist organizer working with many
projects including CISPES, ACT-UP, pirate radio station KNON-FM, the
Palestine Solidarity Committee and Earth First! Robs work has been
published in Anarchy: A Journal of Desire Armed and Alternative Press
Review. He has worked on book projects with the Columbia Alternative
Library Press.
$8 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of $.
Wayward Café
901 NE 55th St. Seattle
(one block west of Roosevelt in the U-District)
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