July 12, 2008
Download PDF of letter
Dear Supporters,
After four long, difficult years I have been released from
my legal ordeal. I want to thank everyone who supported me
through this—the greatest challenge I’ve ever
had to face. I feel vindicated today because I am innocent,
but today I am also humbled by a legal and political victory
that is not mine alone. Everyone who contributed their support
to this case can lay claim to a victory against the forces
aiming to abridge our fundamental rights. I am mindful that
my case was just one of many examples where fear and irrationality
gained the upper hand after 9/11. I am aware that my vindication
is an exception. I continue to have anxiety about the outcome
of many pending cases still awaiting justice.
Although it seems that my case has come to a conclusion,
it is only now that I can fully comprehend the immensity
of what happened. The tragic death of Hope was a profound
loss. The unfortunate events following Hope’s death
occurred at a moment of intense pain and sadness for all
of us. Neither my life nor the work of Critical Art Ensemble
has been the same without her. If she were here today, I
know she would be proud of everything that has been done
by all the people involved. Collectively, we stood without
flinching, and defeated a monster of social injustice. Hope
always said that we should “never surrender” to
authoritarian power, and we didn’t.
I was extremely fortunate to have a team of people immediately
form a defense group at the very beginning, when I was still
in shock. I want to thank the members of the CAE Defense
Fund for coming to my defense from the beginning of the ordeal.
Throughout the past four years, so many people raised their
voices in my defense, and that of my friend and co-defendant,
Robert Ferrell. So many contributed time, energy, and resources.
We could not have adequately defended ourselves without the
labor and activism of thousands—individuals, groups,
artists and activists. I am grateful to everyone who donated
their work and talent to fundraisers for our legal defense.
And although I cannot thank everyone by name, to all of you
worldwide who helped organize fundraisers, letter writing
campaigns, conferences, teach-ins, protests and other events,
your actions made a real difference in this case.
To all my friends, thank you for helping me through my darkest
hours.
To everyone, please accept my humble offer of thanks. I
am grateful. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all
of you for seeing me through this terrible period.
Please remember also that this case was about so much more
than just keeping me out of jail. This is a great legal and
political victory that will affect many cases to come. Through
its prosecution of this case, the Department of Justice was
hoping to expand the most broadly written law on the books
(mail fraud) into an all-encompassing Leviathan that could
be used at its discretion against any citizen at any time.
Not only did we prevent this dangerous expansion of the law,
the precedent we set has narrowed it. Because of our collective
effort, a bogus charge like the one targeting Bob and me
is unlikely ever to happen again—and if it were to
happen, any competent attorney could easily shoot it down.
What have I learned from my ordeal? I’ve learned that
with tens of thousands of supporters, with hundreds of thousands
of dollars, with one of the best legal teams in the US, with
a crack media team, with a group of experienced fundraisers,
with four years of one’s life, and with total innocence,
sometimes one can slice off a piece of American justice.
Which in the end means: The overwhelming majority of people
ain’t gettin’ justice, and we have to keep fighting
until they do.
With Sincerity, Gratitude, and Appreciation,
Steven Kurtz |
