/
Info on Rob los Ricos upcoming release and Portland Oregon benefit
Oregon APOC political prisoner Rob los Ricos set for release June 29 2006, plans
to continue writing and do Summer/Fall speaking tour.
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
