From Campus Racists to City Council

Austin Autonomedia: Keeping Austin Criminal

Over the past few months, as we have expanded the scope of this project beyond the UT campus, we have also kept a close eye on some of our old enemies in the Young Conservatives and Turning Point–including those who have graduated and are moving into other parts of the world. We know that the University is a training ground for the professionals of the future who will manage, control, exploit, and govern the world. While a lot of the YCT graduates have moved into work in conservative political parties and think tanks which applaud their activities at UT, some are slightly more vulnerable. 

Two former affiliates of the YCT, Anthony Dolcefino and John Stolz, are involved in a City Council Election in Houston. Anthony Dolcefino is running for City Council At-Large #4 in Houston and John Stolz is, according to his Facebook and Linkedin, working as his campaign manager. In the election last week, Dolcefino was among a number of candidates who advanced to a runoff election set to take place in December.

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Threat Modeling For Activists: Tips For Secure Organizing & Activism

Police block a roadway during Occupy SF protests, December 7, 2011. Threat modeling helps activists anticipate and respond to police repression. (Flickr / Thomas Hawk, CC-BY-NC license)

Originally posted by Kit O’Connell

Threat modeling is a fancy term for “knowing how to protect yourself in different situations.”

This is a draft document which will become part of an upcoming zine on security for activists. Your feedback and constructive criticism is welcome.

The idea of “threat modeling” originated in the military before being adopted by security experts. While the field includes many advanced concepts that don’t interest us here, threat modeling can help us get a handle on our personal security choices. In an age of mass surveillance, choosing what steps to take can feel overwhelming. For a lot of people, it may feel easier to do nothing at all than worry about protecting yourself online.

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