Will Potter

Potter received a master's degree in writing from the Johns Hopkins University. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin in 2002 with a degree in journalism.{{cite web |url= http://moody.utexas.edu/senior-fellows/backstories-fall-2011/alumni-profile-will-potter |title= Alumni Profile: Will Potter |publisher= Moody College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin |year= 2011 |quote= UT degree: Journalism, 2002. Other degree(s): M.A., Johns Hopkins University}}{{cite web|url=http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/bio/ |title=Bio: Will Potter |publisher=Greenisthenewred.com |date= |accessdate=2011-10-06}}

File:Willpotter2.PNG

Potter sees a parallel between the branding of current activists as "terrorists", and the use of the media in sensationalizing these cases, and the persecution of leftists in the Red Scare, during the McCarthy era. According to him, the Green Scare is a new phenomenon associated with environmentalist groups that may or may not engage in illegal activities, but are disproportionately attacked by the government for extra-legal reasons. He thinks that these government tactics are a threat to civil liberties which can progressively affect more groups and individuals.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/green-scare/ |title=What is Eco-terrorism? |publisher=Greenisthenewred.com |date= |accessdate=2011-10-06}}{{cite web|url=http://minnesotaindependent.com/26259/green-is-the-new-red-an-interview-with-journalist-will-potter |title=Green is the new Red: An interview with journalist Will Potter |publisher=The Minnesota Independent |date=2009-12-02 |accessdate=2009-11-24}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sfweekly.com/2006-11-29/news/boycott-feinstein/ |title=Boycott Feinstein |publisher=SF weekly |date=2009-11-28 |accessdate=2009-11-24}}

He believes that labeling individuals as "terrorists" is being used as a fear tactic to discredit and suppress peaceful activists. He points out the obvious differences between what is generally accepted as terrorism and the tactics of certain activists.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/WillPotterInterview |title=Will Potter Interview : Tom Elko : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive |date=2001-03-10 |accessdate=2011-10-06}} He believes the real motivation for this "terrorist" characterization is the defense of corporate profit and control over social activism.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sheila-shayon/do-you-know-what-a-cmu-is_b_221354.html |title=Do you know what a CMU is? |work=The Huffington Post |date=2009-06-26 |accessdate=2009-11-24}}{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/jan/01/20070101-111215-2270r/ |title=Animal activists hail NYSE deal on listing |newspaper=The Washington Times |date=2007-01-01 |accessdate=2009-11-24}} Potter believes that the targeting of animal rights and earth liberation movements, considered the number one domestic terrorist threat by the FBI, has nothing to do with security. He warns of repression extended to other groups protected by the First Amendment, in the future. He makes clear that he does not excuse acts considered criminal or say that they should not be prosecuted by law.

In 2006, Potter spoke to Congress about the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. He explained why he does not believe that pushing for a broader basis of prosecution among activists will deter the more radical fringe. He says they are motivated by ideology and not fear. Also, he called attention to the erosion of civil liberties for peaceful activists, while stressing the harm done in the name of state control and not security.{{cite book |title=Making A Killing: The Political Economy of Animal Rights |last=Torres |first=Bob |publisher=AK Press|year=2007 |isbn=978-1-904859-67-3}}{{cite book |title=Censored 2008: The Top 25 Censored Stories of 2006-07 |last=Phillips |first=Peter |publisher=Seven Stories Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-58322-772-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/censored2008top200phil }}

• Green is the New Red (City Lights, 2011) {{ISBN|978-0-87286-538-9}}

Potter has become the target of a group accusing him of defrauding the public {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBC4YYB4JP4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/bBC4YYB4JP4 |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=SHARK, Steve Hindi Respond to Will Potter Accusations |publisher=youtube.com |date= July 11, 2018|accessdate=2018-07-13}}{{cbignore}} through a 2014 Kickstarter campaign. {{Cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1926278254/drone-on-the-farm-an-aerial-expose/description|title=Drone on the Farm: An Aerial Exposé|website=Kickstarter|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-07}} The campaign raised USD 75,064 to fund a project to buy a drone to capture aerial footage of factory farms for investigative reporting on "ag-gag" laws. Potter has made numerous public statements {{Citation|last=Will Potter|title=Depression, Suicide, and Trolls|date=2018-06-20|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs6z6vHGF3Q |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/gs6z6vHGF3Q |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-08-07}}{{cbignore}} to address the delays in the project, namely an expansion of the project that include a paperback book to be released by a publisher in 2018. In March 2018 the TED organization and their legal team reviewed financial documents for the project and dismissed the fraud claims, stating publicly: “We have looked into the allegations and are satisfied that the accusations against him are unfounded. More specifically we’ve reviewed detailed records of how he has spent the money raised for this project. We are certain he has made appropriate use of the funding as he continues to carry out a challenging project, and that the finished project will meet the high standard of work for which he is known. We completely stand by Will, and he will continue to be a TED Senior Fellow."{{Cite news|url=https://fellowsblog.ted.com/in-support-of-senior-fellow-will-potter-2de52ce2937c|title=In support of Senior Fellow Will Potter – TED Fellows|date=2018-03-30|work=TED Fellows|access-date=2018-08-07}}

Potter appears in the 2014 documentary film Cowspiracy. He also delivers a spoken-word track about eco-terrorism called We Will Never Forget on punk band Rise Against's Record Store Day exclusive The Eco-Terrorist in Me. The record's eponymous track is said to be inspired by Potter's book Green Is the New Red.Potter, Will. [http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/rise-against-record-store-day-ecoterrorist-in-me/8269/ Rise Against Record Store Day Release with Will Potter]

, Green Is the New Red, March 11, 2015

His reporting on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act has been recognized by Project Censored “for outstanding investigative journalism,” as one of the top 25 “stories that didn’t make the news in 2007". He has also received the Mark of Excellence award for feature writing, presented by the Society of Professional Journalists, and recognition from Scripps Howard, Lantern Books and the Press Club of Dallas.{{cite web|url=http://www.eviltwinbooking.org/events.cfm?view=Speakers&artist_id=120 |title=Will Potter |publisher=Evil Twin Booking |date= |accessdate=2011-10-06}}{{cite web|last=Davis |first=Kara |url=http://www.lanternbooks.com/blog/entry.php?id=442 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713183942/http://www.lanternbooks.com/blog/entry.php?id=442 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 13, 2011 |title=The Lantern Books Blog: Interview with Will Potter, Third Place in the 2006 Lantern Books Essay Contest |publisher=Lanternbooks.com |date=2007-04-03 |accessdate=2011-10-06}}{{cite web|url=http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=99 |title=Society of Professional Journalists News: SPJ announces Mark of Excellence Award winners |publisher=Spj.org |date=2000-08-21 |accessdate=2011-10-06}}{{cite web|url=http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-10-2001/0001612904&EDATE= |title=The Press Club of Dallas Announces Katie Award Winners |publisher=.prnewswire.com |date=2001-06-20 |accessdate=2011-10-06}}

{{reflist}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• [https://www.willpotter.com/ Will Potter's website]
• [http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/ Green Is The New Red website]
• {{IMDb name|2590899}}
• [https://www.ted.com/talks/will_potter_the_secret_us_prisons_you_ve_never_heard_of_before The secret US prisons you've never heard of before] - TED
• [https://lawreview.vermontlaw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/16-Hall-Book-4-Vol-33.pdf The Green Scare] - Will Potter's article on the Vermont Law Review, Volume 33, Number 4, Summer 2009
• [http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/25/exclusive_animal_rights_activist_jailed_at Animal Rights Activist Jailed at Secretive Prison Gives First Account of Life Inside a “CMU”] - Will Potter discusses Animal Rights activism and civil liberties on Democracy Now!
• [https://animalvoices.ca/2009/05/05/unravelling-the-acronym-will-potter-exposes-the-aeta-animal-enterprise-terrorism-act/ Unravelling the Acronym: Will Potter Exposes the AETA (Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act)] - Interview for a Toronto's animal liberation radio show - 54 minutes
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBlpXoSnKOs Will Potter's presentation on Talking Sticks, YouTube] - May 16, 2008
• [http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2008/09/farm-conference-2008/ The Animal Rights National Conference 2008] - Article on Encyclopædia Britannica

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Potter, Will}}

Category:American male journalists

Category:Johns Hopkins University alumni

Category:Moody College of Communication alumni

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)