German "Wissenschaftsgeschichte" behind Betty Krawczyk

Many are aware of the Robert Pickton trial underway in New Westminster’s B.C. Supreme Court.

Not so much in the media spotlight is the contempt of court trial of 78-year-old great-granny Betty Krawczyk, well-known ecowarrior and voice of the voiceless wilderness.

However, one scientific institution in the German university town of Gí¶ttingen has cottoned onto the fact that Krawczyk will appear in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver on January 29 and will represent herself.

Krawczyk faces charges of contempt of court for protesting the destruction of West Vancouver's Eagleridge Bluffs to make room for an expanded highway to Whistler. She has already spent more than two-and-a-half years of her life incarcerated for her activism on behalf of B.C. wildnerness areas.

Dr. Karen Wonders, research fellow at the Georg-August-Universití¤t Gí¶ttingen Institut fí¼r Wissenschaftsgeschichte, wrote the following in her January 18 open letter.

"The environmental activism of British Columbian writer Betty Krawczyk has drawn international attention and has met with widespread approval and admiration," writes Wonders. "At my home institution we particularly endorse her dedicated efforts to save the remnants of old growth forest in British Columbia.”¦We urge the [BC] Supreme Court to consider our support for this devoted environmentalist and First Nations activist in her struggle to preserve for present and future generations British Columbia’s unique natural heritage."

(See Betty blog http://bettysearlyedition.blogspot.com/ and recent editorial http://www.straight.com/article/how-the-higher-courts-stay-high-an-edito...)

Work Less Party founder Conrad Schmidt has already organized a "Rock the Jailhouse" Party, set for Friday, January 26, at 8 p.m. at the Anza Club. It has been advertised as "a benefit to cover Betty Krawczyk’s legal expenses".

"The thinking behind the event is to garner as much support for Betty as we can," Schmidt states in a media release sent out January 15. "We intend to fill that courtroom with people and let the judge really feel our presence."

Schmidt says the event will feature well-known local activists and an all-star line-up of entertainers.