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<font face="Calibri" size=3><b>Some musings on the subject of political
prisoners and Mumia<br><br>
By Lynne Stewart<br><br>
In the USA we hope we are experiencing that groundswell of a time when
events and history come together; that the protest against what is
happening to civil service workers will result in such a wave of people
power that change will start breaking out for all of us. (It should be
noted that this outpouring of people's outrage is not INSTITUTIONALIZED
-- not led by the unions or the established Left but mainly by outraged
individuals and students, who are not coming out for a rally on the
weekend and then resuming life as usual -- the plasma tv, the remote
control, beer, sports and the SUV. No, People seem to be ready to make it
happen this time. The Common Good.<br><br>
We need it and mostly we need it for our Political Prisoners and
Prisoners of War. This group of morally incorruptible and creative and
clear political thinkers, dating from the righteous struggles of the
'60's; some of whom have been in the depths of dungeons for more than a
lifetime, and others, who are relative newcomers (like me, Bradley
Manning, of Wikileaks; and Tim DeChristopher, the man who bid on the Utah
oil leases and disrupted Bush's last environmental gifting to the
financially elite.)<br><br>
Of course, officially there are "no political prisoners in the
US"; just like officially, the government is now trying to say, they
always supported the anti-Mubarak forces and democracy for Egypt. History
says differently, and we must be ready to seize the moment to pressure
for release of the unjustly imprisoned 100+ men and women, known to be
incarcerated for their espoused political motivations. (This number sadly
does not include the Muslims, but that's a struggle for another
day.)<br><br>
We do not deserve to be called a movement if we do not rescue our own.
Their absolute and abiding faith in us to do so remains the litmus test
of our dedication and belief in solidarity. It is stronger than any
religious belief I know of. <br><br>
We must recognize that COINTELPRO has now morphed into the outrageous
entrapment tactics of FBI informants targeting mosques and youth of
color. It is hard to believe that juries are swallowing the swill served
up to them by the Government -- but the history of America says
differently. How many Black men were lynched and more lately
convicted of rape because it was an easy kill -- racism + sex =
GUILTY? Then it was communism and anarchism -- Sacco and Vanzetti
-- the deportation of Emma Goldman followed by McCarthy and the witch
hunts of the 50's. Then the 60's and the attacks on the Black Panthers
and Black Liberation Army and any movement that sought real
change.<br><br>
Fast Forward to Now and we have countless “terrorist” plots by men
and women who can't even do the math or who have been lured by dollar or
glory promises, and grand jury subpoenas for Green terrorism and
supporters of righteous movements abroad. <br><br>
Many of our U.S. political prisoners are well known internationally.
Mumia Abu Jamal epitomizes the best among us politically and as a racial
champion. His brilliant insights collected weekly by Noelle Hanrahan for
broadcast and his courage as he toughs it out on Death Row must bring a
deep commitment from all of us not to allow them to subject him to his
state-contrived death. He is the best of the best. Likewise
Leonard Peltier, a warrior who enlisted in a war that has been waged for
400 years against the U.S. planned genocide of native people. Both
men are innocent of the crimes for which they continue to rot in
prison. And the State knows it. At this time there is little
hope for relief for either man through legal channels. No! Their
freedom depends on whether, we, the People can be organized, rise up and
demand it. May it happen. We challenge a wily opponent, one
who in the sixties was able to buy our movement and con people with
notions that poverty pimping was organizing for change. We know
better. There is a new generation. The freedom of our own
must be realized and it must be soon. We cannot be
deterred.<br><br>
We ask and resolve that the international community join us. This
struggle is a dire one because of the age of our captured heroes.
We must Free Mumia! Leonard shall be returned to the Lakota and all
native peoples! Free All Political Prisoners! Free 'em
all.<br><br>
Lynne Stewart<br>
Carswell Federal Prison<br>
Fort Worth TEXAS<br><br>
3/10/11<br><br>
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