>From: Mark Clement <MClement@bruderhof.com>
>Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 20:02:42 -0400
>
>For Immediate Release:
>Contact: Pam Africa
>
>215-476-8812
>
> Response to FOP's Intimidation Attack
> on Mumia Abu-Jamal Supporters
>
>Philadelphia, PA. August 18, 1999. This recent ridiculous nonsense the FOP
>put out on the Faulkner website concerning their planned boycott of all
>businesses and "individuals" who are in support of Mumia Abu-Jamal is, once
>again, another weak attempt by the police to threaten, intimidate, and
>ultimately coerce people (in business and the community) into stopping our
>support of Mumia and allowing government to murder this innocent man, on the
>sole basis that a jury found him guilty, nothing more, because it is
>painfully clear that Mumia never had a fair trial. The fact that Mumia
>Abu-Jamal did not have a fair trial ain't even considered by the FOP; why is
>that when they claim law enforcement, justice is their aim-but we do see
>very loud and clear that killing Mumia, despite law, justice, fairness or
>anything else of that matter, and letting him "burn in hell" as they so Ku
>Klux Klannishly put it, is definitely their aim. So now what do we believe
>here, that the FOP wants justice for Faulkner, or that the FOP just wants
>Mumia dead, because he's somebody to kill, so call justifiably, and the
>police love to kill! They'll do anything to get their way, to kill! A fair
>trial for Mumia ain't even considered by the FOP, but now they want us to be
>considerate of their planned boycott, be intimidated by it, and back up, let
>them have the day. This is attempted coercion thru threats and
>intimidation, a common tactic of the police, and it's time the people put an
>end to it.
>
>So what if the FOP boycotts, who are they anyway. When you look at them in
>the whole realm of things, they only make up a tiny portion of the whole, in
>other words, there's more people than cops, so let's not be fooled into
>thinking it's the other way around. The people are in the masses, not the
>cops. Let these weak ineffective tantrum-throwing kill-crazy KKK hustlers
>do all the boycotting they want, Mumia's supporters will simply intensify
>our support of all those businesses and "individuals" they boycott, and
>encourage others to do the same. These cops and their supporters can make
>all the threats they want, about boycotts or whatever, that doesn't make
>them right, nor does it mean they're gonna get away with it, or win the
>final victory, and because of that, the people who support Mumia are gonna
>keep doing what we know is right despite them. The business community
>doesn't start or stop because of police support; it's people, all people,
>support that keep businesses in business.
>
> Unity, solidarity is the key. It's the most effective
>weapon we have.
> Let's use it-KEEP MUMIA ABU-JAMAL ALIVE!!
>
>The International Concerned Family and
>Friends in Support of Mumia Abu-Jamal
>
================================>
FOP Attacks Supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal
Their August 11 Release:
FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
309 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, N.E. WASHINGTON DC 20002
PHONE: (202) 547-8190 FAX: (202) 547-8190
GILBERT G. GALLEGOS
JAMES O. PASCO, JR.
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BERNARD H. TEODORSKI
CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: TIM RICHARDSON
11 AUGUST 1999
(202) 547-8189
F.O.P. Attacks Supporters of Convicted Cop Killer
Today the nation's largest organization of law enforcement
officers announced a nationwide boycott against those businesses and
individuals that continue to support convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal.
The announcement came after the unanimous passage of a resolution by the
more than 3,000 delegates attending the 54th Biennial national conference of
the Fraternal Order of Police in Mobile, Alabama.
National President Gilbert G. Gallegos called the passage of
the resolution a victory for the memory of Philadelphia police officer
Daniel Faulkner, who was murdered by Abu-Jamal in December 1981. "Danny
Faulkner's widow Maureen, has led a tireless crusade against Abu-Jamal, and
we wanted to let not only her, but the entire community know, that she has
the strong support of the Fraternal Order of Police."
Abu-Jamal was convicted by a jury of his peers and sentenced
to death for the 1981 murder of Officer Faulkner. Since then, the members
of the Pennsylvania State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and
Philadelphia Lodge #5 have been outspoken in their search for justice for
their brother officer.
After passage of the resolution, introduced on the floor of
the Conference by Florida National Trustee Pete Fire and seconded by
Pennsylvania State President Mike Lutz, Gallegos announced the
organization's plans for a boycott. Gallegos said the F.O.P. plans to have
a continuously updated list of firms and individuals that support or lend
assistance to the cause of freeing Abu-Jamal on the organization's web site.
We want to provide our members and the general public with
the information they need to inflict economic punishment on the supporters
of this cop-killer," Gallegos said.
"Too many businesses have put profits ahead of seeking
justice for the family of Daniel Faulkner, and too many uninformed
individuals have conspired to keep Abu-Jamal from getting what he deserved,"
Gallegos said. "We will use every means at our disposal to put these
companies and individuals at an economic disadvantage for their continued
support of this cowardly cop-killer."
The F.O.P. boycott comes on the heels of a massive rally and
concert, featuring several prominent musical artists, held to support the
cause of freeing Abu-Jamal and the June 1999 commencement address by
Abu-Jamal to the graduates of Evergreen State College in Washington Sate.
"This is about right and wrong," Gallegos said. "It is
wrong to allow companies and individuals to profit from the murder of an
officer who made the ultimate sacrifice trying to protect and serve the
citizens of his community. And we will not rest until Abu-Jamal burns in
hell."
The Fraternal Order of Police is the nation's largest
organization of law enforcement professionals, with over 283,000 members.