From: "C. Clark Kissinger" <cck1@earthlink.net>
A Letter to the Movement:
THE NEXT CRITICAL PERIOD IN THE BATTLE TO SAVE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL
The new millennium will usher in some CRUCIAL MONTHS IN THE BATTLE TO SAVE
MUMIA ABU-JAMAL. Now more than ever, our energies and efforts in organizing
for him must be both more intense and more carefully implemented. The early
months of 2000 are those in which we must build and mobilize public
expression, during the run-up to a critical ruling by the Federal District
court that may happen as early as March.
This court ruling, by Federal District Judge William H. Yohn, Jr., may
determine whether or not Mumia receives an “evidentiary hearing” to reopen
the factual record in his case, or whether all future appeals will be based
on the court record of the “hanging judge” Albert Sabo. Judge Sabo found
every prosecution witness to be truthful, found every defense witness to be
untruthful, and barred the admission of witnesses and documents critical to
Mumia’s defense.
THE EVIDENCE MUST BE HEARD. Judge Yohn must now decide whether or not to
exercise his power to review fully all aspects of State court rulings and
findings of fact. Yohn has the Constitutional power to do this, even with
the constraints imposed on Federal courts by the Anti-Terrorism and
Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. This ruling is crucial, because it
determines whether the evidence barred by Pennsylvania courts will ever be
heard, and it will determine what record of the facts in this case will be
used during all future Federal appeals. If Sabo’s record is allowed to
stand, then there is no such thing as justice in the United States.
THE MASS MOVEMENTS DO SHAPE COURT DECISIONS. Legal pundits would have us
believe that everything is decided by judges. But history shows that the
courts are greatly affected by voices and actions of the people. This is
particularly true in high profile political cases that concentrate broader
issues being fought out in society. Remember how mass actions and the bus
boycott forced the courts to rule against segregation in Montgomery. Appeals
courts overturned the Chicago 7 convictions and the conviction of Panther
leader Huey P. Newton, in part because the whole world was watching. And the
movement against the war in Vietnam impelled an emergency ruling by the
Supreme Court to allow publication of the Pentagon Papers. It is during the
early months of 2000 that the government will be “taking the temperature of
society” on this case, and making the decision of how much they will be
forced to give ground.
OUR MOVEMENT FOR MUMIA HAS ACHIEVED MUCH over the last year. The Oakland
teach-ins, the Rage Against the Machine concerts, the N.Y. Town Hall Rally,
the West Coast Longshoremen’s work stoppage, the April 24 mobilizations, the
Evergreen State College commencement address, 95 arrested in civil
disobedience at the Liberty Bell, Mumia 911, and Mumia Awareness Week, have
set Mumia’s case before millions. But let us not kid ourselves. We still
need to build the broadest movement possible in order to counter an
opposition that remains powerful, dangerous, well-organized and poised to
kill Mumia.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME in the movement to stop the execution of Mumia
Abu-Jamal. If you are someone who is profoundly disturbed over what happened
to Mumia in the courts, and are worried what will happen if this is allowed
to stand as precedent, then we need your voice. If you are someone whose
principal issue is the death penalty itself, then the fight is here. If you
are someone who is convinced of Mumia’s innocence, then don’t let a
miscarriage of justice take place. If you are someone concerned about the
suppression of dissenting voices, then help make Mumia’s voice heard.
EVERYONE CAN TAKE ACTION. Already planned are dozens of programs, actions,
newspaper ads, and mobilizations to give collective voice to our cry for
justice (see attached list). The actions of every individual count. Mumia’s
lawyer, Leonard Weinglass, has already received over 15,000 letters to Judge
Yohn on Mumia’s behalf. Couldn’t we collect 100,000 such letters by the time
of the hearing? Virtually everyone has access to some professional or social
grouping. Can’t we all take this case in our schools, churches, professional
associations, unions, and even our friends and families. Can’t we take
advantage of public events and commemorations such as the Martin Luther King
weekend to raise Mumia’s case? Can’t we poster Mumia’s image everywhere?
With the year 2000 being an election year, shouldn’t the candidates be
hounded with this issue. Pennsylvania Governor Ridge has now signed 179
death warrants, 106 for African-Americans in state that is 10% Black.
Shouldn’t he be branded everywhere as “Governor Death”?
WE ALL HAVE MUCH AT STAKE in preserving Mumia’s life and voice. The movement
for Mumia has become a focus for many other movements that are working to
shake our peoples free from patterns of oppression that ravage us today: the
epidemic of police brutality concentrated in Black and Latino communities,
the burgeoning prison-industrial complex, the ready-use of a death penalty
that is likely to place nearly 4,000 people on death row by the end the year
2000.
We dare not lose Mumia’s voice and life. Every day of our movement’s past
work has been indispensable to where we are now in the struggle to save
Mumia. The next few months, leading up to the Federal District court’s
decision on an evidentiary hearing and whether Sabo’s record will be allowed
to stand, must feature our best efforts, our strongest measures, our most
creative energies.
Signed:
Pam Africa, International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal
Safiya Bukhari, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (New York)
Ron Daniels, Center for Constitutional Rights
Angela Davis, University of California-Santa Cruz
Ossie Davis
Martín Espada, poet
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard University
Frances Goldin, literary agent
C. Clark Kissinger, Refuse & Resist!
Jeff Mackler, Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal (Northern California)
Bob Mandel, Oakland Education Association
Manning Marable, Black Radical Congress
Robert Meeropol, Rosenberg Fund for Children
Monica Moorehead, Millions for Mumia/IAC
Joan Parkin, Campaign to End the Death Penalty
Marcus Rediker, Western PA Committee to Free Mumia (Pittsburgh)
Muhjah Shakir, The Jericho Amnesty Movement
Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network
Mark Taylor, Academics for Mumia Abu-Jamal
Michael Warren, attorney
Steve Wiser, Bruderhof communities
Julia Wright, International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal
(Paris)
Major Winter-Spring Events for Mumia:
Day of Mumia’s first court appearance--Mass convergence on Philadelphia
January--Amnesty International publishes pamphlet on the Mumia case
Jan 12--Union delegation from Europe in Washington, DC
Jan 15-17--MLK commemorations; bring Mumia into these
February 18-19--the National Emergency Conference for Mumia
Week of February 23--annual national student/youth day for Mumia
February 28--Civil Disobedience action in Washington and San Francisco
February-March--Educators for Mumia ad in the New York Times
April 1-8--Mumia Awareness Week, tied to anniversary of MLK assassination
April--publication of Mumia’s new book “All Things Censored”
April 29--Rally for Mumia in the Paramount Theater of Madison Square Garden
(do not publicize until public announcement)
April 29--Rosenberg Fund for Children program in Berkeley; Mumia component
May 6-- Western Regional Mass Mobilization for Mumia in San Francisco
Many of these events provide the opportunity for teach-ins, forums, video
showings, special collections for the legal defense, car caravans, mass
postering and distribution of leaflets.
===============================================>
From: Mark Clement <MClement@bruderhof.com>
SCI-Greene has a new street address:
175 Progress Drive has replaced 1040 E. Roy Furman Highway
Write Mumia at:
Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370-8090
USA
Very best to everyone for the New Year and the continued fight for justice
for Mumia.
Mark
=======================================================>
From: mac mcpherson <jusus@usa.com>
Hello,
The San Diego Coalition to
"Stop the Execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal"
is announcing the "Mumia 2000"
Black History Millennium Calendar.
Please stop by to lend your support
and place your orders for your group.
"http://jusus.virtualave.net
Sincerely,
The San Diego Coalition to
"Stop the Execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal"
"Proud supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal"
=================================>
From: Joel Norvell <methods@best.com>
A response to this week's sinister Salon article on Mumia has been posted at
http://www.freemumia.org/latest/salon.html
Telling it Like it Isn't: Salon Magazine Ridicules Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Claims Most Blacks Don't Know and Don't Care
In Solidarity,
Joel
==============================>
From: "M. Carey" <mjcarey@hotmail.com>
Hello,
I'm trying to organize a group of Mumia supporters in the St.Louis, MO area.
Purpose: Post literature and increase public awareness about Mumia...get
the facts out.. If anyone is interested, email mjcarey@hotmail.com
thanks - Freedom for Mumia!
Mike
=============================================>
From: "kiilu nyasha" <kiilu@sirius.com>
Subject: LOCKDOWN 2000: A Cultural Revelation, Jan. 29, Alice Arts Center,
Oakland, 6-11 p.m.
Greetings Sisters & Brothers:
UNITED FOR JUSTICE: Bay Area Coalition to Free Mumia & All Political
Prisoners
Presents:
LOCKDOWN 2000: A Cultural Revelation
Alice Arts Center, 1428 Alice St., Oakland (theater and dance studio)
6-ll p.m., Sat., 1/29/00, sliding scale $10-$25 (no one turned away)
food child care wheelchairs welcome
Featuring: SPEARHEAD w/Michael Franti
Babatunde Lea Quintet
Amandla Poets
Madupue w/Avotcja & Tarika Lewis
Keynote: Ida McCray Robinson
of Families with a Future Upsurge!
Aye de Leon
devorah major
Piri Thomas
Tanyica Simmons
Wanda
Sabir
MC: BAMUTHI
MC: BAMUTHI
and others
Dorsey Nunn and Eric Norberg are working
together to mount a "healing wall" of prisoners' photos in the Theater lobby.
Please send photos of loved ones behind the walls to United for Justice, c/o
Koncepts Cultural Gallery, 1428 Alice St., Oakland, 94612 (copies please;
we can't be responsible for returning originals.)
Sponsors: The Educultural Foundation, Koncepts Cultural Gallery, Vanguard
Foundation, KPFA Hard Knock Radio
A benefit for Mumia Abu-Jamal's legal defense and the ongoing work of
United for
Justice. Checks for any amount are needed to help defray expenses
(promotion,
publicity, sound system, food, etc.) and can be sent to The Educultural
Foundation
(memo: United for Justice), P.O. Box 9269, Oakland 94613.
For more information or how you can help, please call: 415 391 3844 ext. 2
================================================>
From: iacenter@iacenter.org
Emergency National Conference to Save Mumia Abu-Jamal
c/o Center for Constitutional Rights, 666 Broadway
New York, NY 10012-2317
Dear Friend,
We all recognize that the outcome of this case is going to effect the
political terrain for years to come, and that our efforts must take a
qualitative leap at this point. Our growing movement has also provoked
increasing counterattacks, with an attack on Mumia now scheduled for
publication in Reader’s Digest.
We are asking you (and your organization where appropriate) to join
this call as an endorser. And while your endorsement will be a very
important contribution, we all want you (and your organization) to
attend. Only our combined efforts and input can actually mobilize the
forces that can be decisive.
This conference does come on short notice because the courts and the
new Effective Death Penalty Act set the speeded-up schedule. So we
must ask everyone to adjust their schedules into to make this critical
event happen.
We also hope that you can promote this conference through your
organizational contacts, and seek out other endorsers and participants.
Please use the form below to fax to: 212- 614-6499.
_____________________________________________________
__ Yes, please list me (__and my organization) as endorsing the
emergency conference
our liaison person for the conference will be
________________________________
__ I am particularly interested in
________________________________(workshop or issue)
__ I (We) would be interested working on the active Planning
Committee.
Name__________________________________
Phone____________________
Organization______________________________
Fax_____________________
Address_________________________
e-mail___________________
***
A CALL TO ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZERS:
EMERGENCY NATIONAL CONFERENCE TO
SAVE MUMIA ABU JAMAL
Saturday, February 19, 2000,
at the Synod Hall of the Cathedral of St. John The Divine, NY, NY
The case of Death Row Journalist Mumia Abu Jamal stands at a pivotal
point in the fight against capital punishment and for justice in this
country and around the world.
This case is now at its most critical stage. Federal District court Justice
William Yohn is reviewing Mumia’s petition for habeas corpus relief
based on allegations of 29 constitutional violations. This is Mumia’s final
legal avenue and will determine whether or not he is granted a new and
fair trial. It is expected that Yohn’s decision on whether to hear new
evidence will be handed down sometime in March or April. If we lose
at this level, it will be immeasurably harder to win in the federal appeals
courts. After this stage, the appeals process is very rapid and could
result in a new execution date before the end of 2000.
Obviously much work must be done to affect the outcome of Judge
Yohn’s deliberations. In order to be successful we need to have a
unified vision and strategy. Thus we are calling an Emergency National
Conference to Save Mumia Abu Jamal to take place in New York City
on February 19 (with possible addition sessions on the 18th or 20th). A
major goal is to provide an opportunity for a wide array of social forces
to come together and strategize for this next round in the fight.
Participation of increasingly wider forces will send an important and
timely message that justice is the only option in this case.
As organizations and institutions concerned about social justice, due
process, racism, police brutality, and the death penalty we are calling on
you to join this effort by endorsing this conference, by joining the
planning committee, by publicizing, and by participating in the event
itself.
We suggest that the heart of the conference would be a series of
workshops designed to strategize around key areas of work (i.e. legal,
religious, youth mobilization, organizing in communities of color, labor
etc...) Each of these ses-sions should come out, not only with a plan, but
with a structure to implement that plan. Prior to breaking up into
workshops a short plenary session could launch the conference with
one speaker describing the day’s goal. One of Mumia’s attorneys could
give a brief legal update and assessment of where things stand in the
courts at this juncture.
Perhaps the evening could be devoted to “public session to remember.”
Here we would propose an evening scripted program that tells Mumia’s
story. An artfully crafted series of presentations on Mumia life and his
writings. This would have both an educational effect and an emotional
impact. The broad public beyond those attending the confer-ence would
be invited, and a video made. Here there is also a particular role for
major artists. For example, the pro-gram could end with Alice Walker’s
stirring comments on “with whom do you want to walk into the next
century?”
We must emphasize the emergency of the moment as well as making
sure that the organizing committee represents the people and
organizations who must now become involved. We suggest several
levels of advance participation: 1) the actual organizing committee with
sub-committees for the individual workshops, 2) a national advisory
board who will be consulted at every step, and 3) individuals to lead
workshops, speak or perform.
The conference will map out a battle plan to save Mumia’s life and
provide direction for what role organizations and individuals can must
play in that plan.
Suggestions for Workshops
Legal: How to get the amicus briefs on the key legal issues? How do
we get a major law firm(s) to provide the cleri-cal services vital to this
work? How do we get resolutions by local bar associations, and
programs in law schools? How do assist the legal team to start work
now on the legal research and papers that will be needed for various
con-tingencies?
Youth: This should be led by youth and perhaps this should be an all-day
session. How do we make the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal the issue that
“tears up” the campuses and high-schools this winter and spring? How
to we take on the right-wing anti-Mumia forces trying to reach youth?
Religious: How can we expand the excellent statement already being
signed by persons of faith into a nationally publicized statement? How
can we systematically reach the congregations of major religious
denominations? How can we develop acts of witness by religious forces
(here work around the School of the Americas is a good model)?
Black Community and other people of color: How do we make the case
of Mumia into a central felt concern of the Black community as a
whole? How can we get the Black churches to take this up? How do
we put this case in the center of the Black media from local papers to
BET? How do we reach influential groups like the NAACP, Opera-tion
PUSH, the King family, and AKA? Community and political outreach to
other communities of color including Latino, Asian, etc. must also be a
focal point of this conference and workshops.
Media: How can we get major authors to write a major piece on this
case for prominent national publications? Can we hit the other side with
a series of full page ads through the winter and spring (educators,
religious figures, law-yers, etc.)? Who will produce the needed Public
Service Announcements?
Artists & Writers: Building on Mumia 911 and other efforts, how can
we unleash the talents of writers and artists to continue to create
moving images and sounds for Mumia? An example is the statement in
the Nation by Angela Davis, June Jordan, and Alice Walker.
Labor: Building on the labor actions in the Bay Area and elsewhere,
what forms can actions by organized working people now take? How
can we continue the union resolutions working toward pressure on the
national AFL-CIO leadership to take action?
Lesbian/gay/bi/trans Outreach: Broad layers of lesbian/gay/bi/trans
movement have taken interest in Mumia’s case in the wake of the
brutal murder of Matthew Shepard. How can we broaden the Rainbow
Flags for Mumia coalition which has been endorsed by the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force, the International Gay and Lesbian Human
Rights Commission, LLEGO, and Pride at Work.
Special Events: How can we promote and make most effective the
major rallies and mobilizations in the first half of 2000. Plans for the
Republican National Convention hosted by Gov. Tom Ridge in
Philadelphia in August, and to challenge Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell
at the Democratic Convention for his prosecution of Mumia.
Civil Disobedience: What better place than here? What better place
than now? Building on the example of the mass arrests July 4th 1999 at
Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell – shouldn’t this case become the issue over
which people of con-science are prepared to sacrifice?
Anti-Death Penalty Movement: So much of the speeded-up death
penalty is concentrated in Mumia’s case. Prisoners on death row
everywhere are watching this effort with both hope and dread. Can
anyone really say that the death penalty can be abolished if we fail to
save Mumia?
International Support: A major component of pressure on the
government comes from throughout the world. That has included
statements by world leaders, a resolution of the European Parliament,
and activity by organizations such as Amnesty International. These
efforts need more coordination and greater publicity in the United States.
Mumia 101: This would be the place for a thorough introduction to the
case, and the issues that are concentrated in it, for the many new
people who will be drawn to the conference.
Please circulate this call and respond to: Emergency National
Conference to Save Mumia Abu-Jamal, c/o Center for Constitutional
Rights, 666 Broadway, New York, NY 10012-2317.
=================================================>
MORE ... MORE .... MORE .... CHECK PT. 2 OF THIS E-MAIL!