Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 14:56:16 -0500 From: Michael Yates <mikey+ at pitt.edu>
This letter seems to contradict some of what Marc Cooper said about the Free Mumia movement.
Michael Yates
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There will be a massive civil disobedience (CD) to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal and End the Death Penalty on February 28 at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. This is being organized by the same people who conducted the highly successful CD at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia July 3, 1999.
Included below is a LETTER from the New York Free Mumia Coalition, and a FORM at the end for those who want to participate, support, help organize, or join in the legal demonstration.
Send any reply to <mumiacd at hotmail.com> (leave off the <...>). Please remember, there are many levels of involvement: participation in the CD; support; mobilization; and/or participation in the legal demonstration.
(For more information about Mumia Abu-Jamal and this struggle, see the end of this email.)
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Letter from the NEW YORK FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION
December 1999
Dear Friend,
The year 2000 will be the decisive year in the legal and political struggle for the life of Mumia Abu-Jamal. We are asking all people of conscience to join us in a mass non-violent civil disobedience and simultaneous legal rally on Monday, February 28, at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.
It is apparent to many journalists, scholars, legal experts, social justice and human rights activists around the globe that Mumia's case represents one of the most important political death penalty cases in U.S. history. On October 13, 1999 a second death warrant for Mumia was issued by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. Although a stay of execution was granted 14 days later, that stay is simply a temporary postponement.
It is clear that the state and much of the mass media will stop at nothing to execute and terminally silence Mumia. It is time to further intensify our resistance.
The Supreme Court action will generate national and international attention through the participation of public figures and activists from around the country who will risk arrest. It will focus attention on the court that may decide Mumia's fate sometime next year.
This action will expose our outrage at the death penalty, and the 1996 Effective Death Penalty Act, which denies prisoners the right to present new evidence that might exonerate them. We will also demonstrate our support for Mumia as a political prisoner and all other political prisoners who were targeted by the F.B.I.'s counter-intelligence program (COINTELPRO). During a year that will celebrate the 200th birthdays of John Brown and Nat Turner, we will carry on a tradition of taking powerful collective action against institutionalized racism.
Earlier this year, the New York Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition organized a July 3rd blockage of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. A total of 123 activists were arrested in both Philadelphia and in San Francisco, which held a simultaneous solidarity action. This combined action for Mumia was the largest coordinated civil disobedience against the death penalty in U.S. history. Our response to the state's most recent attack on Mumia must be even more forceful and dramatic.
Join us in shutting down the Supreme Court and showing the world that there is no justice in America as long as Mumia remains in prison and on death row. Free Mumia!
for the New York Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition
Herman Ferguson/ New Africa Liberation Front
Kai Lumumba Barrow/ Student Liberation Action Movement
Chris Ney/ War Resisters League
Dennis Brutus/ Jubilee 2000 Afrika
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please complete the following in order to help us keep in better touch with you. Be sure your reply is sent to the <mumiacd at hotmail.com> address.) Leave blank anything you can not complete.
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Please remember there are many levels of involvement: participation in the CD; support; mobilization; and/or participation in the legal demonstration.
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If you need more information about Mumia Abu-Jamal, there are many websites available. You may want to start with <http://www.freemumia.org>
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Thank you. New Trial for Mumia! Abolish the Death Penalty!