[lbo-talk] "Them"

[Carrol Cox]

Back in the '70s there was a riot at the Pontiac state prison, and a guard
was killed. (He had recently been transferred there from Joliet.) Eight
black prisoners were charged with murder. We organized a defense of the
Pontiac Brothers. LocallBack in the '70s there was a riot at the Pontiac
state prison, and a guard was killed. (He had recently been transferred
there from Joliet.) Eight black prisoners were charged with murder. We
organized a defense of the Pontiac Brothers. Locally, relatives of prison
guards attended a panel we held at ISU on the case. I forget  her exact
words, but one woman in effect declared: "_They_ got one of us; now we have
to get several of them" -- the point being that it didn't matter if the
accused were innocent, _one_ of 'them' obviously was, hence killing eight of
them was perfectly reasonable.

Carrol