>From: "Jon Corlett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >FORWARDED MESSAGE >==================== >----- Original Message ----- >From: Mark Clement <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 9:25 AM > >> Mumia at Madison Square Garden >> By Debbie Lang >> >> Revolutionary Worker #1055, May 21, 2000 >> >> On my way to catch a train headed for the "Stand Up for Mumia" rally at >> Madison Square Garden on May 7, I stopped at a neighborhood newsstand and >> picked up a copy of the New York Times. Flipping through the pages of the >> "Week In Review" section--one of the most widely read sections of the >Sunday >> >> Times--I found a surprise. There was a full-page ad titled "We Educators >> Demand A New Trial For Mumia Abu-Jamal!" What great timing! Hundreds of >> professors and teachers from colleges and high schools around the country >> had signed, including Toni Morrison, Jonathan Kozol, Manning Marable, Noam >> Chomsky, Angela Davis and Rudolfo Anaya. >> >> Madison Square Garden is world famous as the home of the New York Knicks >> basketball team, who many people are watching in the playoffs this month. >> World boxing championship fights are held here. Bruce Springsteen and 'N >> Sync are playing in June. The Theater at Madison Square Garden is a >concert hall >> tucked behind the main arena. As I made my way to the press area I >> remembered when I saw Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti and his band >here. >>But today the stage was alive with images of political prisoner Mumia >Abu-Jamal >> projected on a huge screen. >> >> Outside the Garden a few dozen cops had set up a nasty picket line. Youth >> with banners in support of Mumia marched around them. The Patrolman's >> Benevolent Association (PBA) police union threatened to boycott the Garden >> if the rally was held. But as 6,000 people filled the theater to hear >speakers >> and performers opposed to Mumia's execution, it was clear that the police >> attempts at intimidation had failed. >> >> An Urgent Call for Justice >> >> "This show is sponsored by Mumia Abu-Jamal"--announced actor Ossie Davis >and >> suddenly Mumia's baritone voice sounded all around the room, welcoming >> people. Throughout the afternoon dozens of speakers shared powerful >exposure >> of the justice system--and intense personal experience--to make the case >> that the execution of Mumia must be stopped. Many spoke of the need for a >major >> turnout for Mumia's first appearance in federal court in Philadelphia. >> >> WBAI Radio's Bernard White read a message from Rubin "Hurricane" Carter: >"As >> we gather today in this historic spot I am reminded of my struggle and >fight >> for freedom, a part of which took place within this very hall. May the >power >> and force that set me free do the same for our brother Mumia and may those >> present and absent see to it that this power prevails." >> >> Attorney Johnnie Cochran added his voice "to those who have spoken before >to >> free Mumia, to give Mumia a new trial" and spoke of his experience as >> attorney for Geronimo Pratt. "The battle to free Geronimo Pratt showed us >> that you can never ever give up. That battle took 27 plus years to get him >> free.... Geronimo joins all of us today in saying that Mumia Abu-Jamal >> should be free. We have to have the same dedication that we had in that >case to >> help free Mumia.... We've got to have the courage to stand up as he stands >up and >> stand with him. Won't you do that? Let's continue doing it! Free Mumia!" >> >> An appearance by former New York City Mayor David Dinkins signaled the >> potential for the movement to stop the execution to gather broad support >> among Black political figures. Dinkins called for a new trial for Mumia >and >> said that Mumia's case concentrates: "One, the issue of abuse of police >> power. Two, the issue of a biased system of criminal justice. And three, >the >> death penalty issue. It doesn't take a genius to see how each of those >fuels >> the next. Too often young Black men enter the criminal justice system >> through one end, victims of their race and poverty, and exit on the other >as dead >> men walking...." >> >> Actor Ed Asner emphasized that it was up to the people to free Mumia: >"Over >> 80 people under sentence of death have been found to be wrongfully >> convicted," Asner said. "Now ask yourself this: how many of those 80 plus >> were freed because a courageous judge or a courageous prosecutor or a >> courageous police investigator had second thoughts about a conviction and >> asked that the case be reopened? You've got the answer--none! People >> wrongfully on death row get freed only because someone outside the >criminal >> justice system takes an interest, a journalist or someone like you making >a >> stink." >> >> Attorney Ramsey Clark, founder of the International Action Center and >former >> U.S. attorney general talked about how this system "is indifferent to >life." >> "It operates on the principles of greed and violence and fear, which it >uses >> to control. Mumia is dangerous to that system just as is Leonard Peltier, >> not because they've committed any crimes. They haven't. But because of the >power >> of their minds, of their voices, of their hands...." >> >> The Movement Intensifies >> >> This gathering at Madison Square Garden was one of the major events coming >> out of the Emergency Conference to Stop the Execution--with the aim of >> building the movement, influencing public opinion, and breaking into the >> media--as crucial hearings in Mumia's case approach. >> >> The event at Madison Square Garden took place amid an intensification of >> activity around the world aimed at making Mumia's case a dividing line >> throughout society. A few months ago Amnesty International released a >report >> calling for a new trial for Mumia. Mumia's new book All Things Censored >has >> premiered at bookstores around the country. It contains a CD with Mumia's >> banned National Public Radio broadcasts and comments from Sister Helen >> Prejean, Cornel West, Assata Shakur, Martin Sheen and John Edgar Wideman. >> Public service announcements about Mumia's case are being prepared by Ed >> Asner, Alice Walker and other well-known supporters. On May 15, the >> nationally syndicated radio show Democracy Now will feature excerpts from >"A >> >> Matter of Life and Death," a reading by actors and comedians held in Los >> Angeles on "Mumia 911, the National Day of Art to Stop the Execution." >> Hosted by Ed Asner, the reading featured performances by actors Robert >Guillaume, >> Mike Farrell, Fionulla Flanagan, Esai Morales, Susan Anspach, Roscoe Lee >> Brown, Lou Myers, Vanessa Williams, Susan Clark and comedians Shelly >Berman >> and Paula Poundstone. >> >> Only days before the gathering, Mumia spoke via audiotape to the >graduating >> class at Antioch College in Ohio and at the 30th anniversary of the >murders >> of four students at Kent State. So much controversy was created that the >> Associated Press released the full text of Mumia's speech at Kent State to >> media outlets around the world. Meanwhile, conservative columnists worried >> that the demand to stop Mumia's execution was being raised in the protests >> against the World Bank and the World Trade Organization in Washington, >D.C. >> >> And it was clear from the turnout at Madison Square Garden that Mumia has >> struck a major chord among the radical youth of the new millennium. Ari >> Hornick from Evergreen College--site of Mumia's controversial graduation >> speech last June--enthusiastically told the audience: "We can certainly >> prove that although the government can put a person on death row, a >government can >> never silence the voice of truth. Free Mumia!" >> >> "I want my people to be free! I want Mumia to be free!"--youth were out of >> their seats when rapper Mos Def took the stage. Earth Driver captured the >> mood with "You Are No One's Slave" and hip hop artist Will Villainova took >> aim at the police with "Devils In A Blue Dress" which he wrote in memory >of >> Amadou Diallo, who was shot 41 times by the NYPD. He dedicated it to Mumia >> and all political prisoners in the U.S. Comedian Marga Gomez brought lots >of >> laughter when she mocked the police "protesters" who were picketing >outside: >> "Their picket signs say `Question Constitutionality,' `Give Beatings A >> Chance.' Like our picket signs, but different, you see?" >> >> Many of the speakers and activists at the program called for people to >pack >> the courtroom and the streets in Philadelphia on the date of Mumia's >federal >> hearing. Young activists from R&R! passed fliers down the rows: "Together >We >> Can Stop the Execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal!" They will be holding their >> annual "Freedom Summer" in Philadelphia again this year. Plans are also >underway >> for protests at the Republican National Convention which will be held in >> Philadelphia at the end of July and the Democratic National Convention in >> L.A. in August. >> >> Philadelphia In-Justice >> >> The three-hour-long multi-media program brought to life the story of >police >> brutality and terror in Philadelphia during the reign of police chief and >> later Mayor Frank Rizzo in the '70s -- the climate leading up to and >during >> Mumia's frame-up. Rosemary Mealy moved the audience with stories of >Mumia's >> early encounters with police and how he became a revolutionary writer for >> the Black Panther Party newspaper. Journalist Linn Washington brought to >life >> the epidemic of police brutality in Philadelphia during the '70s. >> >> Ramona Africa, the only adult to survive the government's bombing of 11 >MOVE >> members (including six children), received a standing ovation when she >took >> the mike: "As the only adult survivor of the official police bombing and >> murder of my MOVE family, I am here to tell you that not one single >official >> sits on death row next to Mumia in Pennsylvania for murdering my family. >So >> how dare these misfits try to convince us that our brother is a murderer? >> Their hands are drenched with the blood of innocent people, not Mumia... >> These people have told us straight up that they are going to kill Mumia. >> They have said it to our face, virtually dared us, challenged us to stop >them. >> Well, each and every one of us are here today to let them know that we are >> up for the challenge. We are not going to allow them to kill another >innocent >> man, another freedom fighter." >> >> Former Black Panther Party leader Kathleen Cleaver drew on her personal >> experience to tell the story of how the government's Counter-Intelligence >> Program (COINTELPRO) was used to attack the BPP. Attorney Michael Tarif >> Warren and Clark Kissinger from Refuse & Resist! exposed how Mumia was >> railroaded during his trial by police, prosecutor and judge, and how the >> frame-up continued in Mumia's subsequent appeals of his conviction. Former >> death row prisoner Lawrence Hayes, cofounder of the New York State >Campaign >> to End the Death Penalty, brought a message of support. And Henry Gatson, >> who spent 25 years in prison for a murder he did not commit told the >audience: >> "The only reason that I am standing here before you today is because New >> York State didn't have the death penalty back then. We must do everything >that we >> can possibly do to help this brother get out...." >> >> Attorney Leonard Weinglass thanked people on Mumia's behalf and publicly >> acknowledged all the work they've done in his defense. Stressing the >urgency >> of the federal District Court hearings, Attorney Dan Williams told the >> crowd, "Mumia's case in many ways is very much like other death penalty >cases. >> There are issues concerning inadequate resources, an ineffective lawyer, >racism in >> the jury selection, bias, hostility and unfairness by a judge, over >> zealousness by the prosecutor, fabricated evidence, manipulation of >> witnesses and the list goes on.... But let me say this to you: Mumia is >one victim >> with a gift, the gift to communicate. And I think he understands that no >gift is >> complete unless it's passed on. And he passes on that gift to communicate >to >> us all so that our consciences can be raised, so that we can see with more >> clarity the injustices. And if this particular victim of the process is >> killed by intentional state action, then it's not simply a crossing of a >new >> threshold in the universe of death penalty jurisprudence. We are going to >> reach new heights in the broader world of state power over individuals." >> >> A Gathering from Many Struggles >> >> Many people in the audience were political activists from a wide range of >> perspectives. As I came into the theater a Puerto Rican brother I know >> handed me a flier about continued resistance to the U.S. occupation of the >island >> of Vieques. I saw youth who took part in the demonstrations against the >World >> Bank and WTO in Seattle and Washington, D.C. Native Americans who I'd met >> during Leonard Peltier Freedom Month last November were in the audience, >as >> were activists whose work focuses on other political prisoners. People who >> work with many different organizations opposed to police brutality >attended, >> as did religious groups who fight for peace and justice. >> >> Monica Moorehead of the International Action Center and Sally O'Brian of >> WBAI radio were among the hosts at the program. Speakers at the program >included >> Pam Africa of International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia >Abu-Jamal; >> comedian Dick Gregory; former political prisoner Safiya Bukhari from the >> Jericho Movement; Tanya McCleary from the National Coalition to Abolish >the >> Death Penalty; Leslie Feinberg, transgender author and cofounder of >Rainbow >> Flags for Mumia; Mark Taylor of Academics for Mumia; journalist Noelle >> Hanrahan, editor of All Things Considered; Cristoph Arnold of the >Bruderhof; >> members of the International Action Center. Richard Levy read a message >from >> Dennis Rivera, president of the 1199 union, and brought messages of >support >> from other unions. Poet Sonia Sanchez read "Mother Loss" from Mumia's >first >> book Live From Death Row. Attorney Ron Kuby read a piece from Mumia's new >> book All Things Censored. Njeri Shakur of the Texas Death Penalty >Abolition >> Movement spoke about the upcoming execution date of Shaka Sankofa." >> >> The journal Haiti Progres wrote this in an ad in the event program: >"Around >> the world, a growing popular movement is challenging your jailers and >their >> employers, who are ever more repressive. The waters are rising around them >> and as a Creole proverb says, `rivy� pa gwosi san Long Island pa >> twouble'--the river doesn't swell without the water churning. The waters >are >> churning and soon you will be free." >> >> One of the most moving parts of the program at Madison Square Garden was >> when family members of victims of police brutality took the stage. The >parents >> and other family members of Patrick Dorismond thanked the audience for >their >> support. Patrick was a Haitian man who was shot by undercover cops after >he >> refused to sell marijuana on a city street. Patrick's mother cried as she >> told the audience: "I still have the pain, and this pain will never go >away. >> I will never forget my son's name. He was so nice. He was my lovely son >and >> he was an innocent man." >> >> Nicholas Heyward, Sr., whose 13-year-old son Nicholas Heyward, Jr. was >shot >> by a housing cop said: "We work with October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police >> Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation, who along >> with the Anthony Baez Foundation and the National Lawyers Guild has >organized the >> Stolen Lives Project that documents over 2,000 cases of people killed by >law >> enforcement across the country. We do not intend to see Mumia Abu-Jamal's >> name added to Stolen Lives.... Think about it: Mumia is on death row for a >> crime he did not commit. Almost all the police officers who killed our >> children are still free to walk the streets with a badge and a gun. Mumia >> must be set free and the cops who murder and brutalize our children must >be >> tried, convicted and jailed." >> >> On the Wire >> >> In a press release after the event, the organizers noted: "The event was a >> major step in the struggle to break through the campaign of silence, >> vilification and lies against Mumia in the mass media, where if his case >is >> mentioned at all, he is usually referred to as a "convicted cop killer." >In >> fact, the efforts of the police to harass and intimidate only backfired >and >> the event received widespread coverage in newspapers across the country. >> Even the pro-police "New York Post" was forced to print a story that >acknowledged >> there is a growing movement against the execution. News wires picked up >> photos of a huge quilt with messages of support for Mumia made by people >in >> the movement. Articles appeared in the Los Angeles Times and the Atlanta >> Constitution. Word spread like wildfire over the Internet and in an online >> poll held by the New York Daily News 84.9% voted that Mumia should have a >> new trial. >> >> After the Daily News printed an article titled "Big Rally for Cop Killer >> Abu-Jamal at Garden" dozens of people e-mailed their forum in support of >> Mumia and debunked lies and misconceptions spread by the police. One >> computer user e-mailed this to the Daily News: "Everything I have read >against Mumia >> basically amounts to a call to rally around police officers because they >are >> doing an important and dangerous job. When they do talk about evidence >they >> talk about a single eyewitness and Mumia's gun. Remove the shaky witness >> (easily done) and all you have is a black man with a gun, remove the gun >> (which does not match the bullet that killed the officer) and you have >> police silencing a voice." Another wrote: "When so much passion abounds >and so many >> opinions differ, isn't it obvious that this man deserves a new trial? How >> can we refer to the system which wrongly holds so many people captive a >`justice >> system'? Recent information on numerous police departments throughout the >> country indicate the reality of an institutional classism and racism that >> most of us would prefer to forget about. We can't--too many lives depend >on >> it." >> >> This article is posted in English and Spanish on Revolutionary Worker >Online >> rwor.org Write: Box 3486, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 60654 Phone: >> 773-227-4066 Fax: 773-227-4497 (The RW Online does not currently >communicate >> via email.) >> > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Sign up for the free zZounds.com newsletter for the latest and >greatest music gear savings, musician tips and hot contests. >http://click.egroups.com/1/3738/3/_/30522/_/958844144/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Stop the execution! 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