> Message to the Fighters for Justice > > SHAKA, MUMIA... AND US > > [Revolutionary Worker #1061, July 1, 2000] > > We took it hard when they killed Shaka Sankofa. > > We saw him fight with all he had, right up to the end. We heard his > courageous last words telling us to "march on" and vowing that "they can > kill a revolutionary, but they can't stop the revolution." > We were raw in our mourning and in our anger. We were inspired by Shaka and > full of contempt for the ones who murdered him. We felt the weight of the > oppressive institutions and the armed power that this system can bring down > against the people. > > And we are more determined than ever that ALL THIS MUST CHANGE! > > Mao Tsetung once wrote in a poem that "bitter sacrifice strengthens bold > resolve." The imperialists have sacrificed Shaka Sankofa to their > sewer-dwelling gods of Greed, Racism, and Fear and this is truly bitter. Now > it falls to us to complete Mao's thought and "dare to make sun and moon > shine in new skies." > > This blatant injustice must haunt the murdering Bush, the cold-blooded Gore > and their whole class, this summer and fall - dogging their heels and > exposing the bloody teeth behind their smirking grins. The spirit of Shaka > must live, propelling us as we "march on." > > ***** > > Many of those fighting against the execution of Shaka Sankofa have been > fighting for justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Some had first stepped into > political life on account of Mumia. > > Mumia and Shaka -- over a thousand miles apart, but linked by a common > opposition to the system, a shared dedication to the people and a life on > death row. Two Black revolutionaries - one who was put behind bars for being > a revolutionary; one who became a revolutionary behind bars - both locked > down and sentenced to die. Mumia had written about Shaka and called on > people to support him. > > As Shaka fought his last fight, and then as his execution was finally > announced, our thoughts and feelings, our hopes and dreams, could not help > but leap from one man to the other, and then back again. > > We looked at Shaka and saw that the forces that had been drawn to his cause > were not enough to defeat the imperialists. All the undeniable right on the > side of Shaka Sankofa could not stop the relentless machinery of injustice > this time. The morality of his case meant nothing to those whose morals are > reckoned in profit and power. The resistance in the streets, courageous as > it was, could not raise the specter that could force his killers to back off > this time. > > But Shaka's brave words, his concern for the masses, his analysis of the > system, and his resistance helped to set the tone as millions of people were > awakened to the cold realities behind the death penalty in this country - > the racism, the class nature of the system, the complete lack of justice in > the courts, and the callous enforcers who make life-and-death decisions as > easy as pushing a button on the FAX machine. And in the wake of this > execution we see fear within the power structure itself that the murderous > reality and injustice behind their so-called freedom and democracy has been > thrust into the light of day. > > Those who want justice for Mumia will learn from this and learn well. We > will draw on our grief and outrage at what was done to Shaka Sankofa and > then transform it into energy in our fight for justice for Mumia - and our > fight to end the whole system of injustice. > > The enemy has demonstrated the utter heartlessness of their system to > millions of people. And we must redouble our efforts to forge the strategy, > movement and organization that can defeat that enemy. This means persevering > to unite all who can be united to stop the execution - reaching out to the > millions whose eyes have been opened by the murder of Shaka. It means > reaching deep among the basic proletarian people who hate this system - > respecting, not fearing, the ferocity of those who have nothing to lose. It > means reaching wide among the youth - unleashing, not holding back their > daring and determination to change the whole world. > > In the past several months there have been extremely important gains made by > the movement for Mumia. But the execution of Shaka Sankofa makes clear that > more -- much much more -- is needed to win. And in order to actually win, we > must draw deeply on what has been accomplished and take it higher and > further. We will have to pool our creativity, our efforts and daring still > more. > > We need to persevere to make known the true story of Mumia so that where you > stand on this case becomes a dividing line in society. The story of Mumia is > the story of a Black revolutionary and journalist under police surveillance > for years; of a police department and court system that stands out for its > racism, corruption, and brutality, of a war against Black radicals by > powerful forces in the Philadelphia power structure; of a trial so racist > and biased that it defiles every standard of fairness and justice; and of a > man who refuses to bow down or give in - and who, from his cell on death > row, makes his voice heard against the living legacy of white supremacy in > this United States of America. The more people understand this story, the > more committed they will be to fight for justice. > > And millions must make it known through our actions that the execution of > Mumia Abu-Jamal is an intolerable and unacceptable injustice. This summer, > it is crucial that we continue to let the movement to stop Mumia's execution > be "heard" in new ways - and with new scope. Throughout the U.S. - and > around the world - we need a situation where millions of people believe that > this execution "should not happen" and there is a powerful and passionate > movement of people for whom "this cannot happen." > > Some weeks back, we wrote something worth recalling in the wake of the > murder of Shaka Sankofa: > > "We Maoists have a basic stand towards the enemy's viciousness: DARE TO > STRUGGLE, DARE TO WIN... > > "We have defended Mumia, we have learned from Mumia, and we do not intend to > let the executioner's hand stop that! As far as we're concerned, this > execution CANNOT happen. We're going to continue to fight in this movement, > uniting with others who have very different viewpoints to increase its > broadness, diversity and determination. We are going to continue to help the > people escalate the struggle and do what is needed. And we vow to make every > outrage in this battle another nail in the coffin of the imperialists." > > C. Clark Kissinger gave a picture at the February Emergency National > Conference to Save Mumia Abu-Jamal of some of what that means: "We must > raise the specter of high schools and universities across the nation shut > down by striking students. We must raise the specter of people of conscience > chaining themselves to the White House fence. We must raise the specter of > debate and controversy breaking out in every sector of society. We must > raise the specter of millions marching in the streets. We must raise the > specter of teachers, artists, and influential writers losing faith in the > system itself-and communicating their infection to others. We must raise the > specters of [the] Los Angeles [1992 rebellion] and [the battle of] Seattle. > And we must make the United States a pariah in the international community, > a country whose very name is synonymous with racism and legalized murder. > [We must create a] situation, in short, where they would have to pay an > unacceptable price in every arena of society." > > Brothers and sisters, we took it hard when they killed Shaka Sankofa. And > now we must give it back in return, ten times harder. > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Knowledge is Power! > Elimination of the exploitation of man by man > http://www.egroups.com/group/pttp/ > POWER TO THE PEOPLE! > > Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Change Delivery Options: > http://www.egroups.com/mygroups > >
