[2 items]
Statement from Angela Davis Against FBI and Grand Jury Repression
http://www.fightbacknews.org/2010/11/19/statement-angela-davis-against-fbi-and-grand-jury-repression
November 19, 2010
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from
Angela Davis on the grand jury witch hunt against anti-war and
international solidarity activists. This solidarity statement and
many more, from a range of progressive organizations and leaders, can
also be found on at Stopfbi.net.
--
Statement from Angela Davis Against FBI and Grand Jury Repression
By Angela Davis
November 17, 2010
On September 24 the FBI raided homes of 14 activists in movements in
solidarity with oppressed workers and peoples of Latin America and
Israel/Palestine. I consider these raids to be an assault on
democracy. While the immediate targets of the raids were activists in
movements in solidarity with trade unionists and others facing
violence in Colombia and the Middle East, their purpose is to disrupt
the unity of progressive movements by sowing suspicion, distrust, and
an aura of guilt by association. I am not too young to remember the
dark days of McCarthyism in our country, and I know very well what
the effect of such government reprisals can be.
The FBI seized computers, cell phones, boxes of papers and personal
possessions from all 14. They served grand jury subpoenas on many of
them. The FBI announced they were investigating possible "material
support" to terrorist groups. But it appears that their real purpose
is to disrupt the growing unity of the majority of Americans who are
critical of the wars and occupations being carried out today in Iraq
and Afghanistan, who oppose U. S. support for violence against trade
unionists in Colombia and against Palestinians by the Israeli
government in Israel, on the West Bank, and in Gaza. The only way the
FBI's actions make any sense at all is to see them as an attempt to
isolate and intimidate any who would dissent from government policy
or speak out against injustice. These raids violate the spirit and
the letter of the Bill of Rights. They endanger the freedom of the
entire U. S. population.
We learned bitter lessons from the FBI's COINTELPRO repression in the
1960s, in which African American leaders, including Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and leaders of the Black Panther Party
such as Fred Hampton, were targeted for assassination. Progressive
movements were targeted for disruption.
I urge President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to:
Direct the FBI to return the belongings seized.
Dissolve the grand juries threatening an inquisition against peace
and solidarity activists and movements.
Cancel all subpoenas to appear before the grand jury in Chicago.
I would like to work with my Congressman Barbara Lee to support
initiatives in Congress for the repeal of provisions of law that
define solidarity with human rights abroad as "material support" for
terrorism. The rights of all Americans must be preserved to peaceably
assemble and petition their government to end support for repressive
and militarist governments abroad, and states that commit war crimes
and terrorist acts against their own or other people struggling for
basic human rights.
--------
Angela Davis Speaks Out Against FBI Raids
http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/11/angela_davis_speaks_out_against_fbi_raids.html
by Jamilah King
November 21 2010
While everyone's up in arms about the Transportation Security
Administration's new invasive screening guidelines, prison
abolitionist and writer Angela Davis is bringing people's attention
back to the ever-present specter of government surveillance in
progressive political movements. Davis recently issued a response to
the FBI raids of 14 U.S.-based activists engaged in international
solidarity work with trade unionists in Colombia and the Middle East,
calling the raids an "assault on democracy." The longtime activist
and teacher infamously became a fugitive and was later tried, and
acquitted, on murder and kidnapping charges in connection with her
involvement with the Black Panther Party in 1972. She's since spent
the better part of four decades speaking out in favor of people's
right to challenge authority. Now she's calling on President Obama
and Attorney General Eric Holder to take action in this most recent case.
The statement originally appeared on the website for the Committee to
Stop FBI Repression:
http://www.stopfbi.net/2010/11/17/statement-angela-davis-against-fbi-and-grand-jury-repression
On September 24 the FBI raided homes of 14 activists in movements in
solidarity with oppressed workers and peoples of Latin America and
Israel/Palestine. I consider these raids to be an assault on
democracy. While the immediate targets of the raids were activists in
movements in solidarity with trade unionists and others facing
violence in Colombia and the Middle East, their purpose is to disrupt
the unity of progressive movements by sowing suspicion, distrust, and
an aura of guilt by association. I am not too young to remember the
dark days of McCarthyism in our country, and I know very well what
the effect of such government reprisals can be.
The FBI seized computers, cell phones, boxes of papers and personal
possessions from all 14. They served grand jury subpoenas on many of
them. The FBI announced they were investigating possible "material
support" to terrorist groups. But it appears that their real purpose
is to disrupt the growing unity of the majority of Americans who are
critical of the wars and occupations being carried out today in Iraq
and Afghanistan, who oppose U. S. support for violence against trade
unionists in Colombia and against Palestinians by the Israeli
government in Israel, on the West Bank, and in Gaza. The only way the
FBI's actions make any sense at all is to see them as an attempt to
isolate and intimidate any who would dissent from government policy
or speak out against injustice. These raids violate the spirit and
the letter of the Bill of Rights. They endanger the freedom of the
entire U. S. population.
We learned bitter lessons from the FBI's COINTELPRO repression in
the 1960s, in which African American leaders, including Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and leaders of the Black Panther
Party such as Fred Hampton, were targeted for assassination.
Progressive movements were targeted for disruption.
I urge President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to:
* Direct the FBI to return the belongings seized.
* Dissolve the grand juries threatening an inquisition against peace
and solidarity activists and movements.
* Cancel all subpoenas to appear before the grand jury in Chicago.
I would like to work with my Congressman Barbara Lee to support
initiatives in Congress for the repeal of provisions of law that
define solidarity with human rights abroad as "material support" for
terrorism. The rights of all Americans must be preserved to peaceably
assemble and petition their government to end support for repressive
and militarist governments abroad, and states that commit war crimes
and terrorist acts against their own or other people struggling for
basic human rights.
.
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