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The following message is forwarded to you by Paul Zarembka
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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On 06/17/99 at 07:36 PM, "Taylor, Professor Mark" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
said:
>From: "Taylor, Professor Mark" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Cc: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: FW: CALL: TO ACADEMICS FOR MUMIA ,JOIN CD ACTION
>Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 19:36:17 -0400
>Importance: high
A SPECIAL CALL TO ACADEMICS FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL (AMAJ)
* CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN PHILADELPHIA (JULY 3) *
Dear Colleagues:
On Saturday, 3 July at 12 noon, a multitude of persons aligned with
various civil rights, religious and activist groups will engage in AN ACT
OF NONVIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AT THE LIBERTY BELL, Independence Hall in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.) This act of civil disobedience is an effort
to disrupt a legal system that is primed to execute Mumia Abu-Jamal.
This letter is AN INVITATION TO YOU as an academic and under the auspices
of Academics for Mumia Abu-Jamal (AMAJ) to join that ACT OF CIVIL
DISOBEDIENCE through either your participation in the act itself or
your presence in a vigil of support. We are acting with, and in full
cooperation with, the International Concerned Friends and Family of Mumia
Abu-Jamal.
THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS IN AMAJ, WE HAVE WORKED WITH MANY OF YOU IN
SUPPORT OF ABU-JAMAL, and in opposition to our country's accelerated
efforts to implement the death penalty, to build more and more prisons,
and to tolerate unacceptable levels of police brutality on our city s
streets.
*THE WORK OF AMAJ has included numerous academic conferences, press
conferences and demonstrations for justice. It has included the use of
Abu-Jamal's written work in our courses and lectures, his spoken and
video-recorded words in our classrooms and the use of his political
insights in our academic presentations and papers. Suffice it to say that
there has been, for at least the past five years, consistent and vocal
support from the academic community in the effort to save the life of a
man who speaks for all of us, whether we find ourselves on death row or
not.
Given this consistent effort, you must be well aware that the PROBABILITY
OF ABU-JAMAL`S EXECUTION LOOMS LARGE. The mighty wheels of our legal
system will again pick up speed in the early fall when it is expected that
a decision on Abu-Jamal's case on Sixth Amendment grounds will be handed
down from the Supreme Court. It should come as no surprise that a
favorable decision (or even a hearing of Abu-Jamal's case, for that
matter) will NOT be handed down from the Supreme Court. In October it is
likely that Abu-Jamal's lawyers will file for a writ of habeas corpus in
the Third Circuit of the Federal District Court. The 1996 Effective Death
Penalty Act passed by the US Congress will limit the time frame of
Abu-Jamal's appeal to just about one year.
Understand also, in regard to legal matters on the state level, that the
warrant for ABU-JAMAL`S DEATH RESTS IN THE HANDS OF PENNSYLVANIA`S
GOVERNOR THOMAS RIDGE, a Republican governor who has signed 160 death
warrants while in office and who has the dubious distinction of being the
first governor in the history of the United States to sign warrants of
death for 100 persons of color.
Let us recall, in this time when the wheels of our legal system are
greased with acts of barbarity rather than civility, the words of Mario
Savio as he stood on the grounds of the University of California at
Berkely: "THERE S A TIME WHEN THE OPERATION OF THE MACHINE BECOMES SO
ODIOUS, MAKES YOU SO SICK AT HEART THAT YOU CAN`T TAKE PART; YOU CAN`T
EVEN TACITLY TAKE PART, AND YOU`VE GOT TO PUT YOUR BODIES UPON THE LEVERS,
UPON ALL THAT APPARATUS AND YOU`VE GOT TO MAKE IT STOP."
LET US ASK OURSELVES, in this hour when the life of Abu-Jamal, who has
brought so much vitality into our own classrooms and curriculums, where we
stand and where we will place our bodies. Is it possible, in this time, to
"wash our hands free from conflict; and, in so doing, side with the
powerful under the guise of remaining neutral?" We as academics can no
longer be silent or inactive. How long can we continue to justify our
inaction, and non-confrontive style by invoking the popular academic
mantra of "objectivity."
We thank you for all that you have done in the effort to save the life of
Mumia Abu-Jamal these past five years. At the same time, we ask that you
consider seriously the call to engage in this nonviolent act of civil
disobedience or in the vigil of support along with your colleagues in
AMAJ. Now is the time to let freedom ring for Mumia! Now is the time to
ALIGN OUR BODIES WITH OUR MINDS IN THE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT
ABU-JAMAL`S LIFE IS NOT TAKEN FROM HIM BY THE HANDS OF THE STATE, hands
that are stained with the blood of so many other human beings.
JOIN US AND MANY OTHERS on July 3 in Philadelphia. Convene at the Liberty
Bell with us. Look for the bright yellow AMAJ banner with Abu-Jamal`s
portrait, and the refrain, "Free Mumia - We Need His Voice!"
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on the details of the action, on the
evening of preparation before the action, and to register your
participation in the action, please contact Dr. Anna J. Brown, Department
of Political Science, Saint Peter's College, Jersey City, New Jersey by
phone (201)915-4963, by fax (201) 915-4924 or by e-mail
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Signed:
Anna J. Brown
St. Peter`s College
Mark Taylor
Princeton Theological Seminary
James Marsh
Fordham University
Mart n Espada
University of Massachusetts
Katherine Gilbert-Espada
Springfield Tech. College
Stephen Hartnett
University of Illinois - Champagne-Urbana
Everett Green
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