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DC March Attendee Reports
I say this no matter what, if someone is doing something on behalf of the men and women incarcerated, even if you do not agree with what they are doing, then simply allow them to do it without you. I would never ever try to hinder someone who said they were working on behalf of men and women incarcerated in this country, never. People do many things that I do not agree with but you have never heard me publicly tear them down or put down their effort. That would be tacky and very unprofessional. I am proud to have meet so many family members who braved the heat in support of their loved ones. These are family members, voters, taxpayers and consumers. It is time for a mass movement like this country has never seen and it will happen. It is time to come from behind the desk and stop hiding behind orchestrated speeches. It is time to put a plan into action as Rosa Parks did. Now if you are scared, this is not the movement for you. If you have your nose up politicians behind, then it is not for you, please stay home. But if you are tired of the medical and physical abuse of the incarcerated, tired of being disenfranchised, tired of mass incarceration and private prisons, tired of family members being robbed by phone companies, tired of the billion dollar prison industry, tired of fake politicians, tired of draconian drug laws, tired of children being treated as adults, only in the courtroom, tired of being wrongfully convicted, tired of corrupt officials in our criminal justice system, then this is the movement for you. Let me warn you, you will be targeted and sadly by some who claim they stand for what you stand for. You see prison is not just big business for the powers that be, but it is also the meat and bread of many organizations. Many do not like to ruffle feathers of politicians, many do not like to draw attention, well this is not the movement for them. I say and many of you said this past week end, it is time to ruffle feathers. We have gone from 200,000 in 2002 to 2.5 million in 2005, yes I think it is time to ruffle feathers. We need to educated the right people, the public. We all know what the problem is , we need to take the message to the American people. Mainstream media will not do that. Look at the Washington Post. They give out false numbers and anything to try and make it look as if there are not many who care. We all know that is a lie, but the general public does not know it. That is who we need to educate the public, along with family members all over this country. We also need to support the media that help to get our message out to the world. There are not many doing that. Thanks again for a wonderful moving event. It brought tears to my eyes and I am looking forward to our first National meeting soon and very soon. Take care and May God Bless you. Get some rest and gear up. It will indeed be a battle, but one we can all fight together. The most wonderful part of all of this are the letters I am getting from men and women in prison from all over this country saying thank you for standing in the gap for me. They are so pleased to know that someone cared enough for them to stand in the heat on their behalf. If nothing else comes out of this, that alone makes my day and meeting many of you. The weeding has been done. Let us prepare to work. Roberta
Franklin, Lead Organizer of the DC March, Soros Justice Fellow,
Family Members of People Incarcerated
I would like to personally thank everyone who worked so hard at making this happen and hope EVERYONE stays fired up and realizes how important it is that we start the planning RIGHT NOW for the next one -- Michael Productions has and will assist us all in getting the word and PICTURES out showing how we came together and INTEND on staying that way- WE ARE A FORCE when we are together -- Let's stay this way, I beg, I plead, I hope!! Peace and Hope, John Flahive, www.webelievegroup.com
We responded because our individual voices are not loud enough, not angry enough, our threat is not great enough. We responded because millions of caged men and women in America compelled us to take the next step. August 13th; mark the date! We came from across America to find each other, meet each other, hear each other and commit to the Journey for Justice. California Third Striker Gabriel Reyes, confined in a tomb in Pelican Bay's deadly Security Housing Unit (SHU) is crying out [to] millions: "Chains around my wrist and ankles, slicing into my skin with every movement, clasped unto my flesh like a hook on the mouth of a fish, the more you fight, the deeper it digs, the pain testing your faith in that which you believe . . . "Family, friends and loved ones left behind sometimes only seem like small fragments of time broken up by the trial of life and those in charge of your fate. "Families struggling to stay afloat in this storm of despair and hate, bonding together in this fight, realizing the power of a united voice, sharing information, knowledge and facts, fighting to bring the captives homes, to right a wrong and to stop a crime against humanity. "Till then, 'til they succeed, here I will stay in Pelican Bay, being absorbed into the depths of this tomb, my spirit trapped, encased in the sands of time, waiting for a break in the glass to make my escape, hanging on by the tips of my fingers, trying not to go insane, slipping on my own blood and pain." My gratitude to Roberta, Sherry, Nora and all the visionaries who brought the dream to life! Geri Silva,
Families Against
California's Three Strikes (FACTS)
We didn't march the streets, but we all "marched" from our home towns across the country and around the world to assemble in Lafayette Park where speakers spoke about important facets of the INjustice system and musicians performed in support of the cause for justice for all in an effort to stop the insanity that is killing us all. Cameras and videos were everywhere. Everything was peaceful for though we are fighting to bring down the corruption that is in every fiber of the judicial system, we are peaceful, caring and loving people. I cannot say the same thing for the police (or security guards) at Lafayette Park who attempted to shut us down. Their rude and completely inappropriate efforts did not work though. Everyone made sure these goons behaved themselves by gathering around them with their cameras and videos as they began to stir up trouble. The cameras and videos saved the day as they always do when the goons try their tactics of Illegal Law Enforcement. They don't know it but they actually helped the cause because now we have their actions and words on film to show the American public how - in its stupidity - this government is not the least bit interested in truth being exposed. This wonderful and most productive event was actually the 6th Journey for Justice event and as Nora Callahan and Kay Lee have said, there will be a web page developed that will include the history of J4J #1 through #6 for everyone to see. What a wonderful thing it was to see so many people travel so far and endure extreme weather conditions in order to educate the public. It was such an honor to meet everyone face to face! Wow!!!! To be surrounded by people who actually care about fellow human beings who don't give a damn about who is what color, who is what shape or age, who is what gender, or who had what individual cause but all working TOGETHER AS ONE for a single underlying cause to expose atrocities to create (in the end), "justice for all". It was a breath taking experience for me. We know a lot of horrific stories already, but we heard a lot of new stories from people who don't have computers but who heard about the march and got themselves there to let people know about the atrocities that have happened to their loved ones. We heard the individual and the all-encompassing. It was moving and very touching. We're taking note of the mistakes we made in this J4J which was the first of its kind and listing them as "lessons learned". Regardless, I think the march was a complete success and I hope all of you will be passing the comments and information to everyone you know and all your lists. As many of you know "Journey for Justice" (J4J) doesn't belong to any group. Journey for Justice isn't a "group" -- it is a concept. It (this concept) belongs to all of us and I think all organizations, large and small, who are working toward justice in America should NETWORK with Journey for Justice. Think about the power of the J4J Network when we all stand together with one voice on "any" topic regarding liberty and freedom. No single organization can do it all. No single organization is all-powerful or all-important. If organizations cannot come together for the common cause of Justice for All, where this country begins to abide by its own sacred Constitution that was written in the beginning by some very smart and enlightened people, then we all lose and no one wins no matter how important you think you or your organization are. Roberta Franklin said it well in her address to the people at the reception when she said, "This work is no place for ego. We leave our ego at the back door." We are all in the same sinking boat and IF it sinks, we all go down with it. There were three film companies at the march who are making documentaries and including this event in their documentary. Below are the comments from Michael of Michael Productions. For the benefit of those who were not at the march, Michael recorded the March on Washington for the documentary he is making. We can't wait to see the finished product. I'm passing Michael's comments (insights) to you (excuse any duplicates please). Apparently he's been enlightened to new information and that is so wonderful!!!! Opening Eyes!!!! I love it! I think everyone who met Michael enjoyed getting to know him. What a wonderful person he is.... He's "real" and that is exactly what is needed to produce something that will inform the public with the truth of how broken our judicial system really is. Blessings to all, Sherry
Swiney, The
Patrick Crusade
I believe the only thing that staved off the heat stroke I felt coming on after several hours was the spirit and energy of the crowd, which lifted me higher than the still, secretive air surrounding me. DC is the home of many ultra powerful and wealthy people, who are so visible they cannot be ignored, their block long limos silently slinking through the narrow streets with tinted windows closed; or tailored suits soggy with perspiration as they walk from office to office, heads lowered against possible acknowledgement of their part in the filth and despair around them. It is also the home of those who are so poor and powerless that they live on park benches and eat out of garbage cans, and dodge the rats in the streets around the White House; folks who are so invisible that those-who-have can, without conscious thought, refuse to share with those who have not. I found the whole city embarrassingly and disturbingly Unenlightened. Although the air and the energy of the city was oppressive, I was there to add my presence to the Journey for Justice on DC, so I'll get on to that adventure now. The 'march' itself was actually our individual efforts to get to DC. The first work day of our action was August 12th, a busy day. First we had to leave the city to pick up groceries for our hotel room. We couldn't afford to dine out with local hamburgers priced at $9. After our lunch, we spent the rest of the afternoon discussing strategy for other events, doing phone interviews and packing the boxes for the evenings' gathering. The first event I participated in was a series of interviews filmed by a three-man crew from Michael Productions, whom John Flahive of WeBelieve Group had enticed to document the whole thing. They came without understanding but, bless independent thought, their minds and hearts opened as they worked. Among those to be scheduled to be interviewed in that round were husband-to-be Bill Campbell, mother Pam Thrasher, wife and organizer Sherry Swiney, organizer Roberta Hamlin, ex-offender El. Bey, sister Nora Callahan [November Coalition], and myself, a soon-to-be great-grandmother with no one in prison but whom nonetheless cares a great deal. A sense of shared loss and terrible heartbreak was heavy in that room: Each sat isolated before the camera, and hesitantly told their story. They cried and grieved, and they moved the rest of us to tears. But as each finished their time in the 'hotseat', a camaraderie began to develop that comes from sharing a painful experience without rejection. The reception that evening was held at 'City Hall', a tall-ceilinged, barren, echoing place, where even music is not allowed; a place manned by uniformed drone-like 'security' creatures, who searched us with no thought of the fourth amendment, and then locked the doors behind us. But on that night the emptiness of the hall was almost magically transformed. I cannot possibly tell you who all was there and the many groups they represented, but the hall became filled with the tremendous energy that happens when any two separate energies join forces. For the first time, people struggling to halt the imprisonment of non-violent people for unconstitutional laws and people struggling to get the best of the prison experience for their Loved ones joined hands and shared information. The power of every individual person there was not added together, but multiplied. Yes, we learned, the drug war really does flood the prisons and eat up the funding for decent diets, proper medical care, and quality education for every single human being inside. As LEAP member and Ex-Federal C/O Garry Jones [Advocate 4 Justice], would agree, prohibition is the root of mass incarceration. The desperately greedy grasping of the drug warriors is the reason prisons have to hire so many substandard and unscrupulous people to administer the system. On Saturday, at 9am, Lafayette Park began to fill with noise and color: Bright yellow T-Shirts from the Patrick Crusade, banners of groups from across the nation: Parents holding pictures of their imprisoned loved ones; posters that decried the injuries and deaths of people in our jails and prisons; tables with books and petitions; memorial buttons supplied by Making The Walls Transparent and ACLU Florida volunteer George Crossley's patriotic necktie. There were drug reform groups, and prison groups meeting for the first time. The people were red, white, black and brown, young and old, foreign and domestic, male and female, all of them excited. The air buzzed with shared greetings and little cries of recognition (there is a lot of joy to be had in hugging someone you've previously only known as an email address). I can't tell you how many people were in Lafayette Park that day: The Washington Post reported a hundred when they came around 10:00am to meet our strong and courageous bicyclist David Losa and his support driver, Ryan Plant as they rode in to complete their 3000 mile journey from California. I could be wrong, but I think it was Nora Callahan, host of journeyforjustice.org who relayed the tv news claiming 1000 attendees, which could easily have been closer to accurate if the count spanned the day: There were new arrivals throughout the rally, but the intense heat drove more away as the day lengthened, so it is difficult to say how many were there. I can tell you that the park was filled with, not the cold hauteur of those who run the city, nor the hopelessness of those sleeping on the sidewalks, but another kind of ambience emanated from these wronged and increasingly strong people, each created by a system of justice that is so broken that it only works for those who can afford to pay. Those fighting the drug war shared the pain of those being hurt in one way or another by drug war justice, and as they came together and learned what each other was all about, the force became a part of each one of us. Their collective energy was definitely born of negatives like frustration, stress, and fear, but somehow the energy had multiplied - the people had evolved through Love and Concern into something awesome, powerful and good. As each speaker was replaced with another and another, the crowd grew more excited, responsive, lifted by... I can't call it anything but the energy of Love. You question my perspicacity, but I saw the solidarity strengthen when the 3-man swat team invaded the park, ignoring Michael Productions' tripod pass, snagging his film, making him put his equipment in his vehicle. Michael Productions pled their case in the nicest manner possible, but the cops continued with the harrassment. They forced Patrick Crusade to quit taking donations for T-Shirts, made everyone take down their tables, and unreasonably threatened to shut the whole event down. I can't say how many reporters were there at that time, but when the cry went back for all cameras to come to the confrontational area of the park, they were joined by a lot of people, all quietly recording the antics and bullying of the officers. The cops' oncamera behavior improved, Michael got his film back, the officers retreated to the sidelines, and the rally went on at full strength. Sherry Swiney had to quit exchanging shirts for money but she made a remarkable decision. She told everyone, "They're free for the taking. If you can, send a $20 donation to cover what you take." She risks a substantial loss if she never hears from those who took the shirts, but I believe there are enough good people out there who might send her a $20 bill to cover those who can't or don't, that she'll be able to pay for the shirts and the talented artist Jim Kirwan who did the artwork for them. [If you want to help, contact Sherry at taoss@worldnet.att.net] The day ended with a long thick weaving line of breathless family members who stood sweating in the hot sun for their chance for two minutes at the microphone just to make a connection with the crowd. The families had come into the park with a sense of aloneness, exuding the barrier people often put around themselves when they've been made to feel they should be ashamed. But they came out of that park walking on a cushion of hope, excited determination swelling their chests. and lifting their chins. With Love in their hearts, their goodbyes to new found friends were a commitment to actively work together to salvage their loved ones from a system that should be helping them but is not. Wanda Valdes' lawyers had suggested she not attend so close to the conclusion of her search for justice so she had asked that I read her statement for her. In the confusion, I was not called to the stage, but that turned out okay. When I unfurled the 3 foot tall picture of Frank Valdes' beaten face, I believe every camera in the place took pictures. Late that night, Michael Productions kindly invited me to read Wanda's statement on camera to those who will eventually watch the documentary and I was satisfied that my mission had been completed as it needed to be. I sat in my chair all day yesterday, reveling in the energy I carried home from DC, alive with the knowledge that this is what those powerful men are afraid of - people and movements crossing the divide that has previously prevented us from becoming a force to be reckoned with. Everybody is home safe and sound now, but this is just the beginning. Some are as yet un-thoughtout, but in some way every movement is related. Our war is the same, we are one, we all want to raise the quality of the human experience and only our division makes it seem impossible. I hope that the next effort will join even more movements together. If division is the weakness, then unity is absolutely the strength. Remember, we are all one: From guard to grandma, from prisoner to freeman, from the ghetto to the whitehouse, we are all linked by our common future. See you next time. I Love you all, I really do. Kay Lee, Making The Walls Transparent and the original Journey For Justice
I wanted to thank everyone for what I consider a life changing event. I know some wish this person or that person could have attended or this state or that state. For me, I had no clue what to expect. All I knew going into this is myself and my team were going to drive to Washington and document the March in Lafayette Park and interview some of the speakers or individuals in the conference room at the hotel. I left from Indiana with myself, my team and a rented SUV packed to the roof With equipment. I came home with a feeling I don't think I can even explain. I have Always considered myself to be politically aware and active. I vote, I know the issues, I debate the issues blah blah blah ... I have missed the boat and in fact I was no where near the water. The stories I documented this past weekend have left me feeling good in the fact that I know I was a part of something so just and so righteous. I have a natural high right now that is out of this world! That is a personal thing to me because I am proud of myself for being a part of this event and I am excited to think that the work we did in capturing some of these stories to film will in some way help make difference to some or all of the people involved. I also have mixed emotions running around in my head. How can I (a person who always tried to be active and know the issues) have been so blind and naive??? I mean I always knew there were people that have been treated poorly by the justice system. I always knew there were the oppressed, I always knew that there were people who did not subscribe to this policy or that policy...I thought I was one of those people. I left Washington with the thought that I have lived for 36 years and I am a fool. The stories I heard, the people I met and the things I saw this past weekend have left me... man, I can't even think of a word for it. Empty...sad..sick...foolish...small...blessed? maybe all of those and more. I feel a rant coming on but I think that some of you true freedom fighters and advocates for JUSTICE may get a kick out of the impression you made on this new guy (me). Let me start by saying, I was embarrassed for our country that the leaders of our country who come from all walks of life and all areas of the Country can not even take care of their own backyard. I mean, no offense to any DC locals, but my impression of this great nation's capital was disgusting. How can our leaders even for a second think they can take care of our problems as a nation- let alone the fact that we try to tell other nation's how to do their business- if they can't even solve a problem that they have to drive past and see EVERYDAY. We got into town Thursday night / Friday morning at 1:00 am. We decided to walk the two block from our hotel to the White House and all the glory surrounding it. The "glory" was 17 homeless people who carried plastic shopping bags with them and protected them like I would look after my home or car. All they had in the world was in that shopping bag. Their office, their car, their home, Their EVERYTHING! was in that shopping bag. My first thought was that the Hotel website was full of crap when they advertised "conveniently located just two block from the White House". Then we turned the corner and holy hell, there it was!!! nope, wait, that was the "BANK OF AMERICA" AKA backyard to "ALEX" the first homeless man I had conversation with. "Alex" pointed right across the street and said "that's the building you came to see my friend, isn't she beautiful" Alex went on to tell me in great detail about the history of that building and how he remembers his parents taking him there as a child for a tour. He told me how it isn't about who is currently living in the White House, and whether you like them or not.. it's about PRIDE as an American -- (Sorry about the language here but I am going to keep this real) I said out loud in a kind of mumble to myself.. "are you f**king kidding" I really wanted to cry like a baby within 30 minutes of being in DC. After all, this was just a bum right? Some loser who drank his job, home and family away cause he was dumb and irresponsible??? Hell NO! "Alex was NONE of those things!! "ALEX" had more respect and pride to be an American than most people I know. How sad and pathetic is that!! I had to excuse myself from the conversation with "Alex" in all honesty, I just didn't think I could deal with it any longer. We then walked towards the White House and saw several secret service on bicycles and standing guard over what was our sacred house... no wait.. this still wasn't the White House, this was the department of treasury!! Six secret service agents stood around shooting the shit about sports and woman passing the time as they stood guard over our department of treasury.. which by the way, if you look at the visible number of guards protecting that building compared to the ONE friggen' secret service agent who had to shine his flashlight through the window of the security post just inside the gate of the White House compound to WAKE HIS PARTNER UP!!! It is perfectly clear what our sacred National treasure is!! MONEY- (department of treasury) We talked for a few minutes to the secret service agents and I commented on the number of homeless people we saw on our two block walk to the home of the President of the United States of America. One agent laughed and made fun of them and told how they every so often "we round them up" and tell them to go "sleep somewhere else" again, Are you kidding me???? Go sleep somewhere else??? that's it? That's all we can do?? NO WAY!!! From the very first night in DC, within 30 minutes of checking into our hotel (complete with swimming pool, cable TV, comfortable beds, climate control, mini bar, food pantry, and room service--- you know, all the things some of us have grown to expect out of life) I knew this trip was going to be another one of those life changing events for me-if I let it. Again, how can our lawmakers and elected people who WE put there with the task of trying to make things better...well, if they cant make things better "if not just in appearance alone) in their own backyard.. I mean if it has gotten so out of control in their own neighborhood, how long will it take until they manage to let this spread to all of our neighborhoods? Shame on us as a Nation and as individuals for allowing our priorities as a Nation to get so far out of line and out of control that it is easier to hold special meetings and congressional debates on whether to spend 2 billion dollars over the next 2 years to fix a piece of foam on a frickin' space shuttle so we can better understand how a brussel sprout grows in zero gravity!!! If they would just once open their office window and look down to the park bench outside, maybe they would see where that 2 billion should be spent? Can't they see??? Who the hell are we fooling thinking all is well??? We have people leading (all of them! not just Republicans or Democrats) us and dictating rules and laws for us who have let things get so far out of control and so far gone that instead of starting with the obvious problem (the one right in front of their nose) and finding a way to solve it, that in my opinion, they realize they have no clue how to change things without effecting their lifestyle or bank account, so they create other crisis situations or hotspots so they can look like hard working heroes on the nightly news while they speak of the bill they are going to introduce to make sure that suntan oil manufacturers are limited in the number of cancer causing chemicals they can legally have in their product. You know, I don't want minimize the nights spent by our elected officials laboring over suntan oil recipes and the debates on each side about just how much red # 12 dye to allow, cause I know... these things are important. I mean 60 minutes did an expose on it just the other night- GIVE ME A BREAK! Then, I got to hear about how some states and some facilities and some people abuse, repress, belittle, KILL, RAPE and IMPRISON fellow citizens. I mean the stories I heard this weekend were from people just like me right? I don't give two flying whoots if a person is black, white, red, brown green or blue. (we will have new laws passed shortly to eliminate products which could potentially produce green and blue babies. After all, if a person had a green or blue baby... well that just wouldn't be right now would it -- maybe we should get a subcommittee to meet in Hawaii and crunch the data?) Ok so this is a sarcastic and cynical rant of an email. Could be because I have had 12 hours sleep in the last 72 but I don't think so! We have HUGE problems as a Nation and THANK GOD there are people like you and the people before you who realized and understood and were willing to sacrifice your time, energy and money to stand up and shout it out at the top of your lungs for the people like me who until now just didn't get it. Thank you! I am going to do everything in my power to make sure I never forget or turn my back on this. I will do everything in my power to in some way make some kind of a difference. Ok so let me ask -- most of you have had this kind of enlightenment for years right? So some of you grass root organization old timers with this mindset are getting a chuckle right now am I right? ha ha well just remember, if you start to think how this could have been better or we should have had this person speak or whatever -- no matter what, you did make a huge positive difference to me and my thinking. Sleep well! Sincerely, Michael @ Michael Productions
Former P.P. Ed Mead had come all the way from the Bay Area as well as Darcy Nunn and other members of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children. Former BPP political prisoner Ashanti Alston from Anarchist People of Color read a powerful statement from Veronza Bowers (still being held illegally by the Feds for over 500 days). Critical Resistance from NY & Baltimore spoke for Marshall Eddie Conway and Efia Nwangaza, Jericho Movement National Co-Chair, talked about the growing COINTELPRO, '70's style repression, rising number of grand jury witch hunts, re-opening and re-arrests in 'cold cases', re-classification of federal prisons, clampdown on political prisoners, and the million dollar bounty on Assata Shakur. Efia went on to say that "the hand that strikes the blow against political prisoners is the hand that strikes the blow against prisoners of politics, social prisoners, and all must join forces to crush it." Members of the Tuscarora Nation came from North Carolina to speak for Leonard Peltier and Cheryl Kates Esq. spoke for Edge of Justice. It was a small world as Ms. Kates came over and told us she was Jalil's appeal lawyer. Ms. Kates and other folks representing social prisoner issues said they were glad to see the mix of political and social prisoner's issues which they felt was long overdue. We had many interesting discussions and were able to network with other groups interested in health and parole issues and will continue to meet with them and work to build a base that supports these issues. As our comrade Bill Dunne says "The Future Holds Promise" and we will continue the struggle so your sacrifices won't have been in vain.
After receiving clemency from President Clinton and the initial
shock/elation of an immediate release without the benefit of
knowing I would ever "go home" before 2012, I was struck
with a sinking feeling that has to do with the reality that I
am not, nor ever will be, free. A couple of years ago I started the CAN-DO Foundation, which advocates Clemency for All Non-Violent Drug Offenders. Initially, I started it because several of my friends had filed clemency petitions that were still pending during the Clinton administration. I was hopeful that I could bring attention to these outrageous cases that could be corrected by the stroke of a president's pen. I haven't made much progress, as it seems to be a tall order to undo an obvious injustice in this nation. Thanks to Nora Callahan, I became aware of a March in DC organized by Roberta Franklin, who started Friends and Family Members of People Incarcerated to protest the number of people in prison. This would be my first march, something I fantasized about in prison. I decided this would be a great opportunity to take my friends to our nation's capitol and show the government that no matter how hard they try to bury our friends and loved ones behind prison walls, their spirit and faces are with us, in public, in front of the White House, demanding attention and justice. Some of those faces include Shirley Womble. She and I entered prison together and became friends in transit to a federal prison in California. She's serving her 15th year of a 24-year sentence for marijuana, although it was her husband, not Shirley who sold it. Mary Ritcherson is a friend who is serving 30-years, although the more culpable male co-defendants were released from prison long ago. There were never any drugs linking Mary to the conspiracy. Diana Webb, Lisa Hanna, and Stephanie Nelson are all women who were physically and documentably beaten by the "kingpins" of the conspiracy. Because the men "cooperated", they are all free today while these women do hard time for mere association, thanks to the "conspiracy" statute. Karen Archer is another woman who was physically abused and is serving 24 years. She is presently in a medical facility having her spleen removed. Patricia Der Baum was targeted by a drug dealer who was arrested and released under the condition that he work undercover for the feds. He didn't want to set up his own people for fear of retaliation so he targeted Patricia because she was a bar tender who occasionally did 'meth.' He secured his freedom by setting her up and she is now serving her 7th year of a 20-year sentence. Her story is amazing, as are those of Barbra Scrivner, Danielle Metz, Debbie Campbell, Susana Cruz, Mariella Liggio, Vicki Flanagan, Rebecca Stewart, Maria Moncado, Vicki Rosepiler, Sylvia Sanchez, Gladys Gallego, Andrea Asch, Santa Chiappetta, Yolanda Reyes, Remy Penaflor -- you can meet them all at www.candoclemency.com. All these women deserve clemency. For me, the DC March was a huge milestone that left a deep mark upon my soul. First of all, I would like to say that Nora is my hero. She is the embodiment of all that is pure and genuine and real within the anti-drug war movement. She inspires, energizes and gives me hope knowing that people like her exist. I need Nora Callahan in my soul. We all do. She and everyone at the November Coalition sweat blood and tears in their efforts to bring the drug war into focus. They provide an invaluable service via email that keeps everyone informed of the latest news. They have worked hard with politicians to frame a parole bill that would actually bring inmates home. Nora is tireless, will never give up and is constantly reinventing ways to move a mountain. Thanks to Nora I was invited to sit on a panel before the
Commission
on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons the day before the
rally. At the reception, I was able to display the banner that
the amazing women in Pekin created, which members of the aforementioned
commission poured over and were moved to tears. Moreover, documentarian
Donna Scott of Jabez Films interviewed me while Nora and my husband
held the banner up as a backdrop. However, as someone who could still be in prison today it hurt me deeply to note that the Washington based organizations -- those who did NOT have to spend a dime on airfare or hotel accommodations, did not attend. The no-show spoke volumes and was a horrible injury that I should not take so personally and forgive me for mentioning it, but I can't get it out of my system for one very important reason. That 'reason' has tormented me because it is the key to understanding why we may or may not prevail as a voice that demands attention from those who are in a position to bring our family members home. If we can't unite together and support one another in these Herculean efforts such as a rally in DC, (in one's own backyard) then how can any organization expect anyone to "be there" when they call for support? Roberta Franklin said it best, stating that we can't all be leaders in this movement. There is no place for ego. One day, you may be the Boss and the next you're the Worker, but we all make up this effort together, and together, through solidarity, we will bring about change. |
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