[sixties-l] Fwd: An Interview with Mumia

From: radman (resist@best.com)
Date: Mon Jun 19 2000 - 07:49:23 CUT

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    > from: Jeff Mackler <jmackler@sirius.com>
    > Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 >>
    >
    > I just walked in the door after two days at Bruderhoff and then a two
    > hour and ten minute visit with Mumia, a person whose interests,
    > insights, humor,
    > and revolutionary fervor far exceeded anything I could have imagined.
    >
    > our discusions ranged from the history of the Black Panther Party (Mumia
    > did his Masters thesis on this.) to the current sad state of the Black
    > Liberation Movement and why, the spectacle of the NAACP's new president
    > being sworn in at the Justice Department, the history and lessons of the
    > 1917 Russian Revolution, the ideas of Leon Trotsky, an assessment of the
    > solidarity movement in regard to his case, the beauty of Pam Africa, the
    > current national hyper-interest in the death penalty, Gary's case, the
    > Leiberman study, the strengths and limitations of movie stars who visit
    > him, the absolute centrality of the upcomh generation of youth,
    > especially high school students, his joy at the Antioch and Santa Cruz
    > events (I told
    > him the details of Andrea's work with the provost, the practice
    > rehearsal, etc., and your efforts.), the beauty and constancy of Alice
    > Walker and
    > > >>Ossie Davis, the film "Power to the People" by Lee Lew Lee, The NOI
    > today,>the books Mumia particularly enjoys, our assessement of writers
    > > like C.L.James who author The Black Jacobins in the 1940s, (the history
    > of
    > > the 19th centurey Haitian Revolution), the books on Malcolm X
    > (Evolution of a Revolutionary and The Last Year of Malcolm X) by my old
    > friend and
    > revolutionary socialist, George Breitman, the state of the Cuban
    > Revolution, the upcoming Roundtable Havana television program on Mumia
    > with
    > Leonard, Pam (and it was supposed to me me were it not for my son's
    > graduation; Assata Shakur, the Elian case, Mumia's meeting over twenty
    > years ago with Robbie Meeropol; the Berkeley April 29 "Children of
    > Resistance" event, an evaluation of the May 13 mass rally in San
    > Francisco
    > and worldwide rallies and events on the same day, and many other points.
    > > >>
    > It was like having Mumia in my living room, it was a discussion of the
    > events of the day, the lessons of the revolutionary movement yesterday
    > and
    > today, its achievements and mistakes to be learned from. It was a day I
    > will never forget. We agreed to do it again soon, and discussed what we
    > would for dinner when he is free.
    >
    > Mumia has an incredible smile and warmth, a laughter that touched me
    > deeply, an intense interest in ideas, old and new, and an unflagging
    > confidence in our common movement to win his freedom and to change
    > the world for the benefit of all.
    >
    > Socialist Action has a forum this Friday on the Gary Graham case. The
    > forum
    > features one of Texas' most prominent death penalty attorneys,
    > Jeff lackburn. Lance Lindsay (Death Penalty Focus and d. of Directos
    > of the national Coalition Against the Death Penalty); Cristina Vasques of
    > the
    > MOBE and me speaking on Gary and my visit with Mumia.
    >
    > While it's sponsored by Socialist Action, it's endorsed by the Campaign
    > to
    > end the Death Penalty, the IAC, Death Penalty Focus, Global Exchange and
    > Companeros del Barrio. It's on Friday, June 16, 7:30 pm at Socialist
    > Action Bookstore, 3425 Cesar Chavez, San Franc isco (between Mission and
    > Valencia.)
    >
    > Please help me get the word out on this important meeting.
    >
    > We must all unite for Shaka's life and we have some momentum on
    > our side in these difficult days.
    >
    > No time for the typs.
    > >
    > In solidarity and love,
    >
    > Jeff Mackler
    >



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