> 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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