http://www.valleyadvocate.com/25th/archives/seven_not_guilty.html
Richard Williams is an anti-imperialist PP. Captured in 1984, he and his
codefendants have become known as the Ohio 7.
Prior to his political imprisonment, Richard served several years in prison
as a social prisoner. This is where he decided to change his life and
become a revolutionary. He was elected chairperson of the New England
Prisoners Association , met with legislators and participated in work and
food strikes to better the deplorable prison conditions all prisoners
faced. While being beaten, locked up and transfered for his political
activities, he continued to study and work in political study groups behind
the walls.
Upon his release Richard worked in collectives printing radical literature
and organizing to fight racism and apartheid. He also worked breifly with
the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee.
In 1979, he and his comrades, including Kazi Toure and Jaan Laaman helped
to organize the Amandla Festival of Unity to support freedom in Southern
Africa, which featured Bob Marley. This concert helped to fight racism in
Boston, where it was held, and raised money to send to freedom fighters in
South Africa. Richard also did community security, sitting with people
under attack by racists in their homes to help defend them.
In 1981 he joined the United Freedom Front, a revolutionary clandestine
organization. The UFF carried out armed propoganda against supporters of
Aparthied, imperialism and racism. He was captured in 1984 and charged with
Seditious Conspiracy.
At 12:34 PM 7/10/02 -0700, you wrote:
>Your father deserves humane and civilized treatment no matter what. It
>might be helpful to me, and I think to others, in writing letters, to
>know about the reasons, or alleged reasons, for his imprisonment.
> William Mandel
>
>Ron Jacobs wrote:
>>
>> JOHN ASHCROFT AND KATHLEEN SAWYER ARE TRYING TO MURDER MY DAD!!! YOU CAN
>> >>HELP SAVE HIS LIFE!!!
>> >>
>> >>Dear Comrades, Friends and lovers' of liberty,
>> >>
>> >> My father, U.S. political prisoner Richard Williams (10377-016 at
>> >> U.S.P. Lompoc) has been singled out by attorny general John Ashcroft
and
>> >> Kathleen Sayyer of the federal bureau of prisons, to die of the heart
>> >> disease "Ventricular Fibrillation". Richard is being held in absolute
>> >> segregation at U.S.P. Lompoc, and is being denied adequate medical
>> >> treatment and excersize. We need your help!
>> >>
>> >>Richard has not violated a single prison regulation/rule in years,
yet he
>> >>has spent 7 of the last 9 months in solitary and segregated confinement.
>> >>He suffers from "Ventricular Fibrillation"; as a result, he had a heart
>> >>attack earlier this year and experiences constant problems with his
legs.
>> >>(If you haven't heard already, or would like more information on the
>> >>conditions of his imprisonment since Sept. '01 -,please write me:
Netdahe
>> >>Williams, PO Box 160, Johnson, VT 05656). Prison and government
officials
>> >>deny that his specific and torturous treatment are retaliation for the
>> >>political nature of crimes committed 20 years ago, but theygive NO OTHER
>> >>EXPLAINATION in its stead. Please demand an explanation - Richard
>> >>Williams' life depends on it!
>> >>
>> >>Richard is only allowed out of his single cell when he is shackled, and
>> >>accompanied by two guards and a lieutenant. So what happens in the event
>> >>of a medical emergency, like another heart attack? What happens if a
>> >>lieutenant is not, or chooses not, to be available to bring Richard to
>> >>the prison's medical facilities? We have been told they will "figure
>> >>something out". Here is what that "something" is:
>> >>
>> >>On Friday June 21, 2002 Richard experienced pain in his limbs,
>> >>symptomatic of a coming heart attack. A prison doctor was sent to his
>> >>cell; without examining, or even touching, Richard, the doctor left
>> >>saying he was fine. Richard was then informed of a new prison rule
>> >>whereby he must fill out a new form in order to see the doctor again.
The
>> >>pain persisted and he filled out the form Sunday June 23. No doctor
came.
>> >>The pains persisted and on Monday June 24 when Richard requested another
>> >>form, he was told "they had run out of forms". I spoke with my fatheR
>> >>that Monday evening by phone, and he had still not been examined by a
>> doctor.
>> >>
>> >>Again, Richard has not committed any act of violence in 10 years at
>> >>U.S.P. Lompoc, yet since the Fall of last year he has been deemed too
>> >>high a security risk to be imprisoned with the rest of the prison's
>> >>population. He is somehow too high a security risk to be allowed a full
>> >>visit with his children! And he is apparently too high a security
risk to
>> >>be afforded medical treatment for a heart condition that is cap~ble of
>> >>taking his life!
>> >>
>> >>John Ashcroft and Kathleen Sawyer don't give a shit about you or me
>> >>individually, but they are afraid of us as a whole. We can, with our
>> >>combined voices, force them to take baby-steps toward humanity. That's
>> >>why I'm writing you this letter. This is a call to action! Please help
>> >>save Richard Williams' life! Please pick up a pen and demand that
Richard
>> >>be put back in general population. Ask some questions, and demand that
>> >>Richard receive proper medical treatment. Put this letter in your local
>> >>paper; get your family doctor to ask folks in D.C. what's going on - and
>> >>then go tell a friend! My most sincere thanks goes out to you for caring
>> >>about my father's life, and consequently your own. After all, with the
>> >>government's war on civil liberties -we are all next on Ashcroft's list!
>> >>Stick together, Struggle together! AMANDLA! ! !
>> >>
>> >>Where to write:
>> >>
>> >>John Ashcroft, Attorney General of US, 950 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.,
>> >>Washington D.C. 20530-0001. Email; <mailto:web@usdoj.gov>web@usdoj.gov
>> >>
>> >>Kathleen Hawk Sawyer, Director Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First St.
>> >>N.W., Washington, D.C. 20534. Tel:(202) 307-3198.
>> >>
>> >> Congresswoman Lois Capps, 1428 Chapala St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101.
>> >> Tel:(805) 730-1710.
>> >>
>> >>Richard has asked that we not bother writing the warden at U.S.P.
Lompoc,
>> >>as he believes the whole matter is above/ beyond the Warden's
head/power.
>> >>Please write to your own local government repressiontitives. If you
would
>> >>like to send your concern, love, shout-out or a good paper-back history
>> >>book to Richard, then contact him: Richard Williams #10377-016, 3901
>> >>Klein Blvd. Lompoc, CA 93436
>> >
>
>--
>
>
>========================================================
>
>My autobiography, SAYING NO TO POWER (Creative Arts, Berkeley, 1999),
>was written for the general reader. However, if you teach in the social
>sciences consider it for student reading. It is a history of how the
>American
>people fought to defend and expand its rights in my lifetime, employing
>the form of the life story of one who was involved in most serious
>movements: labor, student, peace with the USSR, civil rights South and
>North, civil
>liberties (I seriously damaged the Senate Internal Security Committee,
>the McCarthy Committee, and the House Un-American Activities Committee
>with testimonies that may be heard/seen on my website,
>http://www.billmandel.net ), the RADIO OF DISSENT (37 YEARS ON
>PACIFICA),
>with very extensive information on its history) and the feminist
>movement,
>although I am male. The book contains some fifty pages on my late wife,
>Tanya, appearing appropriately throughout the book. They may be found in
>the index under Mandel, Tanya. My activities began in 1927. I am 85. The
>book
>is available through all normal sources. If you want an autographed
>copy,
>send me $23 at 4466 View Pl., Apt. 106, Oakland, CA. 94611
>========================================================
>
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