[SDCPJ] Fwd: [CEDP] December 9 Day of Action: FREE MUMIA!

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Randi Hensley <randijoneshensley@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Dec 5, 2011 at 12:13 PM
Subject: [CEDP] December 9 Day of Action: FREE MUMIA! [2 Attachments]
To: cedp_national_office@yahoogroups.com

 

[Attachment(s) from Randi Hensley included below]

Hello everyone,

 

December 9 marks 30 years that Mumia Abu Jamal has been behind prison bars on Pennsylvania death row. Mumia supporters are calling for a day of action on December 9 that includes actions across the country and a march in Philadelphia. We want to mobilize a large showing of support for Mumia with a clear message: FREE MUMIA ABU JAMAL!

 

The Supreme Court recently confirmed that Mumia's death sentence was unconstitutional, which will mean that unless the DA calls for a new re-sentencing trial, Mumia will serve a life without the possibility of parole sentence. This is the first time that the Supreme Court has acknowledged unfairness in Mumia's case and the fact that he likely won't face execution is a victory. But it is a small one; Mumia Abu Jamal should be freed. Mumia and his supporters will struggle on for his freedom and for the end of the death penalty and mass incarceration.

 

Mumia has been an inspiration to those fighting for justice on a wide range of issues; including those who fought to stop Troy Davis's execution, those who continue the struggle against unjust wars and American imperialism, those in the Occupy movement fighting against corporate greed, and many more. He has educated millions of people about the inner-workings of the injustices in our prison system.  Through his writings and radio shows, Mumia has encouraged us all to fight on. As he says, "I have held out hope for the people, because I believe in the people, because the people make change. If the people don't organize and protest, then no change will happen. It doesn't matter who is sitting in what office or in what judgeship or whatever. And that's just a fact. That's just the truth."

 

Check out and pass along Ten Reasons Why You Should Support Mumia Abu Jamal from the Campaign to End the Death Penalty's website. Mumia's case, like so many others, highlights the massive flaws of the entire death penalty system--racial bias, police misconduct and brutality, and prosecutorial and judicial prejudice.  We demand a new trial for Mumia and the end of the racist death penalty!

 

 

Five things you can do to help free Mumia:

 

1. Organize an educational event about Mumia's case. This could be a teach-in at your local Occupy, a meeting at your school or church, a screening of one of the many films about Mumia (In Prison My Whole Life, Mumia: A Case for Reasonable Doubt, Justice on Trial: The Case of Mumia Abu Jamal, etc). Troy Davis's case showed the opening for a new generation to get involved with the fight against the death penalty. We need to educate those folks about Mumia's case, too.

 

2. Hold a petitioning event in your community for Mumia. Take petitions to your local Occupy site, meetings and events, bus stops, busy intersections, campuses, etc and collect signatures for Mumia. Petitions and fact sheets are attached. 

 

3. Use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to share the online petition for Mumia and show support by changing your profile picture.

 

4. Get Mumia's voice heard. Mumia himself is his biggest advocate. He is an amazing journalist who has authored six books, written countless articles about a wide range of subjects, and broadcasts a radio show from his prison cell. Spread his voice over social media sites and at teach-ins and meetings. You can access his radio show here.

 

5. If you are able, head to Philadelphia to be part of the historical actions there, which include Cornell West, Michelle Alexander, Alice Walker, the CEDP's very own Sandra Jones, and many, many others. For more information about those events, click here.

 

We know that there are powerful forces working against us to execute Mumia, or at very least, keep him locked up forever. But, this year, we have seen the power of ordinary people standing up for justice. We won't rest until we see the end of the racist death penalty and Mumia freed!

 

Towards justice,

Randi Jones Hensley

Campaign to End the Death Penalty