Daily Archives: October 11, 2011

Black and Brown folks have long known that whenever economic troubles “necessitate” austerity measures and the people are asked to tighten their belts, we are the first to lose our jobs, our children’s schools are the first to lose funding, and our bodies are the first to be brutalized and caged. Only we can speak this truth to power.

With the second phase of a massive California prisoner hunger strike in its third week, prisoners have begun to report grave medical issues. Prisoners at Corcoran have stated, “Due to what they have done here to us, some men have stopped drinking water completely, so we may well be close to death in a few days.”

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the Philadelphia district attorney’s attempt to reinstate the death penalty on Brother Mumia! In order to reinstate the death penalty at this point, the DA would have to call for a new trial on the question of the sentence, with a new jury having to decide on whether to reinstate the death sentence. Otherwise, the sentence of life in prison – without parole – remains. Now on to freeing Mumia!

Prisons and the millions who are imprisoned are a critical issue in this society for the 1 percent and for the 99 percent - and certainly for the Occupy Wall Street movement. At Occupy LA – and everywhere – we have a moral responsibility to expose and demand an end to prison torture and especially the high-tech torture chambers called SHUs. On Thursday, Oct. 13, 5-7 p.m., at Occupy LA at LA City Hall, family members of those locked up in the SHUs and others will give VOICE to the prisoners on hunger strike. As their medical condition deteriorates, a strong turnout is critical.