Tag: Mumia Abu Jamal

On a windy April 24th, hundreds gathered into Humanist Hall on the periphery of downtown Oakland to celebrate the 55th birthday of Mumia Abu Jamal, a former Black Panther who has been a political prisoner for the last 28 years, as well as celebrate the release of his newest book, "Jailhouse Lawyers," published by City Lights (www.citylights.com).

Happy Birthday, Mumia Abu Jamal! On Wanda's Picks Radio, we are celebrating Mumia Abu Jamal's birthday and his new book, "Jailhouse Lawyers," with an introduction by Angela Davis.

It's the party of parties! Celebrate Mumia's birthday and the release of his new book, "Jailhouse Lawyers," this Friday, 4/24, 6:30pm, Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland, with keynote speaker prison abolitionist Prof. Angela Davis, Min. of Info. JR, Mistah F.A.B., Chela Simone, Kiilu Nyasha, Tiny of Poor, Molotov Mouths, Adimu of Hairdoo and many more.

The U.S. Supreme Court's 1986 Batson v. Kentucky decision prohibited the state from removing Black jurors for racial reasons. Still, courts have been loathe to grant relief.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that they have rejected death-row journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal's appeal for a new guilt phase trial. Readers are urged to contact the White House to protest this unjust ruling. Call (202) 456-1111 or visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/.

In Pennsylvania's Luzerne County, two judges just pled guilty to a conspiracy to convict and sentence juveniles to a private prison, so that they could get kickbacks from the prison's builders and owners.

Be sure to listen to the archived Wanda's Picks Radio for Feb. 11, when the guests are Cynthia McKinney in the first hour and Guy Patrice Lumumba and Lisa F. Jackson, director of the film, "The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo," in the second. Extraordinary radio! Superb mix of arts and politics!

What moved me most at the presidential inauguration was the quartet - Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma sounding a mournful dirge, shattered by Anthony McGill's light, airy clarinet, which was as triumphant as the coming of spring.

Imagine this: If the roles were reversed, that is, if bystanders had footage of Grant shooting Mehserle, would the media be suggesting a defense for him? Would Grant have been free to roam, to leave the state a week later? Would he have made bail?

Huey P. Newton's name and, more importantly, his history of resistance and struggle is little more than a mystery for many younger people in their 20s. Huey P. Newton was a rebel - and more, a Black Revolutionary.

With poise and considerable grace, Barack Hussein Obama took the stage of history and tried to turn a mammoth page in the book of America's national life.

The only journalist arrested while covering the Jan. 7 rebellion and one of only three protesters charged with a felony was POCC Minister of Information JR. Charged with arson (of a trash can), he is totally innocent. Tell Mayor Dellums, DA Orloff and Rep. Lee to drop all charges against all protesters.

Fanon's work was widely read on three continents and is still worthy of study, not least because the insightful thinker predicted how African rulers would rule if they didn't unite the continent's various peoples and failed to develop truly independent and socialist governing systems.

Although Somalis have recently been in the Western press because of piracy, the nation has a long and distinct history, centuries before the era of European colonialism.

As economies crumble around the globe, states are becoming increasingly repressive, especially against those who are its political opponents and resisters.

With drums, songs, rap, performance and a lot of leafleting, the friends of Mumia in Mexico demanded his freedom in the zocalo on Saturday, Dec. 6, in solidarity with the march in Philadelphia.

Schwarzenegger's excuse for murdering Tookie: "But the inclusion of George Jackson on this list defies reason and is a significant indicator that Williams is not reformed and that he still sees violence and lawlessness as a legitimate means to address societal problems."

Hundreds of billions of dollars have been poured into financial houses, banks and insurance companies, yet the needle on the nation's economy has barely budged from "E."

I have been constantly pushing for liberation quite vigorously and many of you inspire me to push harder and remember the words of a great freedom fighter, Sis. Harriet Tubman, who said: "I started with this idea in my head. There's two things I have a right to: death or liberty."

Recently we've seen a profound political distaste for the auto companies, with a special vehemence for the United Auto Workers (UAW), who are portrayed as greedy, lazy "ne'er-do-wells," who are paid far more than they're worth.