Monthly Archives: February 2022

Support Doug Wright after release from political imprisonment

Donate at tinyurl.com/doug-wright

Political prisoner Doug Wright, the last of the Cleveland 4 to be released, will be entering a halfway house this month. Doug was arrested on April 30th, 2012 after being entrapped by an FBI informant with a plot to allegedly damage a bridge. Prior to his arrest, Doug had been a traveler and then a participant in anti-capitalism activism through Occupy Cleveland. Doug deserves support getting back on his feet with basic necessities after undue harsh treatment as a political prisoner inside. Please help by contributing funds to cover his needs and share with your networks.

As a reminder, the Cleveland 4 case stemmed from a plot concocted by a paid FBI informant. It was one of several cases around anti-capitalist mass mobilizations, all based on the efforts of FBI informants to manufacture conspiracies not representative of anarchist organizing at the time. And in all of these cases, the defendants have been described as anarchists in the legal paperwork filed against them, setting precedents for criminalizing anarchism. Doug unfortunately got entrapped in the government crack-down on anarchist and anti-capitalist ideas. It’s important we have his back after a decade in prison.

Monday February 28th: Letter-writing for Veronza Bowers

Join Philly ABC this 2022 Black Futures month to send letters of solidarity to one of the longest-held political prisoners of the Black Liberation struggle, Veronza Bowers. Veronza is a former Black Panther Party member framed for the murder of a U.S. Park Ranger on the word of two government informants, both of whom received reduced sentences for other crimes by the federal prosecutor’s office. Because Veronza’s case falls under “old law” guidelines, he was supposed to be granted mandatory parole after serving 30 years. That day was in 2004, but due to the intervention of a former aid of President Bush, he continues to be held unlawfully.

In Veronza’s own words :

After 30 years of being denied release on parole, despite the fact that your conduct has been exemplary for over 20 years and you have long since met the criteria to be released on parole, finally your Mandatory Release date rolls around: April 7th, 2004. Everything is set, viz: your daughter, who was 5 years old when you were taken away to prison and is now 36, sent you a top-of-the-line fashion suit of clothes so that you would be properly dressed to ‘step in the name of freedom with love.’ She, along with 3 of your sisters fly in from across the country to be there at the prison gate to pick you up. …

You’re sitting outside in the Sweat Lodge area with your two closes friends just enjoying each other’s company in SILENCE. A loud announcement over the loud speaker ordering you to “report to your unit-team immediately” beak your peace. You know that something is not right. …

“You won’t be leaving tomorrow.”

You already that, but you didn’t know why…so you breathe deeply…1 full breath, 2 full breaths – a strange silence fills the room, and since it’s quite obvious that some reaction is expected of/from/by you, you just continue focusing upon the Breath. “Why?”

“Well, all we know is that the National Parole Commission called the institution and ordered that you not be released tomorrow. …

Just like that! A simple phone call from a National Commissioner in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and all of the plans for you to be “Steppin’ in the Name of Freedom, with Love” are cancelled, wiped out, voided until further notice.

Now almost 20 years have passed since his mandatory release date – we have to show Veronza some love ❤️!

Veronza Bowers, Jr. #35316-136
FCI Butner Medium II
P.O. Box 1500
Butner, NC 27509

If you can, please also drop a ‘happy birthday’ note in the mail to prisoners with birthdays in March: Joy Powell (the 5th), Andy Mickel (the 13th), and Ruchell Magee (the 17th).

Political Prisoners Updates for 2.22.22

Here’s the latest compilation of every other week updates:
https://nycabc.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/updates-22-feb-2022.pdf

NYC ABC, along with several other individuals and prisoner support
crews, now send hard copies to all political prisoners and prisoners of
war we support.

If you consistently mail the latest updates to a specific prisoner,
please let us know so we can insure there’s no overlap. The goal is to
have copies sent to all of the prisoners we list.

We’ve also been told that some prisoners are not receiving the copies
sent in, yet we aren’t getting rejection notices. If you are in steady
contact with a prisoner, please ask them whether or not they are
receiving the updates and let us know.

Free ’em all,
NYC ABC

Certain Days calendar collective on a few podcasts

Our friends at Certain Days were on a few podcasts this month. Check it out.

Kite Line Radio– February 4, 2022.

Listen at wfhb.org/news/february-4-2022-certain-days/ 

We share a conversation between Daniel McGowan and Brian Whitener about the Certain Days calendar. The Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar is a joint fundraising and educational project coordinated between outside and inside organizers in the US and Canada. Its founding members Herman Bell,Robert Seth Hayes and David Gilbert were welcomed home from prison in 2018 and 2021. Today, McGowan talks about the history of the project, his own experiences with prisoner support, how the calendar supports folks on the inside, and some of the challenges to long-term organizing.  McGowan reflects on his time inside following his arrest for Earth Liberation Front actions and emphasizes the importance of supporting grassroots movement organizations.

Millennials are Killing Capitalism  February 18, 2022
Listen at https://millennialsarekillingcapitalism.libsyn.com/if-i-fall-and-we-struggle-together-certain-days-political-prisoners-and-movement-defense-with-josh-davidson-and-daniel-mcgowan 

This one I did with my fellow Certain Days collective member Josh. We talked to Jay Beware for over an hour about the past and future of our calendar, political prisoners, the 2022 calendar and more. 

Daniel and Josh talk about the nuts and bolts of putting the calendar together, working with political prisoners on the project, and supporting prisoners against state repression. Along the way they both talk about tensions they feel in political prisoner support in the present moment. Both embracing prison abolition, understanding the inherently political nature of all imprisonment, and holding firm on the critical importance of movement defense to the creation of a better future.

Daniel also shares many insights from his own time as a political prisoner on the vicious and arbitrary nature of carceral power and the role that political prisoners try to play teaching and sharing radical knowledge but also seeking to legally combat the most repressive facets of the prison system both inside and out.

Josh and Daniel reference a ton of great projects and ways people can get involved, we will include all of them in the show notes so make sure to check them all out and get involved. One in particular we want to draw folks attention to uprisingsupport.org which was created to support people facing political repression for their involvement in the uprisings in response to the executions of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others in 2020.

 MAKC has a patreon you can support at https://www.patreon.com/millennialsarekillingcapitalism 

NYCABC Letter writing for Ronald Reed

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: 7pm, Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022
WHERE: YOUR HOME
COST: Free

So this post was going to start off with a clever twist on the usual call for active inter-generational and intersectional solidarity as the only hope at this point for those who want anything other than outright fascism. But in light of the vigilante shooting of multiple comrades the other night in Portland, our clever arguments don’t seem apt. The ongoing collusion of state and right-wing violence directed at Black and Brown people, anti-racist protestors, and those perceived as being anarchist or anti-fascist, is chillingly horrific. The old familiar adage “we keep us safe” is as true as ever, because if we don’t, it is increasingly clear that truly no one will. But that “we” is open-ended, an invitation more than a definition. The more bridges we can build and maintain with any and all people struggling for a society based on solidarity rather than white supremacist, heterosexist domination, the stronger and safer we will all be.

One great way to build those bridges is to write letters to political prisoners! Engage with them, have a respectful dialogue; we all have things to learn from and teach each other. lf they don’t have the capacity to respond, be understanding, stay in the loop, offer your help to heir public support crews, learn about the context of their cases, and spread the word. You can start this week, by joining NYC ABC and Page One Collective in writing to Black liberation struggle political prisoner Ronald Reed.

Ronald Reed is a former 60s civil rights activist. In 1969, Reed was also among the students at St. Paul Central High School who demanded black history courses and organized actions against racist teachers. He was also instrumental in helping to integrate college campuses in Minnesota. During this period, Reed began to look toward revolutionary theory and began to engage in political street theater with other young black revolutionaries in the city of St. Paul.

Reed went on to join the Black United Front. In 1970 he was convicted of shooting a St. Paul police officer. Twenty-five years after the killing, Reed was arrested and convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree-murder. He is serving life in prison.

Please take the time to write a letter to Ronald:
Ronald Reed #219531
Minnesota Correctional Facility-Lino Lakes
7525 Fourth Avenue
Lino Lakes, MN 55014

Oral Arguments in Sundiata Acoli’s Appeal Case Can Now be Viewed

If you missed the tremendous oral arguments in Sundiata Acoli’s appeal in NJ Supreme Court on Jan, 31. 2022, you can watch them at https://www.njcourts.gov/public/webcast_archive.html

For more information and what you can do to help, please check out the Bring Sundiata Home Freedom Campaign’s webpage and also follow on social media: https://sundiataacolifc.org/

Political Prisoner Dan Baker now has an online book wish list.

Order books at https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1L3A3PSLOYAY4?ref_=wl_share

Daniel Baker #25765-509
FCI Memphis
P.O. Box 34550
Memphis, TN 38184

Dan Baker is a social justice activist and former army vet. He went AWOL instead of fighting in Iraq, and then took his training to help defend Rojava with the International Freedom Battalion and was featured on VICE. Dan was also active during the George Floyd Rebellion and took part in CHAZ.



He was arrested on January 15th, 2021 after the FBI compiled social media posts related to Trump supporters’ actions on inauguration day to build a criminal case against him. Dan was facing up to 10 years for two counts of transmitting a communication in interstate commerce containing a threat to kidnap or injure. He was sentenced to 44 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. His legal team is appealing the verdict.

Feb. 19, 2022: 69th Birthday Celebration for Black Panther Political Prisoner Kamau Sadiki

Saturday, February 19, 2022
Black Panther Political Prisoner Kamau Sadiki 69th Birthday Celebration
7 to 9 p.m. EST

Featuring an inspirational evening of speakers, art, music, performances & information.

The Family, Friends & Comrades of Veteran Black Panther Political Prisoner Kamau Sadiki

Invite You to Join:

Dhoruba Bin Wahad ~ Naima Bandele ~ Russell Shoatz III ~ Ashanti Omowale
dequi kioni-sadiki ~ Spiritchild ~ Rev. Dorlimar Lebrón ~ Zayid Muhammad
YahNé Ndgo ~ Sophia Dawson ~ Sadiki “Bro. Shep” Olugbala and
many more Black/New Afrikan Revolutionaries & Anti-Imperialist Allies!

Organized by The International Campaign to Free Kamau Sadiki NOW!

RSVP on Eventbrite. Donations are needed and welcomed:
https://bit.ly/freekamausadiki69

For information:
[email protected] • https://linktr.ee/freekamausadiki

 

NYCABC Political Prisoner updates 2.8.22

Here’s the latest compilation of every other week updates:
https://nycabc.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/updates-8-feb-2022.pdf

NYC ABC, along with several other individuals and prisoner support
crews, now send hard copies to all political prisoners and prisoners of
war we support.

If you consistently mail the latest updates to a specific prisoner,
please let us know so we can insure there’s no overlap. The goal is to
have copies sent to all of the prisoners we list.

We’ve also been told that some prisoners are not receiving the copies
sent in, yet we aren’t getting rejection notices. If you are in steady
contact with a prisoner, please ask them whether or not they are
receiving the updates and let us know.

Free ’em all,
NYC ABC

NYC ABC Letter Writing for Daniel Hale

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: Tuesday, February 8th, 2022
WHERE: Your home!
COST: Free

Daniel Hale, with Leila the cat
photo courtesy of standwithdanielhale.org

Hey everyone, it’s that time of the month again! NYC ABC and Page One Collective are back to remind all of you wonderful, exhausted, burnt out people that there are political prisoners! They need our support and friendship! An easy way to provide that is to write letters!

This week we encourage everyone to write to Daniel HaleDaniel Hale is a whistleblower who was indicted for allegedly disclosing classified documents about the U.S. military’s assassination program. On March 31, 2021, he pleaded guilty to a single count under the Espionage Act, and on July 27, 2021, Daniel was sentenced to 45 months in prison.

From The Intercept:

Ahead of his sentencing this week, Hale filed an 11-page handwritten letter to the court detailing the motivations behind his actions. In vivid detail, Hale recalled his own experience locating targets for American drone strikes. By some estimates, U.S. drone operations abroad, conducted by both the military and the CIA, have killed between 9,000 and 17,000 people since 2004, including as many as 2,200 children and multiple U.S. citizens. Those estimates, however, undercount the true cost of remote American warfare — as Hale noted in his letter to the court last week, the U.S. military has a practice of labeling all individuals killed in such operations as “enemies killed in action” unless proven otherwise.

Please take the time to write a letter to Daniel Hale (and share a photo of your completed envelopes with us online):

Daniel Hale #26069-075
USP Marion
P.O. Box 1000
Marion, IL 62959