WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
We all know that life outside the walls is one precarious step away from the other side. Some released former political prisoners have referred to being out not as “freedom” but as minimum security, and unfortunately they know exactly whereof they speak. Truly no one is free while any single person is not. We know it, and the agents of authority know it just as well.
So while it is no surprise that the State surveils and targets those who actively work against oppression, the case against Daniel Baker is particularly shocking. To be charged and convicted for a hyperbolic post on a corporate social media platform is egregious, and the silence from so many apostles of “free speech” across the political spectrum is both predictable and appalling.
Our commitment to solidarity won’t waiver though, so this week we are asking you all to join us in writing to recently sentenced political prisoner Daniel Baker.
Daniel Baker is an anti-fascist activist who was arrested on January 15, 2021 for social media posts that called for defense against possible far-right attacks on the state’s capitol in the wake of the January 6th riots. Daniel was facing up to 10 years for two counts of transmitting a communication in interstate commerce containing a threat to kidnap or injure. On October 12th, 2021 he was sentenced to 44 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
Daniel Baker #25765-509
USP Atlanta
U.S. Penitentiary
P.O. Box 150160
Atlanta, GA 30315
The deal, as always, is that you come bringing only yourself (and your friends and comrades), and we provide you with information about the prisoners as well as all of the letter-writing materials and prisoner-letter-writing info you could ever want to use in one evening. In return, you write a thoughtful letter to a political prisoner or prisoner of war of your choosing or, better yet, keep up a long-term correspondence. We’ll also provide some brief updates and pass around birthday cards for the PP/POWs whose birthdays fall in the next two weeks thanks to the PP/POW Birthday Calendar.
Directions:
Getting to The Base is simple:
From the M Train:
Central Avenue Stop: Walk east on Myrtle Avenue (away from Hart Street, toward Cedar Street). We’re about two blocks down on the south side of the street.
Knickerbocker Avenue Stop: Walk west on Myrtle Avenue (away from Harman Street, toward Himrod Street). We’re about three blocks down on the south side of the street.
From the L Train:
DeKalb Avenue Stop: Walk south on Stockholm Street (away from Wyckoff Avenue, toward Irving Avenue). We’re about four blocks down, at the intersection of Stockholm Street and Myrtle Avenue.
From the J Train:
Myrtle Avenue Stop: Transfer to the M train and follow the above directions.