Alert
Police try to censor Mumia at Antioch
By
Greg Butterfield
The graduating class
at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, is coming under
heavy pressure from police groups and other right-wingers since
these racist forces learned Mumia Abu-Jamal was invited to
speak at the school's April 29 commencement
ceremony.
An Associated Press
article about the students' choice appeared in newspapers
around the country in late March, prompting the Fraternal Order
of Police--which openly campaigns for Abu-Jamal's execution--to
launch a harassment campaign.
Teishan Latner, a
member of the Antioch Commencement Committee, said, "We've been
getting hit with hundreds of hate-type calls and e-mails from
cops and conservatives all over the country."
The students are
asking for solidarity messages to show they have support around
the United States and the world.
The students chose
Abu-Jamal to give a taped speech at the graduation ceremony
because they want to publicize his fight for a new trial. Also
invited to speak is Leslie Feinberg, a lesbian transgender
activist and co-founder of Rainbow Flags for Mumia, who will
appear in person.
Feinberg said: "The
struggle at Antioch is a critical one for the Free Mumia
movement, just like Evergreen College was last year." The
Fraternal Order of Police waged a reactionary campaign after
Evergreen graduating students invited Abu-Jamal to be their
commencement speaker.
Feinberg concluded,
"We can't let the FOP terrorize and silence supporters of
Mumia. We must rally to defend the right of political prisoners
like Mumia to speak to the youth, and of youth and students to
organize for justice.
"And we will make
that support for the Antioch students be part of building the
national May 7 action for Mumia at Madison Square
Garden."
A statement from the
Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement read: "We join with you
in demanding a new trial for brother Mumia. By adding your
voice to his, the graduating class at Antioch is standing tall
in the fight for social justice.
"Your actions today
are in the spirit of the Illinois students who investigated
those cases that led to the freeing of 13 innocent death-row
prisoners in that state, and ultimately to a moratorium on
executions there."
Messages of support
can be emailed to talatner@aol.com.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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