Latest from Daniel McGowan and much more!
There's a lot going on these days. Please take a look at what you can do over the next few weeks and, hopefully, longer. Thanks!
*LATEST FROM DANIEL
*EVENTS
*WRITE TO PRISONERS
*HELPING OTHERS
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
LATEST FROM DANIEL:
(Apologies for taking a while to get this out - JS)
10/2/07
Lately, I've been reading a lot of newspapers and magazines since I've been here. Invariably, there are articles on things of interest to me, but I find myself surprised at the slant or perspective offered by newspapers like the NY Times or the factoid-driven USA Today. (Why this is, probably has much to do with a long-term withdrawal from corporate news – the fact that most newspapers and sources of news mimic the perspectives and opinions of those in power shouldn't surprise me!) One of the issues covered in such a shallow and non-questioning manner is immigration – often it's the “problem of immigration” or theorizing on "how to seal the border."
While I don't expect mainstream news sources to question the existence of borders (or as I like to call them, "lines on a map"), I hope for more than the ICE-loving, immigrant demonizing that passes for coverage on a really complex issue. The articles focus on people who die crossing the desert from Mexico (a not-so-subtle "you're next"), raids on businesses/factories that employ a majority of immigrants without any criticism of how armed raids and the destruction of families is a horrendous affair and, of course, more propaganda about how out "leaders" are going to "build a better fence!"
What is lost in this barely under the surface reporting is the fact that we are speaking about people. I'm ashamed to say that it took events happening to a friend of mine to break through my lack of concentration on this topic. My friend Maria (not her real name), was traveling in the Southwest with her family on Greyhound when it was boarded by a migra. Her papers were checked, allegations were made that she and her parents are illegal, and they are now in the federal legal system (trust me - it's a Kafkaesque place to be) fighting to stay in the United States. To top it off, they want to deport my friend to Mexico – where she has not resided since age 5 and her parents to another country. Her court dates are set for where the charges where filed, not her resident state - which is leading to immense travel expenses in addition to the legal bills. The US knows that defendants worn down with threats, financial debt and numerous delays are easier to deal with – it's systemic, successful, and by all accounts, very successful.
As many of us have noted before, the United States has collective amnesia. Here we are – a nation of immigrants built on the (ongoing) genocide and ecological exploitation of this continent's indigenous peoples, made rich by generations of chattel slavery that argue for sealing the border to brown people and Central and South America. (That's really what makes the debate is about. Surely, the US is unconcerned with "white" or English speaking immigrants. Just go to Ridgewood, Queens or Greenpoint, Brooklyn and you’ll see what I mean!)
Growing up in NYC, almost everyone I knew had parents and grandparents who were immigrants - Irish, Puerto Rican, Italian, Dominican, German, and Caribbean families - and were 1-3 generations removed from their respective nations. My Irish grandfather, coming to the US in 1916 at the time of low Irish immigration did not have to deal with "Irish need not apply" signs. However, being a newcomer with only his sister as family here, he took the job he could get – as a laborer at a natural gas power plant in Brooklyn, NY. He worked that job for 50 years. His blood, sweat, and tears put food on the table during the Depression and supported a family of four.
When I think of my Poppa, his hard work and his reasons for coming here (impending civil unrest in Ireland, no opportunities), I can’t help but think of today's immigrants. It is shameful enough that the US has destabilized and harmed much of South and Central America in the 1980’s (Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Peru) fueled by Reagan’s domino theory and the neo-liberal and Democrat-supported NAFTA of the Clinton years (affecting Mexico, perhaps, most of all).
Maria has been here for over 15 years – her parents employed as teachers and herself, a vibrant part of the NYC activist community. Is it fair to send her to a country she does not remember? Shouldn't common sense prevail here? It's the dehumanization of immigrants that allows things like this to happen. Fueled by propaganda and fear, municipalities promote ordinances that levy fines against people who hire "illegals," people become snitches and call ICE on individuals or businesses, rednecks harass day labor sites. Meanwhile, the silence on the part of so many white people is astounding – even as, in my city, people sleep in hotels cleaned by, ride in taxis driven by, and eat vegetables picked by and animals slaughtered by immigrants. The May 1 protests of two years ago should have been a wake-up call – an invitation off the fence and a reminder that, aside from native peoples, we are all immigrants here in the US. Like a funny shirt I saw last year, "Who are you calling immigrant, Pilgrim?"
To be clear, it’s not the "immigrants are useful to me" debate that drives me (in the same vain as I value trees for their own inherent value. This is called 'deep ecology' in the environmental realm. What then would we call it regarding respect and consideration for people independent of such silly criteria as "national origin?") It's my friend Maria and her mother and father – people with names, lives, goals, and dreams. To give credence to borders over people is a freedom-destroying choice. The rhetoric of immigrants "draining the resources of the US" is laughable coming from a country that spends millions of dollars a day to fund an illegal and immoral war in Iraq and devoted 1/2 of its overall budget to the military!
Don't use my previous excuses for not taking a stand on what this gov't is doing to people fighting just to leave. Get off the fence and wade into what seems, at first, to be a complex issue. Meet and work with immigrant groups for justice. Learn Spanish! Don’t forget that, chances are, your family was immigrants too.
Addendum: The solution being proposed currently is that young people whose parents came here when they were young can gain citizenship by joining the military. This is appalling and needs to be resisted fully. They see this as a win-win – helping horribly low military recruitment numbers and reducing the numbers of illegal. But no one should have to die to be allowed to live in the US.
All other postings so far can be found here: http://www.supportdaniel.org/prisonlife/blog.html
Official blog coming soon!
---------------------------------------------------
EVENTS:
While these events may not all be directly related to Daniel's case, we feel they are important dates not to be missed.
October 30, 2007: NYC Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner for Daniel's co-defendant Jonathan Paul at the 123 Community Space in Brooklyn.
@ 7 PM, Located at 123 Tompkins Ave, between Myrtle & Vernon.
Take the G train to Myrtle-Willoughby or JMZ train to Myrtle.
November 17, 2007: DC Event - Panel Discussion on State Repression: Past and Present From the Green Scare to the Continued War on the Black Liberation Movement
Featuring: Ramona Africa of MOVE and Will Potter, Journalist
@ 7 PM, $5-10 sliding scale, suggested donation will cover expenses and benefit political prisoners. NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS.
at St. Stephens Church, 1525 Newton St. (between 15th/16th Streets), NW Washington, DC
North of the Columbia Heights Metro on the Green Line
November 30, 2007: NYC Event - Celebrate and defend the legacy of the Black Panther Party: Drop the charges against the SF-8
@ 7 PM, Martin Luther King Jr. Labor Center
310 W. 43rd Street (between 8th / 9th Aves.) NYC
Speakers include: Gil Noble, respected producer and host of ABC-TV's Like It Is, Francisco Torres, Harold Taylor and other SF-8 defendants, Soffiyah Elijah, Esq., lawyer on the SF-8 case, Performing: alixa + naima/Climbing Poetree
See full details on both November events here: http://www.supportdaniel.org/fundraising/
---------------------------------------------------------------
WRITE TO PRISONERS:
Jonathan Paul was just designated to FCI Phoenix, a medium security federal prison in Phoenix, Arizona. He will be self-reporting on October 31. Please send Jonathan (as well as everyone listed here) supportive letters! Use these as general guidelines unless you hear otherwise.
Jonathan Paul
#07167-085
FCI Phoenix
Federal Correctional Institution
37910 N 45th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85086
Nathan Block #36359-086
FCI Lompoc
Federal Correctional Institution
3600 Guard Road
Lompoc, CA 93436
Joyanna Zacher #36360-086
FCI Dublin
Federal Correctional Institution
5701 8th St - Camp Parks- Unit E
Dublin, CA 94568
Jeffrey Luers # 1306729
Lane County Adult Corrections
101 West 5th Ave
Eugene, OR 97401-2695
MCDAVID, ERIC X-2972521 4E231A
Sacramento County Main Jail
651 "I" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
See www.greenscare.org for more info on these people and more.
------------------------------------------------------------
HELPING OTHERS:
San Francisco 8:
Attention frequent flyers! At the moment the SF8 defense committee needs to collect some frequent flyer miles for the defendants. If you know of anyone (a friend, colleague, whatever) who would be willing to donate frequent flyer miles, please go here for more information: http://www.freethesf8.org/what_to_do.html
Coming soon: Leonard Peltier Annual Holiday Toy Drive
Leonard Peltier and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee respectfully request your help making these holidays a little brighter for the children at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This year, Family and Friends of Daniel McGowan will be providing links to online registries to help make this happen. More info coming soon. http://www.leonardpeltier.net/
Daniel McGowan is an environmental and social justice activist. He was charged in federal court on many counts of arson, property destruction and conspiracy, all relating to two incidents in Oregon in 2001. Until recently, Daniel was offered two choices by the government: cooperate by informing on other people, or go to trial and face life in prison. His only real option was to plead not guilty until he could reach a resolution of the case that permitted him to honor his principles. As a result of months of litigation and negotiation, Daniel was able to admit to his role in these two incidents, while not implicating or identifying any other people who might have been involved. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison on June 4, 2007 and began serving his time on July 2, 2007.
PDF
No comments:
Post a Comment