UNITED WE STAND

by Imam Siddique Abdullah Hasan

          Revolutionary Salute and Shields Up!  It has come to our attention that
the brothers at the Pelican Bay State Prison Security Housing Unit will
commence on indefinite hunger strike on July 1, 2011, to protest the
inhumane and dehumanizing conditions they’ve been forced to endure for
25 years.  Further, it is our understanding that their protest has been
inspired by the successful hunger strike that two of my comrades and I
participated in during January of this year; where we received massive
international support from those on the outside who believed in the
righteousness of our protracted struggles to fight to secure the same
privileges as other condemned prisoners at Ohio State Penitentiary
(OSP).
          The call has been made by those at pelican Bay State Prison for
prisoners throughout the state of California who have been suffering
injustices to join them in their peaceful strike to put a stop to
blatant violations of California prisoners’ civil and human rights.
Moreover, their call made it perfectly clear that “if [California
prisoners] cannot participate in the strike, then [they should] support
it in principle by not eating for the first 24 hours of the strike.”
While their heartfelt plea was not made to Ohio prisoners, a growing
number of us at OSP have decided to join them in their peaceful protest.
We hope and pray that our united stand with those brothers at Pelican
Bay will have a domino effect throughout the nation—that is, with
prisoners in other states, as well as their outside supporters, will
come together and stand united with the oppressed soldiers at Pelican
Bay.
          Their injustices have been going on for far too long.  How long?  Too long!
Twenty-five years is too long for human beings to be subjected to the cruel terms
and dictates of their oppressors.
          Regarding their challenges and the protracted nature of their struggle,
we urge those brothas to brace themselves for the battle ahead.  There
will no easy victory, yet those soldiers at Pelican Bay must be
determined to stay the course and to go forward in the spirit of past
and present revolutionaries to change the oppressive conditions of their
confinement.  No matter how difficult the circumstances may become.  As
Comrade George L. Jackson wrote,  “Revolutionary consciousness is the
only real hope of those oppressed by the system.”

Power to the oppressed People!
Signed
Imam Siddique Abdullah Hasan
Ohio State Penitentiary