Date: Thu, 20 Mar 1997 23:28:57 -0500
Subject: Free Speech for Mumia Abu-Jamal!



                 FREE SPEECH FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL!
_________________________________________________________________
 
 
     On February 24, just moments before a well-publicized
scheduled airing of commentaries by internationally-known black
journalist, death row political prisoner and MOVE supporter Mumia
Abu-Jamal, Temple University's WRTI-Jazz FM radio pulled the plug
on Pacifica Network's daily public affairs program "Democracy
Now," and indeed all Pacifica network programming. Temple
University President Peter J. Liacouras's last-minute
cancellation of this popular program prevented Philadelphia from
hearing Mumia's eloquent voice, and eleven other area stations
lost their broadcast relays as well.
     
     This attempt to silence America's "voice of the voiceless"
is literally the policing of the airways. Temple University is
doing the bidding of the notorious Philadelphia Police
Department. The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police and their
media allies fear that those who hear Mumia's searing indictments
of racist hypocrisy and injustice in America will be moved to
fight their murderous frame-up of Mumia in particular, and the
corruption, brutality and racism of "justice" Philadelphia-style
in general.
 
     This action is only the latest effort to silence him. Mumia
was disciplined in 1995 for the publication of his best-selling
book, "Live From Death Row." And just recently, the Pennsylvania
Department of Corrections has instituted a rule, popularly known
as the "Mumia Rule," that effectively bars media recording visits
for all prisoners.
 
     The censorship of Mumia by WRTI comes in the middle of
several ominous court rulings by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
The Court has granted the Philadelphia District Attorney's motion
to strike a defense brief challenging the prosecution's
misrepresentation of the key testimony last October by former
prosecution witness Veronica Jones, which clearly demonstrated to
countless observers that the case against Jamal is a frame-up.
The Court has barred the defense from presenting oral arguments,
and is allowing the prosecution to file additional new legal
briefs, while denying the defense the right to reply. The Court
seems to be signalling that it intends to deliberately ignore the
overwhelming evidence that the murder trial of Mumia Abu-Jamal
was a racist frame-up, and give the State of Pennsylvania the
green light to execute him.
 
     Mumia and his supporters have also been subjected to a new
round of physical harassment by prison authorities, who have
barred a visit to Jamal from the attorney handling his civil suit
against them, threatened to force the cutting of his hair in
violation of his religious beliefs, and opened and defaced his
confidential legal correspondence, despite court orders
forbidding this Pennsylvania practice.
 
     The efforts of the Philadelphia police, with Temple
University's collaboration, to silence Jamal are a transparent
attempt to make it easier to execute him. Mumia Abu-Jamal is one
of America's foremost enemies and victims of white racism, and is
one of America's most outspoken enemies of fascism. We, the
undersigned anti-fascist computer activists, demand that Temple
University's outrageous political censorship of Mumia Abu-Jamal
be lifted immediately.
 
     Certain civil libertarians on the Internet call for "free
speech for fascists," but have not spoken up for radio-journalist
Mumia Abu Jamal's right of freedom of speech. It is curious that
they can be so concerned about the ostensible rights of
Cybernazis to urge genocide, lynching, church and clinic
bombings, gay bashing, etc. but remain silent when America's
voices against these things, like Mumia, are silenced by the
authorities.
 
     We add our voice to the many thousands in Philadelphia and
throughout the world who demand:
 
 
                    LET MUMIA ABU-JAMAL BE HEARD!

Bob Malecki<malecki-AT-algonet.se>editor of COCKROACH!,author of Ha Ha Ha
McNamara,Vietnam-My Bellybutton is my Cristalball. 
http://www.algonet.se/~malecki
 
Tom Burghardt <tburghardt-AT-igc.org>, editor, ANTIFA INFO-BULLETIN,
proponent: UseNet news group <soc.politics.anti-fascism> etc.;
 
David Christian <dckom-AT-future.atlcom.net>, Workers Solidarity
Alliance;
 
Lorenzo Komboa Ervin <komboa-AT-mindspring.com>; Ad-Hoc Coalition
Against Racism & Police Brutality; author, _Anarchism and the
Black Revolution_;
 
John Holmes <jdholmes-AT-igc.apc.org>, labor activist and historian,
proponent: UseNet news group <soc.politics.anti-fascism> etc.;
 
Paul Kneisel <tallpaul-AT-nyct.net>, originator: VOTE NO CAMPAIGN
[against rec.music.white.power]; proponent: UseNet news group
<soc.politics.anti-fascism> etc.;
 
Marpessa Kupendua <nattyreb-AT-ix.netcom.com>, Afrikan Frontline
Network; http://www.webcom.com/nattyreb
 
Ron Painter <ronp-AT-nyct.net>, anti-fascist activist, computer
professional; proponent: UseNet news group
<soc.politics.anti-fascism> etc.;
 
Sally Ryan <leata-AT-ix.netcom.com>, Communications Director,
Marx-Engels Internet Archive;
 
Anthony Ware <aw6805-AT-cnsvax.albany.edu>
 
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          ++++ stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal ++++
   ++++ if you agree copy these 3 sentences in your own sig ++++
  ++++ see: http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/spg-l/sigaction.htm ++++