in his own words: troy davis

the execution of troy davis and the lengthy proceedings that resulted in him being on death row for 20 years are a perfect example of when the quest for justice results in a gross miscarriage of justice. my heart goes out to the family of the slain police officer who so brutally lost his life. but to condemn someone to what is tantamount to torture and to death with such scant and contradictory evidence...with so many gaps in due process...and on the basis of testimony from witnesses who later recanted is---quite simply--barbaric.

i will not attempt to analyze any of this at all, as my heart is heavy and i'm overwhelmed by the idea of how many troy davis' have existed before today, how many are out there now, and how many are yet to come. so--for posterity--i simply want to post his words. to put a human voice and face to the man that everyone is talking about and that everyone--hopefully--won't soon forget. this goes beyond the fight for a human being's life. this is a fight to change an entire system so that legal lynchings can no longer be sanctioned.

in his own words (from a letter written in 2008):

in his own words: troy davis

let freedom reign: nelson mandela

today marks 20 years since the release of Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years of his life as a political prisoner.

i clearly remember watching his release on television on a cold winter morning, and writing about it in my little journal, which was ordinarily filled with angst-ridden pre-teen non-drama. after years of participating in anti-apartheid protests with my parents and their friends (my first taste of activism), i knew i was witnessing a moment that would forever impact the continent, and the world.

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires."

"Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement."

--Nelson Mandela

if you have not already, read about his epic journey in Mandela's 'Long Walk to Freedom.'
and 'When Mandela Turned Down Freedom' via Khaya Dlanga.

let freedom reign: nelson mandela

assata shakur

thirty years ago, today, Assata Shakur--an American political prisoner--escaped from detention in the US and was granted political asylum in Cuba.

"Like most poor people in the United States, I have no voice. The Black press and the progressive media, as well as Black civil rights organizations, have historically played an essential role in the struggle for social justice. We should continue and expand that tradition. We should create media outlets that help to educate our people and our children, and not annihilate their minds. I am only one woman. I own no TV stations or radio stations or newspapers. But I believe that people need to be educated as to what is going on and to understand the connection between the news media and the instruments of repression in America. All I have are my voice, my spirit and the will to tell the truth. But I sincerely ask those of you in the Black media, those of you in the progressive media and those of you who believe in truth and freedom to publish my story.' -Assata Shakur



hear Assata in her own words, here.

image courtesy of the martyr index

assata shakur

in balance there is might.

the freejohnforte website has been replaced by:

after being granted a sentence commutation on november 25th 2008, john forté is free from prison, today. he has served 7 years out of a 14 year sentence--the mandatory minimum sentence of a conviction of 'posession with intent to distribute'-- and a relatively harsh sentence for a first-time, non-violent offender. mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses tend to unfairly target people of color in the US, leading to disproportionate sentences.

sadly, forté's myspace page has also been disabled, taking it with it the brilliant, insightful entries he would post on his blog (via a friend), while incarcerated. these are the words that affected met the most:

While falling may be inevitable, it does not have to be crippling; so when I get up, it is so I might master my balance. In balance there is might.

--john forté

Currently listening :
Atlantis: Hymns for Disco
By K Os
Release date: 2007-02-20

in balance there is might.

the justice myth ctd...

this has been such a violation from day one...we all knew that eventually things would start to unravel and the truth would come out. provisional liberty is far from enough.

this never should've happened in the first place.

this was and remains a flagrant abuse and misuse of the international judicial system and we should remain defiant until that is recognized.

the justice myth ctd...

small steps

it was hard to fathom, fifteen years ago, how we would ever begin to address the issue of justice in this country of mine.

but justice is, indeed, a process. and even though it is taking years, there are some small steps that make a massive impact. people are being held accountable. no one is immune.

small steps.

small steps

the struggle continues

yesterday, march 25th, marked the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the trans-atlantic slave trade. and while poignant speeches are being made in the UK by Blair, etc; while apologies are being offered by everyone from descendants of former slave owners to the mayor of London; while debates rage on concerning whether or not apologies are enough, whether or not reparations should be granted (and what form reparations should take); while questions are raised as to whether or not celebrations in the West are to centered on white abolitionists and not enough on slave rebellion...the fact remains that today, in 2007, over 12 million people are in slavery all over the world.200 years ago, in addition to the tireless efforts of abolitionists, and the rebellions mounted by slaves all over the Americas, a petition was submitted to the British parliament that contributed to the signing of the abolition act. today, the very least we can do is sign another, and remain aware of and engaged with the continuing struggle to put an end to all forms of enslavement.

http://www.antislavery.org/2007/actionsign.php

Currently listening : Exodus

By Bob Marley & the Wailers

the struggle continues

chasing justice

i remember four years ago, standing in line, waiting to get my law degree and wondering what wisdom i had gained, after all. i remember thinking that if i had to sum it up in one line, i would say that i have learned that the law has little to do with justice. it was definitely a reality check for someone who had gone into this field driven by the motivation to help those who could not help themselves...to bring justice to those that did not have the tools to go searching for it themselves....i was fueled especially by the aftermath of the Genocide in my distant home. fueled by faces of of those that did and did not survive--especially the women and children whose eyes told stories most were unable to express in any other way. i knew they would never be able to feel retribution..and that no one would be able to bring back those who were killed physically as well as internally. and so i set of--rather naively--in an attempt to find away to bring justice to these people.



five years later, i'm more realisitic than optimistic.i'm trying not to lose hope, which is why i'm still pursuing the ever elusive justice through international human rights law. but the more i study, the more i emerse myself in the intricacies and complexities of this area of the law, the more confused and lost i get. like with anything else, there are highs and lows, and there are days when something happens that makes me want to give it all up...and then days like this, when i feel like this uphill struggle will somehow, someday, eventually yield something.


i'm doing research right now on extradition and immunity for heads of state who have committed massive human rights atrocities and crimes against humanity. in most cases, immunity affords them protection from being prosecuted for acts committed during their time in office.but things started to change after the Pinochet case. although, in the end, the politrickin usurped the justice--the whole incident was still a step forward. and maybe if tiny steps continue to be made, there'll be a time when we'll be able to pull ex-dictators out of their beach villas and make them accountable for destroying the humanity of their people. until then, it's all about the small victories.



peace....

chasing justice