58 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 48 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Diary   

Charles Rangel and Cynthia McKinney support Mumia Abu-Jamal, a civil rights investigation

Message Hans Bennett
Become a Fan
  (1 fan)

Actions are being organized throughout the summer to support the campaign for a federal civil rights investigation, including at the upcoming NAACP convention in New York City, July 11-16. Organizers are focusing particularly on July 13, the day that Attorney General Holder will address the convention. Supporters will then be in Washington, D.C., on July 22 to lobby their elected officials and, in mid-September, they’ll return to Washington, D.C., for a major press conference. For more information on how you can support the campaign for a federal civil rights investigation and to sign the online letter and petition to Attorney General Holder, visit:

http://freemumia.com/civilrights.html

For more information on the campaign for the civil rights investigation, please read this week's SF Bay View Newspaper article:

http://www.sfbayview.com/2009/citing-withheld-evidence-supporters-of-mumia-abu-jamal-call-for-civil-rights-investigation/

Read the open letters from

Charles Rangel: http://freemumia.com/rangel.gif

Cynthia McKinney: http://www.phillyimc.org/en/cynthia-mckinneys-open-letter-attorney-general-holder-re-mumia-abu-jamal

Below is the full statement from Cynthia McKinney (including the letter to AG Holder), who is currently on a life-threatening mission in Gaza:

Well, I've finally arrived at the hotel in Doha after a brief layover in Abu Dhabi. Tomorrow, we do a full day of press, starting with Al Jazeera.  In an abundance of caution, I have alerted the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Justice of my travels, in addition to note I sent to the White House.  Additionally, today I've read that more than 40 NGOs called for free movement of humanitarian goods into Gaza.  This is good.

I began this journey on Juneteenth, the day in June on which slaves learned that they had been freed in January!  Interesting, on that day I also sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder requesting an investigation into the denial of Mumia Abu-Jamal's civil rights, and I learned, sadly, that United Nations troops of occupation opened fire on Haitians as they mourned the passing of their hero and Aristide ally, Father Jean-Juste.

Thanks to all of you for your interest and support of DIGNITY and here's the letter I sent to Attorney General Holder for Mumia:

Mr. Eric Holder
United States Attorney General
US Department of Justice
Washington, DC

June 19, 2009

Attorney General Holder:

I am writing to ask for your personal and immediate intervention to put an end to a grave injustice. Anyone who has read the reports, as I have, including briefs and opinions of the Courts, knows that Mumia Abu-Jamal was tried and convicted amid sensationalism and hysteria that, at its core, constituted a racial frenzy. Indicting words from the Judge, himself, point to racism and prejudice even inside the Courtroom. The “Batson Issue” should be of real concern to everyone interested in justice. Sadly, Mumia was convicted amid the very racial cowardice of which you, yourself, have spoken.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is known for, among other things, having said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Ignoring any instance of racism inside the courtroom leads to injustice that threatens us all.

There is no statute of limitations on the U.S. Constitution and I therefore request that you do all within your power to review the totality of the circumstances as they are now known in 2009 in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal and ensure that his Constitutional rights (in the form of racially-tinged prosecutorial and judicial misconduct) were and are not abridged. The imperative for a civil rights investigation is clear and I specifically request that of your office.

I am prepared to meet with you or anyone you designate for the purpose of engaging in a dialogue on this matter. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Please accept this request within all applicable rules and regulations.

Sincerely,

Cynthia McKinney

Must Read 1   News 1   Valuable 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Hans Bennett Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Hans Bennett is a multi-media journalist mostly focusing on the movement to free Mumia Abu-Jamal and all political prisoners. An archive of his work is available at insubordination.blogspot.com and he is also co-founder of "Journalists for Mumia," (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend