Free the NATO 3 Now!-Free All The Class-War Prisoners! Workers Vanguard No. 1047	30 May 2014

Chicago-Free the NATO 3 Now!

 

On April 25, Cook County judge Thaddeus Wilson sentenced Jared Chase, Brent Betterly and Brian Church to prison for eight, six and five years respectively. The three fell prey to a sting operation carried out in the name of the bipartisan “war on terror” after traveling to Chicago to join protests against a May 2012 gathering of NATO imperialist war criminals. Across the country, “anti-terror” witchhunts have increasingly become a club wielded by the Feds and local cops in their efforts to quash leftist political protest. All opponents of capitalist inequality and the depredations of U.S. imperialism as well as fighters for black and immigrant rights have an interest in demanding freedom for the NATO 3.

 

The young activists had been convicted on February 7 on two frame-up felony counts of possessing Molotov cocktails and two misdemeanor “mob action” charges in what was a chemically pure example of police entrapment. Undercover agents Nadia Chikko and Mehmet Uygun infiltrated the Occupy group with whom the defendants, who had driven up from Florida, were bunking. The agents provocateurs hatched a plan, pushed it forward and assembled some Molotov cocktails, goading and dragging along Betterly, Church and Chase at every step. Despite two weeks of intense surveillance, not a single piece of evidence was produced linking the NATO 3 to the assembly of the Molotov cocktails, as charged in the indictment.

 

In the lead-up to the NATO summit, Democratic mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy whipped up an atmosphere of hysteria and unleashed a massive display of police power to intimidate protesters (see “Defend Anti-NATO Protesters!” WV No. 1003, 25 May 2012). The “Welcome Wagon” offered by Emanuel, President Obama’s former chief of staff, was captured in a YouTube video, posted by the NATO 3 less than a week prior to their arrest, that shows squad cars surrounding their vehicle. Invoking the police riot against protesters at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, one cop taunts them, “What did they say back in ’68?” Another cop replies: “Billy club to the fucking skull.”

 

The NATO 3 are the first to ever be charged with violating Illinois anti-terror statutes, which were enacted after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. But, in a partial setback to the state, the jury did not buy the “conspiracy to commit terrorism” charges. Calling the proceedings a “terrorist show trial,” the NATO 3’s defense team aptly noted that the state’s definition of terrorism was so vague and broad that it could include “labor strikes, peaceful occupations and sit-ins, political protests and boycotts.” And “conspiracy” is what the government uses to nail those it wants to silence but cannot charge with demonstrable criminal acts. Organizing against slavery was “conspiratorial,” and labor unions used to be considered illegal conspiracies in this country.

 

The conviction and draconian sentences for these activists is a frontal attack on the right of protest. The Partisan Defense Committee has contributed to their defense and urges WV readers to do likewise. Donations can be made at www.wepay.com/donations/freethenato3.

President Obama, Pardon Pvt. Manning

Because the public deserves the truth and whistle-blowers deserve protection.

We are military veterans, journalists, educators, homemakers, lawyers, students, and citizens.

We ask you to consider the facts and free US Army Pvt. Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning.

As an Intelligence Analyst stationed in Iraq, Pvt. Manning had access to some of America’s dirtiest secrets—crimes such as torture, illegal surveillance, and corruption—often committed in our name.

Manning acted on conscience alone, with selfless courage and conviction, and gave these secrets to us, the public.

“I believed that if the general public had access to the information contained within the[Iraq and Afghan War Logs] this could spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy,”

Manning explained to the military court. “I wanted the American public to know that not everyone in Iraq and Afghanistan were targets that needed to be neutralized, but rather people who were struggling to live in the pressure cooker environment of what we call asymmetric warfare.”

Journalists used these documents to uncover many startling truths. We learned:

• Donald Rumsfeld and General Petraeus helped support torture in Iraq.

• Deliberate civilian killings by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan went unpunished.

• Thousands of civilian casualties were never acknowledged publicly.

• Most Guantanamo detainees were innocent.

For service on behalf of an informed democracy, Manning was sentenced by military judge Colonel Denise Lind to a devastating 35 years in prison.

Government secrecy has grown exponentially during the past decade, but more secrecy does not make us safer when it fosters unaccountability.

Pvt. Manning was convicted of Espionage Act charges for providing WikiLeaks with this information, but  the prosecutors noted that they would have done the same had the information been given to The New York Times. Prosecutors did not show that enemies used this information against the US, or that the releases resulted in any casualties.

Pvt. Manning has already been punished, even in violation of military law.

She has been:

• Held in confinement since May 29, 2010.

• Subjected to illegal punishment amounting to torture for nearly nine months at Quantico Marine Base, Virginia, in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), Article 13—facts confirmed by both the United Nation’s lead investigator on torture and military judge Col. Lind.

• Denied a speedy trial in violation of UCMJ, Article 10, having been imprisoned for over three years before trial.

• Denied anything resembling a fair trial when prosecutors were allowed to change the charge sheet to match evidence presented, and enter new evidence, after closing arguments.

Pvt. Manning believed you, Mr. President, when you came into office promising the most transparent administration in history, and that you would protect whistle-blowers. We urge you to start upholding those promises, beginning with this American prisoner of conscience.

We urge you to grant Pvt. Manning’s petition for a Presidential Pardon.

FIRST& LAST NAME _____________________________________________________________

STREET ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________

CITY, STATE & ZIP _____________________________________________________________

EMAIL& PHONE _____________________________________________________________

Please return to: For more information: www.privatemanning.org

Private Manning Support Network, c/o Courage to Resist, 484 Lake Park Ave #41, Oakland CA 94610

 

Note that this image is PVT Manning’s preferred photo.

4 ways to fight back against Army whistleblower PVT Manning’s 35-year sentence

The outcome of PVT Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning’s trial on August 21st, while better than the 60+ years the government’s prosecutors were calling for, is an outrage to the idea of American justice, and should deeply concern democracy advocates everywhere. PVT Manning’s 35-year sentence was condemned by public figures as wide ranging as Cornel West, Ron Paul, and the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project Director Ben Wizner, who stated, 

[A] legal system that doesn’t distinguish between leaks to the press in the public interest and treason against the nation will not only produce unjust results, but will deprive the public of critical information that is necessary for democratic accountability.

The truth is that the fight for PVT Manning’s freedom is far from over. In fact, there are multiple avenues for relief that could result in PVT Manning serving fewer than 10 years behind bars. Strong showings of public support will significantly improve the chances for each of these avenues to succeed. It won’t happen overnight, but with our nation’s democracy on the line, and a major precedent being set for the rights of whistleblowers everywhere, we think that continuing to organize in support of PVT Manning is the least we can do.

With that in mind, here are 5 of the most important ways you can continue to support PVT Manning right now:

 

1) Sign the petition AND Add your photo in support of PVT Manning’s request for presidential pardon
President Obama has already granted pardons to 39 other prisoners, and a White House spokesperson said he would give consideration to PVT Manning’s request. Showing public support for PVT Manning’s application is the best way to give her a real chance of being released in 3 years, or even sooner.  Sign our petition on Whitehouse.gov, and then submit your photo with a personal message at http://pardon.bradleymanning.org 

 

 

2) Write and call the White House

While our current focus is on the White House petition, that is only the beginning of our effort to demonstrate our support for military whistleblowing to the Commander in Chief. You can write to and call the White House in order to express your views in a more personal manner. You can also help by organizing a letter-writing drive with others in your community!

 

3) Donate to the appeals process
The legal appeals process is the most important avenue to hold the U.S. military to account for the many ways in which PVT Manning’s due process rights were violated throughout her trial, from the months of unjust and abusive solitary confinement to the utter failure to provide a speedy trial. PVT Manning’s legal defense will target appeals at all of the ways in which PVT Manning’s trial violated her rights under the U.S. Constitution and the UCMJ. Your donation can help support this crucial process.

By contributing, you’ll also be helping to uphold Americans’ right to a speedy trial, to be treated as innocent until proven guilty, and to be made fully aware of the nature of the charges against them without fear those charges may change midway through the trial.

4) Write to tell PVT Manning of your support!
Near the end of her trial, PVT Manning expressed gratitude to the countless numbers of supporters who’ve written her letters in prison. Now that the trial is over, she is looking forward to having the ability to write people back.

You can write to PVT Manning at the address below. While the outside of the envelope must be marked “Bradley Manning,” PVT Manning will be happy to accept letters that refer to her with her chosen name Chelsea on the inside.

PVT Bradley E Manning892891300 N Warehouse RdFt Leavenworth KS 66027-2304USA

Four Ways To Support Freedom For Chelsea Manning- President Obama Pardon Chelsea Manning Now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note that this image is PVT Manning’s preferred photo.

The Struggle Continues …

Four  Ways To Support Heroic Wikileaks Whistle-Blower Chelsea  Manning

*Sign the public petition to President Obama – Sign online http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/chelseamanning  “President Obama, Pardon Pvt. Manning,” and make copies to share with friends and family!

You  can also call (Comments”202-456-1111), write The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500, e-mail-(http://www.whitehouse.gov’contact/submitquestions-and comments) to demand that President Obama use his constitutional power under Article II, Section II to pardon Private Manning now.

*Start a stand -out, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, in your town square to publicize the pardon and clemency campaigns.  Contact the Private Manning SupportNetwork for help with materials and organizing tips http://www.bradleymanning.org/

*Contribute to the Private  Manning Defense Fund- now that the trial has finished funds are urgently needed for pardon campaign and for future military and civilian court appeals. The hard fact of the American legal system, military of civilian, is the more funds available the better the defense, especially in political prisoner cases like Private Manning’s. The government had unlimited financial and personnel resources to prosecute Private Manning at trial. And used them as it will on any future legal proceedings. So help out with whatever you can spare. For link go to http://www.bradleymanning.org/

*Write letters of solidarity to Private Manning while she is serving her sentence. She wishes to be addressed as Chelsea and have feminine pronouns used when referring to her. Private Manning’s mailing address: Bradley E. Manning, 89289, 1300 N. Warehouse Road, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 66027-2304. You must use Bradley on the address envelope.

Private Manning cannot receive stamps or money in any form. Photos must be on copy paper. Along with “contraband,” “inflammatory material” is not allowed. Six page maximum.

*Call: (913) 758-3600-Write to:Col. Sioban Ledwith, Commander U.S. Detention Barracks 1301 N Warehouse Rd
Ft. Leavenworth KS 66027-Tell them: “Transgender rights are human rights! Respect Private Manning’s identity by acknowledging the name ‘Chelsea Manning’ whenever possible, including in mail addressed to her, and by allowing her access to appropriate medical treatment for gender dysphoria, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT).” (for more details-http://markinbookreview.blogspot.com/2013/11/respecting-chelseas-identity-is-this.html#!/2013/11/respecting-chelseas-identity-is-this.html

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Send The Following Message (Or Write Your Own) To The President In Support Of A Pardon For Private Manning

To: President Barack Obama
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500

The draconian 35 years sentence handed down by a military judge, Colonel Lind, on August 21, 2013 to Private Manning (Chelsea formerly known as Bradley) has outraged many citizens including me.
Under Article II, Section II of the U.S. Constitution the President of the United States had the authority to grant pardons to those who fall under federal jurisdiction.
Some of the reasons for my request include: 

*that Private Manning  was held for nearly a year in abusive solitary confinement at the Marine base at Quantico, Virginia, which the UN rapporteur in his findings has called “cruel, inhuman, and degrading”

*that the media had been continually blocked from transcripts and documents related to the trial and that it has only been through the efforts of Private Manning’s supporters that any transcripts exist.

*that under the UCMJ a soldier has the right to a speedy trial and that it was unconscionable and unconstitutional to wait 3 years before starting the court martial.

*that absolutely no one was harmed by the release of documents that exposed war crimes, unnecessary secrecy and disturbing foreign policy.

*that Private Manning is a hero who did the right thing when she revealed truth about wars that had been based on lies.

I urge you to use your authority under the Constitution to right the wrongs done to Private Manning – Enough is enough!

Signature ___________________________________________________________

Print Name __________________________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________________

City / Town/State/Zip Code_________________________________________

Note that this image is PVT Manning’s preferred photo.

Massachusetts Workers Win an $11/hour Minimum Wage and Put Paid Sick Time on November's Ballot! Thanks to all those who helped win these victories! Recognizing that a higher minimum wage and the right to earned sick days are basic parts of a social justice agenda, Massachusetts Peace Action joined close to 100 other community organizations to win the campaign. Raise Up Rally at State House: Present Signatures to Put Paid Sick Days on Ballot Monday, June 30, 11 AM, at State House Steps This Thursday, at a packed signing ceremony in Nurses' Hall at the Massachusetts State House, Gov. Deval Patrick recognized the power of the RaiseUp coalition and gave it full credit for the passage of the $11.00 an hour minimum wage, the highest state minimum wage in the country. Richard Trumka, national AFL-CIO president, also addressed the ceremony, as did representatives of the Coalition and low wage workers who will directly benefit. Bills to raise the minimum wage were considered and rejected year after year until RaiseUp collected over 350,000 signatures and mounted our massive grassroots lobbying campaign. Mass. Peace Action has reason to be proud of our contribution. Over 100 of our members responded directly to our organized efforts to help, collecting signatures and contacting state Representatives. Many more probably acted in separate efforts. The minimum wage will increase by $1.00 an hour each year until it reaches $11.00 in January 2017. This Monday the coalition will also celebrate our victory in collecting enough signatures to place the right to Earned Sick Time on the ballot for the November 2014 election. We will rally on the State House steps and formally turn in the thousands of second round signatures collected over the last 4 weeks. Now begins the campaign to win that vote -- and make Massachusetts the first state to give all workers the right to earn paid sick days. Please Join Us on Monday, June 30, at 11 AM at the State House steps to present the Earned Sick Time petitions. Then we have to organize to win the vote in November. Together we will make this happen! In solidarity, John Ratliff Massachusetts Peace Action Economic Justice Coordinator

Join Massachusetts Peace Action - or renew your membership today!   Dues are $40/year for an individual, $65 for a family, or $10 for student/unemployed/low income.  Members vote for leadership and endorsements, receive newsletters and discounts on event admissions.  Donate now and you will be a member in good standing through December 2014!  Your financial support makes this work possible! Massachusetts Peace Action, 11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 617-354-2169  • info@masspeaceaction.org • Follow us on Facebook or Twitter Click here to unsubscribe

***Yet Again On The Never-Ending Tour Review -Bob Dylan: The Other Side Of The Mirror

 

DVD Review

From The Pen Of Frank Jackman

Bob Dylan: The Other Side Of The Mirror-Live At Newport 1963-1965, starring Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and all the other usual folk minute suspects, 2007

At one time, maybe ten years ago, no, more like fifteen, I picked up on the idea of Bob Dylan and his never-ending tour (life tour) as a kind of inside joke. Little did I suspect then that rather than heralding the downside of his career then that period was something like an epiphany for him to never stop playing on the road-somewhere. But that endless concert run was not all that period began as a Dylanmania of bootleg albums (up to ten or eleven at last count), boxed sets, complete set, and, as here with the film under review, Bob Dylan: The Other Side Of The Mirror-Live At Newport 1963-1965, in the video end plenty of documentaries capturing his performances for early in his career had added to material to be commented on. Little did I know as well then that I would be doing a never-ending job of reviewing his released materials. So be it.

I, and others ad infinitum, have noted that Mister Dylan, and to a lesser extent his paramour at the time, Joan Baez, quickly became, whether anybody else liked it or not, the cutting edge of the 1960s folk minute once he headed to New York, established himself in the Village and crowned that kingdom with his early, and somewhat controversial performances at the Newport Folk Festival from 1963 to 1965 (after that year he would not return to Newport for various reasons, both his and the festival’s, until 2002 thirty-seven years later).              

 While there were other smaller summer folk-oriented musical festivals Newport in those years was the premier spot and to be a headliner there meant you had arrived. That is the process we witness in this documentary from the almost country bumpkin (small town Minnesota –born) shy, awkward, earnest Dylan in 1963 who could in effect have been like any number of male folk singers the, Dave Van Ronk, Geoff Muldaur, Jim Kweskin, Tom Paxton, and Phil Ochs come quickly to mind to the 1965 king hell king of the troubadours leading a new wave of folk music into the electric age. That route also details his movement from social protest message songs like With God On Our Side and Blowing In The Wind which made him in some quarters the voice of a generation for a minute to Maggie’s Farm and Like A Rolling Stone which sent him off in a slightly different direction as he amped up. The director/editor of this one and one half hour documentary wisely let that musical progression drive the film and let us draw our own conclusions. Watch the transformation for yourself. 

Note: There is nothing in this documentary about the famous controversy (or better dust-up) around Dylan’s playing electric guitar with a back-up band in 1965 and traditional folk-singer Pete Seeger’s alleged “pulling the plug” in disgust over the transgression. While this controversy was no urban legend I think at least a mention would have been worthwhile to explain why a part of the crowd was audibly booing their hero. I was at that 1965 concert and was glad, glad as hell, to hear him move toward rock. Why? Well as much as I loved those earnest earlier social protest songs Dylan’s earnest nasal twang presentation of the material was beginning to get on my nerves (other covers of his work worked better). I think if he had stayed in the 1963 folk minute I would not now be endlessly writing about the man. Thanks Bob.     

June Is Class-War Prisoner Month-Free Russell Shoatz

A Voice From The Left-The Latest From The Steve Lendman Blog

 

Click below to link to the Steve Lendman Blog

http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/

From The Pen Of Frank Jackman

Over the years that I have been presenting political material in this space I have had occasion to re-post items from some sites which I find interesting, interesting for a host of political reasons, although I am not necessarily in agreement with what had been published. Two such sites have stood out, The Rag Blog, which I like to re-post items from because it has articles by many of my fellow Generation of ’68 residual radicals and ex-radicals who still care to put pen to paper and the blog cited here, the Steve Lendman Blog.  The reason for re-postings from this latter site is slightly different since the site represents a modern day left liberal political slant. That is the element, the pool if you will, that we radicals have to draw from, have to move left, if we are to grow. So it is important to have the pulse of what issues motivate that milieu and I believe that this blog is a lightning rod for those political tendencies.  

A Jackman disclaimer:

I place some material in this space which may be of interest to the radical public that I do not necessarily agree with or support. Sometimes I will comment on my disagreements and sometimes I will just let the author/writer shoot him or herself in the foot without note. Off hand, as I have mentioned before in other contexts, I think it would be easier, infinitely easier, to fight for the socialist revolution straight up than some of the “remedies” provided by the commentators in the entries on this website. But part of that struggle for the socialist revolution is to sort out the “real” stuff from the fluff as we struggle for that more just world that animates our efforts. Read on.
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Russell Maroon Shoatz: One of Thousands of US Political Prisoners

by Stephen Lendman

Thousands of political prisoners languish in America's gulag. It's one of the world's worst. It's the largest by far.

It's supplemented by dozens of global torture prisoners. They're in numerous countries. They're black holes of viciousness. Their existence alone reveals America's dark side.

Marc Mauer heads the Sentencing Project. He's a leading criminal justice system authority. His "Race to Incarcerate" book was groundbreaking.

It focuses on America's rage to punish. To imprison. To fill prison beds. To commodify criminal injustice. To harm society's most vulnerable.

To deny ethnic justice. To target racial emancipation. To spurn economic and social equality across gender and color lines. 

To lock people away unjustly. To victimize them by judicial unfairness. To do so by get tough on crime policies. By guilty unless proved innocent. By three strikes and you're out.

Russell Maroon Shoatz is a political prisoner. He calls himself a prisoner of war He's a dedicated community activist. He's a founding Black Unity Council member.

He's a former Black Panther Party/Black Liberation Army member. He's serving multiple unjust life sentences.

A petition to free Maroon reads as follows:

He's (#AF-3855) "a 68-year-old prisoner held at the State Correctional Institution (SCI) Greene in southwestern Pennsylvania, has been kept in solitary confinement for more than 21 years. He has been unable to hold his children or grandchildren or interact with others in a humane setting during this time, despite not having violated prison rules in two decades. He has suffered severe psychological anguish and his physical health has been worsened by the stress of prolonged isolation."

He "spent nearly 40 years within the Pennsylvania prison system, 30 of those in solitary confinement." 

"During this time he has earned a reputation amongst prison staff and prisoners as a leader because of his consistent support for human rights inside and outside the walls."

"We are distressed and outraged that an elderly man who is nearing his 70th birthday continues to be treated in such a cruel manner based on his constitutionally-protected support for human rights and in retaliation for his expressing political opinions disfavored by the prison administration." 

"Not having committed an infraction in more than two decades reveals that Russell Shoats is more than ready to re-enter the general prison population."

"We, the undersigned, are calling on prison officials to end the solitary confinement torture of Russell Maroon Shoatz by releasing him into the general population of the prison immediately."

Sign the Petition

Shoatz calls himself "a New African Political Prisoner of War, who at this moment" is serving multiple life sentences.

His ordeal began in 1970. He was convicted of involvement in killing a police officer. 

He spent over four decades in numerous state, county and federal prisons. He was in maximum security ones. He was isolated in solitary confinement from 1991 through February 20, 2014.

He was held there despite his exemplary prison record. An earlier refusal to release him into the general prison population lied, saying:

"In the volatile atmosphere of a prison, an inmate easily may constitute an unacceptable threat to the safety of other prisoners and guards even if he himself has committed no misconduct; rumor, reputation, and even more imponderable factors may suffice to spark potentially disastrous incidents." 

"The judgment of prison officials in this context, like that of those making parole decisions, turns largely on purely subjective evaluations and on predictions of future behavior."

In February, his lawyer confirmed his solitary confinement release. His son Russell Shoatz III said:

"We are very excited that this day has finally come. My father being released from solitary confinement is proof of the power of people organizing against injustice, and the importance of building strong coalitions." 

"I especially want to thank all of those who have supported the collective struggle to end my father’s solitary confinement, including my siblings and members of the Shoatz family, the Human Rights Coalition, Abolitionist Law Center, Scientific Soul Sessions, the entire legal team, UN Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez, the 5 Nobel Peace Laureates, the National Lawyers Guild, Center for Constitutional Rights, along with the dozens of other organizations and thousands of individuals who have participated in this effort."

Shoatz explained his ordeal earlier as follows:

"The torture technicians who developed the paradigm used in (prison) ‘control units' realized that they not only had to separate those with leadership qualities, but also break (their) minds and bodies and keep them separated until they are dead."  

He turns 71 in August. In the past nine months, he was transferred to three different Pennsylvania prisons.

He was isolated for working with the Pennsylvania Association of Lifers. It advocates abolishing life without parole sentences.

Commutation is the only possible way now. It entails petitioning Board of Pardons members. It requires gubernatorial approval. 

It involves what rarely happens. Virtually never some say. It reflects societal injustice writ large. America is its epicenter.

Abolitionist Law Center Executive Director Bret Grote is a Human Rights Coalition investigator. It's a Pennsylvania-based prison abolitionist/rights organization. He spoke to Maroon. He called it "moving."

"There are no words to adequately convey the significance of his release to the general population for him and his family," he said. 

"This is a significant victory for a growing people’s movement against solitary confinement and the human rights violations inherent in mass incarceration." 

"If we continue to work hard and support one another in this movement, these victories could very well become a habit."

Maroon was born in August 1943. He's one of 12 children. He was in and out of reform schools and youth institutions until age 18.

It was mainly from involvement in gang activities. They were unrelated to illicit drugs. He was married twice. He has seven children.

In the mid-1960s, he became politically active. He was a founding Black Unity Council member. In 1969, it merged with the Black Panther Party.

In August 1970, he and four others became known as the "Philly 5." It was after a police officer was killed. Another was wounded at the time.

It followed a Philadelphia police station retaliatory attack. It responded to heightened community repression. It included cops killing a New African youth.

Maroon "was active on the armed front of the New African Liberation Army," he said.

"All of my actions and activities during this period were in direct response to, and in direct support of the movement's activities." 

"I was tried and convicted for the attack on the police station and sentenced to Life-Plus Imprisonment," he added.

He escaped. He remained at large for weeks. He was hunted down. In October 1977, he was captured. From then through November 1989, he was kept in various "holes," he said.

In numerous state, county and federal prisons, he added. In brutalizing maximum security ones. In one, he was forcibly drugged.

He was hospitalized once from criminal overdosing. In March 1980, he escaped again. He was recaptured. He remains in prison.

He deserves much better than he's gotten. In May 2012, an international campaign to free him headlined "25 years in prison + 50 years of age = OUT."

It was launched concurrently in New York and London. Theresa Shoatz is Maroon's daughter. She advocates on her father's behalf. She does it courageously.

Matt Meyer is a New York-based educator/activist/author/War Resisters International Africa Support Network Coordinator. He campaigns on Maroon's behalf.

He and Theresa call his case "one of the most shocking examples of US torture of political prisoners, and one of the most egregious examples of human rights violations regarding prison conditions anywhere in the world." 

"His 'Maroon' nickname is, in part, due to his continued resistance - which twice led him to escape confinement." 

It's "based on his continued clear analysis, including recent writings on ecology and matriarchy."

He hadn't had a serious rule violation in over two decades. He was targeted for working as an educator. 

For his political ideas. For being elected president of an officially sanctioned prison-based support group.

Punishing him violated his fundamental constitutional rights. Cruel and unusual punishment is prohibited.

His new book is titled "Maroon the Implacable: The Collected Writings of Russell Maroon Shoatz."

It includes essays on a wide range of topics. They include honest self-criticism.

One chapter is titled "The Question of Violence." In it, Maroon wrote:

"More troubling is the fact that this male exhibitionist violence has also permeated the minds, practices, and circles of otherwise brilliant and well-meaning revolutionary thinkers." 

"Such theorists as the renowned Frantz Fanon, icons like Malcolm X and Kwane Ture (formerly Stokely Carmichael) and others have unconsciously conflated the necessary utilization of defensive revolutionary violence, in seeking meaningful revolutionary socioeconomic and cultural change, with what they believed was a need for males to use 'revolutionary violence' to also ‘liberate their minds and spirits’ subservience imposed on them by the vestiges of slavery and the colonialism/neocolonialism of their times." 

"These individuals failed to recognize that their 'revolutionary' worldview would still leave in place the entire male-supremacist/patriarchal framework, an edifice that we can term the 'father of oppression.' "

"The destruction of this edifice will signal the true liberation they sought." 

"Otherwise, the 'revolutionary violence' they formulated must also be recognized for what it is: exhibitionist, ego-based male violence."

State-sponsored viciousness defines America's prison system. Gulag cruelty best describes it. It's abhorrently discriminatory. It's deplorably racially and ethnically biased. 

It targets society's most vulnerable. It's unrelated to crime control.

Bret Grote said Maroon was transferred from one "torture chamber" to another. 

Brutalizing treatment continued for decades. His dedication to helping other prisoners was "thwarted at every turn."

He was punished for doing the right thing. He's back in the general prison population. For how long remains to be seen. 

Societies are best judged by how they treat children, the elderly, the infirm, their most disadvantaged and prisoners. America fails on all counts.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. 

http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour