Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 07:28:13 -0400 From: WW <[log in to unmask]> Subject: [WW] L.A. Mumia Fest: 'Save life of innocent civilian' Message-id: <00f001c145b5$2d4d43c0$0a01a8c0@station2> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=Windows-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT ------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Sept. 27, 2001 issue of Workers World newspaper ------------------------- L.A. MUMIA FEST SAYS: "SAVE LIFE OF INNOCENT CIVILIAN" By Workers World Los Angeles bureau Despite increasing threats by the Bush administration for war and repression, organizers of an activity supporting imprisoned Black journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal went ahead with their event here on Sept. 15. A multiracial crowd of 1,000 people in Leimert Park listened intently to top-notch music, spoken word, hip hop, and anti-war and anti-racist politics. After the Sept. 11 attacks in Washington, D.C., and New York, almost all political events in this city were canceled. But the "Mumia Fest," called by the Los Angeles Coalition to Stop the Execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal, was not. It proved to be an important venue for the progressive, anti- racist community to come together in a time of crisis. John Parker, a member of the International Action Center and co-chair of the event, explained: "Many told us we should be home out of respect for the victims. Well, we should honor those innocent victims. That's why we strive to save Mumia's life, because he also is an innocent civilian whom the Bush administration is trying to make a casualty in their war against the poor here in the U.S. They are not stopping their efforts to kill Mumia, so neither should we stop our efforts to free him." The music and talks reflected Mumia's example of unity and justice. Speaking of the need for unity of working people to combat homophobia and violence against lesbian, gay, bi and trans people, Frank Sarjanovic, leading organizer of the Stonewall Initiative for Equal Rights, said, "Mumia is a symbol of unity. He unites all struggles, including those of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. After Mathew Sheppard was beaten to death in 1998, it was Mumia's words of compassion from death row that reached out to the gay community. This is why the government fears him and is trying to kill him, because he brings together all issues-- from Iraq, Cuba, Plan Colombia, the bombing of Vieques, racism and homophobia to corporate globalization. Mumia's struggle is our struggle." This event reinvigorated the spirit of resistance, struggle and unity. Everyone left committed to stand with Mumia and all people facing repression. Witness to this was the enthusiastic response to an anti-war, anti-racist demonstration announced by the International Action Center calling on all working people to oppose any U.S. threats to any workers here or abroad. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [log in to unmask] For subscription info send message to: [log in to unmask] Web: http://www.workers.org)