Our Brother Mumia Abu-Jamal, one of the most notable freedom fighters our struggle has produced, has lost his most important legal battle in the Supreme Court of the United States.

Mumia, with the shear strength of character, has mobilized one of the strongest International campaigns in 40 years.  He has not failed to endear himself to dare I say millions of people nationally and internationally.

Its important to realize that the effort to save him from execution was victorious – a victory that should not be taken lightly.  His work to revisit the death penalty has impacted the death penalty in many states to abolish it.

Now what?  What about all the many political prisoners who had no support, who’ve been in prison in the United States for some more than 40 years?  Great minds, great humans, great service to their people with hearts full of courage and humanity.

What are we going to do in an Obama era to finally get some respect and liberty for the many political prisoners and exiles who fell to make this period possible?

Among other tactics, its time for the mass base of Black people to develop a Legislative Lobby on the Local, State and National Legislative body to confront representatives of our community to formulate a process to identify and set into motion the freeing of our political prisoners.

It is said in the Bible, in the Book of Leviticus, that every 50 years prisoners should be freed and all debts forgiven.  Clearly, these are not biblical times, but these are times where a new generation (Hip Hop Generation) has invested in electoral politics.  Sure we can ask you all to use the power that comes with electing folks to now finally, like the Puerto Ricans, Arabs, Jews, and Cubans, mobilize in this period to advance a process to pursue objective standards for freeing captives as the result of political repression.

This process will take hard work on the political, legal and community front, and don’t forget money.  Fortunately, we have various examples in the International theater to draw upon for objective standards of law as precedents to guide us with the application and principles required to achieve our goal.

The Truth and Reconciliation of the COINTELPRO war against the Black Liberation Movement is the background and process to free our political prisoners.

Aim High and Go All Out.

Stiff Resistance,
Dr. Mutulu Shakur