"The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos.  Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, and intolerable." -- H.L. Mencken

POLITICAL PRISONERS IN THE UNITED STATES?

It's time to drop the fiction that "there are no political prisoners in the United States." After the arrest of Steve Kubby, after the feds' murder of Peter McWilliams, after the indictment of hundreds of demonstrators on trumped-up conspiracy charges, after Waco, one must face reality: the United States government prosecutes people for political purposes. Fortunately, there are numerous groups fighting to free political prisoners, in the courts, on the internet, and in the streets. Regardless of your politcs, left or right, radical or moderate, you need to join with other citizens to fight for your rights.Time to get active!

  • HOT!!! Hit the streets with the FIRST ANNUAL YOUTH MARCH AND RALLY in Los Angeles, August 14th 2001.
  • HOT: October 22nd 2001, National Day of Protest Get out in the streets!
  • HOT: New Ways to Strike Back
  • HOT: Libertarian Party of California passes resolution on political prisoners in America Form a united front!

    SOME POLITICAL PRISONERS IN THE UNITED STATES:

  • Steve Kubby Prosecuted for practicing democracy Freed--jury trial victory!
  • Mumia abu Jamal Live from death row
  • Leonard Peltier American Indian Movement
  • Christopher Lee Plummer Activist and anarchist
  • RNC 420 Protesters criminalized
  • Branch Davidian PWs Resisting government terrorism
  • Peter McWilliams Murdered by the US government

    SOME OBJECTIVES:

  • Create solidarity between activists, political prisoners and the public
  • Show all protest movements that they have a common cause in fighting to free all political prisoners.
  • Make the public aware of political prisoners in the United States.
  • Protect potential political prisoners from government attack.
  • Provide encouragement to political prisoners currently in the American prison-industrial complex.
  • Put the system on the defensive for its abuse of human rights.
  • Gain the support of Amnesty International, the international human rights organizations (Amnesty International is currently investigating human rights abuses in the United States).
  • Hold public officials accountable for human rights abuses.
  • Give people an opportunity to fight for freedom for all political prisoners.
  • Mobilize people to push political prisoner issues at protest demonstrations.
  • Publicize prison writings of political prisoners.
  • Raise money for legal defense committees.
  • Get people to realize that if the government is persecuting them for their politics, dissent or culture then they are political prisoners.

    WHO ELSE IS A POLITICAL PRISONER?

  • Activists arrested on trumped up charges
  • Artists arrested for their work
  • Citizens arrested while exercising the right to bear arms
  • Consenting adults arrested for having sex
  • Draft resisters
  • Medical marijuana patients in states where it is legal
  • Tax protesters
  • Youth assaulted by curfews, profile searches, and police harassment
  • Protesters indicted with nebulous "conspiracy" charges or given absurdly high bails
  • Persons jailed or fined for traveling to Cuba or other countries "without permission" from the government
  • Victims of selective law enforcement by the BATF-DEA-IRS-FBI and the rest of the secret police apparatus from federal to local level
  • Anyone arrested when law enforcement is violating the Bill of Rights

    ORGANIZATIONS FIGHTING TO FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS

  • American Civil Liberties Union
  • Amnesty International
  • Anarchist Black Cross
  • Anarchists
  • Fully Informed Jury Association
  • Human Rights Watch
  • Independent Media Center A different view of the news
  • Libertarian Party
  • Libertarian Party of California Political Prisoner Support Committee
  • Midnight Special Law Collective Legal training and solidarity
  • Carol Moore An incredible activist
  • Get Out of Jail for Activists
  • November Coalition
  • October 22nd Coalition
  • Philadelphia Direct Action Group Lots of useful info
  • Political Prisoners in America
  • Refuse and Resist

    PROTEST GROUPS

  • Direct Action Network homepage
  • D2KLA Incredible amounts of information--a must for all organizers and participants
  • Electronic Privacy Information Center Online activism resources, formerly classified documents, lots of links--perfect for any movement
  • Free Students Fighting for student rights
  • Rage against The Machine
  • Ruckus Society
  • Solidariteitsgroep Politieke Gevangenen (Solidarity Group Political Prisoners)
  • Surveillance Camera Players A way to strike back at Big Brother
  • This Is What Democracy Looks Like Documentary on the rising wave of protests

    RELATED SITES

  • New Ways to Strike Back, Tactics, Rabble Rousing All sorts of useful things to do
  • Tactics to free political prisoners
  • Cops versus demonstrators in Long Beach Who is telling the truth here?
  • Libertarian Party of California resolution on political prisoners in America
  • For current protests
  • Activist Handbook online--invaluable!
  • Why Protest?
  • How to organize a protest, what to bring, and some tactics
  • Free Student Front Page
  • Photos of 2000 protest against police brutality in Los Angeles
  • CYBERCADRE

    Most recent update: 15 October 2001

    Comments?

    "I want you to fight for freedom for political prisoners!"