Mumia Abu Jamal

[col. writ. 6/19/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal
His name is Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, A Muslim Imam, and a prisoner of the U.S. government.
But perhaps he is better known (or remembered) as a fiery young icon of the 1960s-era Black Power movement, H. ‘Rap’ Brown. He was called ‘Rap’ because of his quick, snappy style of speech, when he gave voice to the most oppressed Black communities […]

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[col. writ. 6/15/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal
 Lightning strikes. Those are the words that came to me as I witnessed the speed with which the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was rolling through northern Iraq, forcing government forces to flee.
The cities of Mosul, Samarah, Tikrit and others fell in a matter of days, with nothing but token resistance from the central government.
Photos appeared of […]

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[col. writ. 6/13/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal
 In 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court decided that mandatory life sentences for juveniles was a violation of the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment prohibition against “cruel and unusual punishment”.
Ever since then almost a dozen states have resolved how their states should address retroactivity issues, or whether this new constitutional rule applied to older cases.
Six states have decided yes -including, for example, […]

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 [col. writ.  6/12/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal
 Her name was Ruby Dee (‘D’) – for Davis), and though she made her transition into the realm of the ancestors, she is available for all to see in all her beauty, dignity, charm and poise, for a long and distinguished career on stage, screen and television.
Despite such a long and legendary career as an actress, one would […]

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[col. writ. 6/11/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal

Congressman Eric Cantor, Republican Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, has been knocked off his perch and out of his seat in a surprise primary result borne by a virtually unknown challenger, and economics professor, Dave Brat.
Cantor, the heir-apparent to become the next House Speaker, never saw it coming, especially after 7 successful elections.
Professor Brat beat the […]

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http://www.jungewelt.de/2014/06-07/030.php

 IRAQ: Recipe for Disaster
[col. writ. 6/10/14] ©’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal

As these words are being formed, Iraq is a site of disaster.
 The northern city of Mosul is falling to armed Islamic militants. Bombings are increasing with frequency and ferocity, claiming more and more lives.
 And Iraq’s military are so uneven to the task that they are dropping weapons, ditching their uniforms – and fleeing!
 Nearly $800 billion dollars […]

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[col. writ. 6/4/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal
 For the American captive of the Taliban, U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the homecoming he has long dreamed of may be more bitter than sweet.
 For, on the day of the announcement of his release from his Afghanistan captors, before a full swell of celebration could grow, came claims of his desertion – and even calls for his imprisonment in […]

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 These radio essays by Mumia Abu-Jamal are produced twice a week by Prison Radio.  www.prisonradio.org

[col. writ. 6/2/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal
 Her name was Yuri, a Japanese woman born in the United States. I hesitate to call her a Japanese-American, for to do so suggests she was a citizen.
 In light of how she, her family and her community were treated during World […]

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[col. writ. 5/31/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal
 I first recall the name ‘Shinseki’ when during the failed presidential bid of U.S. Senator John Kerry; he invoked his name as a virtual talisman; “Gen. Shinseki”; “Gen. Shinseki!”
This was the 2004 elections, when the name could shield Kerry, a Vietnam vet, from the odious attacks of a team of Swift-boaters, who called into question his own military service.
 When […]

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http://www.jungewelt.de/2014/05-31/037.php

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[col. writ. 5/27/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal
 In West African societies, a Griot holds a special, almost sacred place in the life of the nation.
 That’s because he is one who holds in memory the history of the nation, its battles, its struggles, its kings and its councilors, He sings such tales of the nation’s past, and is thus, a teacher.
 His life’s memory is so precious […]

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[Speech writ. 5/25/14] © ’14 Mumia Abu-Jamal

Imagine that a group of men ran into a business, robbed it to the tune of $100,000.00, pulled guns on them, sexually assaulted a woman, and even stole food from them, before departing and vanishing.
 What would you call them?
What would the news media call them?
 Some years ago, in Philadelphia, young people would rush into stores downtown, enter in large […]

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