As some of you know, the EBE
wrote a hit piece in it's August-Sept. issue. Here's a rebuttal that's on
point. KN
RESPONSE TO THE EAST BAY
EXPRESS AND ANNELI RUFUS by Shaka At-Thinnin
The truly devastating
effects of J. Edgar Hoover’s plan to silence by eradication any and all dissent
to the policies of an oppressive system is still fully operational long after
his death. Cointelpro, the central force of his agenda, used as it’s main tool,
the powerful voice of the media to spread lies, foster confusion by
manipulating ignorance of specifics and manufacture misinformation in total
Hollywood fashion. Journalists and the professional yarn spinners who call
themselves authors prey on an unsuspecting publics fears and misconceptions to
further the aims and policies of agencies such as C.C.P.O.A. This particular
entity, which is the largest and most powerful union in California, puts out a
steady stream of outright lies and half-truths designed to maintain the status
quo of the Prison Industrial Complex. To do this they utilize the voice and
influence of the media and intellectual elite. Just say it and it’s true to
millions who do no research and those who knowing it’s insidious nature do not
refute its claims. Many will simply accept the position put forth by Anneli
Rufus and the East Bay Express on Black August because she is considered an
intellectual and is writing for a paper that was once progressive.
Unfortunately for all concerned, miss Rufus has done no research into the
statements she put forth as truth in her article. George Lester Jackson was
never convicted of killing anyone. There were no heavily armed panthers
bursting into the Marin county courthouse. A single seventeen year old youth
walked into that courtroom and was shot to death moments later by San Quentin
guards whose policy was kill everyone In the van. The tagline Free em all
belongs to a totally different movement and has nothing to do with Black August
or George Jackson. Research! Fay Stender was shot by a madman who had no
connection to George Jackson and acted out of his own warped imagination. Once
again it’s easy to just throw misconceptions out there as media sponsored
because most will not question it. There was no gun smuggled into the San
Quentin Adjustment Center under a wig. In nearly forty years no one has ever
proved that some radical entity was responsible for a gun finding it’s way into
San Quentin Prison. Try walking around your office with a two-pound automatic
pistol on your head under a natural or any other kind of wig. This is not to
mention the thirty pounds of shackles or bending over naked for strip searches
under the watchful eyes of several prison guards waiting to find anything out
of order.
Black August speaks to
prison policies like N.H.I., (no humans involved), that separate prisoners from
even the right to live once the are convicted of any crime and sent to prison.
It speaks to those who are especially singled out to the point of being set up
for death for speaking out against the injustices that permeate the Prison
Industrial Complex. It speaks to those who like Brother Bashir Hameed, become
ill after decades of incarceration and extremely inadequate medical attention
and die locked in a cell because they are not considered human and deserving of
care. Bashir Hameed died in prison on August 30th 2008
because the prison administration refused to take him to an outside hospital.
To them it was not that important in the scheme of things having to do with
confinement and finance. Your article encouraged all to believe it’s all so
simple. They’re murderous radicals and undeserving of sympathy or even minimal
respect or concern. The theme of Black August 2008 was Save Our Children. Our
youth are dying in the streets daily or rushing headlong into the arms of the
Prison Industrial Complex. Black August is about finding ways to reverse that
trend knowing there are so many like you who simply do not care. N.H.I..
BLACK AUGUST ORGANIZING
COMMITTEE
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
OAKLAND CALIFORNIA