Friday, July 22, 2011

Political Prisoner Rev. Joy Powell

Please Write to Rev. Joy Powell
Reverend Joy Powell 07g0632
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 1000
Bedford Hills, NY 10507-2499

The recent arrest of Rev. Joy Powell and a separate arrest of Emily Good prove there is police corruption at every level in Rochester as well as throughout the world.
People are being arrested and housed for merely showing dissent towards a system of corruption. Many times police do not even see they are victims of the corruption, much less that they are a part of the corruption.
This country does not want people to reform. If reform and corrections were the true goal of the prison system, Rev. Joy Powell, Stanley Tookie Williams, and many others here or gone would be commended and not incarcerated. Stand up for one another. This is worldwide.
Spanish12.wordpress.com
Freejoypowell.org

21 Days, Pelican Bay hunger strike

21 days
Imagine 21 days with no food. I no longer imagine that as I end my hunger strike of 21 days. This ends with nothing but a strong hatred towards a movement that only boosts ones ego. I can not water down the word hatred, for this has become life or death. Currently I am lying on the floor of a motel in Brooklyn. I am unable to move, I can not even roll from side to side and a gallon jug is my bathroom. I put this on myself and there is no one to blame nor do I want to blame anyone. 
What I want to do is to expose the lack of concern from those who benefit from being a part of an organization that is PIMPING the starvation of prisoners in Pelican Bay and many other prisons supporting the Pelican Bay hunger strike. 
These organizations are gaining support and strength thru outreach but doing little or nothing to actually help the prisoners. No one is donating to commissaries, no one is attempting to visit prisoners or make the process of visitation easier, no one is creating education for those in and out of prisons, no one is calling or spending time with prisoner's families...
I went to many demonstrations during these 21 days and met many people pimping the issue of SHU and prison conditions. Many of these people wrote for blogs and papers but never helped me walk to the train or called to check on my condition. Many showed interest in joining me on this strike but quickly went out to eat after a demonstration as I limped to the train in search for a safe place to sleep. Becoming homeless two years ago taught me no one cares. This hunger strike has taught me that not only does no one genuinely care, but they will use your struggle as a means to boost their own ego. 
This is the end of public protest and demonstration for me in america. 

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

07.19.11 Hunger Strike

I've lost 15 pounds in 19 days.
This is a turning point for me. I have maintained the exact weight since 1991, also the same year I became vegan. This great loss of weight and many unusual feelings including, loss of appetite, euphoria, and so on has created many thoughts that I must stop my hunger strike in order to maintain health and carry on greater ventures. This decision has been on my mind for a few days, but I have yet to execute the idea. I feel someone must keep on this path outside the walls. I receive many negative comments which only solidify my decision to do this in the hopes of changing hearts and minds. With all the adversity before me, they pail to those in Pelican Bay and many other confinement facilities across the world.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Holding Cell/Hunger Strike

Last night I spent a few hours in a holding cell. I was there for crossing the street (jay walking) and going through Mayor Bloomberg's guards and other police officials and officers (disorderly conduct). This was all during a protest to stop the Mayor from contracting with the USDA to kill geese in the 5 boroughs parks and public lands.
The act of crossing the street and going through the guards was not directly to protest in favor of keeping the geese alive and free, but to prove government is slowly restricting the definition of freedom.
When the first 3 individuals for the protest arrived, we spoke with several officials of the mayor's security. They told us there was a holding pen for us around the corner, which was very small, under a tree, and no where near the Mayor's home, or even remotely close to where the Mayor could see or hear us. Keep in mind this protest was without permit which I feel to be a protest, it must be done without a permit. SO, NYPD decided to prepare for an illegal protest by supplying us with barricades and a substantial police force to "protect" us. I feel that freedom gives us the right to protest anywhere and anytime for any purpose we as individuals or as a group feel worthy. Anywhere includes the Mayor's front doorstep to the White House lawn, yes this means the other side of the fence.
The official in charge of speaking to us could not give us a legal reason why we could not be in front of the Mayor's home, and eventually gave us the excuse that it was for "security purposes". "security purposes" can be created in an instant for the police to deem anyone in that area as a criminal, regardless of what she or he is doing in that area. So I breeched security and walked right by the Mayor's home, I basically did the same thing that I was doing hours earlier, only this time more people where watching, more police were around, and barricades were in place, and the Mayor wasn't there at the time of my offense, but he was there when I did the same things earlier in the day. Explain that.

As for my hunger strike, I'm just getting thru 24 hours and feel fine. The temptations are everywhere, but I keep my mind on others who are less fortunate. Their story is more important, their lives are what matter, how we treat them with respect, and give them assistance and rehabilitation to lead better lives is what we are working for.

We are not attempting to rid this world of those who are less empathetic and compassionate, we are attempting to teach others to be empathetic and compassionate, this goes for the reform of prisoners, as well as the reform of officials calling the shots.