Amnesty Int'l Invitation for Activists

Announcement from Amnesty International to Activists!

	It's time to Bring Human Rights Home. Register now.
	We need you in Chicago. The best Human Rights Conference of the year begins in 14 days. Unite in person with many of the activists who make up the most powerful human rights movement in the world. Get the knowledge and skills to tackle the biggest human rights challenges of our time. Don't miss this – register for Amnesty's 2014 Human Rights Conference and Annual General Meeting right now.   Dear Mary, We've got 14 days to get you to Amnesty's 2014 Human Rights Conference, April 4-6 in Chicago. Mary, here's our plan. We have no time to lose. STEP 1: Register right now. Break out your cape. The 2014 Human Rights Conference is THE summit for super activists like you. (We welcome superheroes in training, too!) This year's theme is Bringing Human Rights Home. It's all about you – how you can be more effective, preparing you to take up today's human rights challenges, uniting you with fellow activists to energize and expand this movement. You need to be there – register today! STEP 2: Recruit fellow activists Bringing Human Rights Home is more fun (and effective) with a friend. After you register, tell people that you're going to Bring Human Rights Home and invite them to join you – send emails; post to Facebook and Twitter and your other social networks; text; and yes, ask in person. Reserve your ticket now for the 2014 Human Rights Conference. STEP 3: Behold the agenda. Prepare for an explosion of learning, and the opportunity to put your new skills to use right away. On Friday, you'll participate in a direct action designed to Bring Human Rights Home to the heart of Chicago. On Saturday, you'll hear directly from renowned journalist and New York Times best-selling author Glenn Greenwald. Throughout the entire Conference, you'll be building the foundation for Amnesty's work in 2014 to stop human rights violations. Your journey to the 2014 Human Rights Conference starts here. Sincerely, Cammie Croft DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA

Freedom Party Meeting March 20 - Brooklyn

Alton Maddox announced, "A historical inaugural meeting of the Freedom Party for 2014 will be held at the headquarters of the Freedom Party, 1061 Atlantic Avenue (bet. Franklin and Classon) in Brooklyn on this Thursday, March 20, 2014, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting is important to decide if Blacks need to pursue political options or remain as "political pawns" in the Democratic Party in 2014.

When the Freedom Party was founded in 1994, the purpose was not for Blacks to replace the Democratic Party or the Republican Party but to create a political party consistent with the teachings of our revered ancestors. Neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party fitted the bill. Blacks need political options. It is too risky for us to be simply "political pawns". We must become "political mavericks".

The first step is to understand politics in the United States, because when political institutions were established in North America, our revered ancestors were still enslaved. They did not come to the United States on the Mayflower. Instead they came to the United States on slave ships and; therefore, Blacks, are still in slavery. Your ship would perpetually define your citizenship rights.

When the Europeans ratified the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, they ended the institution of slavery but continued all "badges of slavery". There has been very little litigation over the legal concept of "badges of slavery". Lawyers have skipped slavery and have focused on the Fourteenth Amendment. Thus, the legal foundation for citizenship rights, under the Fourteenth Amendment, remains weak."

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SEND YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR FREE PUBLICATION 

Send your community service announcements to the MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com email address in order to be considered for publication in this "Human Rights Events by MaryLovesJustice" blog. Political and Christian announcements are usually welcome. If you do not receive a confirmation within 48 hours, please re-send the announcement, and call (571) 335-1741 for Mary Neal or 678.531.0262.

Religious Conference on Mass Incarceration

2014 Clergy and Religious Leaders Conference on Mass Incarceration in the United States Criminal Justice System

Theme: Proactive Engagement Toward Criminal Justice Reform
The Voice of Religion
Dates: May 1-3, 2014
Venues: St. John Missionary Baptist Church: Roxbury: Boston-May 1-2
Twelve Baptist Church: Roxbury: Boston-May 3

The need for more strategic intervention in the issue of mass incarceration and its sociopolitical, economic, existential implications in our communities continue to appear obvious everyday. It is one that calls for a collaborative effort, consistent engagement, and spiritual intervention from religious organizations and individuals. This is a training conference.

This conference is based on a holistic model of socio-religious and proactive engagement in the pursuit of criminal justice reform in light of the cumulative consequences of the war on drugs, unusual sentencing policies, and disproportionate rates of incarceration in the United State criminal justice system. Its holistic focus is based on the following strategies: Proactive engagement of religious and clergy organizations in criminal justice reform in America, Prevention and end to mass incarceration, Rehabilitation and restoration for Returning citizens.

This conference is a collaborative effort with several religious organizations and institutions. It seeks to bring together clergy and religious leaders of every religious organization and denomination. With its focus on interfaith dialogue and strategic solution development and intervention in the high rate of incarceration and recidivism evident in the United States prison system, we endeavor to provide information, inspiration, and resources for religious leaders and organizations to achieve the stated goals and objectives of the conference.

Bringing together pastors, religious leaders, prison ministry experts, faith-based organization leaders, students, etc, to be informed, inspired and motivated in the pursuit of criminal justice reform, preventing and ending mass incarceration. Goals include providing resources for prison ministry development and sustainability, best practices for strategic intervention in the lives of Returning Citizens towards prison prevention, reduction in recidivism, adequate forms of reentry program development, and principles of restorative justice. This conference is open to the public.

The Problem

The United States releases more than 600,000 individuals from its prisons and jails on an annual basis with 50,000 more prisoners admitted than those released. With 5% of the world’s population, the U.S. has 25% of the world’s incarcerated population accounting for over 7.2 million on parole, probation, in jails, in prisons or under some form of correctional supervision. There are over 2.2 million in jails and prisons with Blacks and Hispanics accounting for over 65% of the incarcerated population. Americans are serving more time in prison with over 18 million Americans with felony records that systematically prevent them from sociopolitical and economic mobility. Blacks are only 13% of the United States general population but accounts for the highest number of those in American correctional system with Black men accounting for over 40% of the American prison population.

In Massachusetts, Blacks are 7.9% of the general population but close to 35% of those incarcerated including Black juveniles. Hispanics are 10% of Massachusetts’ general population but close to 30% of the incarcerated population. Blacks and Hispanics are less than 19% of Massachusetts’ general population but over 55% of those incarcerated. Massachusetts releases over 300 individuals annually with a high percentage returning to Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan. This disproportionate rate of incarceration in the Massachusetts mirrors the disproportionate rate of racial incarceration in across the United States. Mass incarceration has led to increase in single parenting and dysfunctional family structures, increase in fatherlessness, significant increase in poverty and generational impoverishment, increase in mental illnesses, etc. To employ the phrase commonly used by “prisoner re-entry” experts: “They all come back.” It is time to focus on strategic measures that provide economic sustainability for those returning to our communities from prison to reduce the high rate of recidivism.

Goals:

• To educate religious leaders on the role of religion in ending mass incarceration.
• To provide resources to religious leaders in proactive ways to reduce the high rate of recidivism associated with mass incarceration
• To educate on faith-based reentry program development and prison-ministry enhancement
• To empower clergy and religious leaders on proactive strategies to engage in sentencing reform, public policy awareness regarding prison reform.
• Building coalition across religious, racial, and ethnic lines.
• Etc           

Keynote speakers include:

Pastor: Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York.

CNN Death Row Stories: Mar 9 to Apr 6

On Sunday, March 9th, CNN will premiere its original series Death Row Stories, described by CNN as:

Death Row Stories is a series of one-hour documentaries. Each episode attempts to unravel the truth behind a different capital murder case. Executive produced by Alex Gibney and Robert Redford and narrated by Susan Sarandon, these stories call into question various beliefs surrounding America's justice system and the death penalty.

Director Alex Gibney said, “The series provides stark examples of the struggle between the powerful and the powerless.  The stakes – life or death – couldn’t be higher.”

We see this as more evidence of a change in the debate around capital punishment and a shift away from this practice. Will you help us get the word out to your networks and ask everyone you know to watch it?

NCADP staff will be watching and tweeting about the show using the hastags #deathrowstories and #90millionstrong. Please watch and tweet your comments too!

We encourage you to host a watch party either virtually or at your home. Send us a picture if you do, and we will post it!

We also encourage you to post your reflection and a summary of the episode on Facebook to share with your network. Be sure to tag us so we can share your post!

The momentum away from the death penalty is undeniable! This is not the type of thing that we would have expected to see seven years ago, but with more states taking a closer look at the practice and concluding that it is unworkable it is certainly timely.

Death Row Stories will screen every Sunday for five weeks starting this Sunday, March 9th at 9pm ET/PT. Be a part of the conversation!

Here are two other easy ways you can plug into the growing national dialogue about the flaws and failure of the death penalty:

1. Express why you are among the 90 million Americans who believe the death penalty is wrong by posting your statement to our Tumblr page if you have not done so already.
2. Contact friends and family in New Hampshire! The state House of Representatives is set to debate and vote on a death penalty repeal bill onWednesday, March 12th. Please tell people you know in New Hampshire to contact their representatives today to express their support for ending the death penalty.

We look forward to hearing from you!
Anita

Anita Grabowski
Communications Director
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

Chokwe Lumumba Memorial Schedule

Celebration of the Life: Chokwe Lumumba

The memorial schedule is as follows:

THE BODY of CHOKWE LUMUMBA WILL LIE IN STATE 

(Public Viewing)

City of Jackson - City Hall

219 South President Street

Jackson, Mississippi 39205

Friday, March 7, 2014

11:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Remembrance Hour

City Hall - Josh Halbert Gardens

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

(Viewing Reopen Back to Public)

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE

Jackson Convention Center

105 E. Pascagoula Street

Jackson, Mississippi 39204

Saturday, March 8, 2014

11:00 a.m.

Internment following the Celebration of Life Service

Autumn Woods Memorial Gardens 

4000 West Northside Drive

Jackson, Mississippi, 39209

Special Hours of Reflection on the Life of Chokwe Lumumba

Friday, March 7, 2014 - 7:30pm - 10pm

Magee Fish House & Afrikan Art Gallery

Jackson Square Promenade

2460 Terry Road

Jackson,MS

Call: 601.601.201.0871

Biography from "The Root"

Chokwe Lumumba died suddenly of heart failure last week at the age of 66. The black nationalist, who at one time advocated for a separate nation for blacks inside the U.S., was elected mayor of Jackson, Miss., last year . . . He believed in the people and in the power of the people, and that belief resulted in his overwhelming popularity with the people and in his significant and growing political cachet, which he was determined to turn into social and economic change. (Read the entire article at the following link.)
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/03/chokwe_lumumba_remembering_a_revolutionary_politician.html

March 17: Picket Courthouses for Shannon Nyamodi

Shannon Nyamodi

DO YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT CORPSES? QUESTION: How many of you are willing to picket for justice for Shannon Nyamodi at your own courthouses? His 6th Amendment right to a speedy, public trial is being violated to prevent his case from going to court. Even the alleged victim says Shannon is not the man who shot her. The prosecution does not want to take the case to court or try this weak case and lose. See the latest report and background information about Nyamodi at the two links below:

Cover up? Man being held for crime that victim allegedly says he didn’t commit

http://www.kulturekritic.com/2014/02/news/cover-up-man-being-held-for-crime-that-victim-says-he-didnt-commit/

Background on the case: "Shannon Nyamodi: A Good Samaritan Imprisoned"

http://humanrightsforprisonersmarch.blogspot.com/2013/12/shannon-nyamodi-good-samaritan.html

Elizabeth Crudup's son is being held in solitary confinement torture in Franklin County, NC jail. She has not seen him in months, and four(4) court dates have passed without the jail producing Shannon Nyamodi for trial. WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO SHANNON TO FORCE A FALSE CONFESSION? IF HE IS MURDERED, THEN WILL YOU CARE ENOUGH TO PROTEST?

Today, Terrell Scott was released from a Pennsylvania prison after being indefinitely detained for 4.5 years to force a plea bargain. He was brutally treated - beaten, raped, exposed to HIV, and tortured with solitary confinement. He is now deaf in one ear and blind in one eye - all of that brutality was done to Terrell Scott. Officers of the court claimed Terrell Scott was too "crazy" for trial, but he was deemed competent for plea bargaining. Is this how prosecutors are allowed to avoid the embarrassment of losing court cases?

Shannon has been held without trial for nearly two years. Will you stand up for the Sixth Amendment by picketing for Shannon Nyamodi in your own city at your own courthouse, or do you await another black youth's corpse to get angry? Is this our children's future - indefinite detention until making false confessions to get out of jail? See the message from Elizabeth Crudup below.

Elizabeth Crudup They will not let me see or communicate with Shannon. We have had 4 Court dates, where they refused to produce him. Hoping to hear from Harvard law school criminal justice institute in the morning.

  

If Crudup fails to hear from Harvard Law, or if they offer no IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS, we must protest for Shannon Nyamodi's immediate release or a soon court date that he is allowed to actually attend. Shannon is a youth in OUR village. Franklin County, North Carolina must not be allowed to capture an innocent black youth and treat him like a runaway slave. Our youths must not be indefinitely detained on indefensible criminal charges without our protest. Americans must not be denied their right to a speedy, public trial with competent counsel appointed, especially not working 18-year-old youths who graduated from high school and have no criminal background, like Shannon.

We congratulate Terrell Scott and his mother, Holly Alston, on his homecoming. It is an indictment against America and each of us that nothing was done to deliver Terrell Scott from the Pennsylvania prison before he suffered permanent injuries and confessed to crimes that never happened. A white woman lied on Terrell Scott after he reported her neglect and abuse of her children. His allegations were investigated and found to be valid, and the children were removed from her home. After that, according to an apology the woman delivered to Terrell's brother, she wanted to retaliate. Shannon suffered behind bars for the next 4.5 years with his right to trial denied. This must not be the fate of Shannon Nyamodi, especially since even the supposed victim said Shannon was not her assailant.

On Monday, March 17, 2014, assemble with concerned citizens at a courthouse in your own area, either at lunchtime or after work, and protest Shannon Nyamodi's continued indefinite detention and denial of his Sixth Amendment right to a trial. If anything changes in his circumstances before March 17, I will publish it here.

*Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution*

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

Black Youths Should Not Have to Be in Body Bags
to Get Our Attention.

Human Rights for Prisoners March
Mary Neal, director
http://HumanRightsforPrisonersMarch.blogspot.com
Radio
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/humanrightsdemand
Website: Wrongful Death of Larry Neal.com
http://WrongfulDeathofLarryNeal.com

POWER CONCEDES NOTHING WITHOUT A DEMAND. IT NEVER HAS AND NEVER WILL. ~Frederick Douglass

First part of Article Re-published Due to Cyber Stalkers:

DO YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT CORPSES? QUESTION: How many of you are willing to picket for justice for Shannon Nyamodi at your own courthouses? His 6th Amendment right to a speedy, public trial is being violated to prevent his case from going to court. Even the alleged victim says Shannon is not the man who shot her. The prosecution does not want to take the case to court or try this weak case and lose. See the latest report and background information about Nyamodi at the two links below:

Cover up? Man being held for crime that victim allegedly says he didn’t commit

http://www.kulturekritic.com/2014/02/news/cover-up-man-being-held-for-crime-that-victim-says-he-didnt-commit/

Background on the case: "Shannon Nyamodi: A Good Samaritan Imprisoned"

http://humanrightsforprisonersmarch.blogspot.com/2013/12/shannon-nyamodi-good-samaritan.html