& 3 MARILYN BUCK BER 13 947 - #‘””,’3' 2010 A commemorative solidarity booklet to benefit the six political prisoners in New York State. SRHGED @ IN HER SPIRIT A Malcolm X . w Grassroots Movement cy of Marilyn Buck, The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement is proud to salute SEKOU ODINGA JALIL MUNTAQIM ABDUL MAJID ROBERT SETH HAYES HERMAN BELL DAVID GILBERT for their contributions in the Black Liberation Movement in the pursuit of a better world. We will continue to work for the freedom of these and all Political Prisoners in the US SELF RESPECT SELF DEFENSE SELF DETERMINATION www.mxgm.org E ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS Autobiographi Post-war 1947 bon on the white side of the tracks Texas segregation civil ights preacher's child fled Texas with honor’s diploma for UC Berkeley and free speech thoughdid not know then that's why left Vietnam war 1965 what war are you fighting for make love not war college books tossed into a trunk in some room I've never seen since fires of internationalisrm called me agirl toenlist inthe anti-war ‘war against Amerikka my own women's liberation on the line warin Amerikka ‘war against the warmakers ‘white-skinned haters capitalist consumers of human lives following the tradition Nat Tumner John Brown ‘Wobblies subversives. resistance in the belly of the beast clandestine war 1973 captured by the killers spirit killers nationkillers a political prisoner enemy of the state terrorist and traitor ‘white woman dangerous towhite Amerika condemned to years and years of absence alifetime warmakers wait for its prisoners to die orgocrazy orsimply wither away into insignificance Irest,a grain of sand significant on the beach head that meets the sea toface the storm Twage resistance tostay alive Tleam to search out freedorn in the breath my cells send out dendrites toabsorb the world and its offerings Toffer back poerns and oceasional grains of sand mixed into clay and fired into sturdiness —Marilyn Buck Autimn 1999 Published i Becky Thompson, APromise & A Way of Life (Univ. of Minn.Press) 2001 IN HER SPIRIT Thanks ‘This book reflects the collective efforts of a community of progressive and revolutionary people from coast to coast. Love and respect for Marilyn and for Herman, David, Seth, Abdul,Jalil Sekou and all the political prisoners fueled our efforts. To name only a few, thanks and appreciation to THE PRODUCTION TEAM Lisa Roth (lisatothgrafix con), design and layout Ndada Vaz (thetoyplane com), cover Susie Day Soffiyah Elijah Laura Whitehom Claude Marks Donna Willmott Rob McBride Barbara Zeller AND TO Martin Paddio and The Monthly Review (monthlyreview org) Ray Boudreaux and the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CHDR org) Ereedom Archives (freedomarchives org) Lumumba Bandele Chesa Boudin Lalit Clarkson Linda Evans Pam Fadem Nancy Jacot-Bell Naomi Jaffe Dequi Kioni-Sadiki Anne Lamb Judith Mirkinson Suzanne Ross Marilyn Jean Buck December 13, 1947-August 3, 2010 'MaRILYN BUCK DEFIED CATEGORIZATION. In fact, she worked hard at that, challenging the assumptions and easy answers that might have defined her life. Rejecting sex ism, white supremacy and racism, she broke through boundaries both internal and external—and in so doing, lefta rich legacy. Marilyn was born in Temple, Texas, to Virginia, a nurse, and Louis, an Episcopal minister. She was “Big Sister” to three younger brothers - Louis, Bll and David. During her early years her father was assigned to minister at a Black churchintown Never interested in mythologizing her own story, Marilyn often recounted how she resented having to shate her dinner table and parents'attention with families from that church. As a child, she had little interest in the Civil Rights moverent gathering speed around her Mar Iyn's politics of solidarity were created consciously, fought for, built of her spirit, heart, and mind. Years of study and concrete experiences were responsible for her political astuteness and activism. There was nothing spontaneous about her politics. After the Buck family moved to Austin, Marilyn, as teenager, began to become involved in antiracist activism From her experience as a young white wornan in segtegated Texas she had developed a piercing sense of the role of white suptemacy and racism in sustaining injustice. Marilyn's growing sense of the need for justice led her to protest the war in Vietnarm and join the Students for a Democratic Society, where she ramously helped lead the organization’s first workshop on women’s liberation. She later attended callege at UC Berkeley and then transferred to the University of Texas at Austin. In Chicago during the late 19605 Marilyn co-edited the SDS newspaper New Left Notes and began developing a more sophisticated and activist relationship to national liberation movements inside the US. as well as internationally. At a prison celebration of Kwanzaa' years later, Marilyn talked at the program honoring one of the Seven Principles, Kujichagulia (self-determination). She told of going into the South Side of Chicago to photograph, for New Left Notes, the “Wall of Respect." a mural painted in the Black community by Black artists. As she snapped away, a young Black man questioned her, asking why she thought she could come into his community and take photographs without explaining her intent or asking the community’s permission. The incident, Marilyn said, confronted her with the right of a community to control its own culture, shook her confidence in her own viewpoint, and opened her Kuvanzaa, which means fistfruts of the harvest, is holday that takes place from Decernber 26 to January and consists of a. celebration and acknowledgement of Seven Principles or Nguzo Saba, On each oftheseven days of Kwaniza a diffeent principle i idely celebrated i the Afrcan Diaspora since s founding in 1966, acknowledged Kvianzaa has b eyes to the ways a white perspective can be distorted, even harmful She applied that lesson as she became more involved in the militant struggles for justice that arose in those years SOLIDARITY—THE NEXT LEVEL In 1968, shortly before the assassination of Martin LutherKing Jr, Marilyn returned tothe Bay Area to work with an altemative newspaper and Third World News reel. As the Black liberation struggle grew in power and determination, Marilyn’s political work focused increas- ingly on solidarity with that movement. In 1973, when Marilyn was 26, she was arrested for procuring firearms forthe Black Liberation Army and sentenced to 10 years in prison for buying legal ammunition with false ID. At the time, that was the longest sentence ever given for suchan offense. Marilyn served four years of the sentence at the fed- eral women'’s prison in Alderson, West Virginia, where she wasinitially housed in one of the first high security isolation units for women. At Alderson, both in the control unit and later in general population, she met another woman political prisoner, the Puerto Rican her- oine Lolita Lebron. During those years, Marilyn began Teenage Marilyn to create what would become a lifetime identification and connection with other political prisoners and their supporters outside. Yuri Kochiyama and Rafael Cancel Miranda both trace their long correspondence and friendship with Marilyn to her days in Alderson. Over the decades she would end up spending in prison, Marilyn built a deep comradeship with prisoners from every national grouping in the U, especially those from the Puerto Rican Independence Movement Despite being a model prisoner, Marilyn was repeatedly denied parole. In later years numerous politi- cal prisoners were repeatedly denied parole despite being model prisoners. Eventually,in 1977, she was granted two furloughs from FCI Alderson to New York City. After the second furlough, instead of return- ing to prison, she went underground to rejoin the militant radical movement. She was charged and later convicted of escape. She spent the next eight years—years of intense government repression, particularly against the Black Liberation and Puerto Rican moverents—working in clandestinity. In 1979, Assata Shakur was liberated from prison, and Marilyn was identified as a suspect in that action. Assata's liberation is considered one of the great victories of the Black Liberation struggle. After the unsuccessful expropriation of aBrinks armored truckin 1981, an action claimed by 2 group of Black revolutionaries and white allies, Marilyn was placed on the FBI's most wanted list and hunted with a shoot-to-kill order. 6 E ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS 'YEARS AS A POLITICAL PRISONER In May of 1985 Marilyn was captured in Dobbs Ferry, a northern suburb of New York City.In the follow- ingfive years she faced four separate trials and was moved to three separate jails and prisons. These were grueling experiences After two trials on lesser offenses (including the Alderson escape), she was tried and convicted, along ‘with codefendant Mutulu Shakur,of a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ) conspiracy toliberate Assata and commit several bank robberies, or expropriations, to fund the Black Liberation struggle. Preparing for their trial, the two created legal arguments in their assertion of a political offense exception that now stand as models of how to pose the position of US. political prisoners in the context of international law. On the day in 1988 when sentence was pronounced in her RICO case, the government indicted Marilyn, alongwith Alan Berkman,Linda Evans, Laura Whitehorn, Susan Rosenberg, and Tim Blunk,for what became known as the Resistance Conspiracy Case, whose charges included "con- spiracy to protest, oppose and change policies and practices of the US. ‘government in domestic and international matters using violent and illegal means " The central charge i the case involved the 1983 bornbing of the Capitol building in response tothe U, invasion of Grenada and shell- ing of Lebanon. Marilyn, along with Laura and Linda, later pled guilty, in exchange for the government's dropping the charges and getting critical medical care for Alan Berkman, who was battlinglife-threatening cancer. Marilyn's aggregate sentence from these cases was 80 years. Near the end of 1990 Marilyn began serving her sentence at the high security control unit for wornen in Marianna, Florida Reflecting on this period, Marilyn later wrote: The trials, those years of ntense repression and US government denur- ciations of my humanity had beat me up rather badly. Whatever my voice had been,it was left frayed. I could scarcely speak.” Police surveillance shot of Marilyn In Marianna finished with trialsat last, Marilyn began toheal her voice at an anti-war ally in Austinin and her spirit. Adept at math and a voracious reader from an early age the '6os—later divulged to alter- (her brother Bill rememnbers her reading during their childhood in her native newspaper,“The Rag.” xoom for long hours), Marilyn loved questions and avoided pat answers. Possessed of a curious mind, when she noticed her own reactions to the confines of prison, she set out to understand the psychalogy of women prisoners, and later, after her transfer to Dublin, California in 1993, turned her searching into a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the New College. Refusing to succumb tothe damage of trials and incarceration, Marilyn wrote. For prisoners, writing is a ife raft o save one from drowning in a prison swamp. I could not write a diary or a jourmal: Iwas a political risoner. Everything 1 had was subject to investigation, invasion and confiscation Iwas censored person.In defiance,I turned to poetry, an art of speaking sparely, but flagrantly” ‘And she continued to write: poems, articles, letters, statements, interviews. She became more and mote disciplined about her craft, getting her Master's of Fine Arts in Poetics and publishing scores of poems in journals and anthalogies. She embraced and was embraced by a network of poets,including the two dozen 7 IN HER SPIRIT contributors to her poetry CD Wild Poppies She wrote articles for Critical Resistance and women's studies texts,among others. She contributed a regular colurn to Prison Legal News, writing in one piece, Women are subject to censorship ina verydistinct way from men prisoners There is a disapproval of who we are as women and as human beings. We are viewed as having challenged gender definitions and sex roles of passivity and abedience. We have transgressed much more than the written laws We are judged even before tral s immoral and. contemptible,fallen women. The repression and control over a prisoner’s e is harsh and cruel Imagination and creativity have led me into a new, clandestine, and still subversive world.I'm unable to do photography, but there is always the word. That cannot be taken away. And there s the earth. The clay that calls my hands,challenges me to be sensual and to reate vision, hope, liberation; o scream defiance and vibrance. While incarcerated, Marilyn witnessed the devastation of the HIV/AIDS crisis and worked with other prisonersto support wormen affected by it.She participated in activi- ties that strengthened the community of incarcerated ‘women, like Black history month and Kwanzaa. Mari- Iy was a loyal participant in the Poetry for the People ‘workshops at ECI Dublin, which deeply influenced a new generation of poets Marilyn always promoted solidarity with political pris- oners around the world. With other US. political prison- ers, she worked on the "Art Against the Death Penalty” exhibit, which toured intemationally in support of Mumia. ‘Abu Jamal,and she contributed to the book In Defense of Mumia and political prisoner anthologies Can't Jail the Spirit, Hauling Up the Morning, and Let Freedom Ring, AIDSwalk at FCl Marianna, 1993 ‘among others. With her miniscule prisoner’s income she stillithed, sending donations to those with evenless. Shealso discovered a talent and love for creating pottery and ceramics, contributing pieces to art shows onthe outside, and sending her creations to friends, family and supporters for their homes. And even with the verylimited culinary options available in prison, Marilyn—always a wonderful and creative cook—made some memorable meals In whatever prison she was in, Marilyn taught. Her comrades inside remember seeing her arise at 5:00 am or earlier in order to tutor women who did not want to be seen, during daylight hours, being taught basic math and writing skills. She continually translated for Spanish-speaking women who needed help ‘communicating with the prison authorities or with non-Spanish speaking prisoners If she ever felt tired of being asked to ill these roles, she did not show it Marilyn corresponded with hundreds of people all over the world, i a vast network of intellectual and FREE A ISONE political give-and-take. She wrote countless letters, even though she recognized, as she told Franco Sincich, Brigate Rosse prisoner in Italy, that with any letter,“its ashes may lie / inside an incinerator / greedy to gobble up voices” Marilyn was an accomplished translator of literature as well as spoken language. In 2008, City Lights published her acclaimed translation of State of Exile, a volume of poetry by Cristina Peri Rossi, the radical writer who fled the Uruguayan military dictatorship in the 1970s. In her introduction Marilyn identifies herself as a“translator in exile of a translator of exile” and reminds us that,"either the exle is frustrated and lives with rose-colored longing for what is gone, or she finds a reason and a passion to live in her present condition” THE END OF EXILE? In 2008 it seemed as if Marilyn’s internal exile was comingtoan end when she was granted a parole date in February 201, then won an advance to August 8,2010.In the midst ofmaking plans for coming horne, and with less than tuelve months leftto serve, Marilyn was diagnosed with a rare and very aggessive uterine cancer. Despite surgery and chemotherapy, treatment came too late to save her life ‘Thanks tothe determined efforts of her longtime friend and attorney Soffiyah Elijah, Marilyn was granted an With her mother (right) and aunt at FCl Marianna early release on July 15 She paroled to Brookiyn New York, ‘where for the next 20 days she savored every moment of her freedom, getting a glimpse of lfe in the free world and, in her words, struggling to stay alive. Despite the nearly unimaginable irony of being released within days of her death, she said she considered herself one of the most fortunate women alive. During the months before her release from prison, she told friends she was set on thiowing a post-release party to thank the many people ‘who had supported her so effectively throughout her incarceration. In her last days, though too weak to see very many people, she was able to enjoy visits with her three brothersand sistersin-lav She passed peacefully at Wit friend/comrade/attorney Soffiyah Eljah home in the company ofloving friends on August 3, 2010. Marilyn lived most of her adult lfe in controlled, restrictive spaces: from clandestinity, to prisons, to control units within prisons Yet within those spaces, she developed a richly imaginative, expansive view of human liberation, and built a bridge to a world we hunger for but have yetto create. Through her writings, her relationships and by the way she lived her life, Marilyn has left us a rare inheritance. Our greatest gift in retum will be to join her in being “militants for life” Clockwise from top lft: Mom Virginia with infant Marilyn Marilyn with brother Billand cousin Grace ™ with brother David, his wife Gwenne, their daughter Katie with Mom at FCI Dublin with goddaughter Tanya (and baby Ayla Simone) with brother Louis Kwame Ture with Marilyn, Ida McCray, Linda Evans, Carmen Valentin, Dylcia Pagan, Laura Whitehorn, Dyicia’s son Guillermo, and Nelida Bloom, at FCI Dublin. As Kwame would say, “Ready for Revolution!” Celebrate Marilyn Buck—Support Political Prisoners Introducing the Marilyn Buck Solidarity Fund for Political Prisoners This booklet s a testament to the unifying powers of Marilyn Buck—powers strong enough to outlive her by many eans. Marilyn’s politis, spirit and character touched and inspired a diverse range of people nationally and internationally. Marilyn wanted any funds raised in her name to be used for the political prisoners stil behind bars, and she was enthusiastic about efforts to support the release of six political prisoners incarcerated in New York State. ‘The proceeds of this first fundraising effort of the Marilyn Buck Solidarity Fund for Political Prisoners will go to those men—Herman Bell, David Gilbert, Robert Seth Hayes, Abdul Majid, Jalil Muntagim, and Sekou Odinga. Free ‘em alll Read more about these six men in the following pages. They have been imprisoned atotal of 199 years. It is long since time for them to come home. HERMAN BELL Age 62; married; three children and two grandchildren Sentence: 25 years to lfe. Incarcerated 37 years and eligible for parole since 2004, Herman has ‘appeared before the patole board three times; denied each time due to “the nature of the offense.” Wiite to Herman at. Herman Bell #79Co262, Sullivan Correctional Facility, PO. Box 116, Fallsburg, NY 12733 Herman Bell was bom in Mississipp, the son of sharecroppers, in 1948. In 1955 he moved with his father to Herman with granddaughters Sage and Simone Brooklyn.In high school in the 19605, he was influenced by the growing movements of Black people for justice. Herman won a college football scholarship and moved to Oakland, California in 1967, where he joined the Black Panther Party Herman writes, “Iarived in Oakland in the fall of 1967 Many of those drafted into the Vietnam War were returned in body bags or reduced to invalids. College students demonstrated against the war and national guardsmen shot them down. Malcolm and Dr. King had been assassinated. Medgar Evers, Fred Hampton, and Mark Clark had been assassi- nated The Civil Rights Movernent, the Black consciousness ‘movement the anti-war movement—the tone and spirit of those times were highly charged and volatile” Increasingly state and federal law enfotcernent attacked the Panthers Community programs suffered as the Party defended itself in the courts and on the streets.The late 19605 and early 70 saw shootouts between police and Party members, with deaths on both sides. Herman was anrested in 1973 for the 1971 killing of two New York City police officers. After one trial ended in a hung jury, Her- man was convicted and sentenced to 25 years tolife for the case (known asthe New York Three, with codefendants Jalil Muntagirn and Albert Nuh Washington, who died in prison in2000) In prison, Herman earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in sociology and psychology from SUNY New Paltz He has won academic awards as wellas certificates for various progrars and for legal research training In addition to remaining active in the upbringing of his family, Herman has mentored young men in his prison community, winning awards for his work as an educator and as coach of prison flag football. He has also helped guideand developthe Victory Gardens,a projectin Athens, Maine that taught farming skills and distributed fresh produce to neighborhoods in five states Waverly Jones,Ir, the son of one of the New York City police officers killed in Herman's case, testified for his family in support of Herman's 2004 parole application, saying,"l don't see [Herman or Jlil] as someone that is goingto come out of prison and commit violent crimes or anything of that nature. Their spirit is stil eager to dogoodand! pray that the Parole Board will look at the context and time [of the offense] and send a message tome of healing” In 2007 Herman was indicted in the San Francisco 8 Herman with Malcolm X Grassoots Movement case,a 35-year-old case that was originally dismissed visitors because the evidence came throughtorture In arly 2010, after unified resistance by the brothers and massive support, California State prosecutors were forced to admit they had insufficient evidenceto pursue the case. Charges against most of the defendants were dropped andthe prosecutor offered and accepted pleas o greatly reduced charges from Herman and Jalil in exchange for time served and probation ssceccscesssccsssccsce “For many young, impressionable, and idealistic Black men and women, joining the Black Panther Party was the most logical thing to do. Through survival programs, it sought to educate, protect, and organize the Black community. Herman with wife Nancy, on Kamel, granddaughters Sage and Since chattel slavery, Black Americans have claimed the right to pursue happiness in their Simone own fashion. The historic battle they fought for their freedom before and after the Civil War always focused on carving a political and economic niche in America. Staunchly opposed to these efforts were those who wanted to keep the ‘Negro’race in its appointed place.” DAVID GILBERT Age 66; one son Sentence: Three sentences of 25 years to lfe, ranning consecutively (total: 75 years tolife) Incarcerated 29 years. Parole eligibilty date: October 13, 2056 Wite to David at: David Gilbert #8346158, Clinton Correctional Facility, O, Box 2001, Dannemora, NY 12992 David Gilbert David with son Chesa n the '8os David Gilbert was bom in1944 and raised in 2 suburb of Boston, Mas- sachusetts.In high school he became active in civil rights activities and protests against the war in Vietnam. "Reality burst into my conscious- ness when 1 was 15, with the Greensboro [North Carolina] sit-ins of February 1960,” David writes "I guess had been naive—I had fervently believed in America’s hetoric about democracy and equality” The white establishment resistance encountered when Black people raised basic demands for human rights in those years opened his eyes, he says. In 19621 joined the Congress of Racial Equality,and in 1965 I started the Committee Against the War in Vietnar at Colurbia University. 1 was a founding member of the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) chapter there, and I participated in the Columbia strike of 1968 Although he had been a committed pacifist in high school,during his college years David witnessed increasing levels of viclence perpetrated bythe U'S.government against Vietnam and against Black, Latino and Native American people inside the US. David began to participate in more radical organizing and activities, becorning associated with the Weather Underground untilits demise inthe late 19705, On October 20,1981 mermbers of the Black Liberation Army and some white supporters carried out the robbery of a Brinks truck in Nyack A Brinks guard and two policemen were killed, and David was arrested near the scene. He was charged with three counts of felony murder: He was not alleged tohave done any shooting but asa participant in the rob- bery, he was given fulllegal responsibility forall resulting deaths. David received three consecutive sentences of 25 years to life—an aggregate sentence of 75 yearstolife. In prison, David has become a well-known and widely respected peer educator and advocate for prisoners with HIV/AIDS. Judy Greenspan, former Director of the HIV in Prison Project in California’s Bay Area,writes, In 1988, Davidwas one ofa handful of prisoners working selflessly toorganize peer education and counseling projects inside FREE ALL PO New Yorks state prisons. Transferred repeatedly, David became in every prison the person that prisoners came tofor information about the HIV/AIDS and later hepatitis C epidernics inside.” David's work is widely credited not only for initiating HIV support and education programs that continue today, but also with sav ing many prisoners lives. David has also won respect as a teacher and mentor to young peaple both inside the prisons and outside. ‘Working with prison volunteers, he has taught and par- ticipated in classes asa teaching assistant and in Quaker services. He has also participated in workshops against violence, and acts continually as a voice for peaceful resolution of disagreerents in the prison population. e xxx “In prison, I've tried to continue to contribute to the struggle through my political writings and through correspondence with younger generation activists. Also, after my co-defendant Kuwasi Balagoon died of AIDS on December 13,1986, I became a pioneer in initiating peer AIDS education programs in prisons and did intense AIDS counseling and education work for the next 13 years.” cecceccescccscsces David has a close relationship to his farily and com- munity on the outside. His son, Chesa Boudin, is now 30 and a student at Yale Law School. David has written several books and his essays have appeared in journals and newsletters throughout the country. David with comrade and codefendant Kuwasi Balagoon, who died in 1986 IN HER SPIRIT ROBERT SETH HAYES Age:62: Married: two children and grandchildren Sentence: 25 years to lfe. Incarcerated 37 years and eligible for parole since 1998; denied six times due to the "nature of the offense.” Wite to Seth at: Robert s. Hayes #74-A-2280, Wende CF, Wende Rd. PO Box 87, Alden, NY 14004 Robert Seth Hayes was bom in 1948 in Harlem_ His father was the child of sharecroppers and had moved from South Carolina; his mother came toNew York from Pittsburgh Seth writes of how his upbringing prepared hirn to be socially involved:“My mother taught meto visualize family universally, not individually” Seth's father was a World War 11 veteran and a mernber of the United Negro Improvement Assaciation, the Black nationalist organization founded by Marcus Garvey. Growing up in Harlem, and later in the Bronx and Queens,Seth saw one Black neighborhood after another suffering from neglect, despair, angerand defeat At the sametime, he witnessed over the years abirth of hope and a growing determination to overcome these conditions After his schooling, Seth worked as a psychiatric aide at Creedmoor Hospital in Queens, He was drafted and sent to Vietnam. He saw com- Seth with wife Sheila bat, was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Carnpaign Medal In the armed forces, Seth underwent a change of consciousness. After the death of Martin Luther King, Ir.in1968, Seth's battalion was ordered to patral the city streets with fixed bayonets to put down the rebel- lions that erupted following Dr. Kings assassination. "It was the saddest day of my life,”Seth remembers, “and I could never identify again with the aims of the armed forces or the goverment” Returning from Vietnam, Seth was swept up in the Black Liberation movement and joined the Black Panther Party His knowledge of e effects of racism on the Black community convinced him that the Black Panthers’ program of community service and community self-defense was what was needed. He worked in the free breakfast for children program and began dedicating his lfe to the betterment of Black people. ‘Whenthe Party's work was disrupted by COINTELPRO, the government programled by the FBland designed to neutralize and destroy civil rights and progressive organizations the government deemed threats to ‘American society. Fearing further attacks, Seth went underground to protect the work of the Black Panther Party and the Black movement in general. In June 1973, transit officer Sidney Thompson was shot and killed while trying to detain two men at a transit station in the Bronx Seth was arrested and convicted of attempted murder and other offenses including “collective association.” He was sentenced to 25 years to lfe. Seth had two children prior to his arrest and imprisonment, and he has remained closely involved their lives and upbringing, despite the difficulties presented by his long incarceration. His son Chunga lives and oI “I cherish my growing up because it was never a path of hatred or isolationism. Instead | learned resistance to the class oppressor, the enforcer of racist policies. | saw in my own poor community, a love of family and commitment to joint responsibility by my elders for all the people’s children. That sort of collective living was what inspired me to dream of ajust society, surrounded by people working together with each other.” oI ‘works in Atlanta His daughter Crystal, herself mother of an18-year-ald daughter, Myaisha, works as Co-Director of Racial Justice, YWCA of the Greater Triangle (NC). Myai- sha recently entered Occidental College in Los Angeles. Seth is a doting father and grandfather and calls his family "the loves of my life” Describing his relationship with Crystal, he says,‘She has had the most intense impact on my life, always questioning, full of joy and insight, grasping lessons and maintaining her own drearns, She has kept me striving always to expand my knowledge and illuminate ray principles, as | struggle to stay abreast of her questioning mind” A few years ago, Seth was diagnosed with Type Il diabetes. He has been extremely ill and has encoun- tered great difficulty procuring the necessary healthcare. He has needed the help of his lawyers and some state political leaders in order to get adequate treatment He also suffers from Hepatitis C, which did not respond to treatment In prison, Seth continues to work for the betterment of the community inwhich he lives. He has participated in programs with the NAACP the Jaycees and other orga- nizations, and has worked as 2 librarian, pre-release advisor and AIDS counselor. Whenever possible, he has taken college courses. He is also a longtime advisor and collaborator i “Certain Days,"the annual Free Political Prisoners Calendar project. He is dedicated to working for social justice when he gets out of prison. In October 2009, Seth married Sheila Prince Hayes. Seth with New York Prison Justice visitors IN HER SPIRIT ABDUL MAJID Age 61; Father and grandfather Sentence: 33 and a third years to ife. Incarcerated 28 years. Parole eligibility date: May, 2015 Write to Abdul at: Abdullah Majid #33-A-0485, Elmira Correctional Facil- ity PO Box 500, 1879 Davis St, Elmira, NY 14902-0500 ‘Abdullah Majid is a native of Queens New York and has beenimprisoned for over three decades. He was the fourth child offive boys, His two elder brothers and his father are deceased; he rernains very close with his elderly mother, wholives in Jamaica, Queens. ‘When Abdul was 15 years old, he writes, "My political awareness began in earnest, around the time of the mur- der of £l Hajj Abdul Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X)."He began working in the Grass Roots Advisory Council, an anti- poverty program in Jamaica. After two years of atterpts togetfunding from cormmunity anti-poverty programs for ‘Abdul with his mother, Mrs. Laborde, and son, this work, Abdul moved on In the late 19605 he joined the Little Dhoruba Black Panther Party and the Republic of New Afrika. Abdul was invalved inmany of the community-based progrars of the BPP including the free health clinic free breakfast for children program, and efforts to decentralize the public schools and the police department_After the BPP was destroyed by the FBI's COINTELPRO program, ‘Abdul worked as a paralegal at Bronx Legal Services. On the night of April 1981, two New York Police officers were fired on by two men during a traffic stop. Police claim they made the traffic stop in connection with several burglaries butat other times they claimed that the van was pulled over because of ts suspected connection to the liberation of Assata Shakur from aNew lersey prison Regardless of the reason for the stop, the occupants responded by opening fire on the police, shooting both officers,killing one officer, John Scarangella, and injuring the other Afew daysafter the shooting, police began circulating 2 folder of *suspects,” which consisted exclusively of photos depicting former mernbers of the Black Panther Party and their associates. The police and media identified Abdul (then known as Anthony Laborde) and Bashir Hameed (James York) as chief suspects in the case. The two soon becare targets of a “shoot to kill” manhunt Bashir was arrested in August 1981 in South Carolina. Abdul was arrested in Philadelphia in January 1982 and was brutally beaten by police after his arrest Over afive-year period, Bashir and Abdul were tried three times for this incident. The main witness against thern was a man who was hypnotized by the police to help him to remember what hed seen. The first trial ended in 2 hung jury divided along racial lines In the second trial the judge declared a mistrial 8 E ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS immediately after the jury rendered a decision acquitting Bashir on the rmurder charge. The third trial was presided over by Judge Gallagher (son and brother of cop). Throughout the trial, cops harassed Abdul and Bashir's family members and supporters. A racially stacked jury in the third trial returned a guilty verdict and sentenced Abdul and Bashir to 33 and 1/3 yearstoife. secccccsssccccsssccccsssscccssss “The government has not been totally successful in its attempts to criminalize our struggle for self-determination. The masses do understand the courageous positions of those who are jailed as a result of their political acts. 1 believe the only guarantee we prisoners of war and political prisoners have of staying alive and surviving is by keeping our conditions and status before the public, both domestically can internationally.” ssc00cccss00000ss000000s000000 00 During Abdul's imprisonment, he was beaten by prison guards,for which he received $15,000 in compen- sation. That compensation, however, was reversed when, in 2006, an upstate jury ruled that Abdul rmust pay $42 million in civil damages to the families of the two police officers he is charged with shooting in the gunfight The money Abdul would have received for being beaten by guards instead was included in the millions of dollars he has o pay tothe police officers and their families. Abdul will never eam near that much money, so the families will automatically take anything he ears over $50 as long as he is in prison (As a result, Abdul requests that supporters not send commissary funds directly to him.) Both Abdul and Bashir, devout Muslims, continued to apply their religious and political principles to struggle against injustice and racisrm behind the walls. Asa result of these activities, both men gained the widespread respect of prisoners. Both men were also targeted for punishment by prison authorities because of their stand- ing among the prison population. ‘Throughout 2007-08, Bashir became seriously illwith cancer.His treatment was repeatedly delayed and his health continued to fail On August 30, 2008, Bashir Harneed passed away. Abdul continues to serve as a mentor to younger pris- oners. He has been active in religious and educational programs, and participates in long-timers groups at every prison heisin ‘Abdul with visitors from Malcolm X Commemoration Committee and Muia Coalition IN HER JALIL MUNTAQIM Age 59; Father, grandfather and great grandfather Sentence: 25 years to ife. Incarcerated 39 years and eligible for parole since 2002. Jalil has had four parole appearances; denied each time due to “the nature of the offense” Write to Jall at: Anthony Jalil Bottom #77A4283 Auburn CF, PO, Box 618, Auburn, NY 13021 Jall with Malcolm X Grassroots Movement visitors Jalil Muntagirn (Anthony Bottom) went to prison an expect- ant father in 1971 His daughter was bom while he was behind bars,and years later, she gave birth to a daughter. Neither has everknown atime when Jalil was not a prisoner et for nearly 4oyears Jalil has struggled tobe 2 good father and grandfather He has also stayed connected to outside movements for social justice. Bom in 1951 in Oakland, California, Jalil spent his early years in San Francisco and attended high school in San Jose, caming a scholarship to an advanced math and science prograrn. In high school he was a leading member of the Black Student Union and participated in NAACP youth organizing He was also a member of the House of Umoja, an affliate of Maulana Ron Karenga's cultural-nationalist US organization. ‘The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, I, served as an eye-opening experience for Jall, exposing the depth of racism and injustice in the U'S. After high school,Jalil became a social ‘worker—and he joined the Black Panther Party toseek solutions to the issues affecting his cormmunity. One of the central issues was defending the community against police brutality. During thelate 19605 and early 705, there were shoot-outs between police and Party members, with deaths on both sides Jalilwas arrested in1g71and triedin 1973 for the killing of two New York City police: officers After one trial ended in a hung jury, lalil was convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life. (The case is known as the New York Three; Jalils codefendants are Herman Bell and Albert Nuh ‘Washington, who died behind bars in New York State in 2000) In prison,Jalil has remained active as ahuman rights advocate. In1976, from San Quentin prison, he launched the National Pris- oners Campaign to petition the United Nations to recognize the existence of political prisoners in the United States. Progressive people natiomwide joined this effort, and the petition was sub- “Since my imprisonment, | have been held in four major maximum security prisons in California and six different maximum security prisons in New York State. It was while in the infamous Adjustment center in San Quentin, celled next door to the indomitable Ruchell Magee, that the idea was first generated to petition the United Nations on the existence of political prisoners in the United States. Hence in 1976 | launched the National Prisoners Campaign to Petition the United Nations... This effort created the conditions for Lennox Hinds and the National Conference of Black Lawyers to have the UN International Commission of Jurists tour ULS. prisons and speak with specific political prisoners. The International Commission then reported to the UN Subcommittee on Discrimination and Treatment of Minorities that political prisoners did, in fact, exist in the United States.” eesccscccssessccssesscssccsccses mitted to a subcommittee of the UN. in Geneva, Switzerland Jalil has worked to provide basic education for other inmates, and advocates to ensure the fairest, most humane treatment for all prisoners. Over the years, Jalil has received awards from the Jaycees, the NAACE and Project Build for his active participation and leadership in community betterment programs inside the prisons. In 1994, he graduated from SUNY-New Paltz with a Bachelor of Science Degree in psychology and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in sociology.Jalil plans to pursue his Master’s degree. In 2007 Jalilwas indicted as oneof the San Francisco 8 in a3s-year old case that was originally dismissed because the evidence was procured through torture. After years of unified resistance by the brothers and the building of massive support, California State pros- ecutors were forced to admit that they had insufficient evidence to pursuethe case. Charges against mostof the defendants were finally dropped,and the prosecutor offered and accepted pleas to greatly reduced charges from Jalil Muntaqim and Herman Bell in exchange for time served and probation ‘Waverly Jones Ir the son of one of the New York City police officers Killed in Jalils case, has testified on behalf of his family in support of Jalil's parole application. Addressing the parole commissioners, Mr Jones said, " don't see Mr. Bottom or his codefendant Herman Bell as someone that is going to come out of prison and commit violent crimes or anything of that nature. Their spirtis still eager to do good and 1 pray that the Parole Board will look at the context and time [of Jalil with Dequi from Malcolm X the offense] and send a message to me of healing” Commemoration Committee IN HER SPIRIT SEKOU ODINGA Age 66 eight children and many grandchildren Sentence: Sekou completed a 20-year federal sentence for two counts of racketeering and is now serving a New York sentence of 25 years to ife. Parole eligibility date: August 2033 Write to Sekou at: Sekou Odinga #0g-A-3775, Shawangunk Cor- rectional Facility, PO. Box 700, Wallkill, NY 12589 Sekou Odinga was bom and raised in Queens in a family of nine—mother, father and seven children. He began his adult- hood as a community organizer in Jamaica Queens, New York At the age of 18 he joined the Grassroots Advisory Council to develop and enact anti-poverty programs to combat horneless- ness and hunger in his neighborhood. By the age of 20 he joined the Jamaica Cornmunity Corporation, coaching a basketball team for disadvantaged youth. A year later he was employed with a community program working for better housing His passionand commitment to community service came from his parents. "My father, Albert Bums, was a hard worker in the field of aviation,” Sekou writes.“He sacrificed to make sure we had the necessi- ties. My mother, Carrie, always had a hug for me and stressed the importance of education. She turned an old china closet in our house into a library full of books and articles” In 1968, at the age of 22, Sekou, full of commitment to human Sekou Odinga rights and a vision of a better world,joined the emerging Black Panther Party. As an activist with the Party he provided com- munity services such as free breakfast for school children and better health care services in the community. After becoming a coordinator in the Bronx chapter of the Black Panthers, Sekou helped to start a Panther office in Harlem Sekou and other Black Panthers soon began to experience significant police repression. Aspects of this repression (including the murder of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark in Chicago in Decernber of 1969) wete Iater detailed in Congressional Hearings on the FBT's illegal COINTELPRO, Other illegal actions carried out by law enforcement agencies provided the basis, years later, for a successful lawsuit by activists in New York ity against a special squad of the New York City Police Department This squad had been responsible for attempting to disrupt progressive political activities. Examples of viclent and ilegal actions by the F8I against the Panthers abounded: In January of 1969, two prominent members of the Black Panther Party, Bunch Carter and John Huggins, were murdered; another Panther, Joan Bird was arrested and beaten by the police. Sekou decided to go into hiding to avoid a similar fate. On April 2,1969, in the early moming hours, the apartment where Sekou was staying was surtounded 2 E ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS escscseccsssscccsssscccssssscccsss “I was charged with six counts of attempted murder of police, for shooting over my shoulder while being chased and shot at. When | was captured, | was burned with cigars, beaten, had my head flushed in toilets, threatened with being thrown out a window. This went on for about six hours, when they were trying to get me to give up information on other comrades. | was captured in October 1981 and didn’t get out of the hospital until February '82. My children are the light at the end of this tunnel. | yearn for the opportunity to be close to them, nurture and embrace.” secccccscssccecsssccccsssscccssss and attacked by armed police. He managed to avoid capture. More convinced than ever of danger to his life, he fled the country. He and 20 other Black Panther Party mernbers were falsely charged with criminal conspiracy in the New York “Panther 21" case. Sekou was charged and tried in absentia. Allthe defendants ‘were acquitted (in 45 minutes of jury deliberation). The case becarme a well-known example of FBl and police misconduct Sekouater returned to the United States and continued to participate in the struggle for justice. OnOctober 20,1981a Brinks truck was tobbed in Nyack, NY. A Brinks guard and two policemen were killed Artested at the scene were individuals associated with the Black Liberation Army, along with white anti- imperialists, some of whorn and been linked to the Weather Underground. Law enforcement immediately launched a full-scale hunt for former BPP/BLA merbers they thought might have knowledge of the robbery. ‘Three days later, police in Queens stopped a car containing Sekou and Mtayari Shabaka Sundiata.In the ensuing shootout, Mtayari was killed by police bullets and Sekou was arrested. No police officer was injured Sekou was so severely beaten after his arrest that his pancreas ‘had tobe removed He was then charged in New York State court with attempted murder of a police officer In a separate federal prosecution, he,along with many others, was charged with racketeering (RICO) for eventsincluding the Brinks incident, although Sekouwas not accused of participatingin the robbery. He was convicted in both the federal and state prosecutions and received 40 yearsand 25 yearsto life respectively. “This past spring he corpleted his federal sentence and was transferred to New York to commence his 25-year-to-life sentence. In prison, Sekou has remained a dedicated Muslim, and has con- tinued his lifetime of community activism. At Lewisburg Federal Cortection Facility in 1993, he organized an NAACP chapter to assist Sekou at Shawangunk inmates of color. At the Allensburg Facility in 1994 he organized the Black Culture Society, which conducted educational and cultural programming for inmates and staff. For 5 years in the Marion Correctional Facility he was a foreign language instructor in Arabic. 23 IN HER SPIRIT Poem for M — Untitled Assata Shakur ‘When the night weighs heavy & the wind i stil, Yeraya dances She moves gently, swaying her soul, and pumping her love into the thick, salty air Her hips work softly, drawing circles that grow into spirals, engulfing and embracing the universe. At times she dances wildly like an unbroken stallion, thrusting her hips and thrashing her bottom, dipping and pushing, bending and bouncing, until the sea begins to gyrate. ‘The ocean bubbles giddily,like champagne kisses, fizzing in the wind. Yemays shakes so hard sometimes that mountains trerble & trees bow down, and sing her praises, But sometimes when nights are hushed & life is sluggish, Yemaya lies on her side and watches as the sea sticks out its tongue, and licks away all traces of footsteps in the sand. ‘They are footprints that Yemay loves deeply. They are the footprints that pave the way. ‘They are the living spirits of those wholived and fought for freedom - rebellious slaves, defiant natives, mutinous soldiers & unruly immigrants ‘Their spirits still struggle. They were the ones who raised their voices until everybody heard. They ‘were the ones who ran till they had no feet, and fought tillthey had no ‘hands. They were the ones who were raped, imprisoned, and burned as witches ‘Mutilated & hurailiated, they kept on fighting. They marched unti they couldn't stand. And even when they had no legs, they stood tall on stubs. On the stage of the night those footprints shine like stars. 2 FREE ALL PO ‘When Yemaya calls,they run happily to her side. And tenderly she holds them close, rocking gently, caressing them with soft rosebuds of kisses. ‘The footprints glow in brilliant neon colors and when they dance their soles sparkle. ‘They dance wildly, jumping and kicking, they are ecstatic because they know they are unstoppable ‘They are the blood of history, they are the sweat of destiny. ‘They are the footprints that can never be washed away. A Yemayi is elated. Hundreds of thousands of footprints are dancing ‘The footprints start to chant and Yeray bends down tolisten "We keep loving ‘We keep learning ‘We cannot be stopped ‘We keep growing ‘We keep coming ‘We cannot be stopped We cannot die ‘And we will never be defeated ‘We willlive forever ‘We will dance forever In the bosom of freedom” Assata Shakur Assata Shakur July 2010 IN HER SPIRIT CRISTINA PERI ROSSI A MARILYN BUCK, IN MEMORIAM Nollegué a conocer a Marilyn Buck, no apreté sumano, no la miré a s ojos, no escuché su sonora isa. Nos separaban muchos quildmetros de distancia y algunas rejas. Peto me envis por correo un par de fotografias, y reconaci sus rasgos clidos firmes, sus labios voluntariosos. Tenia una hermosa letra, despejada, abierta, de persona honesta y sincera. Le envié algunas cartas por correo, en esta época de emails y de Facebook, algunas cartas y algunas postales de la ciudad en que vivo, Barcelona. Y un par de fotos mias. Graciela Trevisan hizo de hada madrina. Me dijo que Marilyn queria traducir mi libro de poemas Estado de exilio, yo acepté de inmediato: sé que quienes aman un libro, se identifican con él, son los mejores traductores. Marilyn vivia en el exilio de un penal, yo he vivido en el exlio del margen, dela no integracion, de la extranjeridad. Fue nuestro cordén umbilical. i entrela persona a quien quieres conocer y ti suele haber cinco intermediarias, en este caso, para Marilyn, basts con una: Graciela Trevisan. Y City Lights publicd el libro. No podiamos tener una correspondencia muy asidua, pero hay corunicaciones subterraneas, que pasan por el inconsciente. Un dia me dijo que queria traducir mi libro de relatos Desastres intimos y yo acepté, era nuestro nuevo vinculo, Me alegré infinitamente cuando a través de Graciela supe que Marilyn podia recuperar la libertad en poco tierpo, Y me pregunté como seria para ella de nuevo, de excitante y a la vez de angustioso saber que ‘empezaria una nueva vida. La noticia de su enfermedad me fulmind. Recordé aquellos versos de César Vallejo: “IHay golpes, enla vida, tan fuertes// como la cdlera de Dios™! Primero,pasé porla etapa de rechazo: no es posible, no puede ser la vida no puede ser tan dura,es injusto, 10 se lo merece. Pero mezclar la justicia con la vida y la rmuerte es un intento de racionalizar el misterio irreductible de la existencia. Enla segunda etapa, tuve una leve, vana esperanza, que quise transmitirle, como el agua al sediernto. Peronomelo creia. Hay un misterio insondable en el hecho de que Marilyn haya ruerto precisamente ahora. Un misterio que me duele y contra el que me sublevo, pero que acepto desdela amistad que senti hacia ella,la cornpasion, el dolor y el respeto. Me sumo al homenaje que se rinde a esta mujer llena de coraje y de valor. ¥ de amor. Cuistina Per Rossi Barcelona, septiernbre, 2010 2 E ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS (Translated by Graciela Trevisan) TO MARILYN BUCK, IN MEMORIAM Inever met Marilyn Buck, nor shook her hand, norlooked at her in her eyes, nor heard her sonorous laugh. We were separated by a distance of many kilometers and some bars. But she sent me a couple of photographs in the mail, and I recognized her warr, firm features, her willing lips She had beautiful handwriting: clearand open, that of an honest = and sincere person. I sent her some letters by mail, in this time of ‘e-mails and Facebook, some letters and some postcards of the city ‘where I live, Barcelona. And a couple of photos of mine. Graciela Trevisan played the role of fairy godmother " She told me Marilyn ‘wanted to translate rmy book of poerns Estado de exilio, and I immediately agreed: 1 know that those who love a book and identify with it make the best translators. Marilyn lived in the exile of a prison. 1 have lived in the exile of the margin, of the non-integration, of the foreignness. This was our umbilical cord.If betoween the person you want to meet and you there are five inter- mediaries,in this case, for Marilyn, one was enough: Graciela Trevisan. And City Lights published the book ‘We couldn't have an assiduous correspondence, but there are subterranean communications by way of the unconscious. One day, Marilyn told me she wanted to translate ry book of stories Desastres intimos, and Iaccepted: it was our new bond Twas infinitely happy when [ learned from Graciela that Marilyn would reclaim her freedom in a short time. And Iwondered how new, exciting and at the same time distressing it would be for herto know that she would start a new life. ‘The news of her llness was devastating to me. I remembered then those verses by César Vallejo, “There are blows, in lfe, 5o strong/ like God's wrath!” First, 1 went through the stage of denial: its not possible, it cannot be, life cannot be so hard, it unjust, she doesn't deserve it. But to mix justice with life and death is an attempt to rationalize the inreducible mystery of our existence. In the second period, [ had a slight, vain hope, which I wanted to transmit to her, like giving water toa thirsty person. But I didn't believe it ‘There is an unfathomable mystery in the fact that Marilyn died precisely now. A mystery that pains me and against which I rebel, but that I accept because of the friendship I felt towards her, the compassion, the pain and the respect 1join the homage that is paid to this woman full of courage and strength. And love. Cristina Peri Rossi Barcelona, September, 2010 27 IN HER SPIRIT O Death, wait Gie one Time To prepare & fumiral i e Ternder spoing o sepet what e sy bt te bty bomeland 0 Ductl, st L e fack g b g My Tootllrisk, my sost and razer, = fiersbae, some latles to the wesilen mild there) Do situstions changsim ik domly, Is ot Look enough To keep e entertained with o do | i whole Llrang) What Lo do ey spesl thne) < cllogial fo wirgons o clussical Prabic) Hbomood Dk, (rom Allidarigge Munal), 1994 ‘This is a poem that Marilyn cherished She had saved, savored, and hidden it in the back of her precious journal book, where I found it after she died. —Soffiyah 28 Yuri Kochiyama's Tribute to Marilyn DELIVERED AT SPARKS FLY! — OAKLAND, MARCH 2010 TWANT TO HONOR A MOST UNUSUAL OLTSTANDING AND DYNAMIC WOMAN ACTIVIST Many of us have not see Marilyn for some years, as she has been incarcerated for 25 years, most of that time at the Dublin women's prison (where again she became invisible) But this coming August 8th she is finally to be released! Marilyn is one of the most well known women activists in the US. But most of us, the public, have no idea of how her incredible life has taken its toll. We know now that she is fighting cancer. However, she just manages to keep going Marilyn is not just an activist, Marilyn was a teacherin prison.She taught inmates. She was alsoaskilled writer and a poet She alsotrans- lated a Latina woman’s work from Spanish into English Marilyn s heldin high esteem by both fellow inmates and even prison authorities. But we, her movement comrades, should feel that we have gained probably more then anyone else by wanting to see the kind of things that Marilyn has done in her life ‘Marilyn has an awesome history. She fought against racisrm, inequality and injustice. We must all move beyond just admiring ‘Marilyn. To honor her life we must see her not only as an icon but as Marilyn Buck Though famous as she s, she would want us o see her as one us, and she is. She has made her own. history and the history for women Again, thanks to Sparks Fy for bringing us together to honor Marilyn Buck. Not again as anicon but s a sister in our struggle who taughtusaboutlife and the difference we can make by working together. —Yuri Kochiyama Vuri visiting Marilyn at FCI Dublin IN HER SPIRIT FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISO! Sunday, November 7, 2010 >~ 4:00-7:30 pm First Unitarian Church 685 14th St. Oakland CA. 94612 IN HER SPIRIT Clockwise from top left: Marilyn with Lolita Lebron, FCl Alderson, 1976 % Susan Rosenberg, Silvia Baraldini and Laura Whitehorn, FCI Marianna with Hamedah Hasan, Linda Evans, Hamdiya Cooks, and Laura, FCI Dublin with Alicia and Lucy Rodriguez, Dublin & with Ida McCray and chessboard Marilyn made for Ida's son, Jundi, Dublin with Carmen Valentin and visitor Mitsuye Yamada, Dublin FROM BEHIND THE WALLS Marilyn's single-minded resolve to struggle for justice and liberation and her steadfast resistance over the years of her incarceration have been an example to an entire generation of political prisoners, and to many other prisoners as well The following tributes to Marilyn are from men and women who are still behind the walls. They all reflect what s so beautifully stated by Ruchell Cinque, one of the longest held political prisoners in the U.S.: “Comrade Marilyn'’s spirit will forever live in my heart, my mind and my on-going battle for liberation.” IN HER SPIRIT Feb. 11,1990 we walk inside walls 3 pairs of feet whisper softly against cruel pavement a cold crisp morning the sun promises to touch us if we stay longer one hour time's up we must go 9:16 A M. across the sea in Africa 4:16 PM. the sun touches Nelson Mandela’s last footsteps echo off prison walls he passes through steel gates into the radiance of African voices “Mandela is free” “Free South Africa” the sun breaks through these bars ‘we too stand in sweet company Washington DC. jail —Marilyn Buck February 11,1990 First published in Conspiracy of Voices: Poetry, Writings and Art by the women of the Resistance Conspiracy Case, 1990. 1t will appear in the forthcoming book of poetry by Masilyn nside Shadows FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM BEHIND THE WALLS FROM SUNDIATA ACOLI #39794-066 FCIOtisville, PO, Box 1000, Otisvile, NY 10963 CELEBRATION OF MARILYN BUCK I've always felt a special affinity to Marilyn, perhaps because she was a "home girl’—born and bred in Texas like me, tho' on the other side of the tracks. Perhaps another reason was her beauty; stunning and statuesque - but mainly it was her genuine identification with and dedication to the struggles of oppressed people of color in general, and the Black Liberation struggle in particular. ‘Marilyn was the epitome of the John Brown type of Black support of which Malcolm X spoke. And for that the enemy made her pay a heavy price,in fact the ultimate price. But she was a warrior who never ‘wavered, never backtracked, never surrendered - and tho' weary, stayed true to the end No oppressed ‘people could have asked for more - or for a better comrade. ‘Marilyn was also a poet, and equally powerful so, as demonstrated by her poem, “Thirteen Springs.” So potent s it that my loved ones have pledged themselves to plant a tree for Marilyn - so that we might remernber and honor her, and celebrate her life down thru the generations, Sundiata Acoli KCIOtisville, NY LR 35 IN HER SPIRIT FROM JALIL MUNTAQIM #77A4283 ‘Auburn CF,PO. Box 618, Auburn, NY 13021 “WITH ALL MY HEART" Bound by chains you would laim ‘They sustain a reason to remain Sane ina world of racial turmoil. Each link with each desperate move Tightens across your chest making Breathing uneasy when a single Child was unable to eat, sleep or live free ‘Wrapped in a steel coil as would an ‘Anaconda, resistance is futile, you Settle yourself with determined will To challenge and unselfishly transform Its embrace into kinetic energy of a (Rlevolutionary. You know its squeeze ‘would only make you stronger. Captured inits gray polished glint, Motivated, you never relent - arming Yourself and others with notions of Ereedom, emancipation, liberation - To think free, to lve free, despite Efforts to incapacitate the beauty of Your words, ideas and spirit in action. ‘The metallic chain rattles and clinks ‘When it attracts the rusty metal filings Of curious minds who wanted to know ‘The meaning of your chains, why you ‘Were bound so tight - ke a magnetic Force they came to you twisting and flailing ‘With misunderstanding and interpretations of American history, and what it means o be ~WOMAN. 36 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS And, with every attraction the chain's gleaming Became more restrictive, grew stronger in Knowing your soul could not be hamnessed Or contained. ‘The chains bite into your flesh, gnawing into your bones, the marrow of your Existence. And you gleefully accepted, Sitting as your lfe blood escaped its Capillaries seeping into dry earth to Nourish the gardens, pastures of rebellion And insurrection. The sacrifice that only ‘Those similarly chained know, the pain Of sacrifice. Against all odds, the fruit Of yourlabor gave birth to many more Prepared, ready, eager to be chained, ‘Bound by your exarple. For it has been said, one labors for that ‘Which oneloves, one loves that for which Onelabars, For these chains, your chains, our chains, Are of love, the love of freedom, the Love of humanity, the love of ife that Al sincere revolutionaries are bound - ‘The unbreakable chains of love each of us ‘Arelinked until Divine Providence calls us homel Marilyn, we celebrate your lovel —Jalil A Muntagim 37 IN HER SPIRIT FROM SEKOU ODINGA #09A3775 Shawangunk Correctional Facility, O. Box 700, Wallkil, NY 12589 In the name of Allah the Beneficient the Merciful ‘To my dear comrade, Marilyn ‘With love, honor and respect, say that you were “Sirnply the best!” A 3 K FROM HERMAN BELL #79C0262 Sullivan Correctional Faclity, PO. Box 16, Fallsburg, NY 12733-0m6 MY DEAREST MARILYN, ‘You shall always be thought o, loved, and missed by all of us. Your resolute character and dominant spirit attest to why we feel as we do about you. Dr. King would have it said of him that he tried to help somebody. Most assuredly we would have the same said of you ‘You spent years in prison. And while there, you led by example: tutoring, translating, resolving dis- ‘putes, writing your beautiful poetry and essays, and eaming 2 graduate degree Throughout all this time, you remained current and attuned tolocal, national, and viorld events. ‘Your imprisonment might have been shortened somewhat had you and other comrades not accepted aplea in your case so that our comrade brother, Dr. Alan Berkman, would be released from custody and get proper medical care for his cancer. And you were present when our forces liberated Assata While others out there were reading the news, my dear sista, you were there making it, which is why comrades dont talk about it they be about it Andyet, as we pay tribute to your deeds and memorialize your name, the thought that you have walked into the night that awaits us all causes me to weep. But 1am encouraged by the notion that life is everlasting, that it expresses itselfin different forms on different planes, where new naratives, new ‘moments in tirme, and new beginnings abound. And I take comfort that the ancestors await you. ‘The good mernories we have of you, of your works and selfless deeds in the service of our people and of all humankind, remain with us; they rest well within our hearts and minds and are pleasing to draw upon "My dearest sista Marilyn Jean Buck,in the season of all that is good and everlasting, fare well, and well done. Love, your brother, comrade and friend, Herman Bell 38 E ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM MUTULU SHAKUR #83205-012 USP Florence Max, DB Unit, Cell 214, PO Box 7000, Florence, CO 81226 IN MEMORY OF MARILYN JEAN BUCK. Augusts, 2010 ‘This month, Black August, Marilyn Jean Buck has made her transition, an important date for we must add this great woman to the list of Martyrs that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our struggle and ‘human rights Marilyn Buck was my comrade. To those who resist oppression you could find no better comrade. The breadith of Marilyn’s contribution and sacrifice forbids e any special claim to her legacy. In my atternpt to honor her Il share a limited but significant journey when we united to struggle for a better world Al of Marilyn's adult life was the sharing of her powerful love. Marilyn’s life completely encorn- passed selflessness and sacrifice. Not on the sidelines but at the highest stage of the conflict between the just causes and those who oppress. She was a bad sister, a woman totally about the get down for the struggle. Because of the nature of the present political reality and the ability of the state to distort history | must make a point to mention Marilyn's race; Marilyn was of a Texas white protestant background, this fact becomes significant because in the 215t century she symbolizes the legacy of lohn Brown, Sam Mel- ville and many other great human beings who have allied themselves with the struggle of oppressed and against oppression. She was a very clear thinker who would transmit her analysis and assessment with passion and insight by way of poetry and prose. Her writings will be memorialized for all who search for the skill set of sainthood among the 215t century revolutionaries. She was always a lover of ife of the smallest of ‘God's creation. Have you seen her sketches? If sainthood is defined as someone who gives all of their worldly possessions and life for the good of those denied and their lives have been transformed as the result of her actions, Marilyn is a saint. T'm not ambivalent or hesitant to say that Marilyn Jean Buck will emerge among freedom lovers as a revolutionary saint of our times A stature I believe not left to the church definition, a definition we should define Marilyn's legacy will be defined by being engaged with acts of bravery at the vanguard of resistance. In our history under abjective definition, Marilyn will be counted among the Saints of the Black Liberation revolution ‘When the US government put Marilyn and myself on trial together I was honored to fight with her to define the revolutionary liberation struggle of our tirmes The government accusations of our role in the liberation of Assata Shakur from prison made her most proud. Most of Marilyn’ life was spent circurnventing the claws of the FBI's director ] Edgar Hoover, Coin-tel- pro's low intensity warfare designed to prevent the rise of a Black messiah leader Marilyn was targeted as anally of our struggle early on in the program.She never capitulated, she resisted. She would walk so proudly with a slight limp, the result of a bullet wound to her leg. Never asked pity, never limiting her desire to do the things that would make anyone’s heart smile 39 IN HER SPIRIT Tcan tell you that there is thunder of rage that vibrates thru out prison cells in the US fora beautiful spirit when released with only three weeks of freedom before her death. Itbreaks my heart that a person of so much love and passion was left abandoned on the doorstep in the dungeons of injustices. Marilyn and I were codefendants where we waged a significant collective struggle to wage battle on the legal battlefield for the dignity of the Black New African Liberation and the Anti Imperialist struggle ofourera. Td like to share with you an example of this woman's character. During our lengthy pre trialin the so-called Brinks - Assata Shakur liberation trial, the US attomey and the Joint Terrorist Task Force (ITTE) ‘were granted a court order to forcibly take blood and hair samples for DNA testing, in spite of our refusal to comply based on the principles established in the revolutionary movement of non-collaboration. On the day the order was to be enforced we were taken to the basement of the federal court in lower ‘Manhattan where at least 20 JTTF agents and federal marshals were prepared to do us bodily harm if needed to obtain the samples of hair and blood. I've never been into the civil rights tactic of non-violent resistance to violence. 1 know that the ITTF was capable of unthinkable torture. During the trip from MCC Federal Faclity to the court Marilyn and myself were in silence reflecting on the upcoming challenge. We communicated thru eye contact until we were lowered into the court sub basement. In my mind it was going to be controlled resistance. Tdintended to go first, but Marilyn rushed in front of me with her head held high accompanied by her attomeys Judy Holmes and ill Soffiyah Elijah for enforcement of the order. As Marilyn entered the room she tumed and gave me the twinkle in the eyes - Iknew it was on then s she entered, 10 beefy JTTF followed the in. As the door closed there was a brief period of silence Iasting about 20 seconds, what followed was the sounds of a wonderful woman mounting al out resis- tance ina spirit of dignity and determination It seem to me that all comers of the room was touched, it was ry hope for sake of my cornrade that it would be over quickly,than there was a period of pause, Ohhi! That lasted about 30 seconds, than it started up again, then I began to pray for my cornrade, not long after the doors swung open. Marilyn Jean Buck in chains and handcuffed in the notorious black box waist chains, though dishev- eled but majestic gave me a spirit smile combined with an expression of her personal victory but a sad- ness for what the future of society has to look forward to. s our eyes met without speaking we knew we were right to confront the state’s abuse of power, a judicial system out of control we had pity for what lay ahead for the masses. At that point my resolution was reinforced, civil rights tactics aside, I went forward for my ass kicking ‘with Marilyns smile in my mind's eye. I knew then that I had a comrade who would not take the path of least resistance. Our struggle was a just struggle, tiff resistance. I love and adrmire you Marilyn Buck. ‘Another snapshot of Marilyn’s sainthood; Marilyn pleaded guilty against her principles,to force the US government to free one of her comrade, Alan Berkman, who at the time was on his death bed with cancer, the same disease that deteriorated Marilyn's body during her imprisonment and eventually took herlife after a far too short period of relative freedorn. 40 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS Icannot and will not mourn Marilyn Jean Buck I mourn for those who never got a chance to be ‘embraced by herlife example and selfless spirit.she'llalways be a part of my life. There's a song that says, "No one can get in the way, I feel for you" that speaks for me. It seems right that if we had to lose Marilyn, that she would leave during the month of Black August ‘As wetraditionally fast, study, train and give honor to all o our freedom fights and the martyrs of our struggle. We will pass on her lfe example and sacrifices to the future generations to come, along with all of our heroes,stories, and legacy. Twill never forget my comrade Marilyn [ believe she was sent from the universe to aid and assist the oppressed. 'm not ashamed of the tears that flowed uncontrollably when I received the news she went back to heaven Here in ADX my tears are for a world where there existed a person who's life example could be the pathway that could help heal this world's broken soul. Tlove you Marilyn, forgive me my shortcomings. Sister I didn't know the end was so near I celebrate our collective history. I'm honored to be a part of your legacy. You'll always be a part of my daydream of ‘whatlife free of prejudice could be. Iwill make it out from behind these walls and I willtell the world of your legacy. I'm so honored to have known you and struggled with you. On this day of remembrance, my dear Mariyn, | hope you had a chance to be loved unconditionally, that you got a chance to dance with abandonment to the salsa music you loved so much, that you wrote the perfect poem.It's my hope that our struggle didn't break your heart, 1 know it did not dirm your spirit. Your vision has always been the protection of ife not of death. Your love for us resides in a place that will e forever - our love for you will not die. Longlive the example of Marilyn Jean Buck, a beautiful spirit of ultimate selflessness and sacrifice, ‘whose life was guided by love for the oppressed and who met each challenge at the front of the spear. Farwell until the next journey where we will gather for the next existence, embrace Kuwasi Balagon, Mtayari Sundiata, Alan Berkman, Lumurnba Shakur, Zayd Shakur, Basheer Hameed, Nuh Washington, Sandra Pratt and all the wonderful souls waiting for their next assignment, In your memory Tlove you forever Stiff Resistance Dr. Mutulu Shakur e 1E R B o n IN HER SPIRIT FROM DAVID GILBERT #83A6158 Clinton Correctional Facilty, PO, Box 2001, Dannemora, NY 12029 HOW I MET MARILYN BUCK 1967was 2 hothouse for intense, rapid changes in SDS (tudents for a Democratic Society, the main radical student organization that allied with the Black struggle and spearheaded the anti-war move- ‘ment). Our new goal was to“move from protest to resistance,” and we were in the midst of a soon to be successful effort to define the system we were up against as “US. imperialism.” 1967 was also the year that SDS held its first national workshop on women’s liberation. At that time, there had been almost no explicit struggle about male supremacy within the white New Left At a spring planning session for the summer convention, women's liberation was tacked on to a long lst of workshops, without any discus- sion of its significance. But as the women's only workshop met, out on the lawn at the University of Michigan that June, all who passed by could feel electricity in the air ‘That workshop’s report was presented to the plenary by Marilyn Buck. The reaction from the floor to the mere mention of the topic was wild and unruly. Men hooted and whistled, threw paper planes at the stage, and shouted out such gems as, "Il iberate you with my cock” The scene was more than upsetting SDS's self-definition was all about siding with the oppressed, so I had thought that, even with litle previ- ous struggle, the men would have at least been open to the issue. Clearly we had a lot of struggle ahead of us. My other powerful impression from that day was the dignified and determined way that Marilyn chaited that session. She never lowered herself to respond in kind to the carcalls and snide remarks, but neither did she retreat one inch in the cace of the onslaught. She calraly and firmly insisted on complet- ing her report, having a serious discussion and then voting And, with the support of most women and ‘many men,the resolution passed. ‘This event proved to be a watershed for our movement. As the first major salvo to open up women's liberation within the New Left, it also exposed the appalling depths of male supremacy within our ranks For me it was also a striking introduction to the extraordinary cornrade who held the stage that day. Over the years, my respect, admiration and love for Marilyn only grew as she became our movement's finest example of a white person fighting in solidarity with Black liberation, as Ilearned how caring and loving she was on the personal level, as [ saw how incredibly gracefully she did hard prison time. My hope today is that each of us can carry some of her tenacious commitment to principles and her tender Love for peaple in everything we do. 36 ¥ 35 OF 3K 0 X a2 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM ROBERT “SETH" HAYES #74-A-2280 ‘Wende CF, Wende Rd., PO Box 187, Alden, NY 13004-1187 ‘TRIBUTE TO MARILYN My sister. I cannot address you in any other fashion. You are my family and your legacy lives on i e/ us Tam saddened by your passing because it means an absence of us sharing physical positive, ‘moments. But I rejoice that you've moved on and now watch vigilantly over us. ‘Your thoughts, words, poems and comments sustain us and keep us moving. But most of all your cour- age, practices and strong principals light up the path [ still travel “You will be missed, but never forgotten. Each moment everyday, season by season. We will remember, ‘uphold, embrace and even cry a few tears. Still in our hearts and minds your revolutionary spirit will be an example tolast 10 life times ‘We Honor you, For just causel ‘Your comrade in arms. Robert "Seth” Hayes 43 IN HER SPIRIT FROM ABDUL MAJID #83-A-0483 Elmira Correctional Faciity PO Box 500, 1879 Davis S, Elmira, New York 14902-0500 ATRIBUTE TO MARILYN BUCK Tam writing this tribute with a heavy and saddened heart at the loss of yet another comrade and friend Marilyn represented the best of america’s true patriotic daughters, not only in words but deeds as well Marilyn could have taken the same toad as some of her contemporaries did when the going got tough,and melted back into mainstream society, taking advantage of their “white skin privilege.” Instead, she chose to stay true to her principles, that all people were equal in the eyes of the Creator and the laws of this land, and that an injustice against one was an injustice against all of us. Marilyn came from a family of progressives going back to the human (civil rights era of struggle of Africans in America and other oppressed minority groups of people in the 50’ and 60's Being denied the fundamental rights that the dominant society took for granted That, in conjunction ‘with this government's foreign imperialist policies of domination over poor and oppressed Third World countries, led her to take direct action in support of the many struggles for national liberation both domestically and foreign Even after her capture, Marilyn continued to take a principled position of non-collaboration with the *“state" Where perhaps, by renouncing her former corrades and activities, she could have bargained for an earlier release from prison, Marilyn continued to support progressive struggles through her writings, ‘poems,art,essays,etc. Until her last dying breath Marilyn chose to remain true to her revolutionary principles and her com- rades still in the clutches of us. imperialism’s domestic gulags. Marilyn, like those comrades before her ‘who departed much too soon from this life, leaves behind her 2 legacy and model for what America can become So,we must pick up where Marilyn and others ke her have left off,carrying the struggle to its final conclusion Transferring this economic, political and social systern to one based on the needs of the ‘many, and not the greed of the few: Sister Marilyn, we salute you and your life’s work will not have been invain. Injihad, ‘Abdullah Majid. m E ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS MESSAGES FOR MARILYN FROM WOMEN PRISONERS AT CARSWELL After learning of Marilyn's death, women at FCI.Dublin and FMC-Carswell gathered to remember and honor her together. Most of what was said in these gatherings was not captured on paper,but the love and respect of ‘women inside is represented by these statements from women who cared for her at FMC-Carswell FROM CAYCEE EVANS: Ourloss is on a level of its own. Marilyn left us beautiful memories and shared wisdom and gave her allin something she believed in. 1 know without a doubt she believed in each of us. She left each of us agift,and the privilege to know her remember peeking in her room when she just got back from the hospital. 1looked at her in that bed so frail My heart broke.knew she needed me to be strong as she has been for all of us. To see her body betray her mind was awful. 1 walked in and smiled and her tears rolled ‘down.She told me the doctor said she had only 60 days to live. Iwas in shock all o its own.I sat there and had the nerve to tell her, “The Marilyn I know s a fighter” She couldn't get over the doctor telling her she only had 60 days. I hugged her and she took a short nap. I sat there and watched her and prayed. Twent and got a few people who I knew would lft her spirit and when they left, Marilyn told me that Igave her back her strength and not to feel sorry for herself. I said, “Oh Marilyn, did nothing,"and she told me to shut up (LOL), and said 1 do more for her than I knew I never went to sleep last night I know you all hurt because I do. She loves you all so much, and was thankful for all the prayers and support If you talk to her brothers, please tell them their visits and closure with her gave her 2 peace and glow My own pain is deep, raw, and uncut of the loss feel for you. I can't and won't question God's will But tosay T understand, T have no clue. 1 do believe in my heart you are in a better place, but 1 am selfish and still want you here, without the cancer, without the pain you suffered in the end. I love you and always will Marilyn. 1 hope to one day make you and the rest you left behind proud of me. Oh, my beautiful ‘Marilyn, may you rest in peace and watch over all of us FROM MARY WILSON: ‘When Marilyn first arrived here and we talked, it fel like Id won a rillion dollar lottery. Being able to talkto one another openly and know you're secure is not an everyday practice here. Now let me speak on what Marilyn’s friendship meant to me. She is what I refer to as “The Breath of Life,"because of the formula she articulated, a journey one only dreams about. she allows you to fiy like a dove. She brings out the best in you. She demonstrated what love and loyalty truly mean Once you eam her respect and friendship, it lasts an eternity. Marilyn leaves such positive thoughts through action, it stays with you. Tmet her 21 years ago, and the friendship we had was so real that when I saw her again, it was as though we had never parted. She s so honest, and has such a refined way of expressing herself in essence, to know Marilyn was to know the true meaning of friendship and unconditional love. She was one ina lifetime and I miss her still T know it was fate that allowed me to be here for her It allowed us toget closure on some unresolved issues. It allowed us to see our personal growth over the years. I know she was at peace with you all because her last conversation with me was she didn't want to die here. She IN HER SPIRIT ‘wanted to spend time with her friends and family if only for one day. She wanted to die with dignity. She was strong beyond words. There were days when we just sat quietly, cried together, got angry with each other. But through it all she knew I had her and was going to do everything I could for and with her. ‘We even watched soccer in Spanish (smile)t FROM ANDREA DALLAS: TRIBUTE TO MARILYN BUCK A woran, a beautiful, wonderful, strong worman. A woman so filled with wisdom so gentle, 5o hum- ble, yet proud of the people. “The People.” she'd say, “Are the answer to change” She often would receive letters or info on the outside of the fence of political, or beautiful writings She would be so eager to share and tell me as her face so lit up with joy to show me. I come to believe she waslike a spirit of grandma so great, so full of encouragement, pure in heart. She often told me "Our brother will be free, just pray, he will go home She spoke of - Leanard Peltier ~ our brother in a war of being human, shed say. She—Miss Buck—has a greatness within her that even overflowed into her siblings. Her brother I believe is a healer at my local hospital on the Northern Arizona Navajo Reservation. He also is spoken highly of among “The People.” As she leaves us physically I strongly believe she is part of all she knew and all who knew her.She has a love in her words that conveyed a natural tie to the real of what is uni- versal of us all—its compassion, strength, and above all, Unconditional Love. Tmet her awhile back when she saw me this time of returning. All she said was, "How are you, Kiddo?” She never grilled me as to why I'm back or what happened, it just was TLove You Miss Buck, May Creator receive you, and welcome you home to the spirit world with wide- ‘open arms. 1 can hear you now, fist in the air,"We will all go home one day!”“They can't keep us here forever!” She believed in education and standing up for what is right —most of all for what you believe in. So1honor you my sister, we will ll miss you. Rest in peace AKICITA WIN Wartior Wornan - All My Relations - i a saying truly with you —AHO- Toall her family & extended family from all the Native Americans of Dublin FCL, we honor our Sister. W Ok H K He 6 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM LEONARD PELTIER #89637-132 USP Lewisburg, PO Box 1000, Lewisburg, PA 17837 ON MARILYN'S PASSING ‘As Marilyn makes her journey to the Spirit World,let's give thanks for the time we shared with our sister Marilyn touched my life, 1 know, much as she did many others and in so many wonderful ways. Her time here was a blessing to us all Celebrate her spirit and incredible strength. Be mindful also of her ‘example. She was tireless in her pursuit of justice and freedom and truly committed to The Struggle— giving her life over to it both before she was imprisoned and after she joined her fellow political prison- ersbehind the walls. Having lived as she lived, Marilyn will continue to be a presence in many of our lives. But she can be and should be much more That light, that spirt is Marilyn’s legacy. Together, let's ‘make certain that our friends spirit lights the path for others, a new generation committed to the ideals ‘Marilyn held dear. In this way, Marilyn's passing rather than being 2 matter of loss will instead be one of continuation Washte. 'l offer prayers i ceremony for Marilyn’ safe journey. 'l also find comfort in knowing that Marilyn will be one of those waiting for me when [ myself make the journey. Twas sad to hear of Marilyn's passing. I'm grateful that she was able to spend her final days ‘among the people she loved and who loved her. That's something all political prisoners drearn o Please extend my sympathies to Marilyn's family and friends. —Leonard Peltier a7 IN HER SPIRIT FROM KAMAU SADIKI (FREDDIE HILTON) #0001150688 Augusta State Medical Prison, Bldg 13A-2 E7 3001 Gordon Highway, Grovetown, GA 30813 SISTER, RADE, FRIEND from Kamau Sadiki ‘Albeit my soul mourns and weeps, I salute you my sister, my rade, my friend. A constant revolutionary even to the very end. ‘May the Griots of the land tell the world of what we know about your brave legacy: Revolutionary woman-tall and strong Persevering captivity for oh solong Your legacy is lengthy and i can go on and on However; it was your humanity that really struck me Your love for the People—Particularly the down ' trodden and needy And for that and more - again Isalute you my sista, my ‘rade, my friend ‘And asthe Griots, 1l also spread your legacy throughout the land: Tl tell the young and the old - how like others you too will manifest and come this way again. ‘May you now get some much needed rest in the arms of the ancestors Finding comfort along with Crip (Twymon Myers) BI( Safiya Bukhari) IC (1anet Cyril) Lolita Lebron and all the Freedorn Fighters- who are now gone Now, Id be remiss i i didn't say you'll be missed But rest assure although you are gone, your legacy and spirit willlive on in the hearts of every day people and cornmon folks, who like you- only wish for a better world for all to exist Aluta continua Marilyn Buck -my sista, my ‘rade, my friend Love, Kamau a8 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM RUCHELL CINQUE MAGEE #A92051 C-2107L CSATF/State Prison at Corcoran, PO Box 5242, Corcoran, CA 93212 May the Spiritof Sister and Comrade ‘Marilyn Buck forever bless ‘The people's movement September 2010 Never met her face, but come face ~to-face with her REVOLUTIONARY ACTION. She openly protested against my imprisonment with first hand reall Comrade Marilyn's spirit will forever live in my heart, my mind and my on-going battle for liberation. Few realize it but it was Marilyn's flames (revolutionary flames) that altered Evelle J Younger's effort tobecome California Governor - which knowingly saved many Innocent peoples ife. She worked as hard to build the peoples struggle for change. Beautiful, beautiful woman, she lived to prove—to us she supported. Longlive the Revolutionary Spirit of Comrade Sister Marilyn Buck InLove, In Respect Instruggle, Bto. Ruchell Cinque e 1E R B o 49 IN HER SPIRIT FROM ALBERT WOODFOX #72148 Camp D, Eagle , Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola LA 70712 “A WARRIOR'S JOURNEY” ‘When leamed that sister Marily Buck had been called home by the ancestors, 1 was both saddened and happy! Suffer no more my sister,you are freel For some reason Marilyn’s passing kept reminding me of a science fiction program Id seen where a group of warriors were standing around a fallen war- rior screarning. When asked why that said that they were warning the dead that a warrior was coming T made sure that the ancestors knew that a warrior was coming! Peace Albert 'Shaka Cinque’ Woodfox FROM RENE GONZALEZ SCHWERERT #58738-004 FCI Marianna, RO Box 7007, Marianna, FL 32447 ATRIBUTE TO MARILYN BUCK For somebody who grew up in Cuba, in a triumphant revolution, social awareness comes as something natural, but I've always thought highly of Americans who are able to devote their whole lives to the struggle for other peoples ' justice. It takes a special human character, and Marilyn Buck had it Itis easy to imagine how many selfish endeavors Marilyn could have opted for, in a society which gave toher by birth some privileges that by birth are denied to many others; but she made the conscious choice of opening bridges toward those "others”, and the amount of passion that she devoted to their cause put her on the path of enormous sacrifices, which she endured with courage, grace and greatness Some day the American people will reclairn his true history from the myths and distortions imposed ‘onthern for years. When that time comes and the bullies, conquerors and hypocrites are thrown in the dustbin of history where they so rightly belong, among the many true heroes of this country, past and present,the name of Marilyn Buck will shine by a light of its own. In the name of five Cuban revolutionaries frorm the trenches of U, prisons ‘With deep admiration to her memory, Rene Gonzalez Schwerert FCI Marianna September1g, 2010 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM MUMIA ABU-JAMAL #AM 8335 SCl-Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg, PA 15370 MARILYN BUCK: iPRESENTE! Published Aug 29,2010 10:30 PM. For nearly 30 long, tortuous years, Marilyn Buck was a political prisoner of the state; a captive i the federal prison system for her role in the liberation of former Black Panther Assata Shakur She wrote gripping lines of radical poetry, often about the lives and plights of her fellow imprisoned women, as well as of prisoners who were active in the Black freedom and nationalist movements. For example, back in 2000 she wrote “Black August,” an excerpt of which follows Would you hang on a cliff's edge sword-sharp,slashing fingers while jackboot screws stomp heels on peeled:flesh bones and laugh let gol die, damn you, die!" could you hang on 20 years, 30 years? 20 years, 30 years and more brave Black brothers buried in US koncentration kamps they hang on Black light shining in torture chambers Ruchell, Yogi, Sundiata, Sekou, War- ven, Chip, Seth, Herman, Jalil and more and more they resist: Black August ‘Marilyn wrote that poer in 2000 She was released in July 2010, and recently passed away from the ravages of cancer. ‘Marilyn Buck was imprisoned so long because of her support of the Black liberation movement, which ‘made her a taitor, of sorts, o the white nation Like John Brown, she fought to free the unfree. Her spirit of resistance never left her. Marilyn was 62 51 IN HER SPIRIT FROM MICHAEL DAVID AFRICA #AM4973 Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426 Tknow that we are all sick of watching our comrades grow old and die behind enerny lines. ‘We can all appreciate the last 20 days at home. ‘We can all appreciate being in the company of our loved ones as we draw our final breath. But, goddamn it, what about the 12,000 malady inducing days that preceded those 20. For 33 years sister Marilyn didn't let herself be dissuaded by concerts, parties, or meaningless debates ‘while her comrades or the oppressed were in a struggle for their ives She held the line, and i the pro- cess put her own life and freedom on that line. ‘Marilyn deserved the same kind of commitment that she selflessly demonstrated to the plight of oth- ersin the fight for self determination. ‘The system that imprisoned Marilyn for 33 years ate not compassionate because they released her 20 days before her death, they deserve every bit of scom, every wrath as they know it was resistance to jus- tice and compassion that jailed her in the first place. ‘We know what "support the troops” mean when it is repeated by politicians who start those unjust racist wars. The question for all of those who call themselves activists, evolutionaries though, when announcing support of our cornrades,is just what does support really mean. e those last 20 days really the most that our courageous political prisoners can aspire? ‘The justice system does ts diabolical work in the name of the people. The people must demand an end tothese atrocities under any name Peace be with you always sister Marilyn 52 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM PHIL AFRICA #AM4984 SCl Dallas Drawer K, Dallas,PA 18612 LONG LIVE MAMA NATURE FOREVER! On the Move! Seems like Id just got the long awaited news about Marilyn's release, when in the next blink of an eye Iwas receiving the news that our Sister in Revolution had passed. I never got to write her the letter Tintended to rejoice in her release. However for the Sister I never had the honor of meetin' fact to face,| know that she, as we All feel that Bond that holds All Revolutionaries together as One in the work we've committed our lives o, I respect & honor of our Sister Marilyn, let us push forever on in the Work of Solidarity, the Work to rid Al of Lfe of this destructive intruder on freedorm & justice called “this system” that Marilyn so willingly committed her life to fighting As with all Good soldiers Marilyn will be missed but Never Forgotten! Marilyn's in the Best of care in OUR MAMA'S hands Her strong example will con- tinue to be a motivation for us all 1 want to leave with a thought that | wanted to share with Marilyn cause [ know she woulda appreciated it it’s about the Power that pulls us Al Together in this revolution regardless of so call race, location, gender, political or religious beliefs.It's what keeps us feeling close ‘whether we've ever met or not."A DISTANCE IS A SPACE, THERE IS NO SUCH SPACE IN A LINK, FOR THEN ITWOULD NOT BE A LINK, WHEN YOU ARE RIGHT YOU ARE LINKED TO RIGHT, THE POWER THAT HOLDS YOU TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLDS ALL THOSE COMMITTED IN ONE LINK, A FAMILY IS A BODY, A BODY IS AUNIT, UNITY IS THE POWER THAT HOLDS CLOSE TOGETHER, NO DISTANCE CAN PENETRATE THE BOND ‘OF UNITY," Quote JOHN AFRICA.As Revolutionaries, Activists, Movements and those workin' for Freedom & Justice, we are All Connected in this struggle and Marilyn will Always be part of the energy holding us ‘Al together LONG LIVE MARILYN! On The Move! In Solidarity FOR THE MOVE ORGANIZATION PHIL AFRICA LONG LIVE MARILYN BUCK! ¥ % O 3 3 3% 53 IN HER SPIRIT FROM RUSSELL MAROON SHOATS/Z #AF-3855 SCl Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg, PA 15370 FOR THE MARTYR MARILYN BUCK ‘The oppressors say you were the only white in the Black Liberation Army. ‘They seek to sow confusion and division. You were more than that! In Ireland you would have been in the Irish Republican Array. In Africa, the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique, orthe Southwest African People’s Organization. In Vietnam, the National Liberation Front. You were the Vietcong! ‘That's why the oppressors hated and feared you. You were the "Enemy of the State” An oppressive state. But you were always on the side of the oppressed! A dependable ally and friend. Oursister. ‘The "New Woman" that Che hoped for Ananti-imperialist Freedom Fighter. ‘That's why we ALL LOVED YOU! Restin peace my Sister. A job well done. 54 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM ADRIAN BERNARD, SISTER OF DANIELLE METZ who's incarcerated in FCI Dublin TO ALL OF MARILYN BUCK’S FAMILY AND FRIENDS, My name is Adrian Bernard. My sister, Danielle Metz, has been in the Wormen's Correctional Institute in Dublin, CA for 16 years. My farily and I met Marilyn upon Danielles arrival there. We loved her and established a strong bond as we visited Dantell. She was a sincere, loving and compassionate woman who saw no color bariers. She was a fixture in that visiting roomn and when I visit and didn't see her, [ would inquire about her. Iremembered when my daughter was murdered in 199, she and Laura and some of the other wormen got together and sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and words of comfort My family and I were saddened when Danielle told us about her diagnosis of cancer.Our hearts are ‘heavy and we shall never forget the love that she so willingly had for my sister and our family. Gleneisha was 4 years old when we began to visit the prison. She will be 21 years old next month and she visits her mother on her own now. She loved Marilyn and Marilyn has written to her on numerous occassions to encourage her, and she often spake on how proud she was of Gleneisha. Please know that she was loved by many. We will miss her, but the legacy of love, unity and compas- sion that she leaves will be cherished from here on into etemity. The family and friends will be in our ‘prayers. May God strengthen and comfort you If we can be of any assistance please let us know. A Friend With A Heavy Heart, ‘Adrian Bemard, sister of Danielle Metz R N M o IN HER SPIRIT FROM MOHAMMAN GEUKA KOTI #80-A-0808 354 Hunter Street, Ossining, NY 105625442 September 24/2010 COMRADE MARILYN BUCK ‘We are born to love,live to die. ‘Marilyn was a most True struggling Sister, From The 19605 until now Death. She was a most beautiful sister. She was a true freedom fighter, Anti-Imperialist Poltical Prisoner. A TRUE FIGHTING COMRADE And most of all, particularly because of her Heavy support for the Black Liberation Struggle. Sister Marilyn Buck, inlife and in Death, she was one of our most Beautiful struggling sister Freedom Fighters.She struggled until death Much love to her and her family and her true friends, and COM- RADES, FROM 1947 TO 2010 DARE TO STRUGGLE, DARE TO WIN. THIS IS IN MEMORY OF MARILYN BUCK. Love she said, I survived, carried on, glad to be like a weed, a wild red poppy, rooted inlife (SMILE). How beautiful she was. SMILE. Sheislike a Star that comes down to struggle. Dare to struggle. Dare to win. THANK YOU. THE STRUGGLE NEVER ENDS, WE AS A PEOPLE WILL WIN. THANK YOU MY SISTER MARILYN Brother Mohaman Geuka Koti LR 56 E ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM HUGO PINELL (DAHARIKI) # A88401 SHU D3-221,P0. Box 7500, Crescent City, CA 955317500 Tl never get used to death and dying and when it happens to our freedom servants, 1 do mourn qui- etly and shortly, then I celebrate their lives and times because I know that their free energies will live onin us and in the world. Also, I learnt that in the way we live and keep growing we reflect what their lives were/are all about, because they really are always with us, so1t is all in the living, However, upon getting the news of Marilyn, 1 was jolted with so many emtions and I couldn’t respond, so I shut down. ‘The powerful and mixed emotions I felt when I heard of Marilyn’s passing, that 1 know how hard it is to maintain a clean bill of health in these max confined SHUs because you can't really get the health care and attention you warrant and deserve even if regular check ups are kept by medical staff. FROM ALVARO LUNA HERNANDEZ #3255735 Hughes Unit, Texas Prison System, Rt 2, Box 4400, Gatesville, TEXAS 76597-0001 ATRIBUTE TO MARILYN BUCK INEVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING YOU IN PERSON, BUT I FELT LIKE I KNEW YOU, ‘THROUGH YOUR HEROIC REVOLUTIONARY ACTIONS, YOUR BEAUTIFUL AND INSPIRING POETRY, 'YOUR PUBLISHED LETTERS AND ARTICLES, AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL SMILE, AND YOUR SPIRIT OF RESIS- ‘TANCE. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED, AND YOUR SPIRIT OF RESISTANCE WILL LIVE THROUGH US ON THE INSIDE, INSIDE THE BELLY OF THE BEAST. WE WILL FOREVER CARRY FORWARD THE TORCH YOU PASSED ON TO US, AND CARRY IT SO PROUDLY IN YOUR HONOR, AND STRUGGLE FOR A 'MORE JUST AND SANE SOCIETY AND WORLD, FREE OF INJUSTICES AND FREE OF OPPRESSORS. YOUR DEPARTURE LEFT A VACUUM IN MY HEART AND OUR MOVEMENT SUFERED A TERRIBLE LOSS. KNOW ‘THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED AND LOVED IN THE HEARTS OF THE OPPRESSED. WE MISS YOU! WE LOVE YOU! — ALVARO LUNA HERNANDEZ IN HER SPIRIT FROM GARY WATSON #098990 Unit SHUr7, Delaware Correctional Center, 1181 Paddack Road, Smyrna, DE 19977 9810 REVOLUTIONARY GREETINGS, Upon Receiving your letter and hearing of the passing of comrade-sister Marilyn Buck, a woman who Ihave always admired, espected and held up to being a “giant” of a woman who never once wavered in her dedication and commitment to the liberation movement/struggle against all forms of oppression, exploitation of man by man, and injustice - must adrit 'm deeply saddened by this loss. Albeit we ‘never personally met, 1 always felt we were of kindred spirits as we both traveled down the path that led s in the revolutionary fight to free the land, to liberate the poor and oppressed people with knowing fully the risks that lay before us. ‘Through peaple I met who personally knew Marilyn - Sundiata Acoli and Gabriel Torres (back in the 80's while we were held captive at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary) this had given me a feeling that ‘we were of kindred spirits, and I was pleased. Now this warrior of a giant has moved on to join with so ‘many other great and loving warriors who left an indelible mark on the wings of history in which we all canleam from. ‘We need to learn how to mourn in way that is meaningful and emotionally healing, and we need toleam how to really support each other in these our darkest hours when we have lost such genuine ‘people such as comrade-sister Marilyn Buck! She will most certainly be missed. Though we must never forget how inspiring and caring this cornrade was. My condolences go out to her family and friends and corrades in the struggle. May she rest in peace. Love and Comradely, Bto. Gary Watson (Maka) fo H@ YD #Me 58 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM JONATHAN PAUL #07167-085 FCIPhoenix, 37910 N 45th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85086 Irecently received an ABC publication announcing the release of Marilyn from prison after decades of incarceration. 1 was unaware of her having health issues and was saddened to hear that she passed away very soon after her release.1id not know Marilyn personally but I knew her struggle. ‘Whether your commitment is to animal rights, earth liberation, hurman rights or any other fight against oppression we are all in the same struggle against oppression by the corporate rule and the dominant paradigm. As I stand here in my celllocked away from the world I love and salute you, Mari- Iy, for who you are and what you represent. freedom. You are not forgotten. Safe travels, For the animals and the earth, Jonathan Paul FROM NATHAN BLOCK #36359-086 FCI Lompoc, 3600 Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436 TRIBUTE TO MARILYN BUCK ‘Too often, when engaged in struggle, the flames of necessity and the intensities of will obscure the horizon of the existence and continuing inspiration of those who have come before us in the great braid of resistance ‘Those of whose actions came before our own are never more present, more contemporary,than when we in our hearts are able to grasp, breathe in, imbue ourselves with those fleeting strands of shared courage and hardened commitrent which hover at the borders of the cognizant, those mists which swirl amongst the iconic warriors of resistance. Itis here, beyond the grasp of any irprisonrment, that the pure, liberatory spark with which Marilyn Buck persevered, takes its rightful place amidst the shining memories and wrought ethics of which lega- ciesare composed. Many are able to honor Marilyn as a comrade, as a contemporary. As a whole generation younger than her,indeed stilla child when she was captured, I can but honor Marilyn as a worthy ancestress, a brave and evocative standard bearer of unsubmitting courage and invaluable preservation of ~continuation of -her struggle. Marilyn stands as a great and valiant warrior, whose legacy holds as evident that in the struggle to rectify the scales of justice it is necessary to wield a sharp sword of discemment Let us continually honor these elements of Marilyn’s life and make ourselves worthy of raising into the power and strength of her struggle, into the courage and lfe-defining commitment with which she infused the struggles she fought for.She stands as an unceasing inspiration. IN HER SPIRIT FROM LYNNE STEWART #53504-054 MCCINY, 150 Park Row, New York, NY 10007 MEMORIAL TO MY COMRADE MARILYN BUCK 1, Lynne Stewart, behind the wall It was the supreme irony that the day the federal government finally released Marilyn was the same day they sentenced me to 10 years,as her federal replacement—an "exchange of prisoners” ‘Asifanyone could ever replace Marilyn!! Her great spiritin the face of adversity!l How she invested hertalent into her poetry and translation!l The inspiration she was to her contemporaries and alsoto those who now follow her in lives dedicated to strugglel! Her lawyers—both Soffiyah Jill Eljah and the well remerbered Susan Jordan, who labored on her behalf for years because that is the way we are supposed to honor and serve our clients, especially the political ones And 1 want to remark on Marilyn's political activist life. We oftimes shy away from that arm of our ‘movernent that was and i, proactive—self defensive on behalf of defenseless communities; building an offensive protective revolutionary movement. Marilyn'’s role and her espousal of the goals of the Black Liberation Army, her exploits as a member of the group, are legendary. At the time of the Brinks expro- priation in 1981, she was badly wounded in the leg but nonetheless rerained true to the work and con- tinued underground until her arrest and trial. Thonor her for all that she has done.Like Lolita Lebron, she ‘was an indomitable woman dedicated to and loving struggle On a personal note, 1 wish T had gotten to know her better, We were sporadic correspondents but [ never visited.Iknew she understood where | needed to use my time and talent. I id attend her release parties in New York and tried to be at the Sparks Fly celebrations as often as possible, including this year by letter from jail. But the chance tosit with a bottle of wine and sit and talk all night about anything ‘and everything never happened I thought I had the luxury of time. Not so; for her or for me Now, we can rernernber and we should remember her sacrifice in the cause of hurnan freedom and decency, every day and in every way...Sleep sweetly,dear sister, we will finish your work. MARILYN BUCK, [PRESENTE! SRXB2026§ 60 Over 20 years you have graced our pages and kindled our spirits with your poetry, your passion, your intellect, your courage. We think of you, we miss you, you remain in our hearts. Out of Control, Lesbian Committee to Support Political Prisoners ¢ Out of Time Newsletter 42 gorgeous pages of art and writg, featuring s g mims COrtAin DAYS: i the 2011 frotopesl hilvfleed(' )Il,n Yor [ ilitica Soners ] ‘Eendar M{nni%n /@nuznz‘e ! —annie esperite— IN LOVING TRIBUTE TO MARILYN FREE MUMIA, THE NEW YORK POLITICAL PRISONERS, AND ALL IMPRISONED FREEDOM FIGHTERS —ALBANY (NY) POLITICAL PRISONER SUPPORT COMMITTEE FRE| It is with the utmost respect that we celebrate the life of our dear Sister and Comrade, Marilyn Buck. We give thanks for her andthe many sacrifices shemade on behalf of those who fought for freedom. We owe Marilyn a personal debt of gratitude for her support of us, the San Francisco 8. We honor Marilyn and pay tribute to all of our freedom fighters and comrades. Those imprisoned in New York: HERMAN BELL, DAVID GILBERT, ROBERT SETH HAYES, ABDUL MAJID, JALIL MUNTAQIM, AND SEKOU ODINGA, and those others throughout the United States. THE COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (CDHR) P.0. BOX 90221 PASADENA, CA 91109 freethesf8@gmail.com The San Francisco 8 - 2007 We loved you and will remember your spirit. Barbara E Cox & Donald (DC) Cox, Black Panther Party To a Woman Warrior forever onthe side of the oppressed —King Downing Bonnie Kerress Qjore Lutalo Tayari Onaje TJ Whittaker Marilyn, your beauty and strength will always be with us —Denver Anarchist Black Cross Marilyn Buck Newsreel member Always loved, never forgotten —Roz Payne www.newsreel.us “Ule have a vision of @ wortd without presens..” In loving memory of Marilyn, and passionate support for the freedom of the six New York political prisoners. FRIENDS OF DAVID GILBERT freedavidgilbert@gmail.com In loving memory of a woman who inspired and dazzled us, a sister who lived her life with her eyes wide open, who faced reality ith purpose and courage, and who walked the earth with a characteristic forward lean. Bernardine Dohrn & Bill Ayers Marilyn Courage your name willow the tree, dandelion your wild seed. We miss. by Becky Thompson # FOR MARILYN BUCK, WHO INSPIRES US TO KEEP FIGHTING —{pom e Wi Pagis Clliiv,« Pl b - Sbrialit vt workin To ok colenielin, G porion. R sarana community acupuncture affordable acupuncture in a peaceful shared space siding scalo fos $20 - 40 o income verfation ‘wheaichairaccessibe 968 San Pablo Avene (at Buchanan), Albany, CA 510.526.5058 e saranscommunityacupuncture.com FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS Rescue the Word sacred words are in danger fugitives, they seek cover bury themselves alive shamed by the profane purposes they are forced to serve dressed in lily-white lies words are in danger english only vows to tear out tongues exiled witnesses to collective memory and homeland ties sacred words are in danger trapped, they hang on billboards judas-goats to conjure deception sing them shout them teach them wear them around your neck amulets against amnesia Its been some dozen years that we have met From Rescue the Word, 2001 together as a committee to coordinate support for Marilyn - as an activist, poet, political intellectual, member of an international community, and woman struggling with the impact of close to 30 years of incarceration. It was an honor to work with her, and a privilege to play some small role in working toward her release, keeping her ideas and words circulating, and her spirit strong. We are inspired, proud, and bereft. Marilyn, you were our heart... West Coast Friends of Marilyn Buck: Azizeh Shahmoradi, Donna Willmott, Dorrie Mazone, Elana Levy, Elsa Johnson, Eve Goldberg, Graciela Trevisan, Jay Mullins, Jeff Blankfort, Jody Sokolower, Judy Siff,Karen Shain, Karl MacRae, Linda Evans, Lisa Rudman, Pam Fadem, Penny Schoner, Rob McBride, Terry Collins,Vicki Legion. Marilyn, Wild thanks for your poctry, C . e P )il e commitment and your sacrifices! N, thon I was captured, Locked into a call of sewar water spirit defeated. T survived, carried on, glad to Ge Cio a weed, a witd red poppy. rooted in tife - (yrom Witd Poppies) And when these Cives come to an end the people open their deepest rivers and they enter those waters forever. And g0 they Gecome, distant fires, Living, ! creating the heart of example the freedom - Otto René Casgtitlo archives Marilyn will be sorely missed by Straight Out Scribes Marilyn lived for others, devoting her life East and West to the freedom of other people. —VS. Chochezi and Staajabu SOLIDARITY MEANS Jane and Bruce Franklin B J PETROLEUSE PRESS She is present in our hearts. IN HER Mari We appreciate vour love and your sacrifices. Déjeme decirle, a riesgo de parecer ridiculo, que el revolucionario verdadero esta guiado por grandes sen- timientos de amor. Let me say, at the risk of sounding ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by feelings of love. Ernesto Che Guevarra GLon AL @ Excuawge Honoring Marilyn Buck, The International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5 wishes to express its deep respect for Marilyn Buck whose life was dedicated to international solidarity with the struggles of oppressed people. Marilyn strongly supported freedom for the Cuban 5, recognizing that their unjust incarceration by the US government is part of its ongoing attack against Cuba for over 50 years. She will be missed by freedom always deep loving people around the world. Yasres i Toxis s 3 Marilyn Buck presente! - from friends in Austin FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR SISTER- FRIEND, MARILYN... THE PAST 25 YEARS HAVE BEEN A JOURNEY FILLED WITH CHERISHED MEMORIES. Y YOUR SPIRIT s WILL ALWAYS . BE WITH US! —SOFFIYAH ELIJAH, ESQ. Honoring Marilyn Buck is to honor Mumia Abu Jamal. Free all Dolitical Prisoners. Frances Goldin Marilyn i Gracias Por Su Vida! and Soaring example We love and honor you Free ‘em all! riranda bergman & Felix shafer IN HONOR OF MARILYN BUCK FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS Marilyn Buck’s courage and spirit sustain us, even as we grieve her passing. She personified the two most beautiful words we have... love and solidarity. Michael and Debby Smith New York City Martin Luther King. Jr. Marilyn Buck never looked the other way. She was never silent about the need to end racism, injustice and oppression. She paid a si icant price for paying attention and we honor her lifelong commitment to a better world. We honor her and others who have given up so much in that struggle. Mary K. O’Melveny Susan L. Waysdorf Washington, D.C. In solidarity To ge ther with Marilyn and all Political Prisoners we will win/ You are our inspiration il Beatty and Sharon Martinas From Dr. Muhammad Ahmad il il S oty Challenging White Supremacy To Marilyn Buck and six of our political prisoners— We love all of you and your spirits, the sacrifices you have made, and the example you have established for us all. Always in struggle! MICHAEL W. WARREN EVELYN W. WARREN Attorneys at Law MICHAEL W. WARREN, P.C. Tel(718)230.9790 580 Washington Avenue Fax:(718)230.5145 Brooklyn, New York 11238 EMail:tarifwarren@aol.com The Rosenberg Fund for Children pays tribute to the strength and courage of Marilyn Buck, and all the political prisoners who remain behind bars. We are honored to support your resistance. www.rfc.org. celebrating 20 years of helping the children of politcal prisoners and other targeted activists Free Fdward Poindexter and Mondo We Langa —Sandy Shvack % Marilyn Buck iPresente! — The Real Cost of Prisons Project Prison Health News clo Philadelphia FIGHT 1233 Locust Street, 5th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS & In Remembrance of My Dear Friend, Marilyn Buck Timagine that this s how Marilyn would want to speak to us ll. Then by Muriel Rukeyser When I am dead, even then 1 will still love you, I will wait in these poems When I am dead, even then. I am still listening to you. 1 will still be making poems for you out of silence; silence will be falling into that silence, it is building music. —with love, Barbara Zeller IN HER SPIRIT Nuh Washington !l Kuwasi Balagoon - Jah Heath Merle Africa Bashir Hameed Marilyn Buck ... No More Martyrs! SUPPORT THE RELEASE OF THE HY 6 - The Vietory Cardens Project In Menory of 698 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 718.243.9433 Marilyn Buck VO 'WEAR MOSHOOD In Solidarity with WEARYOURSELF Herman Bell, L — David Gilbert, Shop Online @ www.afrikanspirit.com Robert Seth Hayes, Abdullah Majid, Marilyn Buck - jPresente! Jalil Muntagim, and NN May her courageous example clou nga live forever in our hearts and our practice! Jrre— gttt Toiy o e o i At o o oo 135 Gt o A 32 —Shelley Miller & Marcy Shulman ] The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund honors the memory and y of Marilyn Buck, a rantee in 2003 and 2004, Just last year, she wrote the following words of support for our grantees and all student activists... “Delights me to see all the folks studying, working for social justice. No matter what occurs politically, even the worst, there will always be those who will rise to resist injustice and to imagine a world where humanity lives in harmony with nature and itself, quite an undertaking which requires immense imagination and creativity! Carry on! Marilyn * Founded in 1961, the Fund provides ants to students who are part of the pr ive movement on campus, in the community and behind bars. Early recipients worked for civil rights, against McCarthyism and for peace in Vietnam, Recent grantees have been active in the struggle against racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of oppression; building movements for economic justice, and creating peace through international anti-imperialist solidarity SLTic L PRISON “If there is no stmqqla, there is no progress " ‘ Thank you ' Mmrilvn uck. Walter Turner - KPFA Radio MODERN TIMES BOOKSTORE COLLECTIVE _2 Exceptionally Interesting Books Since 1971 Philadelphia Innocence Project Stand Up for Justice Razakhan Shaheed Research Specialst PO Box 188 Sharon Hil, PA 19079 215.921-8914 Fax 215-307-3960 razakhanshaheed@comcast net ‘There are those who struggle for a day, and they are good. ‘There are others who struggle for a year, and they are better. ‘There are some who struggle many years, and they are better still. But there are those who struggle all their lives, and these are the indispensible ones. Honor the memory of Marilyn Buck ~ Fight for freedom for all people Kerspiebadsh P 63680, CCGP Van Horne, Morieal, Qusbec, Canada HIN SH i eraplsbadsb.com » wwwetwingooks.net emal:nf @Kersplabedeb com Lieratro o oest o progressive pacpl,witha fcus on polical prisoners prscnersof war, a1 gl I o melopo, o an S apealst and anpeLIChal PEDACING. oo by communist playrigh Bero Brecht “Without a vision, you can’t go forward.” Marilyn Buck Thank you, Marilyn! You were a gift to all people struggling for freedom inside and outside of prison. You will be dearly missed but your spirit will carry on! We Host abenys Sfond Toactve, fuandess & Vified again( D Mg AT A4 d > o vtiuder, wh T Tofure. A lves, s, oo [fowin| California Coalition for Women Prisoners 1540 Market St. Ste 490 ~ San Francisco, CA 94102 www.womenprisoners.org XIXIXI In honor of revolutionary feminist yn and her work and political prisoner Marilyn Buck~ live on Who spent the last 25 years of her life through the work i