WHAT WE WON’T MISS IN THE NEW YEAR
People
1. John Bolton — Was this National Security Advisor and Mr. “America, Right or Wrong” fired in September? Or did he quit? Who knows? Who cares?
2. Sarah Sanders — As White House Press Secretary, her unscrupulous defense of Trump made Sean Spicer look principled.
3. Rick Perry —This oil-loving Energy Secretary almost ended his tenure without scandal, and then Ukraine hit the news.
4. Omar Bashir — Sustained popular uprising forced the ouster of this 30-year dictator of Sudan. Next to achieve: getting rid of military rule!
5. And, of course, Sean Spicer as celebrity dancer, rhythmless darling of the right.
Bad Laws
Australia — In a big win for reproductive rights, Sydney and the rest of New South Wales tossed out 119-year-old legislation that criminalized abortion.
South Korea — In April 2019, the Constitutional Court ruled that a 66-year abortion ban must be lifted by end of 2020. It’s a big win for pro-choice advocates.
MUMIA ABU-JAMAL — Prison Radio update
Mumia Abu-Jamal has fought for and won his first round of cataract surgery! He is no longer blind in his left eye and will have the same procedure soon on his right eye.
Finally, he can see well enough to read, edit, and complete Perfecting Tyranny, his and Stephen Vittoria’s final book in the Murder Inc. trilogy published by Prison Radio. It is a deep dive into mass surveillance and the security state. You can help get it printed. Thanks for considering a gift as we raise the needed 15K.
As Rigo23 the artist and Robert King Wilkerson note below “life in prison means death.” Mumia turned 65 in April, is sentenced to life without parole, and he is still confronting significant health problems. While cured of Hep C, he is still recovering from the ravages of the disease and his near death from renal failure. His body remains covered in deep scars, the result of open wounds left untreated for over a year.
We need to bring Mumia home. He is preparing for his release and moving forward on his life goals such as getting his PhD.
Help make his dreams — to be among us living, loving, organizing, writing and teaching — a reality.
Visit www.prisonradio.org to hear our voices.
Excerpts from email, Noelle Hanrahan, Prison Radio
END THE VIOLENCE against sex workers
Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP)-Seattle is gearing up to honor the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, which happens annually on Dec. 17. Sign up for future newsletters for more information about what SWOP-Seattle will be doing this year to honor this day (seattle.swopusa.org/newsletter-sign-up/).
The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers was first recognized in 2003 as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle. Since 2003, Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers has empowered people from cities around the world to come together and organize against discrimination and remember victims of violence.
SWOP-Seattle has established a small planning committee to manage a walking vigil for Dec. 17 and could use some help. We need designers to help format fliers, and folks willing to post fliers around town once they’re ready.
If you’re interested in volunteering for the event, let us know by contacting info@swop-seattle.org.
Excerpts from newsletter, seattle.swopusa.org
FREEDOM SOCIALIST PARTY — Inspiring
My husband and I visited your Seattle bookstore in September with our baby. Thank you for being so kind, informative and pleasant. It was truly a delight to meet such wonderful, like-minded, strong women during my first foray to Seattle.
Thank you for also letting us take some newer issues of your newspaper when we visited. We look forward to reading and subscribing. Onward with the good fight. Thank you for being an inspiration!
Hooten via mail
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