State Repression: Past and Present

I'm not sure if there will be voices from the gay community present at this discussion, but I can see why there should be. State repression is something that all social justice movements deal with. I can't say that I know anything about these speakers, the issues that they work on, or if I would agree with them if I attended this discussion, but I can imagine that some of you might be interested.

"From the Green Scare to the Continued War on the Black Liberation Movement"

Join journalists, attorneys, and former political prisoners at a forum discussing the links between past and present instances of state repression of social justice movements. From the targeting of animal and environmental activists being dubbed by many as the "Green Scare" to the 37-year-old charges being brought against former Black Panthers in San Francisco, hear how history is repeating itself as state repression intensifies in the era of the "War on Terrorism" -- and what we can do to fight it.

Featuring:

*Ashanti Alston, former political prisoner and Black Panther
*Ramona Africa of MOVE
*Gideon Oliver, civil rights attorney, member National Lawyers Guild
*Will Potter, Journalist and creator of GreenIsTheNewRed.com
*Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, civil rights attorney, co-founder Partnership
for Civil Justice

Other Speakers: TO BE ANNOUNCED

Saturday, November 17 at 7 p.m.
at St. Stephen's Church
1525 Newton Street NW
Washington, D.C.

$5-10 donation will cover expenses and benefit political prisoners. NO ONE
TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS.

FEATURING:
Ashanti Alston Omowali is an anarchist activist, speaker, and writer, and former member of the Black Panther Party. He was also a member of the Black Liberation Army, and spent more than a decade in prison after government forces captured him (and the official court system convicted him) for armed robbery. A former northeast coordinator for Critical Resistance, Ashanti is currently co-chair of the National Jericho Movement(to free U.S. political prisoners), a member of pro-Zapatista people-of-color U.S.-based Estación Libre, and a member of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, NYC.

Ramona Africa is the sole adult survivor of the massacre of 11 members of the MOVE organization. On May 13, 1985, the FBI and the City of Philadelphia dropped a C4 bomb on MOVE's 6221 Osage Avenue home in West Philadelphia. Carrying the young Birdie Africa (the only other survivor)with her, Ramona dodged gunfire and escaped from the fire with permanent scarring from the burns. After surviving the bombing, she was charged with conspiracy, riot, and multiple counts of simple and aggravated assault. Subsequently Ramona served 7 years in prison. If she had chosen to sever her ties with MOVE, she could have been released far earlier. In the face of this she held true to her revolutionary beliefs and was uncompromising in the face of state terror. Since her release from prison, Ramona has tirelessly worked as the MOVE Minister of Communication on behalf of the MOVE 9, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and all political prisoners and prisoners of war.

Will Potter is an award-winning independent journalist based in Washington, D.C., who focuses on how the War on Terrorism affects civil liberties. He has tracked how lawmakers and corporations have labeled animal rights and environmental activists as "eco-terrorists." He has also closely followed the trial of the SHAC 7, a landmark First Amendment case involving a group of activists charged with "animal enterprise terrorism" for running a controversial website.

For further information and updates, go to: www.dcinfoshop.org
Or call, 202-986-0681