Book review: Against Equality

I picked up a copy of Against Equality at the 2010 Richmond Zine Fest. I had heard about it, and was too busy to go see a presentation about the book at U of R a couple weeks ago.

I just wanted to let people know that Against Equality is really worth reading. Even if you have been keeping up to date with the radical queer response to the mainstream Gaygenda to legalize Gay Marriage, Against Equality manages to collect essays and interviews from a wide variety of sources, some of which you probably missed.

The essays in general do an excellent job of bringing issues of intersectionality, social justice, and privilege to light in regards to the Gay Marriage campaigns.

The discussion about immigration and immigrant rights in regards to gay marriage explains very well how it is not enough to support imimgrant rights only in the context of one type of partnership. Gay marriage is diluting the immigration issue.

May 14th: MOVE 11

The MOVE Organization was a black liberation group whose members adopted the last name AFrica, and promoted a back-to nature lifestyle. They were based in Philadelphia. They were something of a primitivist group, who promoted the hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

There were 2 instances where the Philadelphia Police confronted them- once in 1978 and once in 1985. In 1978 police came to evict the MOVE members from their communal house. During the incident, there was a shootout. One pig was killed. 7 other pigs, 5 firefighters, 3 MOVE members, and 3 bystanders were injured.

9 MOVE members were found guilty of 3rd degree murder. THEY ARE STILL IN PRISON. 7 of the 9 became eligible for parole in 2008, but have been denied. They come up for parole every year.

On May 13, 1985 the Philadelphia Police Department again tried to evict the MOVE organization from their new house, based on neighbor complaints over things like Bullhorn announcements and compost piles. When the MOVE members refused to leave the police attacked the house with tear gas, and the fire department sprayed it with water cannons. After that a burst of gunfire came from the house, which resulted in 90 minutes of return fire from the police- thousands of rounds were shot at the house. Then, the  Philadelphia Police dropped a BOMB on MOVE headquarters. The bomb set the house, and eventually an entire city block on fire.

John Africa, 5 other adults, and 5 CHILDREN died in the fire. There were only 2 surviving children.

The city was found to have overreacted, and money was paid out to a survivor and relative of someone who died. However, there does not appear to have been any culpability given to individual police involved- none of them have served jail time for the 11 murders.

Write Political Prisoners Letters!! Its easy and you can do it!

Its rainy where I am, and maybe where you are too. What better time to take a minute to write a letter to a political prisoner or two. Here are the most recent addresses I have of a bunch. It doesn’t take much to show solidarity with our comrades in prison- so write them a letter.

Here are some tips:

A Few Do’s and Don’ts in Correspondence A few dos and don’ts on writing prisoners whose backgrounds/politics you may not know.

Anarchist Black Cross Movie Screenings and Workshops

The Richmond Anarchist Black Cross is continuing with radical prison oriented movie screenings this month, on the second and fourth Thursdays of the Month. March 12th the movie will be Prison Town USA and March 26th the movie will be Up the Ridge. These movie screenings will be at the William Byrd Community House on Thursdays, starting at 7 with an opportunity for folks to learn about how to write letters to political prisoners before the film starts. The films will begin at 7:30 so try to get there by then.

There will be snacks as available and free literature, as well as supplies and addresses for writing prisoners. Bring your questions and thoughts about the prison system. Tell your friends!

The William Byrd Community House is located at 224 South Cherry Street in Oregon Hill. The movie screenings happen in the library.

Up The Ridge Movie Screening and Prisoner Letter Writing

Richmond Anarchist Black Cross Movie Series

Host:	Richmond Anarchist Black Cross
Type:	Meetings – Club/Group Meeting
Network:	Global

Date:	Thursday, March 26, 2009
Time:	7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location:	William Byrd Community Center
Street:	Cherry Street
City/Town:	Richmond, VA

Phone:	8043000023
Email:	rvaabc@gmail.com

Description

Join the Richmond Anarchist Black Cross and community members to write letters to prisoners and watch the film Up the Ridge at the William Byrd Community House on Thursday March 26th.
Letter Writing at 7
Movie at 7:30
Up The Ridge is about Wallen’s Ridge Prison in Virginia.

Free Movie Screening and Workshop- March 12th

Prison Town U.S.A. Movie Screening and Letter Writing
The Anarchist Black Cross Movie Series
Host:
Richmond Anarchist Black Cross
Type:
Meetings – Club/Group Meeting
Network:
Global
Date:
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Time:
7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location:
The William Byrd Community House
Street:
Cherry Street
City/Town:
Richmond, VA

Phone:
8043000023
Email:
xveganarchistrvax@gmail.com
Description
Come join the Richmond Anarchist Black Cross every other Thursday to watch movies related to the topics of the prison industrial system and political prisoners. This event happens at the William Byrd Community Center in Oregon Hill, near Cherry and Idlewood.

This week, the film is Prison Town U.S.A.