POEMS FROM THE NEO NAZI RUN GULAG

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March-April1996

Dear Mary Moore, Editor:

I found your complimentary issues of SONOMA COUNTY FREE PRESS immensely interesting, courageous and all inclusive--particularly the brother's letter, Eldred of Berkeley, Calif. in support of Mumia. Mumia Abu Jamal and I are both in the same neo nazi run gulag, both controversial writers, both death row comrades.

Therefore enclosed please find a passel of my published material with permission to reprint any piece if interested--and an unpublished poem "Tahina", no other publication dared to publish for fear of religious persecution.

Do you have the courage, Sistas?

Forthcoming separately is my donation and subscription. If I had more....

Perhaps I could write something for you.

Peace, Reggie

Reginald S. Lewis Ay 2902

1040 E. Roy Furman Hwy.

Waynesburg, Pa. 15370

Ed. note: Thanks for writing Reggie. Be strong and tell Mumia he's been inside our pages many times and has alot of support.

THE PEOPLE LOST ON METHYL BROMIDE

Dear Editor:

Thank you for your helpful article in the current FREE PRESS on pesticides. Unfortunately, the people lost another round in the battle against methyl bromide last week when the California Senate voted to extend the March 30 ban under heavy lobbying from Gov. Wilson.

Enclosed are copies of two leaflets that I have been circulating on methyl bromide, mainly within the agricultural community. After our recent loss and the continuation of this deadly chemical warfare, I am going more public with my concerns.

Shepherd Bliss, Sebastopol

LOCAL FOOD NOT BOMBS

Dear FREE PRESS:

I just picked up your Feb/March issue. Good job, I hope you keep it up.

I saw you had a listing for FOOD NOT BOMBS for Berkeley and S.F. There is a chapter in Santa Rosa also. In needs volunteers and other sources of food for its servings. They can be reached at 573 2714 or P.O. Bx. 1671, Santa Rosa, 95402. There is also an organization that is dedicated to recognizing peoples rights when it comes to dealing with law enforcement and attempting to keep the police force under control by observation to make sure they are operating within their bounds. They can be reached at 573 2719 and at the same P.O. Bx.

I think both operations would gain substantially from more publicity.

Adam Labelle, Santa Rosa

RESPONSE TO DESPAIR

Dear Mary:

Thank you for the Despair Interviews, Feb/March '96.

My Vietnam Vet son's response to my gloom is "What do you expect Dad?" Given the culture "scene" where the minority rich own and the majority work to provide for the rich, one should expect contrived despair. Discouraged servants are less of a threat. The rich have real reason to fear, like "how much longer are us rich going to be able to con our many servants off our backs? Despair and tribute go together.

Gordon Yates, Santa Rosa, 5 wars old,

LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS

Dear Editor:

I would like to share how I handle (cope) with despair or stress, the pressures I feel because there is so little social change happening. Like most of you, I pay some dues for seeing so much and seeing so well. I also pay dues for having a spiritual heart when reading the papers, yet I know why these satanic things are happening and I also know that many things must change someday.

I know that I am making a difference. I begin my day, every day doing something to activate and raise the consciousness of people. I search for and transmit viable solutions to the duality problems of social, political and economic life. This optimism is helpful.

I notice that the other paper in Sonoma county, the NORTHCOAST X PRESS offers no solutions or anything viable in solving the problems that beset us all. They offer exposes, which are almost fashionable these days, however almost everyone knows that the FRS is this and that and the evil right wingers of the world bank of Mollith are the bad guys. We all know that already.

So what are we all to do about it? What are viable solutions to these problems that are caused by trickle down banking that has never worked and never will? I feel less despair when I realize that although I spend alot of time alone, reading alone, writing alone, eating alone, drinking coffee alone etc., I am not alone. We are not alone. And together we will come up with solutions, because it is true--Necessity is the mother of invention.

We must come forth and in this I feel less despair. Thank you for including me. I remain sincerely yours.

Michael Bobier, Santa Rosa

Dear Editor:

Re: Welcome to Hell, Feb/March '96

It is high time people became aware of the human rights implications of what is going on in U.S. prisons in the guise of "public safety concerns". I think you are absolutely correct in your assessment of the situation, that the existence of the Covenants is deliberately downplayed, lest people begin to get the idea that they can protect/defend themselves.

Equally important is the need to unmask the powerful special interest entities and expose them and their projects and figureheads for what they are. In California the CCPAO (prison guards' union) manipulates legislators and victims'rights groups to push for increasingly harsh sentencing and conditions of confinement, thus increasing collaterally the reliance upon prisons and the various economic tentacles that string therefrom...more jobs for guards, more prison construction, more specialized equipment. About 10 years ago, I first got my hands on a correctional industry publication and was appalled at the wide variety of highly specialized equipment purveyed nation-wide. It has only gotten worse. The latest edition of THE COALITION FOR PRISONERS' RIGHTS NEWSLETTER (Feb.'96) carries as its cover story an expose of the transformation of "Swords Into Stun Belts". That's right, the ""(conversion of)...technical expertise for application to one of the fastest growing sectors of the American economy: the so called corrections and "crime fighting industry'". The mutation of the Military Industrial Complex to the Prison Industrial Complex has taken a terrifying large leap.

Marcia Bunney, Central California Women's Facility, Chowchilla, Ca.