Revolutionary Worker #1185, February 2, 2003, posted at http://rwor.org
The Revolutionary Worker received the following letters from prisoners who responded the call to take up the Pledge of Resistance. These letters show the importance of shining the light of revolution behind the prison walls. The RW receives many letters from prisoners all over the country requesting subscriptions to the RW . We call on people to contribute to the Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund so that not one request will go unfulfilled.
You can reach PRLF at: 773-227- 4066. Send your contributions to: PRLF, Merchandise Mart, PO Box 3486, Chicago IL 60654.
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I have read the pledge in the RW and I've read it to myself and I believe in it with my whole heart and I also believe that if a million people can take the pledge and are willing to fight for their belief then we'll have an army of the people.
I shall take the pledge with a strong arm and clenched fist.
I just began reading the first few pages of the RW and the Not In Our Name project caught my attention. I wish I could physically participate in this very socially radical event, but serving a life sentence (34 to life) in this U.S. concentration camp doesn't permit me to do so. But I want to contribute from the belly of the beast and ask that you publish my poem in the RW ... to let the world know that we in the belly of the beast stand in solidarity with the Not In Our Name project of resistance...
Not in My Name!
We won't be used in the U.S. propaganda campaign,
Not in our name!
Will we be used as pawns in the U.S. imperialist game,
Not in our name!
Will we participate in unjust governments imperialistic glory or fame,
Not in our name!
We in the belly of the beast want all of the people of the world who have been victimized by the U.S. war machine and foreign policy to know that we stand together with you all in solidarity and we want to let the whole world know that the U.S. uses our Names and we tell the U.S., Not in Our Name!
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You will find enclosed a very modest contribution in the struggle, seven men who also agree that what the powers-that-be are doing and will be doing is not in our name, and decided to break the chains of fear and silence and speak out. I have enclosed a bilingual version I prepared with an attached list of signatories.
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The NION Project -- I believe such a project is very necessary. I don't feel comfortable having terrorists such as "Bush," "Ashcroft," and many others, tricking the world into believing all Americans are like them. I don't condone the killing of innocent children and families and believe everything else the Pledge stands for. I also believe many inmates believe that same thing.
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The Not In Our Name Pledge of Resistance means a lot to me and to me it's like the vow of marriage, "till death do us part," and I always keep my promise. I don't know if the others that read the RW will take the pledge, but this I do know. They know that the RW is writing about the truth and it's just a matter of time before some of them take the pledge themselves.
This article is posted in English and Spanish on Revolutionary Worker Online
rwor.org
Write: Box 3486, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 60654
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