When the U. S. government brought charges against the Black Liberation group known as the Uhuru House and its movement, the African Peoples Socialist Party, FBI agents raided homes and offices of its leaders and members, including Omali Yeshitela, its chief organizer, and several others.
This happened around the same time that the feds arrested New Jersey senior senator Bob Menendez. Both men were around the same age, around 80, and both faced similar charges, being agents of a foreign government: Menendez, Egypt, Yeshitela, Russia. There the similarities ended. Menendez as a senator was allowed to come in with his lawyers to enter a plea. Yeshitela, meanwhile, was both handcuffed and shackled. So much for equality before the law.
Menendez was charged with receiving gold bars for his services, including other gifts. What did Yeshitela and his colleagues receive? Nothing. Not only that, but the government offered ten million dollars to anybody who would come out and testify against Yeshitela. There were no takers. Menendez blamed his wife. Yeshitela said everything Uhuru did was protected by the U. S. Constitution and the First Amendment.
The jury returned for the senator, finding him guilty. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty for the Uhuru Movement, finding they were not Russian agents. Unfortunately, they did return a guilty plea for conspiracy, but conspiracy to do what? Several days ago, the Uhuru 3, Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess, and Jesse Neville, received probation and community service. The Uhuru 3 are free. They stuck together, fought together, and won a true and powerful victory against State repression. The judge, a Trump appointee, said that the group’s actions were protected political speech. With love, not fear, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.