[indymediapr] Despierta Boricua/PP Support Actions

Mie Ene 19 22:36:00 PST 2005

ProLibertad en yahoogroups.com

The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign
http://www.ProLibertadWeb.com
ProLibertad en hotmail.com
Bronx 718-601-4751
Manhattan 212-927-9065
New Jersey 201-435-3244

Despierta Boricua is a weekly fifteen minute Radio segment produced for WBAI
99.5 FM Friday Morning Wake UP Call by The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign.
Despierta Boricua airs at 6:45am, but is subject to re-scheduling depending
on the Station’s needs.

Despierta Boricua is dedicated to providing the New York City listening
audience with the latest news and updates on Puerto Rican politics and
culture from U.S. based Puerto Rican communities and the island of Puerto
Rico.

This week's segment features an interview with Dr. Jorge Colon of the 
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, who will be talking about an upcoming 
De-Militarization conference in Puerto Rico and how the de-Militarization 
movement is growing in Puerto Rico.

Tune in every week to Despierta Boricua, whether you receive a reminder or
not, 6:45am WBAI 99.5fm or via webstream, for those of you outside of NYC,
http://www.wbai.org

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Sunday, January 16, 2005
The following is a message from Nazomi Ikuta, a compañera who has been 
essential in doing political prisoner work in the religious community for 
many years.

On Friday [January 14], Rev. Jose "Viejo" Torres, pastor emeritus of the 
First Congregational Church in Chicago, father of Puerto Rican political 
prisoner Carlos Alberto Torres and husband of released political prisoner 
Alejandrina Torres, was admitted to Rush Hospital in Chicago. After running 
some tests they found tumors in his brain, along with cancer in his hip. He 
is being treated with steroids now to reduce inflammation and will begin 
radiation treatments during the week. As you may know he has been suffering 
from several other health problems but this adds an additional level of 
stress to his situation. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and 
prayers.  Cards may be sent to:

Rev. Jose Torres
2724 W. Potomac
Chicago, IL 60622
Biography of Rev. José Alberto Torres

Rev. José Alberto Torres (El Viejo) was born on June 9, 1923 in Ponce, 
Puerto Rico. He completed his academic and theological studies in 1949, at 
the Interamerican University in San German and the Evangelical Seminary of 
Puerto Rico. In 1959, Rev. Torres was called by the Congregational Church in 
New York to work with the Hispanic community at Martha Memorial Evangelical 
and Reform Church in Manhattan. In 1962, Rev. Torres was called by the 
Community Renewal Society of Chicago to minister the growing Hispanic 
community at First Congregational Church of Chicago. During that time, Rev. 
Torres was interim director of Casa Central and an active participant of the 
Urban Training Center, two entities that were housed and supported by the 
First Congregational Church of Chicago. In 1990, Rev. Torres retires and is 
officially granted the status of Pastor Emeritus by the First Congregational 
Church of Chicago.

Rev. Torres was interim director of Casa Central and an active participant 
of the Urban Training Center, two entities that were housed and supported by 
the First Congregational Church of Chicago. In 1990, Rev. Torres retires and 
is officially granted the status of Pastor Emeritus by the First 
Congregational Church of Chicago.

Rev. Torres was instrumental in involving the Church in the issues that were 
affecting the Puerto Rican community at the time. Issues that ranged from 
residential displacement as a result of the urban renewal project, to better 
housing, education, employment and community rights and presentation in 
local politics.

Since his involvement with the United Church of Christ, the First Church has 
actively participated in support of civil and human rights issues of the 
Puerto Rican community and other under represented minorities. Rev. Torres 
marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Alabama in 1964 and was part 
of a group of ministers to bring Dr. King’s civil rights issues to the 
Puerto Rican community in Chicago. He has worked diligently for social 
justice and in various issues in the community. He was on the organizing 
committee of the first Puerto Rican Parade and the Peoples’ Parade. He was 
the founding member of the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School, the Puerto 
Rican Cultural Center and the Committee to Free the Puerto Rican Political 
Prisoners.

Rev. Torres has three children from a previous marriage, Carlos Alberto 
Torres (one of the remaining political prisoners), Norma and Nidza. He 
married Alejandrina in 1964 and has two children, Lisa and Catalina.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Come celebrate the life of Henry ShaSha Brown with music, food, poetry and 
guest speakers: $5 donation at the door
St. Mary's Church - 521 West 126th St. (corner of Old Broadway)  Take the 1 
or 9 to 125th street

Guest Speakers will include:

Gerald Lefcourt, Esq. Peoples' Lawyer
Shujaa Graham, Former Political Prisoner and Anti-Death Penalty Advocate
Herman Ferguson, Former Political Prisoner and
member of the OAAU (Malcolm X's organization)
Kathleen Cleaver, Esq, Former Communications
Secretary of the Black Panther Party
Asha Bandele, writer and activist with the Malcolm X
Grassroots Movement

Who is Henry ShaSha Brown: He is a husband, father, uncle brother, friend, 
comrade and freedom fighter in the Black liberation movement. He is also a 
former political prisoner who served more than 14 years. ShaSha has 
dedicated his adult life to the liberation and struggle of oppressed people 
and was part of the revolutionary movements in the 60's and 70s.

Today ShaSha finds himself in need of the same support and love he offered 
when he was a soldier for his people. He is now 56 years old. He was 
recently diagnosed with stomach cancer. He has undergone surgery and is now 
receiving radiation treatment and chemotherapy. His wife Loretta is 
recovering herself from a brain aneurysm. The family medical bills (and 
other bills) are increasing at this time when neither of them are able to 
work.

Your help is needed to support this community hero. All donations are tax 
deductible. All checks should be written to IFCO and mailed in care of the 
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement to 388 Atlantic Ave., 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, New 
York 11217
_______________________________________________________________________________

Sign an online petition in support of the immediate parole of Leonard 
Peltier:

http://www.petitiononline.com/Clemency/petition.html

Invite others to sign the petition (see the links on the right side bar & at 
the bottom of the petition page), Or create & circulate your own hard copy 
petition.  The text of the parole petition follows.

JUSTICE FOR LEONARD PELTIER:  PETITION IN SUPPORT OF PAROLE

Convicted in connection with the deaths on June 26, 1975, of two agents of 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Leonard Peltier has served nearly 30 
years in federal prison despite proof that he was convicted on the basis of 
fabricated & suppressed evidence, as well as coerced testimony.

In violation of the U.S. Constitution & the government's own congressionally 
mandated guidelines, Peltier has been denied fair consideration for parole.  
On February 1, 1994, the U.S. Parole Commission determined that Leonard 
Peltier would not be considered for parole for 15 years, or until December 
2008, after a total imprisonment of 394 months.  This amount is more than 
twice the 188+ months to be served based on Mr. Peltier's aggregate 
guideline range.  Further, the U.S. Parole Commission has failed to provide 
parole dates "consistent with the applicable parole guideline" to all "old 
system" prisoners, including Leonard Peltier, as mandated by Congress in the 
Sentencing Reform Act of 1984.

We, the undersigned, support justice & human rights for all people of all 
nations; recognize that the U.S. courts, by their decisions, have recognized 
the undisputed misconduct in Peltier's case, yet have failed to take 
corrective action; determine the U.S. government's handling of the Peltier 
case as a clear abuse of the legal standards of American justice; & do 
hereby call for justice for Leonard Peltier in the form of an immediate 
grant of parole.

NAME     ADDRESS     CITY/STATE/COUNTRY   E-MAIL

Completed hard copy petitions should be mailed to the Leonard Peltier 
Defense Committee:

Http://www.freepeltier.org

_______________________________________________________________________________

SIGN THE PEITION FOR DAVID WONG!!
David has now been cleared of his murder charge, but after all his unfair 
treatment, INS is going to DEPORT him!!  This is unjust!

Please go to the website link below, and sign!  it will only take a moment, 
and it truly means a lot.  Thank you for your support.

http://www.petitiononline.com/USDWong/petition.html