MOVE's May 13th Plans

Well, here it is, yet another strange and convoluted message from MOVE. In the usual all caps format and typical sophistry that we have grown used to and I am sure tired of. More of the same self-serving rhetorical garbage meant to spur action on behalf of MOVE’s "soldiers".

In typical MOVE fashion there is no sense that the group is responsible for any it’s own problems, nor is there any pretense at linking the premise to the conclusion, just the usual assault of self-pity and inducement for others to drink the MOVE-flavored Kool-Aid.

This is all par-for-the-course stuff if you follow MOVE’s sick habits.

But one does have to wonder why the American Friends Service Committee continues to allow MOVE to have their events on their premises.

Given MOVE’s violent history and the unmistakable cloud of suspicion that follows the group after the 2002 murder of John Gilbride I have to call into question the sanity of anyone who rolls out the welcome mat for Ramona Africa and her crew of cultists. On that note I would encourage everyone who reads this to call, email, fax the AFSC to express your displeasure at MOVE’s presence at a place ostensibly dedicated to the promotion of peace.

AFSC · 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 · 215-241-7000 afscinfo@afsc.org

This of course brings me to my next point. Let nobody suffer under the illusion that MOVE members are in jail for fighting for freedom. They are in jail for their dedication to their "leader" who summarily ordered his devotees to provoke a confrontation that left one police officer dead and several other police officers and firefighters wounded, some grievously. An event where MOVE "soldiers" hid behind women and children while spraying gunfire at the police who just wanted everyone to come out so that the issue could be resolved peacefully, something that MOVE and John Africa would never allow to happen.

In 2008 MOVE members will be up for parole and when MOVE is not trying to talk about John Gilbride and are pimping Mumia, they do occasionally find time to advocate for their "soldiers".

Hence this event at the AFSC, that is somehow intended to get people to wrap themselves around the fact that MOVE’s convicted and unrepentant cop-killers should be let out on the street. The same MOVE members who from jail worked to actively recruit new "soldiers" into the cult and who celebrated the murder of John Gilbride (I’ve got the letters).

Well I say if MOVE wants to say "Free the MOVE 9", than I think it only fitting that people of conscience say "hell no" ten times louder. If they want to "pressure" the parole board into freeing their members than we have every right to remind people of the chaos that MOVE continues to perpetuate out on the street. This, some thirty years after one of MOVE’s finest pumped a .223 round into Officer James Ramp as he ran to assist a fellow downed officer.

Than of course, MOVE wants to go and yell and scream out in front of the Liberty Bell. I say let them do it. But while they are there perhaps the people of Philadelphia will kindly remind them that it was MOVE that started the confrontation on May 13, 1985 by opening fire from a fortified home filled with children, that it was MOVE who killed Officer Ramp, that it was MOVE supporter, Mumia Abu-Jamal who killed Officer Daniel Faulkner, that it is MOVE that continues to abuse and neglect the children in their midst, and let us not forget the "unsolved" murder of John Gilbride.

Here is Ramona Africa's "statement" from the Mumia website:

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA!!! LONG LIVE REVOLUTION!!! ONA MOVE, EVERYBODY!!! I JUST WANTED TO INFORM YOU ASAP ABOUT OUR PLANS FOR MAY 13, 2007. ON SATURDAY, MAY 12TH WE ARE HAVING A VERY IMPORTANT CONFERENCE ON THE ISSUE OF PAROLE FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS. THE CONFERENCE IS BEING HELD FROM 12:00-5:00pm AT THE AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE, LOCATED AT 1501 CHERRY ST., IN CENTER CITY PHILADELPHIA. TOO MANY OF OUR FREEDOM FIGHTERS ARE DENIED PAROLE UNJUSTLY AND ILLEGALLY ON SUCH RIDICULOUS EXCUSES AS "LACK OF REMORSE" AND "SERIOUS NATURE OF OFFENSE". ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS MISUSED BY PAROLE BOARDS NATIONWIDE IS "ACCOUNTABILITY" OR "TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CRIME". In OTHER WORDS, ADMITTING GUILT. MOVE IS GONNA DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES THOUROUGHLY AND DIRECTLY AT THIS CONFERENCE. THIS ISSUE AND THE INFORMATION WE PUT OUT AT THIS CONFERENCE BENEFITS EVERYBODY THAT’S FACED WITH PAROLE HEARINGS AND WE’RE URGING ALL SUPPORT COMMITTEES FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS AND ALL THOSE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS FACING PAROLE HEARINGS TO COME TO THIS CONFERENCE AND WORK IN A UNIFIED EFFORT TO BACK PAROLE BOARDS OFF OUR SOLDIERS. THE SECOND PART OF OUR PROGRAM IS A DEMONSTRATION ON SUNDAY, MAY 13TH, AT 5TH AND MARKET STREETS IN CENTER CITY PHILADELPHIA, ACROSS FROM "THE LIBERTY BELL". WE DON’T INTEND TO EVER ALLOW THIS SYSTEM TO FORGET ABOUT OR EVEN TRY TO GLOSS OVER WHAT IT DID ON MAY 13, 1985 WHEN IT BOMBED AND MURDERED MOVE MEN, WOMEN AND BABIES. WE, AS A PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO ALLOW OFFICIALS TO THINK THAT WE TAKE THAT KIND OF VICIOUSNESS LIGHTLY. IT WOULD BE THE WORST THING WE COULD EVER DO, THE WORST MESSAGE WE COULD EVER SEND OFFICIALS. JOIN US ON MAY 12TH AND 13TH ! YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID!!!
ONA MOVE, RAMONA