GUEST BLOG: Arthur Taylor – More prison suicides & celebrating 60th Birthday inside
Inmates deaths to suicide are an epidemic and usually Corrections doesn’t acknowledge them . I warned rising suicides would be a consequence of the smoking ban . I note in recent weeks Prison Directors in Christchurch and Invercargill have acknowledged individual suicides in their prisons after family pressure.
As I approach my own 60th birthday on the 29th of this month , I contemplate the words of America’s best known jailhouse lawyer & author Mumia Abu-Jamal to his supporters on the occasion of his 60th Birthday 24 April 2014
” On this my sixtieth year of life
I am compelled to share with you all my supporters
a sense of thanks beyond anything you have ever heard and anything I have ever said
For I am here among the living because of each and every one of you
All of you known and unknown who have joined us in this battle for life liberty and justice
Some of you have been beaten Some of you have been jailed
Most of you have been threatened Yet you have continued the struggle no matter what for years for years
We are not where we want to be But we are here because you are there
Your struggle has become our struggle and it has touched many many people the world over
Make no mistake I breathe today because you fought for my breath
The state hates you and attacks you because you fought for me with me every step of the way
I am humbled by your support and energized by it
Struggles like this prove the possible And we are not done
They have had to rewrite laws for us But like sunshine like rain we just keep on moving
keeping on coming . I thank you all for what you have done and what we have yet to do
I love you all. On the Move Long live John Africa For freedom
From in prison nation this is Mumia Abu Jamal”
Arthur Taylor is a prisoner rights activist and TDBs blogger inside prison.
Happy birthday Arthur. Keep up the fight.
Where with you mate, where’s the human right’s commissioner asleep here as usual or drugged up to shut em up?
This country is now a banana republic with no soul Arthur so keep the fight up as next year lets’ boot this evil junta Nactional out the beehive door.
Good on you Arthur.
Look forward to your posts as I do to those of Mumia.
I consider suicides to be a form of death by capitalism.
Don’t know if you have come across this poem on Sandra Bland
no indictment for Sandra Bland.
“Wait”, they told Martin
“Too violent”, they told Malcolm
“Terrorist”, they told Assata
“Die”, they told Mumia
we will not wait.
we will be dangerous.
if terrorism means fighting for
my people i will be terrible.
we will not die.
Sandra Bland will not be forgotten.
Sandra Bland will be our rallying cry.
Sandra Bland will be etched into every door, wall and consciousness.
Sandra Bland will be known to every conscience.
rest warriors, for the upcoming year will be like no other.
we will win.
http://janayakhan.com/2015/12/22/sandra-bland-will-not-be-forgotten/
Any info on staff suicides or staff work related health problems …..