Paul's blog

The case of the Mississippi Scott Sisters, Jamie and Gladys who are now in their sixteenth year of an unjust and racist incarceration, is beginning to reach a wider audience and is inspiring bold actions in support of their struggle for freedom and justice, all the more urgent in light of the criminal medical neglect of Jamie Scott's end-stage kidney disease by the Mississippi Department of Corrections and particularly its head, Commissioner Christopher Epps, who is well aware of Jamie's deteriorating health and refuses to authorize her urgently-needed hospitalization.

Below are two articles sent out by the indefatigable Marpess Kupendua. The first deals with a planned hunger strike at the U.S. Department of Justice by a group of women elders--including Marpessa--which will take place on June 21, 2010. The second is another outstanding article written by Dr. Lenore Daniels, regular columnist for The Black Commentator, who wrote an earlier article which was re-published on this webzine almost a year ago.

Those who are interested in building support for the Hunger Strike and organizing further actions in support of justice for the Scott Sisters can contact folks involved in this struggle at the email addresses and/or phone numbers provided below, or myself (Paul) at lefrak@gmail.com.

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I was prompted to reflect back forty years ago today on the anniversary of the Kent State Massacre of May 4, 1970.

The following was received in an email from Ezili Dantò (Marguerite Laurent), the text of which can be found on her blog.

US/Euro pillage masking as humanitarian aid by Ezili Dantò

Here is an good example of what real helps looks like (Statement of Cuban Foreign Minister at UN Donors Meeting on Haiti
http://bit.ly/b3ZHJa.

Below we post the Haiti-Cuba proposal for building health care in Haiti that considers the needs of the poorest of the poor in Haiti and is without the unseemly large budget of the cork-popping champaign fanfare of the UN/Papa-Mama Clinton March 31st media show and pledging session that just took place. It is worthy of all our support. If only this Haiti-Cuba health care proposal could be brought into application without the US/Euro policymakers' interference and use of their egotistical NGOs and mercenary military contractors to block it. If only their inhumanity and vulgarity could be held in abeyance while heart sore human beings, living under water-logged tents, old cardboard and wet sheets, people with damaged and inflamed limbs, some also tear-gassed by the UN for protesting their conditions; if only their inhumanity and vulgarity could be held in abeyance as Haiti tried to recover from the ravages of the US/Euro neoliberalism and despotism that exacerbated a 7.0 earthquake so that it took the lives of over 300,000...

Today, March 25th, is a "day of blogging" to support justice for the Jamie and Gladys Scott, two wrongfully imprisoned sisters in the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility. There are two central issues at stake with this important case.

Most immediately, the life of Jamie Scott is being endangered due to the prison's ongoing and cruel medical negligence. She is being denied the urgent medical care she needs for both malfunctioning kidneys and she has an infection that has spread throughout her body. Jamie is in constant severe pain and is very weak. In addition, her mother, Mrs. Evelyn Rasco, and their family including their children, have been denied visitation at times.

Then there is the case itself. Here's what the flyer used to mobilize support has to say:

The January 12th 7.0 earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti is a disaster of unimaginable proportions that has likely left tens of thousands dead and many more without adequate medical care,

Jamie and Gladys Scott: Wrongfully Convicted

On the heels of the recent success of the Viva Palestina: Lifeline from Britain to Gaza medical aid convoy of over 100 vehicles headed by British Minister of

This past April, I had the privilege to participate in a brief campaign to defend workplace rights here in the Andean city of Mérida, Venezuela where I currently live.

I think it's noteworthy that once again Brazil's Lula government is running interference for U.S.

Thinking forward to an auspicious May 1st this year.