Jeff “Free” Luers Prison Dispatch, February 16, 2007

Jeff “Free” Luers Prison Dispatch, February 16, 2007

Thursday, February 15th was just like any other morning for me. I woke up at six,
went down to breakfast and ate with my friends. I came back to my cell and turned
on the morning news. My cellie went back to sleep, covering his eyes from the
light of the TV as I made a cup of coffee.

I had just started paying attention when the ticker at the bottom of the screen
read, “The man who set fire to three SUVs as an environmental protest, will serve
a shorter sentence than originally planned.”

“That’s me,” was my first thought. My second (and much louder) thought was, “I won
my appeal,” I exclaimed, disturbing my cellie and waking our neighbors.

My cellie looked to the TV as the screen continued, “The Court of Appeals has
ruled that Jeffrey Luers was improperly sentenced.”

“That’s you!” my cellie exclaimed, echoing my first thought and waking up more
neighbors. My cellie got out of bed as the ticker informed us “Luers will be sent
back to Lane County for re-sentencing.”

The neighbors started asking us to keep it down. My cellie turned to the bars and
shouted, “My cellie just won his appeal.” And in a show of cheer one can only find
in prison, the morning silence was forsaken as everyone started congratulating me.

I have spoken with my attorney and there are still many battles ahead. Hard
choices will have to be made. I am by no means close to walking out of prison,
just one step closer. This is a victory, and while my own personal struggle is
making headway others are just beginning.

On January 23 eight former Black Panthers (Ray Boudreaux, Richard Brown, Hank
Jones, Richard O’Neal, Harold Taylor, Francisco Torres, and Herman Bell and Jalil
Muntaqim – both of whom have been political prisoners since 1978) were arrested
and charged with the 1971 killing of a police officer. Taylor and Bowman were
first charged in 1975. However, a judge threw the case out after ruling that the
men had been physically tortured and coerced into giving confessions.

These men are not the only victims of an ongoing political witch-hunt being
conducted by the Bush Administration. The SHAC 7 are serving time for maintaining
a website. Rod Coronado is awaiting trial for publicly discussing his role in an
Animal Liberation Front campaign that he served time for in the 90s.

Bush has recently, and very quietly, passed laws bringing the National Guard under
federal, instead of state, authority. He has enacted laws that make it permissible
to open the mail of US citizens without a warrant. Laws are being passed nearly
everyday eroding civil rights and granting extraordinary police powers. The Bush
Administration rules by creating fear and then uses that fear to justify increased
executive power and excuse human rights violations and war crimes.

While Democrats discuss “non-binding” resolutions on the Iraq war, innocent Iraqis
and US soldiers are dying. Dying for what? Another imperialist war for oil!

Bush claims we are fighting to protect our freedom. He must not be referring to
the civil rights he has taken. Rather, he must mean the freedom to be the world’s
largest contributor to climate change; the right to be the greediest nation in the
world, consuming more of the world’s resources than any other nation in history.

And now that human-caused global warming is acknowledged as a real threat, what is
being done? More debates and the same lack of action.

The American public has placed their faith in a Democratic controlled congress and
senate. Indeed, the Democrats may offer some solutions, but they will never create
social change. That task has historically fallen to the people.

Generations of activists and revolutionaries have fought against corrupt powers to
create social change. Several generations of political prisoners are still behind
bars, and still the silent war wages on. While each generation and each individual
have faced their own struggles, making sacrifices for their cause, each of us
shares a dream. We all believed and continue to believe that a better world is
possible: One with justice, equality, and freedom for all.

We believe strong enough that we have staked our lives and our freedoms on it.
Because we know that only action creates change.

Every generation of warriors have stood and fought for something better. Every
generation of warriors has asked you – the people – to stand by them, in
solidarity. They have asked for your support and action in creating change.

I am not saying or asking anything new. Indeed, much greater people than I have
asked the same thing of their generation in the name of the struggle. So what
makes me think this time is different?

Nothing. I’m just hoping that this time you will do more than listen and nod your
head in agreement. I’m praying that this time you will take it upon yourself to
get involved; to get your family, friends, and neighbors involved. I’m asking you
to believe that change is possible and that united we can create it.

This June, show your solidarity with me, and all those who have struggled, past
and present, to make this world a better place. Struggle with us. Hold
demonstrations or gatherings at federal buildings or US embassies and demand
change. It doesn’t matter what cause or issue you fight for - we are all
connected. What does matter is that we stand united and make our voices heard.

- Jeff “Free” Luers

Write to: Jeffrey Luers
#13797671
Oregon State Prison
2605 State Street
Salem, Oregon 97310

More information: http://www.freejeffluers.org