United Farm Workers rallied with the UNION and several joined us to help with recruiting new workers. Several representatives spoke and explained the challenges of Cesar Chavez when he was setting up a similar group consisting of the poor and uneducated.
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United for No Injustice, Oppression or Neglect
UNION Rally
Sept 7, 2007
Capitol, Sacramento
" A Call for Common Sense and Compassion
in Corrections"
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Rev. Andre Shumake, Alexis Duran
and Activist Wounded Knee
comforted grieving family members
of several mentally ill prisoners who have died within the past few weeks
in a California Prison or Jail
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Nora Weber, Insurance Agent from Bakersfield and mother
of Mark Grangetto, an organically brain-damaged prisoner
from birth who is dying because the California Department
of Corrections cannot properly care for him, spoke eloquently
about her nightmare experience trying to get help to him.
Almost every advocate and family member present have had
a loved one murdered at the prison or jail level.
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Theresa Vaughn, the grieving mother
of Timothy Souders who was killed by guards in a Michigan Prison was
featured twice on "60Minutes" in 2007. She will be in California until Sept 20 to learn the UNION system of organizing from Dr. Bird and return to set up a similar system in Michigan.
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David Posner, MD gave an eye-opening talk about what it's like to be a CDC(r) physician. He gave suggestions for systemic reform as well, his talk is online at this link
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Rev.B. Cayenne Bird shown below offered support during a tearful moment when Theresa Vaughn was describing her son Timothy Souders' torture by the prison guards |
| Lourdes Duarte of Books Not Bars told the story of psychological torture in the CYA so great that her son attempted suicide and urged the crowd to join the UNION |
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Links To Speeches and other highlights of the rally
Main Rally Index Page
MRSA (Deadly Strain of Staph)
Nora Weber mother of Mark Grangetto Speech
Moss David Posner, MD, former physician with CDC(r)
Theresa Vaughn mother of Timothy Souders featured on 60 Minutes
Jacqueline Marshall, mother of mentally ill son who committed on crime burned alive by Humboldt County SWAT team
UNION Director B. Cayenne Bird "Don't Agonize - Organize"
To Join the UNION and get the daily newsletter online
http://www.1union1.com/Join_the_UNION.html
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Quetza Ortez, Director of the Barrio Defense Committee gave a stirring speechette about her son's deteriorating mental and physical health (show on poster) after being in the Corcoran SHU for eight years with no human contact. Quetza announced solidarity with the UNION. |
Families who can find no justice in
the courts such as the parents of
Donald Brandish whose case is
being handled by the Innocence
Project came to the rally to support organizing a voting group so that
initiative campaigns to change harsh
laws will be possible |
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Members of the Hupa Tribe came to the rally looking for answers for two recent
suspicious deaths due to the mishandling of the mentally ill by Sheriffs and SWAT teams in Humboldt County. The day before the rally, Hans Peters died. His family was not told for seven hours that he was in critical condition, then when they tried to visit him, were denied access until a public defender was able to get a judge to step in. They want an FBI investigation to take place as soon as possible but to date have been ignored
(left) Quana Brightman, Vice President of the United Native Americans stands with the family of Hans Peters, a mentally ill man who died suspiciously in Eureka. The family had to fight for access to visit him in his final hours. Quana delivered a riveting speech about abuses to the mentally ill in prisons and jails and voiced outrage over three recent deaths of mentally ill prisoners in Humboldt County.
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Jacqueline Marshall-Alford told us that her mentally ill son Peter Stewart had committed no crime yet his house was shot full of tear gas canisters. When a fire broke out, the Humboldt County SWAT team would not allow the firefighters to put the fire out. The firemen begged to do this since they had gone to school with Peter. She told us that the SWAT team insisted that the house burn down with Peter inside. Stewart was found dead in a bathtub half full of water, wrapped in sheets where he had tried to relieve the pain of the tear gas burns. She wants those responsible held accountable. His mother and entire family is devastated stating that he had committed no crime and called for legislative intervention. |
Red and Yellow, Black and White, parents and family members, organization
leaders all came together in the UNION. The pain of those who have died
preventable deaths crosses all religious and racial barriers that might divide up
up the voting power of everyone connected to a prison or jail inmate which
numbers 3 million. Almost everyone at the rally vowed to support the UNION
by recruiting new subscribers to the newsletter so that we can all be connected
when it is time to elect or recall corrupt politicians representing law enforcement labor unions instead of the people, or do initiative campaigns and lawsuits. There was almost no racism in any of the speeches, the first time that this United front has ever been shown in front of the legislators. A clear message that the family members of prisoners are not too illiterate to organize and get out the vote. Red, yellow, black and white leaders and groups are together now in the UNION with a goal to build our combined voting power. It was a historical day as everyone made their commitments "all for one, one for all." |
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Rev. Andre Shumake "Surely there are good
legislators in this building who want to end the
murder of the prisoners by abuse and medical
neglect. We need to all get together in the
UNION and make sure our voices are loud
enough to be heard. I didn't believe it was
happening myself, until it happened to me.
My nephew Anthony Shumake died of
toothache, unbelievable that could happen
to a healthy young man in America, but it did." |
United Farm Workers Union (UFW) sent a large delegation of more
than 100 to rally over several bills and lined the street with
red-shirted protesters. Several UFW speakers pledged solidarity
with our UNION. The prisons are full of the children of Farm Workers
who are likely to be transferred far away from their families never
to receive visits again.
The sign says in Spanish "Stop the Abuses."
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Assemblymember Dr. Alan Nakanishi, whose district covers Amador City, Ione, Jackson, Lodi, Plymouth, Sacramento, Stockton, Sutter Creek, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove has consistently voted against all prison reform bills. He was seen on his balcony listening to speeches delivered by grieving family members at the top of their voices and mike turned up. Over the course of the day legislators appeared briefly for a few minutes. This is why the UNION rallies at the Capitol so the lawmakers can see there are many people who object to inhumane practices beneath their windows.
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Nora Weber carried a poster of her son Mark Grangetto in his deteriorated state to show everyone who is really in prison - the sick and disabled - We have worked for compassionate release laws on a daily basis for ten years. There is still no place for prisoners to go for help even in life and death emergencies at any level of a bureaucracy that supposedly spends billions on health care. |
Lourdes Duarte of Books Not Bars shared details of activism for juvenile justice that has resulted in the passage of new laws. She says it is the commitment of the families to write and protest and file lawsuits that makes the difference. |
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| Moss David Posner, MD says he was harassed for "helping inmates" when he was a CDC Physician. |
Jacqueline Marshall and Kathleen Atteberry grieve
the loss of their sons who died preventable deaths in Humboldt County within the past few weeks |
Angel speaks about her loved one, Hans Peters |