To Rebel Is No Crime: Solidarity With the Comrades of Prairieland!
Our task as revolutionaries in the imperial core is to struggle for the end of this empire. A major part of this involves organizing a mass movement that raises its voice in protest against this empire’s crimes. We should expect and prepare for cruel repression from this mad fascist regime. We must defend and uphold our political prisoners, those who are paying the ultimate price for standing up to the empire, and for the people.
Last week, Comrades Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Zachary Evetts, Meagan Morris, Maricela Rueda, Autumn Hill, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto were convicted on felony charges of “providing material support to terrorists, rioting, conspiracy to use and carry an explosive, and use and carry of an explosive”. The “explosives” in question were fireworks. Daniel Sanchez Estrada was convicted of “corruptly concealing a document or record”, and, along with his wife, Rueda, was also convicted of “conspiracy to conceal documents”. Song was also convicted on one count of “attempted murder” and other gun charges.
We hold that these comrades did nothing wrong. A regime that tortures innocent children and workers has no right to sit in judgment of people’s fighters. The people say they are not guilty. The real criminals are the ones who operate concentration camps, who make war all over the world, who steal bread from our children’s mouths to add to their overflowing sacks of plunder. On the other hand, these comrades were regular working class people, railroaded for activities that activists do every day: moving educational literature and participating in protected protests. It is the duty of all who call themselves revolutionaries in the United States to elevate the struggle, and defend our political and democratic rights to speech and assembly. Sectarianism and squabbling leads to situations that the enemy can take advantage of.
We also remind comrades to be aware of and guard against wreckers, agents provocateur, and snitches in the ranks of our movement. Snitches lie, provocateurs set comrades up, and undercover pigs entrap comrades to make easy cases for the fascists. Lynnette Sharp, Seth Sykes, John Thomas, Susan Kent, and Nathan Baumann all took the stand as cooperating witnesses against their former comrades and provided information that assisted the fascist state in condemning them.
We caution comrades against loose talk and edginess on the internet, even on supposedly “secure” applications, as this absent-minded banter can and will be used against you. A meme and a joke is not worth sitting in prison, we need you free. Form and guard your community well. Solidarity with the comrades of Prairieland. Until the final victory.
