Organize the South

Yesterday, December 14, Eshanul (Shifa) Sadequee and Haris Ahmed were sentenced. Shifa received a 17 year sentence and Haris a 13 year one. Both will have a 30-year probation after serving their time. Shifa represented himself at the hearing and, after hearing a prepared statement by the judge, refused to stand. Although Judge Duffy said during the hearing he would consider certain objections when sentencing, his reading of a prepared statement meant he had already made up his mind before entering the courtroom. Judge Duffy is, at best, disingenuous. Worse, his statement was a white supremacist rant along the lines of Samuel Huffington's "Clash of Civilizations." I will write my impressions of that disgusting display later.

Below is my statement on behalf of Shifa. Shifa refused to allow anyone to speak on his behalf. I can only surmise that spending 3 1/2 years in solitary confinement has had some kind of effect on him. The trauma of that experience must be extreme. My statement begins below. You can read more about the sentencing, including the family statement, at freeshifa.com.

My name is Daniel. I first met Shifa some years ago and a friend of his and his family. In considering his sentence, I would like to tell you about the Shifa I met and know. This Shifa is compassionate, caring, and gentle. The Shifa I know is one who has worked to make Atlanta a better place, a place without violence.

I met Shifa at a national conference to end domestic violence. I met Shifa in the hallway and spoke with him about the conference. He struck me as young but sincere in his desire to create a world without violence. Through Shifa I met his sister and was connected to Raksha, the South Asian anti-domestic violence organization. I was working on a project to bring together crime survivors with family members of formerly and currently incarcerated people in order to address state policy issues. Shifa helped facilitate this project through his introductions. It was through this project I met my wife. It is too strong to say I owe my marriage to Shifa, I do not. However, the path that led me to where I am included meeting Shifa. He helped me along that path. He did it through kindness and gentleness.

Justice would be served by considering the full person before you. Your honor, the only Shifa I know is one who is peaceful. The only Shifa I know is one who loves his family and wants them to live in a violence-free world. I would welcome this Shifa to live in my neighborhood or in my home. As you sentence him today, I ask that you consider this Shifa.

Shifa Sadequee will be sentenced on Monday, December 14. Please come to the hearing and provide support. Gather at 10 am at the Russel Federal Building in Downtown Atlanta.

For more information, look at the Free Shifa website at freeshifa.com.

Below is the synapsis of the case taken from the Free Shifa site.

Ehsanul “Shifa” Sadequee is an American born US citizen kidnapped from Bangladesh at 19 and detained unconstitutionally in solitary confinement since 2006. He has been subjected to a physical assault to his head, denied medical care, and has suffered psychological abuse at the federal prison in Atlanta, GA. Shifa endured punishment and torture for over 1200 days (over 3 years) in solitary confinement before the trial began.

For a long period, Shifa was denied access to information on the charges or evidence against him. The so-called “evidence” used to convict him consisted of on-line chats, visiting & taping tourist sites, and translating and publishing scholarly religious texts from Arabic to English. His First Amendment rights to religious beliefs, translation and publication of scholarly and academic literature, free speech, and debates have been violated.

Shifa Sadequee was convicted on August 12 on four counts of conspiracy and attempt to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations. The evidence is flimsy and the laws are all based on “pre-emptive prosecution” to convict people before a crime has been committed. This case is part of a larger strategy from the Bush era of targeting Muslims for detention and discrimination – through policies of torture, illegal wiretapping and detentions throughout the U.S. and at Guantanamo. We must work together in this new era of hope to end these unjust policies and to remember individuals like Shifa who are still suffering the consequences.

This blog has never gotten many comments so I've not felt the need to have any kind of policy. I've said before I don't like anonymous comments and usually reject them unless the commenter has a good reason. However, my repost of "Some Analysis of Atlanta Police Brutality & Queer People" has generated a bit of comments and all of them are anonymous. I've only posted one and here's why.

Even a casual glance at any daily newspaper site, magazine, blog, etc. shows that the comments section become a haven for white supremacists and fascists to blame people of color, women, and/or poor people for everything. They do it by hiding behind anonymous names. Now I have a job. I understand that if everyone on that job knew about everything I've written or said my life on that job would be more difficult. To that end, I don't have my full name and address on this blog. But this site has been up for some time and if someone wants to disagree with me there's an email contact where they can do that. Anonymous comments, particularly ones that are white supremacist, et. al, are one shot deals without accountability. That doesn't fly unless you got a good reason.

If the comment substantially adds something to the conversation, if you make the case that your information would affect your job or safety, if you want to post a link or suggestion for further information, I will accept the comment. If you repeat something that's been said already, or if you want to challenge people to "strap on a badge and pistol and see how big your attitude is when your [sic] standing alone in the ghetto," then I'm going to delete your comment. Why? Some of the reason is because you don't know. Do a little reading and think about it. Or, here's an idea, post an identity (like a name or email address) and invite a conversation.

Just a thought or two.

Abolitionist John Brown was executed by the state of Virginia on December 2, 1859. Brown had led a raid on the armory at Harper's Ferry with the intent of raising an army to free enslaved Africans. The raid failed and Brown was executed. His execution probably did more to move the nation towards the Civil War than the raid ever could. Below is the last letter he wrote to his wife and children. The text comes from The Life and Trial of John Brown website.

Letter dated November 30, 1859

My Dearly Beloved Wife, Sons and Daughters, Everyone--

As I now begin what is probably the last letter I shall ever write to any of you, I conclude to write to all at same time. I will mention some little matters particularly applicable to little property concerns in another place.

I recently received a letter from my wife, from near Philadelphia, dated November 22, by which it would seem that she was about giving up the idea of seeing me again. I had written her to come on if she felt equal to the undertaking, but I do not know that she will get my letter in time. It was on her own account chiefly that I asked her to stay back. At first I had a most strong desire to see her again, but there appeared to be very serious objections; and should we never meet in this life, I trust that she will in the end be satisfied it was for the best at least, if not most for her comfort. I inclosed in my last letter to her a draft of fifty dollars from John Jay, made payable to her order. I have now another to send her, from my excellent old, friend Edward Harris, of Woonsocket, R. L, for one hundred dollars, which I shall also make payable to her order.

I am waiting the hour of my public murder with great composure of mind and cheerfulness, feeling the strong assurance that in no other possible way could I be used to so much advantage to the cause of good and of humanity, and that nothing that either I or all my family have sacrificed or suffered will be lost. The reflection that a wise and merciful, as well as just and Holy God, rules not only the affairs of this world, but of all worlds, is a rock to set our feet upon under all circumstances--even those more severely trying ones into which our own feelings and wrongs have placed us. I have now no doubt but that our seeming disaster will ultimately result in the most glorious success; so, my dear shattered and broken family, be of good cheer, and believe and trust in God with all your heart, and with all your soul; for He doeth all things well. Do not feel ashamed on my account, nor for one moment despair of the cause or grow weary of well doing. I bless God I never felt stronger confidence in the certain and near approach of a bright morning and a glorious day than I have felt, and do now feel, since my confinement here. I am endeavoring to return, like a poor prodigal as I am, to my Father, against whom I have always sinned, in the hope that he may kindly and forgivingly meet me, though a very great way off.

Oh! my dear wife and children, would to God you could know how I have been travailing in birth for you all, that no one of you may fail of the grace of God.

Through Jesus Christ--that no one of you may be blind to the truth and glorious light of his Word, in which life and immortalty are brought to light, I beseech you every one, to make the Bible your daily and nightly study, with a childlike, honest, candid, teachable spirit of love and respect for your husband and father.

And I beseech the God of my fathers to open all your eyes to the discovery of the truth. You cannot imagine how much you may soon need the consolations of the Christian religion. Circumstances like my own for more than a month past have convinced me beyond all doubt, of our great need of some theories treasured up when our prejudices are excited, our vanity worked up to the highest pitch. Oh! do not trust your eternal all upon the boisterous ocean without even a helm or compass to aid you in steering. I do not ask any of you to throw away your reason; I only ask you to make a candid, sober use of your reason.

My dear younger children, will you listen to this last poor admonition of one who can only love you? Oh! be determined at once to give your whole heart to God, and let nothing shake or alter that resolution. You need have no fears of regretting it. Do not be vain and thoughtless, but sober minded; and let me entreat you all to love the whole remnant of our once great family. Try and build up again your broken walls, and to make the utmost of every stone that is left. Nothing can so tend to make life a blessing as the consciousness that your life and example bless and leave you the stronger. Still, it is ground of the utmost comfort to my mind to know that so many of you as have had the opportunity have given some proof of your fidelity to the great family of men. Be faithful unto death; from the exercise of habitual love to man it cannot be very hard to learn to love his Maker.

I must yet insert the reason for my firm belief in the divine inspiration of the Bible, notwithstanding I am perhaps naturally skeptical, certainly not credulous. I wish all to consider it most thoroughly when you read that blessed book, and see whether you cannot discover such evidence yourselves. It is the purity of heart filling our minds as well as work and actions, which is everywhere insisted on, that distinguishes it from all the other teachings, that commends it to my conscience. Whether my heart be willing and obedient or not, the inducement that it hold. out is another reason of my convictions of its truth and genuineness; but I do not here omit this my last argument on the Bible that eternal life is what my soul is punting after this moment. I mention this as a reason for endeavoring to leave a valuable copy of the Bible to be carefully preserved in remembrance of me, to see many of my posterity, instead of some other book equal cost.

I beseech you all to live in habitual contentment with moderate circumstances and gains of worldly store, and earnestly to teach this to your children and children's children after you, by example as well as precept. Be determined to know by experience, as soon as may be, whether Bible instruction is of divine origin or not. Be sure to owe no man anything, but to love one another. John Rogers wrote to his children, "Abhor that arrant whore of Rome." John Brown writes to his children to abhor, with undying hatred also, that sum of all villainies--Slavery. Remember, he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth in spirit than he that taketh a city. Remember, also, that they, being wise, shall shine, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

And now, dearly beloved family, to God and the work of His Grace I commend you all.

Your affectionate husband and father,
John Brown