(An important pre-note of an unnoticed constant insult):
This article relates to Officer Daniel Faulkner assassination saga and Mumia being swept up with it. Mumia’s original comments referred to a conspiracy against Move not himself. Officer Faulkner’s relatives are being needlessly insulted by Mumia supporters ignoring the fact that the dead officer is a large part of the story. People whose lives or political careers were ruined by being smeared over Mumia would have (and some still can) accomplish a lot, to defend themselves, by simply mentioning the dead officer’s name. Some of Mumia’s first comments of a conspiracy against Move were ignored even where he had wrote often “The Philadelphia Tribune” didn’t publish what he sent them from his jail cell. But did publish on the front page a rambling letter by me about Mumia overwhelmed by circumstance.
There has been a massive number of altered or missing document’s including the original version of Mumia’s brother Billy’s affidavit where Billy talked of his friend’s in the police department, (tensions between his brother’s corrupt relationships at his newsstand and after hours bar made Mumia’s affidavit skimpy).
In the original trip to court for the first hearing Mumia was not allowed to stop as he cried out about a conspiracy to sacrifice a cop to cover up John Africa’s truths. Over time Mumia’s followers changed it to a conspiracy against Mumia with the dead Officer’s name never mentioned.
When it comes to Move in 1978 and/or l979, children in the nearby elementary school ran to the fence shouting, “On the Move” when a man with dreadlocks walked by. The presence of an urban commune trying to prove civilization was unnecessary probably alarmed powerfully people who hated the 60’s and the dropping out of the rat race movement.
At the end of 1979 like right before the year 2000, people wondered and powerful interest groups feared something like the 60’s would return. Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo’s macho image kept expanding, in a decade where the term macho stood for a real man. The hallmark was Black Panther detainee in their underwear spread eagle against a wall. Police officers took the mayors cue, it was hard for a poor Black person to deal with a police officer without acting very subservient. In the meantime the stubborn little Move sect’s image kept expanding especially among poor blacks who thought hippies stood for rich kids born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Every time they ignored beatings to refuse to stand or walk to the paddy wagon while being detained or questioned in court, to poor people fighting for a better image, they seemed heroic – the poor found a better way to feel self confident, just by accepting themselves. Move’s belief that civilization, sadism and the desire to be better than others was a perversion of nature led to epithets that enraged arresting authorities. Rizzo's hallmark was Black Panther detainees in their underpants standing spread-eagle against a wall, and act of shame to poor people. Somehow it never occurred to Rizzo to urge cops to cool it, especially in pubic.
Back before Mumia’s arrest and Officer Faulkner’s death. The Philadelphia Tribune reported Move members being beat up in court for no apparent reason, then everyone being quickly thrown out of court for no apparent reason. The next Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday came Mumia’s report: As an especially uncooperative Move member was shoved toward the witness stand, after an epithet, he was stuck by the officer and let out a scream, the other Move members began yelling. Mumia’s article then ended at that point, “with bits of blood, dreadlocks and skin on a cold prison floor”. Sadly Mumia’s spellbinding sometimes poetic radio-reports, and essay’s aren’t available on prison radio’s web-sight or available elsewhere.
When it comes to John Africa, Vincent Leapart and his then wife belonged to a religious group who regularly communicated with their ancestors. A later roommate of mine used to sit for hours with him listening to classical records. He wore sharp carefully tailored clothing, that complicated handyman piece work and repair. John considered a handyman could according to that later roommate of mine could fix almost anything, his pride in his clothes and music listening not his uncanny repair ability showed a stressful mindset. Suddenly his Africa ancestor became clear. Civilization was slavery. John now fully John Africa realized he didn’t actually like classical music and uncomfortable clothing after all. Only trying to prove he was better than his fellow creatures, the trap of civilization. Knowing nothing about pecking order, he thought dogs, cats and the bugs considered themselves equals. A commune trying to prove civilization unnecessary, except for Pam the educated one, was made entirely of poor people.
Move picketed the circus and pet stores demanding that the animals be allowed to go free. But their compose pit wasn’t covered with dirt, and refusing to slow up in court led to arrest. Move became a tourist attraction. Cars and tour buses slowly driving by, their hand car wash very popular. Right before the bloody eviction they were as well known around the world as the incident with the trapped Chilean coal minors. Fatefully the Quakers bought them a house in the country, which accepting would have dashed their dream was freeing human-kind from the slavery of civilization. There goal back then was to avoid eviction until much of the world though off their illusions like the neighborhood children were temporarily doing. Years later Move was told educate your children or they would be removed. Had Move been told cover your compost pit with dirt or you will be evicted, we would all now be in a different world today without the lonely suicides from people whose only contacts with acquaintances being in cyberspace.
August 8 1978 in the basement moments after they had to hold up the children to stop the water cannons flooding the basement from drowning them, someone fired a gun from the back somewhere near near 33rd and Lancaster and the police began firing. I was at 34th and Powelton. The cops already began to relax, and were preparing to open a corridor in the barricades. Likely Officer Ramp shot by friendly fire, the the back first shot from the wasn’t mentioned again. Many other incidents strange incidents like Birdy Africa’s father gunned down execution style during a court sponsored visit with him. The Philly Police were later adamant that no Move member was involved, but if the police relationship with a provacator was sticky I wish the present reformed polce department and prosecutor would pursue it. Another weird incident include headline articles in the Philadelphia Tribune spliced out of the Central Library Microfiche. (Please someone more more literate then me copy the front pages on the Philadelphia Tribune, from the Philadelphia microfiche, and add it as comment link to this article. One headline had my rambling letter on it, now somehow spliced out. The next also splice out, was Move picketing the Philadelphia Tribune and me being supposedly beat up by them trying to cross their picket line (actually pinned to the ground to stop me from crossing).
Over the years some group found John Africa’s idea’s very John Africa’s ideas disturbing.
Much Later I wanted Kalvin Kahn as my lawyer, but got him as my long term landlord instead. In the end he often suddenly got sick I called 9/11 to rush to save his life seven times and once with him by cab to the emergency room. I was supposed to stay there according to his will until his cat died. Suddenly my key to his apartment was missing and so were the keys in his key draw. the shades drawn for the first time which the mail carrier now covering 22nd and Market will testify to. My call from the pay phone because the new handyman John Lukins wouldn’t get off my phone, was where I rushed to the corner Sunoco payphone which didn’t bring the ambulance because the dispatcher told me because the records stated a call a moment earlier said an and old man was missing, it was probably nothing but should be checked, and that call had priority. If from my phone would be proof of causing deception for the purpose of causing death, which I hope soon will be reinterpreted as attempted murder. He managed to talk the executor into getting food-stamps while cleaning out Kavin’s apartment but moved in, and refused to move out, so the welfare records can be retrieved, cluttered Kavin’s apartment more than mine, a shady realtor bought the place without down-payment under the condition on the condition that we both move out in three months. Lukins then put up a huge sign for that realtor 800-xxx-xxx for sale with rope to the tree, stating house for sale, attended Pan Africa’s business meeting in the nearby Clark Park with his three dogs where Pam told me to sit still and behave myself. Even though I was frequently robbed of documents I could have still had the West-Side Weekly’s original of Mumia’s brother Biilly’s affidavit or some other documentation otherwise missing.
Mumia’s affidavit said he was running toward his brother and felt a shot not saying if he had his gun in his hand, or recognized Officer Faulkner, who, as with the other officer’s, knew Mumia’s picture well. He was going to college and did a lot of volunteering including Little League. So the honest cop image likely fit. But in Wikipedia's 39th District Corruption scandal and elsewhere reported the 39th District was totally corrupt. If Officer Faulkner was disciplining Billy and his partner Poppy, (the stenographer misspelled Poppy as Poppi) would have been very nervous to see Mumia with a gun. Whoever shot Officer Faulkner with Mumia’s gun, the up close bullet to Faulkner’s head was ruled too mangled to tell which gun it came from, must have come from another gun. Mumia collapsed not over Faulkner but where he was first shot. A massive conspiracy to prevent poor people to become like hippies would made many hard to believe scenarios possible, even likely.
I hope Mumia goes back to his original statement that the conspiracy was about preventing John Africa’s ideas from taking hold, not Mumia’s pre-Move activism.
Of the Move 9, three member’s so-far let out on probation Chuckie Africa’s behavior is amazingly exemplary, spending many hours helping disabled elderly prisoners and in 1971 actually wrote this.
He actually wrote the following:
“CHUCK AFRICA’S PLEA TO THE WORLD:”
In a message dated 10/8/2007 11:42:31 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
Dear Sirs/Madams:
I write this letter to communicate a grave concern of mine and maybe yours once reading this.
A sea of apathy floods the cell blocks and corridors of Graterford State Prison as scores of elderly/terminally ill inmates are dying at a rapid and alarming pace. The mere fact of anybody dying is not remarkable by itself; but cold indifference can border on the inhumane when people capable of easing needless suffering fail to act. It is not my intent to suggest that there is a quick fix to a complex situation involving many individuals. However, I do know that there are certain men here who you have observed closely over the years that deserve to be released from this institution.
Counselors, Staffers, Administrators, Psychologists, Guards and Religious Authorities: You have all at various times interrelated with and gotten to know the character of many men here and you can make common sense evaluations and intelligent recommendations regarding this dire situation. Where there is clearly no valid reason pursuant to humanity to continue holding terminally ill men there should be alternatives. I realize that there are more priorities in the world that over shadow that of prisoners and this is not a call to lift the needs and concerns of prisoners above others; it is simply an attempt by me to shed light on a crisis here that requires special attention. Me expressing it with such urgency comes from the real fact that I watch Mr. Edward Williams (Abdullah Shah) AF-4687 wither away before me on A-Block. He is clearly ailing. And I’ve recently observed the late Jerry Mims’ last days as a walking dead man. Helpless and harmless. (1) The bulletin boards continue to announce more memorials as dead faces line the walls on an almost daily basis. Surely some of these men could’ve/can have a positive impact on the communities outside. There can never be enough wisdom out there that people can benefit from. Especially in the wake of the vicious streak of violence plaguing the inner cities.
Finally, while death is inevitable to us all, in here and out there; terminally ill men should at least get to spend their last days of breathing with family and friends. Along with this letter to prison officials I’m calling on all Ministers, Guards, Rabbis, Chaplains, Priests, and Imams to have the courage as men; the moral imperative as spiritual guides; and the willingness to adher to your conscience as human beings and do what’s right: Put forth an intense effort to gain the release of some fathers and grandfathers who continue to languish in here unjustly (in every sense of the word) and without any more clear penological and rehabilitative purpose.
The months of April and May of this year alone have had more than twelve deaths.
Charles Sims Africa, AM-4975
A-Block A1-015
(1) One of many who’ve succumbed to a terminal illness and is now deceased. And I have witnessed many other stricken men die in similar fashion between 2002-2007.
https://www.capitolhillblue.com/node/6393
It seems to me (Richard Kane RichardKanePA) that Chuckie Africa won’t ever be let out on probation as long as he is capable of rekindling John Africa’s inspiration unless the massive conspiracy to prevent poor people from joining the dropping out movement is exposed.
Of all the thing’s I mentioned, the Move picket and my rambling letter is the one thing that Pam Africa and probably the others is happy that disappeared, the one thing that would finally free Mumia and Chuckie would be a dozen or more Move members testifying that the picket did happen and that it was in the headlines of the Tribune Newspaper. I only realized the extent of what happen when I was informed many of John Africa’s writings aren’t where they are supposed to be stored. The Historical Society keeps postponing their scheduled updates of recent Philadelphia history, this insight may help them understand their frustration, they may be able to report attempted sabotage of their efforts and get others to help them.
I would appreciating someone more computer literate than I am adding an image of the 1978 Move beating.
By Richard Kane downtown Philadelphia, bananagis@aol.com267-773-0260
