February 13, 2015

Jericho Honors the Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela!

 

Jericho Honors the Life and Legacy of President Nelson Mandela

The National Jericho Movement to Free US held Political Prisoners joins the rest of the world in honoring the life and legacy of President Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela will forever be remembered as a true revolutionary, devoting his entire life to the struggle for freedom and independence for his people, and his leadership in the fight against apartheid. From husband, to father, to attorney and advocate for the people, to leader of the African National Congress (ANC), the revolutionary, to guerilla freedom fighter, to POW, to President of a nation - his example and accomplishments weigh immensely in the righteous struggle of humanity. 



For people in the United States, the correlation of Mandela’s struggle with that of the conditions and struggles in the United States is clear. Like apartheid South Africa, the United States was born in white supremacy and racism. Apartheid is another name for the same racist conditions that plagued the United States since the first African was kidnapped and brought to these shores. The conditions for people of color were just as oppressive and brutal, if not more so. Very few nations can boast of the savagery of chattel slavery in America. We had our freedom fighters who fought against white supremacy and racism, just like Mandela. We had our revolutionary organizations and movements, just like the ANC and the Black Consciousness Movement. We had our POWs and political prisoners (and still do), just like the POWs and political prisoners from the ANC.



Jericho sends its clenched fist salutes, prayers, and well-wishes to the Mandela family and to his country folk. We sincerely hope that we are able to benefit from the lessons and examples of Nelson Mandela’s life. We also hope that people of the world who honor and respect Nelson Mandela for his struggle and sacrifice will recognize that we have POWs and political prisoners who have traveled similar, if not the same, road as Mandela, and who are still in prison now for 40 years and more.



We recognize that the best way to truly acknowledge Nelson Mandela is to continue to struggle against any and all vestiges of racism and oppression here in the United States, and to give full recognition and support to the POWs and political prisoners in US prisons and jails. We recognize that the oppressive influence of US imperialism smothers, prevents, and even punishes sincere efforts to demand the release of US held political prisoners to where even Nelson Mandela himself did not give support to our freedom fighters.



We call for the people to unite in the spirit of Nelson Mandela, so that his legacy may truly live, and demand the release of all US held political prisoners!



The Jericho Movement

www.thejerichomovement.com