A MESSAGE TO THE COURAGEOUS ACTIVISTS IN PHILADELPHIA JAILS

As anti-imperialist women who have been fighting the state on many

different fronts for over 30 years, we salute the actions that all of you

took in the streets to expose and fight the criminal injustice system and

other aspects of the corporate-controlled two-party charade. At the same

time, we want to express our very serious concern about the fluid and

hunger strikes on which you have embarked. It is our experience that people

in jail or prison need to build and conserve our physical and mental

strength so that we can help move the struggle forward, not deplete our

strength and risk our lives so that others have to leave their posts to

come to our aid. Please do not damage yourselves. You are needed as

activists, not as martyrs. You've shown everyone around the world how

dedicated and effective protesters can be in fighting against injustice.

You have inspired all of us -- now we hope we can inspire you.

Linda Evans, political prisoner for 15 years, Federal Correctional

Institute, Dublin, CA

Laura Whitehorn, ex-political prisoner, recently released after 14 years in

federal prison

I would like to express my agreement with Ms. Evans and Ms. Whitehorn. We are very concerned about the sisters in prison in Philadelphia -- and in fact everyone still in there, and hope that they will take measures to protect their health and well-being.

I am profoundly impressed with your moral courage, and will tell everyone that from here on out. But we need all of you well and balanced to win what Mumia himself has termed a "battle of Titanic proportions". And so it is. And in my humble opinion, one cannot prevail over "powers and principalities" (in the phrase of Martin Luther King) without protecting her own health and balance.

With deep solidarity, affection and respect,

Allison Cook