A concerned citizen/activist organizing package to help build the movement to free Rodney Reed

A concerned citizen/activist organizing package to help build the movement to free Rodney Reed

Everyone is asking me:

“What is with this Texas Governor Greg Abbott that he refuses to recognize the overwhelming evidence that Rodney Reed is innocent and is proceeding to allow his execution while the real murderer of Stacy Stites, Jimmy Fennell, is allowed to go free?”


Quite literally, everyone is asking this question.


Well, it’s the same thing that has driven this case, this frame-up, of Rodney Reed from the very beginning:


RACISM.


Racist hate drove Jimmy Fennell to carry out this premeditated heinous brutal murder of Stacey Stites.


Racist hate, combined with corruption and a long legacy of historical, institutional, cultural and political racism is what is blinding Texas Governor Greg Abbott to the real facts involved in this case to the point where he has no respect for Rodney Reed’s right-to-life.


This movement for justice for Rodney Reed now involves millions of people, all across the country and here in Texas as it spreads across the globe... everyone is looking on in horror and in disbelief that the Governor of the State of Texas is allowing the execution of Rodney Reed to move forward in spite of overwhelming testimony from witnesses together with real medical and scientific evidence that Rodney Reed is innocent and everyone, except Governor Greg Abbott, can see that Rodney Reed is innocent recognizing that Rodney Reed should be exonerated without further delay and this execution halted.


With time running out as the scheduled day of Rodney Reed’s execution approaches, Governor Greg Abbott’s refusal time act in accordance with what human decency and justice demands can only be considered to be mean and spiteful with his actions intended to feed his small and dwindling racist base of support.


No doubt, at one time, Texas Governor Greg Abbott was thinking that with so few people concerned about the plight of Rodney Reed, because no one knew what was being passed off in the name of justice here in Texas, he could get away with executing Rodney Reed and that would be the end of the matter.


But, now, with a growing population having been informed and educated as to all the facts in this case, Texas Governor Abbott is having a great deal of difficulty carrying out his original plans, not because he has a conscience, but because he has been caught as a participant in this hideous racist frame-up of Rodney Reed.


The final decision of whether or not to execute Rodney Reed is not going to be a decision Texas Governor Greg Abbott makes on his own... the determination will be made in the ultimate court... the court of public opinion.


Can we build and organize the kind of massive and overwhelming movement in the short time left to force Texas Governor Greg Abbott to do what is right and just: stop this execution and exonerate Rodney Reed.


Texas Governor Greg Abbott comes looking for votes but he doesn’t want to hear from the people when it comes to what is right and what is wrong and what basic human decency requires.


Texas Governor Greg Abbott turns his back in indifference to millions of people now on record calling on him to do what is ethically and morally right in this case... only more people raising their voices is going to convince Texas Governor Greg Abbott to turn around and face the people and do what is right.


This is no time to give up... we must intensify and bring many more people into this struggle for justice for Rodney Reed.


We can not allow the execution of this innocent man to take place in our name.


Talk to everyone you know; get on the phone and talk to everyone- friends, neighbors, politicians, journalists, clergy, community leaders and grassroots activists.


We must ask, where are the voices from the labor unions? Rank-and-file workers are speaking out but we have yet to hear from union leaders. We are talking about the life of an innocent black worker, the victim of a racist frame-up. Organized labor must add its voice to this struggle for justice.


Take this plea for justice into every union hall for action.


Time is running out.


Look around you; do you know someone who hasn’t spoken up but who will speak up if they are educated to the facts in this case... talk to these people... don’t procrastinate.


Sign the petition and pass it along to others:

Stop the Execution of Rodney Reed!
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-execution-of-rodney-reed

Here is some good basic information on the case for you to use to educate people...


Dr. Phil:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEphVV4LbrY

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7mk087


Democracy Now... this is excellent:
https://www.democracynow.org/2019/11/6/rodney_reed_calls_to_stop_execution?fbclid=IwAR3iPOYXr4X2i8qr1lodITdx1L5xwrAdr_xUwJmvVragzBkGs0mtEKnodBU


The Intercept:
https://theintercept.com/2019/11/08/rodney-reed-death-row-texas/?fbclid=IwAR1qq2aevrdhoNtTM_KEDHm-bSV3fZ7rIJDfpDvfgejh_6_TFFiAdQu-470


Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/2019/11/06/texas-plans-execute-man-this-month-murder-his-lawyers-say-someone-else-confessed-crime/?fbclid=IwAR3GfwL1Vf0Z4xCTXgZGlbg6GzQjW8T5EaH7hIb9huCYYKJMcbUImBMK2A4

Bishop Joe Vasquez speaks out (includes video)
https://austindiocese.org/bishop-pleads-for-rodney-reeds-life?fbclid=IwAR0tT4L2jccidJg1TpwdeoHa_oq0_h8aY1QHBP3xp6CA_bwctk0NCwFUE48

Bastrop County Democratic Party resolution:
https://bastropdemocrats.org/resolved-to-achieve-exoneration-of-rodney-reed/?fbclid=IwAR0b0xeXdi1sO1l3UuOo3Ycg8iOBqn8H6gz_jq5id-hy2o40pIoCWYWSF8I

Polk County Republicans:
https://www.facebook.com/maki.alan/posts/2737127873034463

Austin-American Statesman
https://www.statesman.com/opinion/20191106/editorial-donrsquot-execute-rodney-reed-while-doubts-remain

Oprah Winfrey:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCfDLaEN0rk&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3TEKJ2iEb0OZ2Pmxz53GIEPTBYO5U2s71ccgUGkStITp_BP888g53y0P8

New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/06/us/rodney-reed-death-row-texas.html

History of racism and the criminal justice system from the New York Times "1619 Project:"
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/prison-industrial-complex-slavery-racism.html?fbclid=IwAR2veEKhDnDEZUWsHjFZyNFE4h6DfsEq67agLjbg5mKCima2FvpdzwO6e9E&mtrref=www.facebook.com&gwh=515BF6EC60792FA4D0F6E71A217C2AE7&gwt=pay&assetType=REGIWALL


Letter from Texas State Senator Kirk Watson to Governor Abbott:
http://www.kirkwatson.com/featured-posts/request-for-reprieve-for-rodney-reed/


Letter from Texas State Representative Vikki Goodwin to Governor Abbott:
https://twitter.com/VikkiGoodwinTX/status/1190003004906364928



Letter from bi-partisan group of Texas State Legislators to Governor Abbott:
https://files.constantcontact.com/ad1cddb9001/edecbf75-f862-4b6a-a4da-a6d3e434bd61.pdf


If you need more info and people to contact let me know.


Here is the contact information for Texas Governor Greg Abbott... write, call, visit his office:
(512) 463-2000 - Office of the Governor Main Switchboard
(office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST)
Call 711 for Relay Texas - Citizen's Assistance Telecommunications Device, if you are using a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD)


Mailing Address
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428


Just a note as to how this struggle for justice to save Rodney Reed is shaping up:


Texas Governor Greg Abbott and his cabal of racist bigots are gearing up for a battle over Rodney Reed as they turn to some of the most vicious and vile racism not seen so openly in Texas in many years:


**********************
CNN reports today:

In a now deleted tweet highlighting the growing divide in the case, the Texas District & County Attorneys Association posted: "Not sure how Reed's supporters have turned him into the most popular serial rapist since Michael Jackson."
***********************


This is just the beginning.


These arrogant racist bigots who hold all levers of state power in Texas are intent on executing Rodney Reed as a way to opportunistically and sadistically mobilize their racist base.


Greg Abbott and his cabal of racist bigots can’t figure out how to get themselves out of this racist mess they created for themselves and they are now turning to this vile racism as their last bastion of defense.


This is sick!

A comment:

Alone our individual voices are like one little raindrop, we don't amount to much; but, let it pour... working together we become a powerful flood like a dry stream-bed overflowing its banks.You can find a lot of other information by doing a Google search: "Rodney Reed"
Please share the link to this blog post.
Yours in the struggle to save Rodney Reed,
Alan Maki
512-517-2708

Stealing from the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for wars.

Why do politicians now talk about Social Security as being part of the federal budget? Because it is; it shouldn’t be; it was never intended to be...


But it is:


Social Security has become part of the federal budget because Congress has been “borrowing” (stealing trillions of dollars) from the Social Security Trust Fund and now they don’t want to pay this money back so they are developing all kinds of devious schemes to undermine Social Security... raise the age of retirement instead of lowering it, increasing the price of Medicare Part B, failing to raise the employers’ contribution, refusing to make Social Security the living income it was intended to be, etc.

Instead of using the Social Security Trust Fund for the purposes intended- to finance Social Security programs- Congress has mainly used these funds to finance militarism and wars since it has mixed these funds into the general fund with the biggest share of the general fund going to the defense budget.



This “borrowing” (theft) from the Social Security Trust Fund must be stopped as a prelude to any real Social Security reform.

The case for socialized health care.

The private, for-profit health industry can’t meet the needs when it comes to emerging diseases... one more reason for socialized health care.


And poor diplomatic relations between countries can’t stop the spread of communicable diseases.
Scientists need to be able to work together in cooperation across borders.

Trump with his creating animosities with the entire world is an obstacle to maintaining the health and well-being of people all over the globe.

A thought about reforms.

I constantly get apologists for the Democrats lecturing me about how we can’t enact broad sweeping universal reforms, or even very modestly reform existing legislation like Social Security.


They tell me we should be satisfied with “baby steps” and “incremental reforms.”


Here is my answer to this self-serving crap:

If these Democrats really believed in “incremental reforms” and “baby steps” they would have been making sure the Minimum Wage and Social Security was kept in line with the actual cost-of-living ever since these pieces of legislation were enacted.


Instead, these Democrats dumped Claude Pepper the most forceful advocate for maintaining the Minimum Wage and Social Security as real living incomes and they helped destroy the plans for Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” by supporting the war in Vietnam... then they stabbed George McGovern in the back and supported Nixon.


And now these Democrats counsel us to be “patient” that if we elect them they will take “baby steps” and implement “incremental reforms.”


Now that they want our votes, just like Obama did, they claim they are for everything that will solve our problems. Are we supposed to believe them this time around? Why?


Somebody tell me why we are supposed to believe any of these Democrats who are trying to convince us that they are going to work for us.

What is "philanthropy?"

From Diane Gee; how true:


Philanthropy (n): The act of throwing crumbs at the poor to hide the fact that you are the cause of their poverty and avoid paying taxes for their safety nets.

A profound thought from a Canadian worker about democracy...

Thoughts, very thoughtful and concise, on capitalist democracy from Glen Wreggitt...


'Democracy' is the shell hiding the game; the sheepskin clothing the wolf. If we look carefully, we can glimpse the teeth flashing beneath the costume. The teeth are stained with blood. Some pretend not to notice, perhaps believing that we must accept the wolf along with the sheep. However, the wolf, being a wolf, is insatiable and will wear the sheepskin only until he believes that it continues to benefit him. Some of us know about the wolf, some suspect, and others do not believe he exists.

Everything Trump...

1

The politics and economics of livelihood.

Trump’s “State of the Union” speech was nothing but a litany of lies with the Democrats rising with the Republicans to cheer his imperialist agenda and they even rise to applaud their fascist Guaido, their designated president of Venezuela- the whole thing was shameful and disgusting.


Instead of adequately responding point by point to Trump’s speech, Nancy Pelosi- after rising to applaud Trump’s warmongering, she merely ripped up the speech.


Democrats offer no alternative to Trump’s Wall Street agenda.

Working people need our own party.


Working people need our own politics and ideology- the politics, ideology and economics of livelihood: Marxism.

Nancy Pelosi was right to tear up Trump's State of the Union Speech... it was a litany of lies and racism.

Nancy Pelosi tore up Trump’s speech and this has irked some people; however, Trump has shredded the Constitution and Bill of Rights and these people say nothing about this.

Defend public education.

Trump has a complete disdain for public education.


In his State of the Union speech he said:


“For too long, countless American children have been trapped in failing government schools.”


Public education is by far the most important universal social program ever enacted and it is just as universally supported by people all over the world.


No social programs works so well.


To the extent public education anyplace is failing it is because it is being sabotaged and underfunded and funded through regressive taxes like the property tax with teachers being pressured by the right wing business community not to teach science and the truth about history.


To the extent public education is failing is the result of politicians like Trump appointing right wing nut jobs like Betsy DeVos to oversee public education finding underhanded ways of spending tax-dollars supporting private religious schools.


These right wing politicians like Trump berate public education on the one hand as they push prayers and Bible studies in place of reading, writing, math, science, history and the arts.


For over two-hundred years society has known how to educate people to be competent in reading, writing, arithmetic while nurturing an understanding of history and creating the kind of thinking skills required to advance science and technology.


For over one-hundred fifty years public education in this country has made education available to everyone- not just the wealthy few... and the obscenely wealthy few like Trump and Betsy DeVos have been opposed to the children of the working class receiving any education beyond what is required to do the jobs required in the process of exploiting us from which they have derived such tremendous wealth.


Who is responsible for failing public schools? Ironically, it is Trump and these right wing bigots and all the millionaires and billionaires who are so adamant that they not be taxed to pay for the public education of working class children so these bigots sabotage the public schools in any way they can.
It is public education that we should be able to point to as a world class system of education because it is properly funded, properly administered and properly delivered.


The viability of any universal social program depends on three key components:

How well it is funded.


How well it is administered.


Adequate delivery carried out by properly trained and dedicated staff to accomplish its goals and objectives.

Public education in this country is not adequately funded- when it is, the wealthy few opposed to public education rush in to profit from the public trough they claim to despise.


Reactionary politicians appoint over-paid administrators who have no commitment to public education in the first place other than their own selfish interests to receive high salaries for undermining the very system they are hired to oversee.


And dedicated teachers are forced to buckle under to the most reactionary and bigoted local school boards made up of people who often don’t even send their own children to public schools... the John Bircher Betsy DeVos appointed by Trump to oversee the Department of Education is the classic example of this.


How can a person who is opposed to public education be appointed to oversee public education?


Trump publicly stated his disdain for public education when he appointed Betsy De Vos to oversee its destruction and then again he stated his disdain for public education in this comment that was
disgracefully applauded with Betsy DeVos leading the cheers:


“For too long, countless American children have been trapped in failing government schools.”


Disgusting. Shameful. But very typical coming from a president who chooses to cut funding for public education as he transfers these funds for militarism and wars.


This one sentence from Trump tells us just what kind of arrogant rich fascist bastard he really is.


Anyone with such a thoroughly reactionary outlook shouldn’t be holding any elected or appointed government position, let alone being the president of the United States.

It's time for Democrats to show some respect for the concerns of the American people.

The Democrats blew the election in 2016 by running Hillary Clinton instead of Bernie Sanders against Trump.


These same Democrats blew the opportunity to impeach and remove Trump by not bringing forward ALL of his crimes and impeachable offenses from his instigation of racist and religious bigotry and hate to his litany of lies to his use of his office to further enrich himself and his family to all the havoc he is causing in the world through embargoes and sanctions to outright mafia style murder and his immoral behavior to his phony “peace plan” in the Middle East which he has been working on behind the backs of Congress and the American people.


Now, again, this same powerful reactionary faction in the Democratic Party aligned with, and bribed by, Wall Street’s Military-Industrial Complex intent on insisting we remain on this dangerous course leading us into more and bigger wars... is once again trying to shove losing candidates like Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden down our throats when a Sanders-Warren or Warren-Sanders ticket would be acceptable to most Americans, if, for no other reason, to get rid of this turd on November third.


And now again, we have these same corrupt elements in the Democratic Party being so selfish they even have tried to undermine democracy by “fixing” the results of the Democratic Party Caucuses in Iowa.


These corporate Democrats beholden to Wall Street should just do what is right in get their dirty hands out of politics and let us common people do what is right.


Look, I have no use for the Democratic Party but I am willing to work with honest people sincerely seeking peace, an end to racism and social and economic justice and I am even willing to put up with candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren who I know are only bringing forward campaign gimmicks as “promises” they never intend to deliver on but use opportunistically to get votes and I think most Americans probably feel the same way.


So I can go along with “voting blue but it does matter who” in an effort to get rid of Trump so we can buy ourselves a little time to figure out what direction we all want to see our country moving in...
most people in this country want what people all over the world want: PEACE... so let’s start there.
Peace and disarmament with the wealth of the Nation being used to solve the problems of the people- quality integrated public schools (free for all, pre-school through university), good health care, decent jobs with real living wages and a voice at work and in our communities, decent housing and livable neighborhoods and communities with people working together to solve the problems of climate change and people want real living incomes from Social Security.


We are living in the richest country in the world and the working class has created every bit of this wealth yet the millionaires and billionaires, this extremely small minority, has made the decision to squander this great wealth of our Nation on militarism and these dirty never-ending wars nobody wants.


This election should be about democracy and the common people. This is what we must insist on.


If the Democrats can get their house in order and get rid of these corrupt elements aligned with Wall Street, so much the better. But if they can’t we are most likely in for another rough four years.


I’m not voting for any warmongers. That is my bottom line.


Let Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren meet and sort this out and provide a united front against war, racism and corruption; against Trump and against the warmongers in the Democratic Party, too.


Henry Wallace, Eleanor Roosevelt, Frances Perkins, Claude Pepper and Martin Luther King had a vision for America where democracy meant the common people would rule... it should be possible for Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to bring forward, together, such an outlook to politics.


Quite frankly, I will vote for Howie Hawkins for president if the Democrats try to shove some warmongering Wall Street shills down our throats and then tell us this crap about “vote blue no matter who” when it does matter who.


Don’t allow the Democrats to blow it again. We don’t have to take this crap.