The Inspirational Mumia

The indispensible Indymedia Watch e-mailed to alert me to this story of domestic terrorist Jeff Luers. Jeff is a really nice gfuy who decided that it was a good idea to burn 3 SUV's to defend the earth from evil gas guzzlers. He was sentenced to 22-years for his crime.

His supporters call him a political prisoner, the Watcher has other ideas:

Bloggers in Iranian prisons are political prisoners. Dissidents in China are political prisoners. Idiots that set fire to things are not political prisoners and calling them as such is an insult to people who genuinely did nothing wrong except think. Sadly, it was the lack of thinking which got him into prison in the first place. Maybe Luers can think about it now (perhaps in the showerblock).

Well said. This weekend however, "social justice activists from across the world" will mark a special day with special speeches from special people. Among the derelicts will be convicted (and upheld on numerous appeals) cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mumia killed Officer Daniel Faulkner on a darkened street in Center City Philadelphia and has claimed he is a political prisoner ever since.

More background on Danny Faulkner's murder here. Previous posts by me on this subject here, here and here.

In related Philly news, the former Birdie Africa is having a movie made of his life. An amazing story.