I struggle with this a lot. I bristle at the distinction between "political" prisoners and other incarcerated people because I think that many incarcerated people are behind bars because of politics, whether they were involved in direct action or because of systemic racism or other prejudice and limited access to legal support that many communities face. While its great to see the networks of support that have arisen to support people like Dave as well as people like Marie Mason, Daniel McGowen and others swept up in things like the Green Scare, its also frustrating to see the disparity between the resources of these networks and the privilege that some of these people already possess and the resources available to others incarcerated just as unjustly. Still, it is wrong to be arrested on the street because of perceived political affiliations, just as it is wrong to be arrested for protest, just as it is wrong to be arrested as a result of social inequality. Dave needs our support, but in doing so, we also need to support incarcerated people in general and work towards ending injustices in policing and the courts that affect so many. Please support our friend Dave and check out these organiztions that work for justice for lots of different people affected by incarceration:Critical Resistance
All of Us or None
Thousand KitesThe Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project
Sylvia Rivera Law Project
Education Not Incarceration
+ So many more!!!
Best,
Geoff