This letter from Subcomandante Marcos congratulates Mumia Abu-Jamal on his birthday and explains why the Zapatista movement extends solidarity to his cause. It discusses Mumia's unjust imprisonment and death sentence, the international support for his case, and connects his struggle to those of other indigenous peoples and political prisoners resisting injustice across the Americas. The letter sends greetings and embraces to Mumia from the Zapatistas and expresses hope that he can one day visit them to celebrate his birthday after gaining freedom.

1. “Perhaps you wonder how we
know of you, about your birth-
day, and why it is that we extend
this long bridge which goes from SUBCOMANDANTE
MARCOS
the mountains of the Mexican
Southeast to the prison of
Pennsylvania where you are
incarcerated unjustly. Many
good people from many parts of
the world have spoken of you,
through them we have learned
how you were ambushed by the
A24
North American police in
December of 1981, of the lies
which they constructed in the
procedures against you, and of
your death sentence in 1982. We
learned about your birthday
through the international mobi-
lizations which... are being pre-
pared this April 24.”
—Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
OCCUPIED MEDIA
OCCUPIED MEDIA PAMPHLET SERIES
ZUCCOTTI PARK PRESS
PAMPHLET SERIES
c/o Adelante Alliance
405 61st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220
occupy@adelantealliance.org
www.zuccottiparkpress.com

2. OCCUPIED MEDIA Subcomandante
PAMPHLET SERIES Insurgente Marcos
MESSAGE TO THE MOVEMENT
BY MUMIA ABU-JAMAL A24
Reflecting on the meaning of struggle, education, imperial-
ism, and his own involvement in radical social move-
ments, revolutionary journalist and former Black Panther,
Abu-Jamal directly addresses the diverse community of
organizers and activists who support and participate in the
Occupy movement. “The real deal is Occupy Everything!” Subcomandante Marcos is a spokesperson
says Mumia. “Where the People are, there should you be. for Zapatistas and the autonomous indige-
Where power and wealth are hurting the People, there nous base communities connected with
should you be organizing, resisting, fighting back, win- them. Their struggle is for dignity, democ-
ning a better world.” English/Spanish edition: $6 racy, liberty and justice.
OCCUPY
BY NOAM CHOMSKY
“The Occupy movements have been a remarkable suc-
Produced by Greg Ruggiero
cess,” says Chomsky. “They’ve changed the national dis-
course. They have introduced into public view crucial
concerns that had been hidden. They’ve created commu-
nities of mutual support and solidarity.... In fact, one sign
of their success is the nature of the repression against
them...That’s an indication of success and concern.
Dedicated to all those participating in
Naturally, we have to resist the repression.” the Occupation of the Justice Department,
“Occupy is another vital contribution from Chomsky to Washington, DC, April 24, 2012
the literature of defiance and protest, and a red-hot rally-
ing call to forge a better, more egalitarian future....an
excellent read.” — Alternet 128-page edition: $10;
18-page edition, $5.
TAKING BROOKLYN BRIDGE Occupied Media Pamphlet Series| Pamphlet 5
Special edition | April 24, 2012
BY STUART LEONARD
Taking Brooklyn Bridge is a poem about the struggle for lib-
erty and the search for true democracy and redemption.
Addressed to Walt Whitman and composed in the
cadence and style of Whitman’s “Crossing Brooklyn
Ferry,” the poem tells the story of the personal and politi-
cal awakening experienced while participating in a march
across the Brooklyn Bridge. $5
New pamphlets coming soon from: Angela Davis, Marina
Sitrin & Dario Azzellini, and Laura Gottesdiener.
OCCUPIED MEDIA PAMPHLET SERIES
ZUCCOTTI PARK PRESS
OCCUPIED MEDIA PAMPHLET SERIES c/o Adelante Alliance
ZUCCOTTI PARK PRESS 405 61st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220
c/o Adelante Alliance (718) 717-2576
405 61st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220 occupy@adelantealliance.org
(718) 717 2576 www.zuccottiparkpress.com
occupy@adelantealliance.org
www.zuccottiparkpress.com

3. long bridge which goes from the mountains of the
Mexican Southeast to the prison of Pennsylvania
where you are incarcerated unjustly. Many good
people from many parts of the world have spoken
of you, through them we have learned how you
were ambushed by the North American police in
December of 1981, of the lies which they con-
structed in the procedures against you, and of
your death sentence in 1982. We learned about
your birthday through the international mobiliza-
tions which, under the name of “Millions for
Mumia,” are being prepared this April 24.
It is harder to explain this bridge which this let-
ter extends, it is more complicated. I could tell
you that, for the powerful of Mexico and the gov-
Letter To Mumia Abu-Jamal ernment, to be indigenous, or to look indigenous,
April 24, 1999 is reason for disdain, abhorrence, distrust and
hatred. The racism which now floods the palaces
For: Mumia Abu-Jamal, American Union of power in Mexico goes to the extreme of carrying
out a war of extermination and genocide against
From: Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos, millions of indigenous. I am sure that you will
Mexico find similarities with what power in the United
States does with the so-called “people of color”
Mr. Mumia: (African-American, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans,
Asians, North American Indians and any other
I am writing to you in the name of the men, peoples who do not have the insipid color of
women, children and elderly of the Zapatista money).
National Liberation Army in order to congratu-
late you on April 24, your birthday. We are also “people of color” (the same color as
our brothers who have Mexican blood and live
Perhaps you have heard of us. We are Mexican, and struggle in the American Union). Our color is
mostly indigenous, and we took up arms on “brown,” the color of the earth, the color from
January 1, 1994 demanding a voice, a face and a which we take our history, our strength, our wis-
name for the forgotten of the earth. dom and our hope. But in order to struggle we
add the color black to our brown. We use black
Since then, the Mexican government has made ski-masks to show our faces, only then can we be
war on us, pursues and harasses us seeking our seen and heard. Following the advice of an indige-
death, our disappearance and our absolute nous Mayan elder, who explained to us the mean-
silence. The reason? These lands are rich with oil, ing of the color black, we chose this color.
uranium and precious lumber. The government
wants them for the great transnational compa- Old Don Antonio, this wise elder, died in these
nies. We want them for all Mexicans. The govern- rebel Zapatista lands in March of 1994, a victim
ment sees our lands as a business. We see our of tuberculosis which gnawed away at his lungs
history written in these lands. In order to defend and his breath. Old Don Antonio used to tell us
our right (and that of all Mexicans) to live with that from black came light and from there came
liberty, democracy, justice and dignity we became the stars which light up the sky around the
an army and took on a name, a voice and face. world. He recounted a story of a long time ago (in
the times when time was not measured), when
Perhaps you wonder how we know of you, about the first gods were given the task of giving birth
your birthday, and why it is that we extend this to the world. In one of their meetings they under-
stood that the world needed to have life and
1 2

4. movement, and to have life and movement, light ing for the Dine (the Navajo), who fight in Big
was necessary. Then they thought of making the Mountain, Arizona against the violations of their
sun in order that the days move and so that there traditional Dine religious practices.” They strug-
would be day and night and time for struggling gle against those who favor large businesses
and time for making love, and the world would go instead of respect for the religious freedom of
walking with the days and nights. The gods had Indian peoples, against those who want to destroy
their meeting and made this agreement in front sacred grounds and ceremonial sites (as is the
of a large fire, and they knew it was necessary case of Peabody Western Coal Company which,
that one of them be sacrificed by throwing himself without reason, wants to take the lands and the
into the fire and himself become fire and fly into land rights, and the history which belong to the
the sky. The gods thought that the sun's work Dine and their future generations.)
was the most important, so they chose the most
beautiful god so that he would fly into the fire But this letter-bridge has more than just stories
and become the sun. But he was afraid. Then the of resistance against North American injustice. In
smallest god, the one who was black, said he was the extreme south of our continent, in Chile, the
not afraid and he threw himself into the fire and indigenous Mapuche women in the Pewenche
became the sun. Then the world had light and Center of Alto Bio-Bio confront stupidity. Bertha
movement, and there was time for struggle and and Nicolasa Quintreman are accused of “mis-
time for love, and while it was day the bodies treating” members of the armed forces of the
worked to make the world and while it was night Chilean government. There you have it. An
the bodies made love and sparkles filled the dark- armed military unit with rifles, sticks, and tear-
ness. gas, protected by bulletproof vests, helmets and
shields, accuse two indigenous women of “mis-
This is what Old Don Antonio told us and that is treatment.” But Bertha is 74 years old and
why we use black ski masks. So we are of the Nicolasa is 60. How is it possible that two elderly
color brown and of the color black. But we are people confronted a “heroic” group of heavily-
also the color yellow, because the first people who armed military? Because they are Mapuche. The
walked these lands were made of corn so they story is the same as that of the Dine brothers and
would be true. And we are also red because this is sisters of Arizona—it repeats itself throughout
the call of blood which has dignity, and we are the Americas. A company—ENDESA—wants the
also blue because we are the sky in which we fly, Mapuches' land, and in spite of the law which
and green for the mountain which is our house protects the indigenous, the government is on the
and our strength. And we are white because we side of the companies. The Mapuche students
are paper so that tomorrow can write its story. have pointed out that the government and the
company with the military intelligence made a
So we are 7 colors because there were 7 first gods “study” of the Mapuche communities and conclud-
who birthed the world. ed that the Mapuche could not think, defend
themselves, resist, or build a better future for
This is what Old Don Antonio said long ago and themselves. Apparently, the study was wrong.
now I tell you this story so that you may under-
stand the reason for this bridge of paper and ink Now it occurs to me that, perhaps the powerful in
which I send to you all the way from the moun- North America carried out a similar “military
tains of the Mexican Southeast. intelligence” study (frankly, this is a contradic-
tion, because those of us who are military are not
And also so that you may understand that with intelligent, if we were we would not be military)
this bridge go greetings and embraces for about the case of the Dine in Arizona, about
Leonard Peltier (who is in the prison at Leonard Peltier, about other political prisoners,
Leavenworth, Kansas), and for the more than 100 about yourself, Mr. Mumia.
political prisoners in the USA who are the victims
of injustice, stupidity and authoritarianism. Perhaps they made this study and came to the
conclusion that they might be able to violate jus-
And with this letter-bridge walks as well a greet- tice and reason, to assault history and lose the
3 4

5. truth, and that no one would say anything. The
Dine Indians would stand by and watch the
destruction of the most sacred of their history,
Leonard Peltier would be alone, and you, Mister
Mumia, would be silenced. ( I remember your own
words: “They not only want my death, they want
my silence.”)
But the studies were wrong. Happy mistake? The
Dine resist against those who would kill their
memory, Leonard Peltier is accompanied by all
those who demand his liberty, and you sir, today
you speak and shout with all the voices which cel-
ebrate your birthday as all birthdays should be
celebrated, by struggling. Letter To the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania, USA
Mr. Mumia: April of 1999
We have nothing big to give you as a gift for your
birthday. It is poor and little, but all of us send For: Mr. Tom Ridge
you an embrace. Governor of Pennsylvania
United States, North America
We hope that when you gain your freedom you
will come to visit us. Then we will give you a From : Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
birthday party, even if it isn’t April 24, it will be Mexico
an unbirthday party. There will be music, dance
and talk, which are the means by which men and To the Magistrate and Governor
women of all colors understand and know one Dear sirs:
another, and build bridges over which they walk
together, towards history, towards tomorrow. I write to you in the name of the men, women,
children and elderly of the EZLN. Most of us are
Happy Birthday! indigenous Mexicans and we struggle for liberty,
democracy and justice.
Vale. We greet you and may justice and truth find
their place. The purpose of the following letter is to demand
justice in the case of Mr. Mumia Abu-Jamal, con-
From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast, demned unjustly to the death penalty in 1982. As
you know, the judicial process against Mister
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos Mumia Abu-Jamal was plagued with lies and
Mexico, April of 1999 irregularities: the police who accuse him lied
about a supposed confession of his, one of the wit-
P.S. I read somewhere that you are a father and a nesses has changed testimony and declared that
grandfather. So I am sending you a gift for your he was forced to lie or face prison, the ballistic
children and grandchildren. It is a little wooden evidence has proved it was impossible that Mister
car with Zapatistas dressed in black ski-masks. Mumia Abu-Jamal fired the weapon which killed
the policeman. This should be enough evidence
Tell your children and grandchildren that it is a for a new trial, but even this recourse has been
gift the Zapatistas have sent you. You can explain denied to Mister Mumia Abu-Jamal. If the
to them that there are people of all colors every- Judicial system of Pennsylvania and the governor
where, just like you, who want justice, liberty and are certain of the guilt of Mister Mumia Abu-
democracy for people of all colors. Jamal, they should not fear a new trial which
adheres to the truth.
5 6

6. I do not ask clemency, pardon, nor mercy from
you for Mister Mumia Abu-Jamal. I demand jus-
tice, something which I believe is within your
powers. No one within the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania or governor Tom Ridge has any-
thing to lose. A new trial can bring the truth for-
ward, and justice, supposedly, is all that should
matter.
That is all.
From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast,
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
Carta a Mumia Abu-Jamal
Señor Mumia: Le escribo a nombre de los hom-
bres, mujeres, niños y ancianos del Ejercito
Zapatista de Liberación Nacional para felicitarlo
por el 24 de abril, que es el día de su cumpleaños.
Tal vez usted ha escuchado hablar de nosotros.
Somos mexicanos, mayoritariamente indígenas, y
nos alzamos en armas el primero de enero de
1994 demandando voz, rostro y nombre para los
olvidados de la tierra.
Desde entonces, el gobierno mexicano nos hace la
guerra y nos persigue y acosa buscando nuestra
muerte, nuestra desaparición o nuestro silencio
definitivo. ¿La razón? Estos suelos son ricos en
petróleo, uranio y maderas preciosas. El gobierno
las quiere para las empresas transnacionales.
Nosotros las queremos para todos los mexicanos.
El gobierno ve en nuestras tierras un negocio.
Nosotros vemos la historia escrita en nuestro
suelo. Para defender nuestro derecho (y el de
todos los mexicanos) a vivir con libertad, democ-
racia, justicia y dignidad nos hicimos ejercito y
tomamos así nombre, voz y rostro.
Tal vez usted se pregunte como nos hemos entera-
do de usted, de su cumpleaños, y el porqué trata-
mos de tenderle este largo puente que va desde
las montañas del sureste mexicano hasta la
prisión de Pennsylvania que lo tiene encerrado
injustamente. De usted nos han hablado gentes
buenas de varias partes del mundo, por ellas nos
hemos enterado de la emboscada que le tendió la
7 8

7. policía norteamericana en diciembre de 1981, de muy grande, y supieron que era necesario que
las mentiras que construyeron en el proceso en uno de ellos se sacrificara arrojándose al fuego
contra suya, y de la sentencia de muerte 1982. De para así convertirse en el fuego mismo y volarse
su cumpleaños nos supimos por las movilizaciones hasta el cielo. Pensando los dioses que el trabajo
internacionales que, con el nombre de "Millons for de ser sol era de color negro, dijo que el si estaba
Mumia", se prepara para este 24 de abril. dispuesto y se arrojo al fuego y se hizo sol. Y el
mundo tuvo entonces luz y movimiento, y hubo
Del puente que ahora proponen estas líneas que tiempo para la lucha y tiempo para el amor, y en
le escribo es más complicado hablar. Podia decirle el día los cuerpos se trabajaban para hacer el
que, para el gobierno y los poderosos de México, el mundo y en la noche los cuerpos se amaban para
ser indígena (o parecerlo) es motivo de desprecio, sacarle destellos la oscuridad.
de asco, de desconfianza y de odio. El racismo que
puebla hoy los palacios del Poder en México llega Así nos dijo el Viejo Antonio y esa es la razón por
al extremo de llevar adelante una guerra de la que usamos el pasamontañas de color negro.
exterminio, un etnocidio, en contra de millones de Así que somos de color café y de color negro. Pero
indígenas. Estoy seguro de que usted encontrara también somos de color amarillo, porque nos con-
semejanzas con lo que el Poder en Estados Unidos taron que los primeros hombres que anduvieron
hace con la llamada "gente de color" (africano- estas tierras fueron hechos de maíz para que así
americano, chicanos, portorriqueño, asiáticos, fueran verdaderos. Y somos también rojos porque
indios norteamericanos y cualquier otra raza que así manda la sangre digna, y somos azules tam-
no tenga el color insípido del dinero). bién por el cielo que volamos, y verdes por la mon-
Nosotros somos también "gente de color" (justo taña que es nuestra casa y fortaleza. Y somos
como de nuestro hermanos de sangre mexicana blancos también porque papel somos para que
que viven y luchan en la Unión Americana). mañana escriba su historia.
Somos de color "café" porque es el color de la tier-
ra y de ella tomamos historia, fuerza, sabiduría y Así que somos los 7 colores porque 7 fueron los
esperanza. Pero para luchar sumamos otro color a primeros dioses que se nacieron el mundo.
nuestro color café: el negro. Nosotros usamos Esto nos lo platico el Viejo Antonio hace tiempo y
pasamontañas negros para mostrarnos, solo así ahora yo se lo cuento para que usted pueda enten-
somos vistos y escuchados. El color negro de nues- der el por qué de este puente de papel y tinta que
tras mascaras fue escogido pro consejo de un le llega a usted desde las montañas del sureste
anciano indígena maya que nos explico lo que el mexicano.
color negro representaba.
Y también para que usted comprenda porque en
El nombre de este sabio indígena es el Viejo este puente también van pedacitos de saludos y
Antonio. El murió en tierras rebeldes zapatistas abrazos para Leonard Peltier (que está en la
en marzo de 1994, víctima de una tuberculosis prisión de Leavenworth, Kansas), y para los más
que le mordió los pulmones y el aliento. Nos dijo de 100 presos políticos en USA que son víctimas
el Viejo Antonio que el negro se hace luz y que de de la injusticia, la estupidez y el autoritarismo.
el se nacieron las luces que pueblan los cielos del Y camina también en esta carta-puente un saludo
mundo. Nos conto la historia de que, hace mucho a los indios Dine´ (Navajo) que, en Big Mountain,
tiempo (en los tiempos en los que el tiempo no se Arizona, luchan en contra de las violaciones que
contaba), los mas primeros dioses se dieron a la sufre la religión tradicional Dine´ por parte de
tarea de nacer el mundo. En una de sus reuniones quienes prefieren los grandes negocios en lugar
vieron que era necesario que el mundo tuviera del respeto a la libertad religiosa de los pueblos
vida y movimiento, y que para eso se necesitaba indios, y que quieren destruir las tierras sagradas
la luz. Entonces pensaron de hacer el sol para que y los sitios ceremoniales (como es el caso de la
así se movieran los días y hubiera dia y hubiera Peadbody Western Coal Company que quiere
noche y hubiera tiempo para la lucha y tiempo apropiarse de tierras que por razón, historia y
para el amor y, caminando con los días y las derecho pertenecen al pueblo Dine´ y sus genera-
noches, se caminaría el mundo. Hicieron los dios- ciones futuras).
es su reunión de acuerdo, en torno a una fogata
9 10

8. Pero no solo van en este puente-carta historias de Leonard Peltier esta acompañado por todos los
resistencia en contra de la injusticia norteameri- que demandamos su libertad, y usted, señor
cana. También indígenas, pero en el extremo sur Mumia, habla y grita ahora con todas las voces
de nuestro continente, en Chile, las mujeres que celebran su cumpleaños como deben cele-
Mapuches del Centro Pewenche del Alto Bio-Bio brarse los cumpleaños, es decir, luchando.
resisten en contra de la estupidez. Dos mujeres
indígenas, Berta y Nicolasa Quintreman están No conozco bien el sistema judicial norteameri-
acusadas de "maltratar" a elementos de los cano, pero anexa a este puente va una carta
fuerzas armadas gubernamentales de Chile. Y ahí dirigida a la Corte Suprema de Pennsylvania y al
tiene usted que una unidad militar armada con gobernador Tom Ridge. En ella les demando justi-
rifles, palos y bombas lacrimógenas, y protegida cia, no perdón ni misericordia. Porque los hom-
con chalecos antibalas, cascos y escudos, acusa a bres que viven con dignidad no necesitan ni el
dos mujeres indígenas de "maltrato". Pero Berta perdón ni la misericordia de ninguna autoridad,
tiene 74 años de edad y Nicolasa tiene 60. ¿Cómo solo necesitan justicia y por ella luchan. Espero
es posible que dos personas mayores de edad se en verdad que esa carta no complique su situación
enfrenten a un "heroico" grupo de militares judicial, así que usted vea si es conveniente o no
fuertemente armados? Por la razón que asiste a que se hagan públicas o se hagan llegar o no a sus
las Mapuches. La historia aquí es parecida a la de destinatarios. Incluso le estoy mandando otra
los hermanos Dine´ de Arizona, y es la misma que copia de este puente-carta sin este párrafo para
se repite en toda América: una empresa (ENDE- que usted decida lo que más le convenga.
SA) quiere las tierras de los Mapuches y, a pesar Señor Mumia: No tenemos nada grande que
de que la ley protege a los indígenas, el gobierno regalarle en su cumpleaños, pues es poco y pobre
esta del lado de los empresarios. Los estudiantes lo que tenemos, pero todos le mandamos un abra-
Mapuches han senhalado que el gobierno y la zo. Esperamos que, cuando usted salga libre,
empresa hicieron un "estudio" de inteligencia mil- pueda venir a visitarnos. Entonces le haremos
itar sobre las comunidades indígenas Mapuches y una fiesta de cumpleaños y, si no es un 24 de
llegaron a la conclusión de que eran incapaces de abril, pues entonces será una fiesta de "no-
pensar, de defenderse, de resistir y de construirse cumpleaños". Habrá música, baile y palabras, que
un futuro mejor. Parece que ese estudio se equivo- son los medios con los que los hombres de todos
co. los colores se entienden, se conocen y hacen los
puentes sobre los cuales caminan, juntos, la histo-
Y ahora se me ocurre que, tal vez, los poderosos ria y el mañana.
de Norteamérica también mandaron hacer un
estudio de "inteligencia militar" (lo que es una ¡Feliz Cumpleaños!
franca contradicción ya que los militares no somos
inteligentes, si lo fuéramos no seriamos militares) Vale. Salud y que la justicia y la verdad encuen-
sobre el caso de los indios Dine´ de Arizona, sobre tren su lugar.
el caso de Leonard Peltier, sobre el caso de los
otros presos políticos, y sobre su caso, señor Desde las montañas del Sureste Mexicano,
Mumia. Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos. Mexico,
Abril de 1999.
Tal vez hicieron ese estudio y llegaron a la con-
clusión de que podrían hacerlo y nadie diría nada. P.D.- He leído en alguna parte que usted es padre
Los indios Dine´ verían impávidos la destrucción y abuelo. Así que aquí le mando un regalo para
de las cosas mas sagradas de su historia, Leonard sus hijos o nietos. Es un cochecito de madera con
Peltier quedaría solo, y usted, señor Mumia, seria zapatistas que llevan pasamontañas color negro.
silenciado (ahora recuerdo que usted dijo "No solo Dígales usted a sus nietos o hijos que es un regalo
quieren mi muerte, quieren mi silencio"). que les mandamos nosotros, los zapatistas, y
explíqueles por favor que hay gentes de todos los
Pero parece que esos estudios se equivocaron. colores que, como usted, quieren la justicia, la lib-
!Feliz equivocación! Los indios Dine´ resisten en ertad y la democracia para todos los colores.
contra de quienes quieren matarles la memoria,
11 12