When people come together people can win

When the people come together, the people can win.

By: Juan W

When people come together, people can win. But when we allow politicians to spin rhetoric and propaganda, and our mainstream media outlets to cripple us with fear, we cannot bridge differences and are assured of losing.

Bringing peace and reducing crime in Milwaukee County and surrounding areas is perhaps the most profound challenge facing Milwaukee County today. Wisconsin is currently in the midst of a budget crisis, and Milwaukee has already been forced to drastically cut funds for education and even close some Milwaukee schools. Funneling more money into the already-broken and ever-growing prison system will soon bankrupt the state.

Change can only come when the people organize to make it so. As the great abolitionist, freedom fighter and rabble-rouser Fredrick Douglas taught, "Power concedes nothing without a demand. Our power lies first in our love, in our unity, and in our strength to rely upon one another in times of need and adversity."

Social movements in the streets brought an end to Plessy, not a political body. People organized, shook the status quo, did not wait until someone else decided we will do this. So why do our communities, ministers, preachers, teachers, and so-called political leaders continue to stand idly by as violence and crime is thrust upon the city by those who believe this is their only way to survive?

Solutions will come only when Milwaukeeans stop depending on political institutions [police and politicians] to lead us out of the poverty and heartbreak of criminal activities. We can discontinue the state of fear perpetuated by the insatiable appetite for drugs and/or alcohol, and realize that together we are one, together we are many, together we are every woman, man, child and we all want to see the sun rise without cowering in our homes from fear of violence, for fear our children will be killed while playing in the front yard. We can make other choices besides locking up our men and women in politically organized institutions designed to profit from human chattel or flesh.

I am a prisoner who wants to see Milwaukee and other economically hard-struck cities rise from the ashes of fear and real­ize that living is not about cowering or hiding behind closed doors, afraid the boogey man is waiting around the corner, or allowing their city and or neighborhood to be ran over by undesirable behavior. No change can come until brown, red, black, yellow and white skin people come together in one voice, with willing­ness to set aside racial intolerance. Only then will the plague of violence diminish.

Too often citizens wait idly for politicians and police to rid us of crime. But crime pays. That is why political bodies allow crime to fester and grow out of control, to incubate and fester before the police and other agencies move in. I seriously urge all concerned citizens who are tired of the ever-present menacing conditions within our neighborhoods and communities to fill out the survey and petition in this Newsletter and contact FFUP to find out about organizing efforts.

See whole article on Juan’s blog: juanqward.blogspot.com/

Juan Ward is one of Wisconsin’s 4000 plus “old law” prisoners (see his blog: juanqward.blogspot.com).He was convicted when he was young, before the Truth-in-Sentencing Law, and has been eligible for parole for many years.FFUP believes keeping this man in prison is an injustice and grievous waste of taxpayer money.

In this article Juan speaks of the disintegration of community and family in Milwaukee’s inner city. Wisconsin has been called “the worst place to be Black,” with the most Blacks incarcerated per capita.With one in three Black men from Milwaukee between the ages of 20 and 30 somewhere in the prison system, there are few father figures for Black children. Paroling rehabilitated prisoners is one way to help.

For a sampling of other prisoners ready for parole, see our website : www.prisonforum.org:click on parole page for links to prisoners blogs, articles about the system and our petition