Song text "love'll set me free" by Michael Frant and Spearhead:
Seems like everyday gets a little bit longer
seems like yesterday I was a little but stronger
but there ain't nothin'
nothin' I can't do
but to hold my ground
try not to come unwound
don't wanna be let down
but it ain't easy
doin' hard time
for somebody else's crime
(chorus)
Hate is what got me here
but I know that love sweet love is gonna set me free
all the hatred in the world is what got me here today
but I know that love is gonna set me free
Man I been away for so long now
I ain't seen no daylight for God knows how long now
I come out fightin' when I hear that bell ring
I always hear my name
but I'd love to feel the rain come down one mo time
wash away my pain
love like a hurricane
(chorus)
If you wish to support Zulu by buying a Zulu T-shirt, you can contact me at agdegraaff@casema.nl All sizes and all colours available. Thanks
..
MAY (EN) LIGHTENING STRIKE THE LAST SLAVE PLANTATION: ANGOLA
Rodney, you were still a baby when your father was framed for armed robbery and murder; can you tell me how old you were and if you have any recollection of spending time with your dad?
A
I was probably six or seven months old when my father was framed for robbery and murder. As much as I would like to, I can't recall any of the time preceding my father's incarceration that we spent as a family; consequently robbing me of an experience that many of my peers, friends, and other American youths enjoyed.
Q
How did growing up without a father affect you?
A
Growing up without a father affected me in various ways. I believe not having a father present in my life affected me emotionally, and in some ways spiritually. The one thing that came out of this tragedy was the closeness that my mother and me shared, and the hope that one day my father would be released and totally exonerated.
Q
At what age did you realize your dad was framed and sent to prison on false charges?
A
I can't be 100% sure, but I believe around the age of 10 or 11 years of age. I could remember people always telling me how good of a guy my father was and that the Ku Klux Klan had set him up and tried to kill him, but it wasn't until later in life that I fully knew the gravity of the situation.
Q
How did it make you feel being robbed of your father's presence?
A
Being robbed of my father's presence from an early age until now has been a big blow. I missed out on all the things that a father does with his son; ex: playing catch, going fishing, helping me with homework, and the days at school when we would have father – son day.
Q
Do you currently have a relationship with your father?
A
YES! From the time that I was able to visit until now. The relationship isn't as I would like it to be, but considering his current situation (incarceration) I feel as though we are closer than most fathers who are free.
Q
Have you ever been harassed because of being Zulu Whitmore's son? And if yes, how and when.
A
Yes, when I was in high school working an after school job as a fast food restaurant, after about two months on the job work got around to the manager that Zulu was my father, 2 days later he let me go, and said my service was no longer deeded, I know it was because I am Zulu's son.
Q
What are your thoughts of a system in which innocent people can be randomly charged for crimes they never committed?
A
The system in which we have today has too many flaws, leeways, and obstacles for District Attorneys to maliciously convict innocent people of crimes that they didn't commit and were victims of themselves, more burden has to be put on District Attorneys, Judges and administrators whose job is to uphold the law, to make sure that each individual whether black, white, rich or poor has the opportunity at a fair and equal trial. I f they were held to a standard that would eliminate unfair judicial practices, then, and only then will the justice system work for all. I believe that punishment for District Attorneys, and Judges that allow this should result in disbarment.
Q
At this time what do you think the motive of your father's imprisonment has been?
A
I think the motive behind my father's imprisonment is racism; this was their way of silencing a powerful voice in the African American community.
Q
Are you aware of your dad's community activism? How does that make you feel about your father?
A
A lot of the guy's in the community use to tell me about my father and how he use to tell the people in the neighborhood to stand up to the racist practice of the police, and how he spoke out against the drug dealers selling to their own people doing the dirty work for the KKK. The police hated my father Zulu for being man enough to speak out against the destruction of the neighborhood, the community and the people the they cared nothing about.
Q
Have you met the members of the Angola 3, Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox?
A
Yes, I have met Hooks and Woodfox of the Angola 3. It was Herman Hooks Wallace who made my father Zulu a member of the Black Panther Party. Hooks and Woodfox are two knowledgeable brothers, there's an urgent need for men like Zulu, Hooks, and Woodfox in the community today.
Q
How would you describe your relationship with them?
A
As I grew to know them, talk, and listen to them my knowledge of social issues has been enlightened, I consider myself lucky to have known these guys, and when the Angola 3 has been released, I would like to continue my friendship with them so the movement of knowledge and perseverance can continue to go forth
Q
Do you still see the level of racism that took place in the seventies?
A
Yes, to a certain degree racism has increased into many more segments of daily life. Racism has become more prevalent in the workforce, application process for rental units, and obtaining loans from our financial institutions. Hidden racism is the worst of all. Until the judicial, educational, and financial institutions become more open to all and not just a few, racism will always be alive and well.
Q
Do you have any children of your own?
A
Yes, I have one biological daughter, and two stepdaughters.
Q
Are they having a relationship with their granddad? How do they call him?
A
Yes, my daughter has a relationship with Zulu, she calls him Big Poppa. She visits whenever possible, and talks with him when he calls.
Q
How do you think you can protect your children from the system they are brought up in?
A
I'm a big proponent in education, and character building. I believe in learning as much as possible to increase ones chance to become successful. Character will build self-esteem, and with self-esteem one will have a greater sense of themselves and the people around them.
Q
Are you at this time politically involved as well?
A
Yes, I am, I'm involved in my church, I try to point younger guys in the right direction, a path that won't lead them to drugs and or any criminal activity. I'm also connected with supporters of Zulu's; Anja, Judith, Kari, Erin and many other political minded people
Q
Can you tell us if the same things that happened to your dad 30 years ago are still happening to young people this time around? How does that make you feel?
A
Yes, the same things that happened 30 years ago, still happens today. The youth of today seem to have no or very little direction, and respect for life. The only enemy at times are themselves.
Q
Are you involved in the struggle to free your dad? In which way?
A
Yes, I have been for a while, but I'm also connected with some other strong supporters Anja, Judith, Kari, and Erin.
Q
Are you ready for your father to come home?
A
Yes, Yes, Yes, we have a lot of catching up to do, and he would be a good babysitter.
Q
Do you have any final comments to make or a personal/general statement for the readers of the interview?
A
To all the political activist, and other social conscious people, I would like to thank you for your continual support, dedication that you show through your financial, emotional and spiritual support. TO MAKE CHANGE, EVERYONE HAS TO BE WILLING TO CHANGE.
Movies
PRISON BRUTALITY
SEE FOR YOUR SELF WHAT "FREEZE PLUS P" CAN DO WITH PEOPLE. KEEP IN MIND: THIS IS TEXAS; ANGOLA IS EVEN WORSE
"Zulu is a true warrior, Panther, a servant of the people. Like Herman, and I he has fought a good battle, for so long, unrecognized, unsupported! This must stop, just as all of the many freedom fighters, fight everyday, just to breathe, without any support, this must stop now!!! So many political prisoners, prisoners of war, and prisoners of conscious, have sacrificed their lives, and freedoms, because they believed in the people but somehow, the people have stopped believing in them!
Albert Woodfox - July 9th 2008
Living in solitary confinement for over 32 years, see for your self how that might feel, no human conatct, no human touch for decades. It's a SHAME!!
Herbert Parnell about the Angola 3, Zulu's closest comrades, of which Herman Wallace granted him his BBP membership in 1975. Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox now have been in solitary confinement longer that ANYBODY ELSE in USA history. Soon - if nothing happens - ZULU TOO will join them being one of the 3 people in solitary confinement in the history of the Unites Snakes.
Quote from the advocate, June 2009
“State senator Butch Gautraux recently proposed a bill that would have made it easier for certain inmates to obtain parole, but although sheriffs complain all the time that their prisons are too full, the political will needed to appears even slightly soft on crime doesn’t exist in the legislature. Due to lack of support from top state officials and a less-than supportive public reaction, Gautreaux shelved his Senate bill 62”.
On September 10th 2009, at 44 years old, Henry Smith – a captive of the infamous plantation known as Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola – felt the weight of hopelessness and despair in his 28th years of serving a life sentence without parole. He ‘escaped’. To quote the warden: “he snapped”. I say: he snapped back to reality. Unfotunately he was found bacj several days later after his escape and is now residing in Angola’s little torture camp, the notorious, infamous CampJ.
Henry Smith is just one of a growing number of lifers without parole who have given up hope to ever legally gain their freedom back due to the many procedural bars that have taken away an inmate’s right to further appeal convictions in the federal Courts. The door has been slammed shut on every captive unless he/she can come up with newly discovered evidence: DNA. We – lifers- are up against Gov. Bobby Jindal’s pardon and parole board, whose members are judges and cops.
It hasn’t been made public that Henry Smith was a kid of only 16 when he was arrested and charged with murder in 1980. His LIFE SENTENCE will never change – while Henry Smith him self HAS changed. It’s obvious that the administration of Burl Cain saw enough change to make him a ‘class A trustee’ and housed him at Camp F, trustee camp. Later they saw enough change in him to allow him outside of the camp – unsupervised- to pick up roadside litter. Surely many would agree that it makes little sense and even less justice to keep such an individual incarcerated for the remainder of his life.
Like Henry Smith many, many men within Angola with a life sentence have changed and rehabilitated them selves. They deserve that second chance.
The whole legislature sees a problem with the growing number of incarcerations, but no one wants to address it. Henry Smith is 44 years old, he has done 28 years and being in good health he could easily do another 20 years. That is 48 years at an estimated annual amount of $ 35,000 at taxpayers’ expenses. The oldest man on the tier with me is 72 years old, now in his 51st year of his Life Without Parole sentence. Should he also “snap”?
ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE ‘WHO SNAP’ In solidarity, K. Zulu Whitmore
A PRISONER'S GRIEF
published June 17th 2009 in SF BAY VIEW
I had had a wonderful visit with my father the last time I saw him, at the end of February. At 84, he was still full of charisma, and came to visit me in his typical style, dressed in a three-piece suit and a cowboy hat.
But a few days later, he suffered a tragic accident. While getting ready for church, his bathrobe caught fire as he was warming himself in front of the heater, leaving 60% of his body burned; he died March 13.
Though it was a very painful time for my family and I, for the first time in my several years in prison, I could share my grief with other family members. I cannot describe how painful it is to be forced to grieve alone, and what it can do to a person’s mind.
When I was arrested in 1975, I had just celebrated my 19th birthday. I come from a large family: sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunties and uncles, grandparents. My mother was a woman of 45 back then, my father 49; younger than I am now.
Since being held in prison, I have lost nearly two generations of family members, starting with the devastating loss of my mother in January 1976. Grieving alone was hard enough; I also had to endure beatings by prison guards, racial slurs, death threats and psychological torture. They took me out of the cellblock to the clothing room to dress up for her funeral, which I then wasn’t allowed attend. My family was told that the paperwork was “misplaced” – a deliberate and cruel action to further imbalance me. Worse still, I was awaiting trial at the time, so the presumption innocence didn’t mean a thing.
The grief over the loss of my mother and not being allowed to go and see her for the last time nearly drove me insane. It took me several years to get over the pain of not being able to get to that church. I also felt guilty, because I couldn’t do anything to attend her funeral.
After losing my mother, I thought it had prepared me for all that was to come, but over the years I have still suffered through countless family deaths. My favourite uncle, uncle Pasco, passed in 1989. My grandmother, who had come to see me once a month until she developed life-threatening health problems at the age of 85, died in 1991. Then, one after another, all of my aunties, uncles, cousins and a nephew died.
Through it all, I have not once been allowed to attend a funeral. Not because it’s Angola’s policy to not allow prisoners to go on funeral trips – guys in my housing area go to funerals all the time – but simply for my political beliefs; because I was a member of the Angola Chapter of the Black Panther Party.
My dad, a wonderful character, was the last member of the Whitmore family of nearly two generations back. My family wanted me to come to the funeral. They called the warden’s office and requested that I be brought to the funeral; my sister said that my father had served his country and worked for the state for 26 years.
But I knew the administration could not resist dealing me one more blow. The warden denied their request and told them his decision didn’t have anything to do with politics – it was due to my housing status: Confined Cell Restriction.
However, the day after his funeral, my son and sisters came to visit me, and I was able to grieve in a way that has been denied to me for decades – sharing my sorrow with those closest to me. We cried, hugged and talked about fun memories of our parents and grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. For the first time in 35 years, I had the opportunity to grieve and heal with my family, albeit during a prison visit. All the pain of losing a generation of loved ones fell with the tears cried in the visiting room. It felt great.
I hurt, I cry, I grieve just like other human beings. However, my captors have labelled me a criminal, scum and a murderous animal. They denied the child I used to be to attend his mother’s funeral, and they denied the grown-up man I am to go to his father’s funeral. Where is there humanity? Prison, your dehumanising labels do not define me. Although I am forcibly held here, prison will never be held in me.
Kenny Zulu Whitmore
86468 RC CCR u/c tier
Louisiana State Prison
Angola, LA 70712
USA
HOW YOU CAN HELP
All Supporters in the USA can send money orders to
Cashier’s office
Louisiana State prison
Angola, LA 70712
For: Kenny Zulu Whitmore 86468. Please leave at all times your name and full address on the envelope, so Zulu can send you a thank you card or letter.
Supporters from Europe can send money by Western Union to Zulu’s son
Rodney Coates Baton Rouge Louisiana.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE!!!
Zulu is very thankful for all the sympathy cards and messages he received after his dad's passing and wishes to thank you all along this way:
ZULU'S WRIT ON SEXUAL ASSAULT IN ANGOLA PRISON PUBLISHED ON WWW.SFBAYVIEW.COM
It’s time to expose the sexual abuse of inmates by prison employees
By Kenny ‘Zulu’ Whitmore
Angola Prison, Louisiana
On February 19, an Angola social worker was arrested for the aggravated rape of an inmate housed in the mental health unit of the prison.
While the general public has been exposed to stories of rape among prisoners, there is little awareness about the high incidence of brutal rape of both men and women by prison employees. These cases remain under the radar because victims are threatened with violence to prevent them from speaking out, while the employees involved, who generally feel shielded from society, might simply be charged with “maleficence in office”. I have heard many of the guards in Angola say “Society thinks you are animals”, with the implication that whatever a prison employee does to one of us, society couldn’t care less.
The social worker in this case, Mr. Gary D. Widkiff, is said to have used threats of violence on October 7, 2008 to force the inmate to allow Mr. Widkiff to perform oral sex on him.
At Angola, threats and violent behavior by prison employees against inmates are not uncommon. An employee may accuse a prisoner of spitting on him, with the result that the inmate in question can be gassed, badly beaten, or sent to Camp J, a house of horror that I have been unlucky enough to experience for an extended period.
In this case, the victim did not immediately report the incident to Angola authorities, reportedly for fear of not being believed. A claim like that can also lead to a disciplinary report, with the victim accused of spreading rumors.
Four other inmates had complained about Midkiff’s inappropriate sexual conduct, to put it mildly, yet Angola authorities did nothing. Had they thoroughly investigated the complaints made, they could have acted to prevent another individual from being sexually assaulted.
Many men in prison who are raped choose to suffer in silence – ashamed and conscious of the social stigma associated with being sexually violated. No-one inside or outside prison should have to suffer alone as a result of a degrading act of violence. I urge everybody with a similar experience to rise above their fear and speak out; if you stay silent, you remain a victim for life.
THIS QUILT IS CALLED THE "ANTI DEATH PENALTY QUILT" AND IS MADE BY PEOPLE WHO ALL CONTRIBUTED A PATCH FOR ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS ON DEATH ROW OR WITH A LIFE SENTENCE SINCE A LIFE SENTENCE WITOUT PAROLE IS AS MUCH AS AN EXTENDED DEATH PENALTY.THE INITIATIVE IS TAKEN BY THE RGANISATION "INSIDE-OUTSIDE". JOKE VAN VLIET MADE A PATCH FOR ZULU (AT THE VERY RIGHT, ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE). THANK YOU JOKE!
CHECK THIS OUT: ZULU NOW ON THE "IT'S ABOUT TIME" WEB SITE OF BILLY X JENNING!
Picture of Billy X Jennings in Zulu T-shirt holding the Panther Legacy magazine up at Sandino's Bar, Derry northern Ireland alongside Eamon McCann and Emory Douglas. Billy X Jennings is head of the Black Panther Alumni.
An aircraft was loosing weight due to overload. After getting rid of all luggages, the pilot then announced ”We will throw out ALL PASSENGERS in alphabetical order. Any AFRICANS on board?” No one moved. “Any BLACK person?” No answer. “Any CARIBBEAN??” Still silence. Then a black boy asked his father, “Dad, what are we?” He said, “Son, today we are Zulu’s”.
Who I'd like to meet: ANYONE WHO IS ABLE TO REACH OUT FOR ME, OFFERING SOME MORAL SUPPORT BY WRITING ME AT:
KENNY ZULU WHITMORE
86468-CCR upper C-11
LA STATE PRISON
ANGOLA, LA 70712, USA
On your birthday I wish you much pleasure and joy; I hope all of your wishes come true. May each hour and minute be filled with delight, And your birthday be perfect for you!
AdvoCare's Family and Youth Defense Fund is established as a legal defense fund using AdvoCare's current tax exempt status and charitable purpose under their Family Bound program. The purpose of the fund would be to provide assistance in general actions, individual cases, or for filing amicus briefs where the outcome of such cases may effect our members and the general public in areas related to our organizations charitable purpose, goals, and description of activities. The fund, and all donations to the fund, would be governed and administered under the direction of AdvoCare's Board of Directors.
Your contributions are certainly needed and appreciated.
www.familybound.org/defense_fund.htm
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You can make a difference. Please do help, please repost, share with your network, etc.
Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true. Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings. Everyday is a gift, thats why they call it the present. Inspiration and genius–one and the same. The future depends on what we do in the present. There is a light at the end of every tunnel….just pray it’s not a train!. Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Misery is almost always the result of thinking. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. There are three words I like to repeat to myself: glass half full. Just to remind myself to be grateful for everything I have. I have enjoyed life a lot more by saying yes than by saying no. Don’t waste a minute not being happy. If one window closes, run to the next window or break down a door. Happiness is the best face lift Think of the beauty still left around you and be happy. If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you’ll never enjoy the sunshine. People can live one hundred years without really living a minute. No Matter what you do there will be critics. There is dignity in suffering; nobility in pain; but failure is a salted wound, that burns and burns again ! Many say I am just one to try. I say I am one less to quit.
Wishing you a wonderful Friday filled with harmony, peace and love. Trust you are keeping happy! Hope you enjoy a relaxing weekend doing all the things, you want to do! Take care and stay safe! Elish
in order to help to eliminate racism [white supremacy] and to produce justice, all victims of racism [nonwhite people] should, in all of their relationships with each other, think, speak and act in support of the following three-word suggestion: "minimize the conflict"
The Code... "10 Basic Stops!" 1. Stop Snitching (informing on one another for personal gain). 2. Stop Name-Calling one another. 3. Stop Cursing at one another. 4. Stop Gossiping. 5. Stop being Discourteous to one another. 6. Stop Stealing from one another. 7. Stop Robbing one another. 8. Stop Fighting one another (does not mean self-defense). 9. Stop Killing one another. 10. Stop Squabbling with one another and asking "others" to settle it.
On your birthday, I wish for you the fulfillment of all your fondest dreams. I hope that for every candle on your cake you get a wonderful surprise. I wish for you that whatever you want most in life, it comes to you, just the way you imagined it, or better. I hope you get as much pleasure from our friendship as I do. I wish we were sisters, so I could have known you from the beginning. I look forward to enjoying our friendship for many more of your birthdays. I'm so glad you were born, because you brighten my life and fill it with joy.
Thanks for adding us! Have you had a chance to check out our main site, www.angola3news.com or watched our new interview with author J. Patrick O'Connor about his research into the death row case of Kevin Cooper?
Attention Louisiana Voters, the Pilot program, ankle bracelets !!!!
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERNS !!!
This letter is for you, the voters, to finally know the truth. For far to long you have been kept in the dark about certain remedies that could save the State of Louisiana millions dollars while helping to stabilize our ailing economy. The PILOT PROGRAM is the answer !!!.
This program is a law under Louisiana Revised Statute 15:550.
Thanks to today’s modern technology, a reform and rehabilitated in mate cab be placed on twenty-four (24) hour, seven (7) days a week monitoring and supervision. This program ensure the safety of the public because the inmate who is placed back into society is monitored at all times and restricted on where he and/or she may go. The restrictions are so harsh that only an inmate who is reformed and rehabilitated could do well under such circumstances. This program cuts no slack. It separates the real from the fake and will expose an individual who is not truly rehabilitated. This program would also save Louisiana about 150 million dollars a year and about 300 million over a two year span. Imagine what this State could do with an extra 150 million dollars . That kind of money could be back in to HEALTH CARE and EDUCATION. The prison system here in Louisiana has drained our economy for too long.
Prison is needed to house individuals whose conscience lacks the ability to feel remorse for the crime(s) that he and/or she has committed. Those kind of sick, depraved and possibly dangerous individual needs to be locked away to ensure the safety of the general public. Contrarily a reformed and rehabilitated individual should have the opportunity to prove his and/or her life’s reformation and rehabilitation by being placed on this type of program.
The inmate cannot live a normal life as a free man and/or woman while placed on this program, because he and/or her she will not actually be free. Any violation o
Zulu, the elder and I are well. We remain focused on doing what needs to be done. Let everyone there know that all is well on this end. I'll keep this short as Karen is not around her computer and said something about having to send my message to you from her phone. After 30 years in prison I have no idea how that's even possible, but I'm grateful to her nonetheless. Take care of yourself brother.
There isn't much in this life that finding a way to spend a few hours in conversation with people you respect and love, You have to crave this time out of your life because you aren't really living without it Peace
Hey Zulu. I wish I would have been able to meet you. Hopefully, next time. Phillip and Mr. Hooks do send their regards. I got to visit with Phillip yesterday. It was a good visit. Plus it's only 20 minutes to get to Hunt where it took about an hour and 15 minutes to get to Angola. I would be proud to wear one of your shirts and get to share to inquisitive people about why I'm wearing it. But I wouldn't want your sister to go out of her way. On weekends where I don't visit Phillip I could pick it up at her convenience whereever she'd like including in Baker where she lives. It would be nice to at least get to meet a family member of yours if I can't meet you. Take care of your self. Love, Karen and the two old guys (tee hee).
I need not fear my enemies because the most they can do is attack me. I need not fear my friends because the most they can do is betray me. But I have much to fear from people who are indifferent nuff repect bro
