Today is the annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr Martin Luther King, his commitment to rejecting racism, economic inequality, militarism and imperialism.This recognition and reclamation of Dr King’s politics is necessary fuel as political terrain shifts with the inauguration of the 47th US President into office.
In these harrowing times with the fascist pull to the right tightening its grip in the US and internationally, we at CR turn to the many glimmers of radical hope to guide us forward: the official beginning of a six-week ceasefire in Palestine as a much needed reprieve after 15 months of continuous resistance to genocidal US-and-Israeli attacks; today’s release of Palestinian prisoners to return to their loved ones; Leonard Peltier’s clemency announcement - a huge victory for Indigenous liberation and anti-colonial movements, as well as political prisoner and prisoner solidarity struggles.
Today, there are masses of leftists descending on Washington DC, inspired by Dr King’s politics and intending to demonstrate resistance – even as mainstream Democrats abandon some progressive commitments. Meanwhile, abolitionists and anti-policing organizers are also engaging in fighting cop cities across the country as part of a week of action. The inspiring show of people power in DC, in Reclaim MLK day marches and No Cop Nation actions across the country - coupled with grounding in the many significant advances that were still able to make under Trump’s former presidency - can all replenish us as the fight continues. And with your generous support, CR is already working hard this year to close prisons in CA, end immigrant detention in NY state, stop a federal prison in Kentucky, and figure out ways to effectively challenge censorship of solidarity media with imprisoned people and fight off the repression of prisoner-led resistance.
There will be many difficult days ahead. We will need to lean deeply into the radical legacy of Dr King and others and into the mutual aid and solidarity it will take to deepen our ties and struggle forward. This fight against the turn to the right will require our most rigorous and generous practice of abolition and revolutionary praxis. We look forward to being in the struggle alongside you.
In struggle and solidarity,
-Critical Resistance
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THANK YOU!: Your end-of-year generosity sets CR up to start off 2025 strong!
Last month we put out the call to support our campaigns and projects through grassroots donations and aimed to raise $90,000 across the entire organization for our chapters, projects, and overall movement building work.
You showed us the value of our organizing and the power of grassroots fundraising, helping us raise over $125,000 for the entire organization through online donations, checks, donor-advised funds, family funds, and more - with donations ranging from $5 to $25,000! Learn more details here.
Stream NOW: Episode 3 of CR's "Over the Wall" Podcast with Beyond Prisons on The Abolitionist Newspaper!
Contributors and editors of 2024's issues of The Abolitionist Newspaper discuss Issues 41 and 42 on ecological justice and anti-war organizing. The episode is available on CR's website, the Beyond Prisons website, and all of the Beyond Prisons's Podcast streaming platforms.
CR's Campaign Director Mohamed Shehk and a comrade from the Demilitarize Atlanta to Palestine coalition wrote a useful article explaining the historic victory to defund Urban Shield and the developing campaign to end the Georgie International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) in Atlanta, Georgia. Read, share & subscribe to the newspaper today!
Subscribe TODAY: Check out CR's latest issue of The Abolitionist, Issue 42 on anti-war organizing
From the people's victory to expel the US Navy from Vieques in Puerto Rico, to targeted youth resisting military recruitment in Hawai'i, resisting "deadly-exchange" policing programs from California to Georgia and occupied Palestine, lessons from the war on drugs from both sides of the US-Mexico border, and more -Issue 42 of CR's cross-wall newspaper The Abolitionist is not one to miss. Subscribe now to receive your own copy while we still have a limited supply of print copies & support free subscriptions for imprisoned people!
Contributing authors include movement partner organizations War Resisters League, Dissenters, Demilitrize ATL 2 Palestine, Media Against Apartheid & Displacement, the International Cancel RIMPAC campaign and Anakbayan Hawai'i, Hawai'i Peace & Justice, Alianza de Mujeres Viequenses, and others.
