The National Committee to Free Ramsey Muniz has thanked US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for her call to release political prisoners everywhere.
In a letter to Clinton in late December, Irma Muniz referred to statements made by the American Secretary of State in Burma.
“We believe that any political prisoner anywhere should be released,” Clinton told reporters. “One political prisoner is one too many in our view.”
In a direct response to Clinton’s remarks, Irma Muniz called attention to the suffering of her husband Ramsey, a federal prisoner in Texas and former candidate for Governor.
“You address the people of Burma when you state that any political prisoner anywhere should be released,” said Muniz in a letter to Clinton sent on behalf of the Committee to Free Ramsey Muniz. “My husband Ramsey Muniz has suffered pain, agony, and sadness during a period of time in which he has been unjustly incarcerated for nearly 20 years. He is 69 years of age and he is an American political prisoner.”
Muniz is serving time for a drug conviction, but supporters believe the prison time has more to do with the role that he played as a leader in the third party movement of La Raza Unida during the 1970s.
“The words ‘political prisoner anywhere’ clearly pertain to our case,” said Ramsy Muniz in a recent letter to supporters, “because I know that as an American political prisoner I should have been released many years ago rather than remaining incarcerated and suffering for the past 20 years.”
Note: letter from Ramsey Muniz to the Committee to Free Ramsey Muniz–gm
Dear Committee Members:
“We believe that any political prisoner anywhere should be released,” Clinton told reporters. “One political prisoner is one too many in our view.” USA Today, December, 2012.
There is no question in my heart and mind that the above statement made by Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State, was meant to be. The words “political prisoner anywhere” clearly pertain to our case, because I know that as an American political prisoner I should have been released many years ago rather than remaining incarcerated and suffering for the past 20 years.
History reveals that since my early years I have been a civil rights activist and advocate of human rights. I advocated and sought the rights and liberties for humanity, and was most instrumental in bringing about a change of the political rights for Hispanics, Latinos, Chicanos, and others during my political campaign for governor in the state of Texas. I was very instrumental in organizing and advocating human political rights throughout the entire Southwest, including the states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington – areas that now have political representation for Hispanics and Latinos.
During past historic political times, leaders like Cesar Chavez, Reis Lopez Tijerina, Corky Gonzales, Jose Angel Gutierrez, Dolores Huerta, and many more were involved in changing the political climate like never before in the history of the United States of America.
At that time we were the minority population in the Southwest. In the state of California, Hispanics, Latinos, and Chicanos are now the majority population. In New Mexico, Arizona and soon Texas, Hispanics and Latinos will become the majority.
We were ahead of our time, but history — especially political history, is always ahead of its time, and many have to sacrifice and be the ones who are destined to bring about historical political, cultural, and spiritual change for the sake of freedom, justice, and love.
I share these words from my heart and soul as I am being locked down for the night in a 6’x9’ cell where I have lived and suffered as an American political prisoner for nearly 20 years of my life. My family has suffered throughout this time.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton states that any political prisoner anywhere should be released. We support her position regarding the release of all political prisoners, and we thank her for defending human rights throughout the world.
In exile,
Ramsey Muñiz
Texas Civil Rights Review 