Texas Civil Rights Review

Category: Uncategorized

  • Ramsey Muniz: 'I Refuse to Die in the Prisons of America'

    Dear Friends:

    Below is a letter received from my husband, Ramsey Muniz.
    He is in good health and we remain steadfast in our
    struggle to obtain his freedom. We thank our families,
    friends, and supporters for their inspiration, love, and support.

    We also extend our gratitude to Kiko Salazar and
    Agusin C. Eichwald who will present a workshop on the
    Ramsey Muniz case at the National Latino Congreso in
    Los Angeles, California.

    We ask all supporters to please forward the two attached
    documents to your senators and congressmen asking that they
    become involved in this humanitarian issue.

    Irma Muniz

    ********************

    10/1/07

    My Dearest Wife:

    For the last several years I have had the ultimate
    desire of sharing with my wife, family,
    Hispanics/Latinos/Chicanos/Mexicanos, and the entire world
    my non-acceptance of the sentence of imprisonment without
    parole. It is actually a death sentence knowing that one is
    to in prison without the constitutional right of obtaining
    parole or freedom.

    My constitutional rights were violated during trial,
    but more importantly I am innocent of the crimes for which
    I was charged. I am innocent today for the death sentence
    bestowed upon my life. I will be innocent tomorrow. The
    federal courts and overly zealous U.S. attorneys and others
    will have to live with my innocence in the future and forever.

    Every day and night I will struggle with all the spiritual
    power within me to be a free man once again. I refuse to die
    in the prisons of America knowing from the beginning that my
    innocence would one day set me free.

    In the next couple of months I will begin serving my
    fourteenth year in this mode of darkness, sadness, and
    loneliness. Almost two years ago I became gravely ill at the
    Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. I was taken to surgery at
    a local hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, as I almost died.

    My wife, Irma, was present during this entire ordeal. I shared
    with her the power of enlightenment that came within my soul
    during the days and nights that I fought to live — not
    knowing whether or not I would survive. I know now that a
    power greater than me and anyone else decided that I was to stay
    alive and continue with the struggle of my freedom. It is my
    destiny and in reality history will reflect that freedom —
    the right to be free – has been a part of my life from the
    beginning.

    I’m aware of the fact that many have decided to be
    personal judge and jury regarding this unconstitutional
    matter which has taken a toll of fourteen years of my life.
    I pray for their souls, knowing deep in my heart that some do
    not know what they do, while others DO know whey they make such
    drastic and harsh judgements upon my life, having full
    knowledge that I served various years in the torturous
    conditions of solitary confinement, at times being in total
    cold darkness.

    My wife, Irma, came with the strength,
    courage, and power of love to bring life, light, and instill
    the reason for me to stay alive during those times. There
    is love and forgiveness in my heart for those who refuse to
    assist with my freedom. I only ask them to step aside
    and let us continue with our path toward reopening my case,
    having me transferred back to Texas, and becoming a free man
    once again.

    To Irma, my family, and those close to my heart after
    all these years of confinement, I promise that I will never
    stop fighting to become free. I refuse to die in the prisons
    of America.

    We seek the support of every person and organization concerned
    about humanity, and ask that they support our efforts to have me
    transferred back to Texas. We were already in the process of
    taking the necessary steps to prove my innocence once and for
    all, but I was removed from my legal constitutional American
    right to demonstrate that there is justice in the courts of
    the United States.

    Constitutional law is my passion. During my years at
    Baylor Law School I received the highest grades in constitutional
    law. Freedom is not free. One must struggle with his/her life
    to prove the essence and existence of freedom.

    Sinceramente,
    Ramsey

    “A life sentence without parole, in my case, is constitutionally
    a death sentence.”

    **********************

    www.freeramsey.com

  • Video Says No to November Discrimination Initiative

    Checking in with No Nonsense in November, we found a refreshed page layout and video. See for yourself. It will be a battle of turnout to turn back this filthy little pander wagon. So get your ballots in early.

  • Not His Right to Speak, Just His Wrong Ideas: Coalition to Protest Huntington

    On Monday, October 10 from 6:00-7:30PM at the Bush School Fountain, a
    coalition of campus and community groups is gathering for a peaceful
    protest against the ideas of Samuel Huntington. That evening,
    Huntington will be giving a Texas A&M University Distinguished
    Faculty Lecture inside the Bush School, and our protest outside is a
    response.

    Our coalition:

    * Opposes Huntington’s ideas and his disparaging views of
    immigrants. We celebrate Mexican, Mexican American, and Latino
    cultures, support a multicultural vision of American society, and
    embrace America’s diverse immigrant heritages.

    * Supports the rights of people with whom we disagree to express
    their views, and we do not oppose Huntington’s right to speak.
    We also assert our right to express our dissent.

    * Believes that Texas A&M University should raise the
    starting pay for all full time workers to a living wage. Samuel
    Huntington, a man whose work disparages Mexican and Mexican American
    culture, is being paid $10,000 for one evening’s work. At the same
    time, over 800 of TAMU’s full time workers, many of whom are Mexican
    American, are paid poverty wages. We urge Texas A&M to fully fund
    the Living Wage Initiative. (For more on the Living Wage Initiative,
    see http://jpi.tamu.edu/LivingWage/)

    The protest coalition includes Faculty and Staff Committed to
    an
    Inclusive Campus, Make Aggieland Safe for Everyone, the League of
    United Latin American Citizens, The Mexican American and Latino Faculty
    Association, and Comunidad Luchando Unida Por La Educacion (Community
    United in the Struggle for Education). Come join us!

    Harris M. Berger
    FSCIC Co-Chair

    Faculty and Sttaff Committed to an Inclusive Campus

    [See Countering Huntington below–gm]

  • Transgender Evacuee Arrested at Texas A&M

    30 September 2005

    Office of the President
    Texas A&M University
    College Station, TX

    Dear President Gates:

    I am writing on behalf of the Brazos Progressives to express our dismay
    upon learning that Sharli’e Vicks, a transgender evacuee from New
    Orleans, had been arrested and imprisoned earlier this month after
    being told that she couldn’t use the shower facilities designated for
    females at Reed Arena. While we are very relieved that Ms.Vicks was
    released from jail, that all charges against her were dropped, and that
    she was reunited with her family in Houston, we believe that the Texas
    A&M officials who were involved in Ms. Vicks’ arrest acted
    insensitively and aggressively. The Brazos Progressives would like to
    see Texas A&M issue a public apology to Ms. Vicks, along with a
    public assurance that Texas A&M is doing everything it can to
    ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again. As a coalition of individuals, groups, and businesses working
    together to build progressive community in the Brazos Valley, the
    Brazos Progressives strives to create awareness of and support for all
    forms of diversity in order to create a community that welcomes
    everyone. We applaud the efforts of the many volunteers from Bryan and
    College Station who have worked together in a spirit of unity and good
    will, helping those who have been devastated by recent hurricanes.
    Certainly, many individuals and organizations in our community have
    acted selflessly and have been sensitive to the needs of all
    individuals.

    At the same time, we are troubled by the University’s treatment of Ms.
    Vicks. We encourage the University to work closely with the Office of
    Institutional Assessment and Diversity, the Women’s and Gender Equity
    Resource Center, and the GLBT Professional Network at Texas A&M
    University to educate the University community so that transgender
    individuals will be treated with compassion and sensitivity. University
    administrators set an example for the citizens of our community; we
    believe that creating a welcoming atmosphere for all individuals should
    be a priority of the University and our larger community. We encourage
    Texas A&M to work towards healing the divisions in our community by
    developing procedures and policies that ensure fairness and equity in
    the treatment of all individuals, regardless of their gender identity,
    sexual orientation, gender, race, ethnicity, physical ability,
    religion, or political affiliation. The National Center for Transgender
    Equality (NCTE) has developed guidelines that would certainly serve as
    a useful reference for formulating such policies: Making Shelters Safe
    for Transgender Evacuees (http://www.nctequality.org/SafeShelters.pdf).

    Brazos Progressives works hard to promote and celebrate diversity
    in our community, and we invite the University to join us in this
    effort. We are happy to do whatever we can to help Texas A&M in its
    efforts to create a climate that is welcoming to everyone. Please do
    not hesitate to contact me at the above mailing or e-mail address if we
    can be of any assistance.

    Thank you for taking our concerns seriously.

    Sincerely,

    Krista May
    Chair
    Brazos Progressives
    College Station, TX

    cc: James Anderson, Vice President and Associate Provost, Office of Institutional Assessment and Diversity

    Becky Petit, Assistant Vice President, Office of Institutional
    Assessment and Diversity

    Brenda Bethman, Coordinator, Women’s and Gender Equity Resource
    Center

    William Perry, Vice Provost, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost

    Leah Devun, President, GLBT Professional Network at Texas A&M
    University

    Harris M. Berger, Faculty and Staff Committed to an Inclusive Campus

    Chris Danos, President, GLBTA

    Mitzi Kaufman, Making Aggieland Safe for Everyone

  • Possible Good News in Rrustem Neza's Asylum: An Appeal

    Dear Editor

    The Albanian newspaper Korrieri published on the front page on 5 September with a huge headline an announcement saying Rrustem Neza, who had identified the killers of Azem Hajdari, was denied asylum and would soon be deported to Albania.

    The Korrieri also translated the information about Mr. Neza that I sent you, which was posted on Texas Civil Rights Review. Korrieri printed it over my byline, without my knowledge or permission. In fact, I never had heard of Korrieri until I was shown a fax of the 5 September front page.

    Since then, a couple of other Albanian newspapers have reported the imminent return of Mr. Neza, on their front pages. I recently have been told that the Albanian government has asked the US government not to deport Mr. Neza at this time. The government of Albania is trying to establish its legitimacy with the European Union, because it is applying to be admitted to NATO. Therefore, it does not want the embarrassment of Mr. Neza’s assassination before NATO decides on its application.

    Corroborating what I have been told, the Albanian government last month re-opened its investigation into the Hajdari murder, apparently at least in part responding to the publicity regarding Mr. Neza. Nevertheless, I need solid verification that somebody in the Albanian government has asked somebody in the US government to delay or cancel the deportation of Mr. Neza.

    I am hoping that whoever passed my earlier message on to Korrieri will again alert somebody in Albania who can investigate the apparent efforts by the Albanian government to stop Mr. Neza’s deportation. I will be most grateful for any information anybody can provide me regarding any response of the Albanian government to the planned deportation of Mr. Neza.

    John Wheat Gibson
    Attorney for Rrustem Neza