We would like to say to all of you who take your precious time to read this message that, though Gabriel's and our intentions is to educate any and everybody about the Death Penalty and its Injustices and Violations that go on inside of Death Row and prisons all across America, we are also speaking out to attempt to obtain support to help Gabriel attain his FREEDOM, while at the same time trying to make a change within the man made hell: TEXAS DEATH ROW! The usual letter writing campaign to politicians, wardens, etc. is okay (and is more than welcomed), but not the only thing that is being asked for here, We need:• To make all aware that we can about Gabriel's situation by passing on this message of dire importance in the fight of saving Gabriel's life and obtaining this Innocent man's FREEDOM!
• Fundraising for proper legal defense and representation,as well as for purchasing much needed legal documents and do further investigation on Gabriel's case. There are many ways to fund raise, but we are also open to any ideas as well as anyone willing to be part of helping fund raise or contributing in any manner towards fund raising. Gabriel is a poet and artist.
Here are just a few ways anyone can help:
• Help Gabriel sell T-shirts with his art on them.
• Gabriel recently completed a number of poems he has written while on death row that he would like to turn into a book along with some art that will go with the book.
• We can hold art shows/auctions to help sell his art, as well as help him put out a card line with his art.
• We can hold cook-outs, bake-outs, rallies, TV or Radio, Telethons (or any other kind—we are open to all ideas), marches, etc. These are just a few ideas. For any and everyone interested, feel free to contact us. No matter how big or small
—we are open to any and all ideas, and are open to working with any and all willing to participate on any level with helping us fund raise for Gabriel to ensure that he gets adequate legal representation. The sad reality is that Gabriel is encaged within a system that values money more than human life,and lack of adequate funds for proper legal representation can cause Gabriel—although an Innocent man—his life.
• Financial assistance in making sure Gabriel has what he needs to campaign his case and remain in proper communication with the free-world, as well as those of us supporting him. Postage, writing paper, typing paper, typing ribbon, envelopes, pens, pencils, art supplies, etc. are not free, and Gabriel is not allowed to work to make a living on Death Row. Gabriel has to purchase these things from the prisoner store where he is. The State of Texas allows its citizens of Texas to invest funds at the prison store to make a profit as a state vendor agency at the exploitation of the prisoners on Death Row. Because the prices are so inflated, sometimes three times the rate that regular stores sell such things—prisoners that lack funds will suffer. For example, the typewriters that were sold at the prisons. In regular stores they cost around $50, but they are being sold to prisoners there for $150. By the state having a monopoly that overcharges prisoners, they are exploitingprisoners as well as their family and friends. Gabriel is forced to purchase what he needs through the prison store because that is the only way he is allowed to get most of those things, and as we said: Gabriel is not allowed to have a paying job to provide himself with his own necessities. Therefore, financial assistance is needed for Gabriel to have what he needs to correspond and campaign his case.
• Moral, spiritual, and emotional support through correspondence (all forms of support are more than welcome and accepted by Gabriel with an open and grateful heart).
• And last but not least, we seek media exposure to educate the larger community about what is happening in this vile violation called Capital Punishment (as well as argument against unjust laws and litigation), and what is going on in these new institutions designed for legal lynching and higher profit (slavery).
CLAIRE'S STORY:
I have been friends with Gabriel for nearly 6 years now. So much has happened since I came across a brief pen pal request, lying on a friend's coffee table, and made the life changing decision to write to this young man. Over the next few years, we grew to know each other in a way that not many people do. I think having a whole relationship where the only words exchanged are on paper, is quite a different experience to any friendship that also revolves around social outings, phone conversations etc… there is a level of honesty that can be attained in writing that can far exceed any verbal conversation… who hasn't written a letter to someone in a time when they found the words just too hard to say? Through this honesty, Gabriel and I have learned, and exchanged more in the past few years than most would in a lifetime. As well as all the joy this has brought us, at times that amount of honesty can leave you feeling exposed and hurt, but despite any disagreements we have stuck it out and our friendship has always benefited in the end from all the wonderful truths and lessons learned.I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to beinvolved in a life as valuable and wise as this man's. Gabriel is truly an inspiration, he has taken the full force of this situation, and used it to his advantage, (a situation where most people would give up all hope and let their souls perish), in order to grow and develop himself in not only a rational/mental way but to embark on a deep spiritual journey, in finding who he is and what he can do to make the world a better place. And he will make the world a better place! I have no doubts about that!
America has an issue to face regarding its historical absence of moral fiber that matches its claims to greatness. The biggest claims are the political structure (so-called democracy) and the so-called goodness of America 's activities in all areas (good verses evil empire, etc.). Less talked about is America 's culture of violence, greed, corruption, etc. (though this is raised to the level of a scream internationally). A ‘Democracy' relies on an informed, critical-thinking (using-your-own-mind-to-understand-the world- around-you) citizenry. Similary,the so-called goodness of America 's policies—when critically examined—turns out to be motivated by greed, resulting in policies and behaviors that have most of the world looking at Americans as “the ugly American.” In this regard, it does not make a lot of sense to talk about ‘rehabilitation' in a culture that has not demonstrated the ability to habilitate —which I interpret as ‘civilized.' There is nothing civilized about the Death Penalty.So call talk shows, radio stations, write letters to Gabriel, create forums, hold discussions in local communities and abroad etc. We must link the struggles of these discarded humans to the struggles throughout the known Universe so that they may achieve TRUE JUSTICE, not some hollow ideology that values some lives—or living things for that matter—more than others.
