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Tulia Update
By Brad Carter, Friends of Justice
Here
is a revised update you may share with anyone. I tend to forget
that some of my comments end up on the web and in print, and
I want to make sure everything is as accurate as possible. Sometimes,
however, things get out of control anyway. Kay Lee heard from
someone else that I was born in Tulia and hold a doctorate in
sociology. As a result, this misinformation is posted on the
web.
The truth is that my mother and many of the cofounders of the
Friends of Justice were born and raised in Tulia. I was there
for only 3-4 years during my youth. It is true that I teach sociology
at Texas Tech, but I hold only a Master's degree.
I am an "acting committee" of one for fundraising and
publicity. Alan Bean (nandabn@flash.net) is "acting co-chair"
and takes care of day-to-day business along with the treasurer
and benevolence committee. He and his wife, Nancy, keep the membership
and cyber-friends informed. More information such as mailing
address is located on the website, addresses below. In the near
future I want to add links to you and our other friends there.
We are nearly finished with applications for becoming a nonprofit
corporation and beginning to make some headway in Tulia. One
of the defendants of the drug sting has received apologies from
some Tulia citizens since the 20/20 (television) story broke.
We still have lots of enemies though.
Our concert in Lubbock was a big success. We attracted a near
full house and raised about $800.00. Alan Bean and I performed
for about an hour or so, then the kids (mostly drug sting orphans)
joined us for several more songs under the direction of Nancy
Bean. They love to sing This Land is Your Land. More than one
might suspect, even the young ones understand what is at stake
here.
We have raised considerable money to help the sting orphans with
winter coats, gloves and clothing. We hope to have a little left
for Santa Claus. We are also involved in community building and
have established a small legal defense fund (unrelated to the
drug sting). We are currently funding the appeal of a trumped-up
manslaughter charge against a black man. The lawyer seems confident.
We thank you for joining forces with us to help raise awareness
about the ethnic cleansing in Tulia. Because of the efforts of
November Coalition and other organizations, the walls will one-day
come tumbling down, and all of our drug war prisoners will come
home.
We are receiving numerous letters from our friends in prison.
I will be publishing some of them on the FOJ web in the near
future. Together we have raised many hopes, and I am confident
it helps prisoners to know that a growing number of people care
about them and their circumstances. Keep the faith. Justice will
prevail.
See www.drugsense.org/foj
or www.door.net/yellowhousemusic
for more on this vital matter. To reach Brad Carter by email:
Brad Carter Bradcarter@door.net.
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