BY JOHN STUDER
DES MOINES, Iowa - On December 7 Iowa parole officials will initiate the process of an interstate parole to Illinois for imprisoned union and political activist Mark Curtis. At his November 21 parole hearing, Curtis was told the process could take a couple months.
Since the hearing, Curtis supporters have begun to follow through on the parole board's decision by organizing to continue to campaign until he walks out the door of the Iowa State Penitentiary and beyond. The Mark Curtis Defense Committee has urged supporters around the world to focus their activities on four central tasks - informing all those who helped make the victory possible, continuing to reach out to win broader support by circulating the Pathfinder pamphlet Why Is Mark Curtis Still In Prison?, organizing meetings to spread the word about the parole decision, and contributing to a special $25,000 fund to be raised by the end of the year.
In a December 5 mailing sent out to more than 400 key supporters on the need for vigilance and organizing to guarantee that Mark actually wins his freedom, the committee explained, "Our goal is to minimize the time this takes, maximize the likelihood that he will be accepted and paroled to Illinois, and minimize the conditions authorities there can impose on Mark."
In the last 10 days, the defense committee has received $4,970 in contributions and an additional $1,200 in pledges.
In addition, meetings have been held or are planned in a number of cities around the world.
Fifty-six people gathered December 3 at a event sponsored by local supporters of the Mark Curtis Defense Committee in Newark, New Jersey, for a celebration.
Gerry Coleman, a leader of Irish Northern Aid, spoke at the meeting, along with three fighters against police brutality: Wilma Hernández, who was beaten by the cops in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on September 3; Margarita Rosario of Parents Against Police Brutality in the Bronx, New York, whose son and nephew were shot in the back by police; and Venus Hannah, a longtime Curtis supporter whose son was hanged while in police custody.
Shepard McDaniel, a leader of the Mumia Abu-Jamal coalition in New York and New Jersey, and Naomi Craine, a reporter for the Militant who attended Curtis's parole hearing, also spoke. Over $1,000 was raised for the ongoing defense effort.
Over the next two weeks, meetings are scheduled in Houston, San Francisco, Chicago, and Des Moines. Curtis supporters in San Francisco sent out a 425-piece mailing to promote the meeting and seek contributions. Among those scheduled to speak in the Bay Area are Michael Parenti, author of Against Empire and other books; Hazel Zimmerman, secretary-treasurer of the defense committee from Des Moines; Ron Lind, organizer for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 478; political activist Mel Mason; and Patsy Behrend, Curtis's cousin.
Contributions to aid the fight to free Curtis can be sent to the Mark Curtis Defense Committee, Box 1048, Des Moines, IA 50311. Letters to Curtis can be sent to Mark Curtis, #805338, Iowa State Penitentiary, Box 316, Fort Madison, IA 52627. Please send copies to the defense committee.
Chris Remple and Mike Galati in Newark contributed to this article.