|
PHOTOSThe 2012 Sacco and Vanzetti Commemoration March and RallyThis year marked the seventh annual Sacco and Vanzetti Commemoration March and Rally on the streets of Boston. Our march was lively and noisy, with puppets supplied by Bread & Puppets, but we had to march this year without a marching band because of an unforeseen schedule confict. We also learned at the last minute that the band Vanzetti would not be able to perform. However, we made up for this with the addition of an excellent musical performance of radical songs by Jake and the Infernal Machine and heartfelt labor songs by Bill Bumpus accompanied by his concertina.
The Boston City Council passed its annual resolution declaring March 26th Sacco and Vanzetti Commemoration Day. The resolution was introduced before the Council by Councilor Charles Yancey. This year?s event was co-sponsored by the Society and, for the first time, the IWW, and was formally endorsed by the Lantern Collective, the Bread and Roses Heritage Committee, Common Struggle, and the Socialist Workers Party. The event was dedicated to all political prisoners and victims of state repression under the slogan "Justice Crucified No More!"
Speakers made frequent references to the political prisoners held at this moment by the United States including Tarek Mehanna, Chuck Turner, Bradley Manning, Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard Peltier, the Puerto Rican political prisoners and, in particular, Oscar Lopez Rivera, the Guantanamo war prisoners, and many others who have been the target of state repression. Among those who spoke were historian Bob D'Attilio, representing the Sacco and Vanzetti Commemoration Society, and Sergio Reyes, who read a short message sent by Chuck Turner from prison and who made reference to the City Council Resolution. From the IWW we heard Geoff Carens and SteveKellerman, from the Bread and Roses Heritage Committee, Linda Siegenthaler, Al Johnson from the Bradley Manning Defense Committee, and Sarah Ullman, U.S. Senate candidate from the Socialist Workers Party.
Ted Grippo at the Boston Public Library
As part of this year?s commemoration of Sacco and Vanzetti, the Society also organized two presentations by Theodore Grippo, author of the book "With Malice Aforethought, the Execution of Sacco and Vanzetti." A well attended lecture at the Boston Public Library followed by another informal talk at the Dante Alighieri Italian Cultural Center focused on new information regarding the miscarriage of justice carried out by both the judge and prosecution.
For a photo album click here.
|