Letter From Jakhi McCray to the Movement abolitionmedia.noblogs.org/205…
Letter From Jakhi McCray to the Movement
It has been one month since the NYPD and the U.S. government came after me, accusing me of setting fire to police vehicles belonging to the 83rd precinct in Brooklyn. According to them, $800,000 worth of damage was done and the charred remains of the vehicles represented a direct attack on the police.
Today, July 21st, I walked into the 83rd precinct and turned myself in.
There’s a real chance that I won’t see the outside of a cell for years, but I make this choice clear of mind and, in a naive way, hopeful. It’s a hope that comes from feeling loved and supported by my friends, my family, and my comrades that have rallied in support of me in wake of the accusations. It’s a feeling that I cherish and will hold on to in the, now uncertain timeline of my life.
I’m 21 years old and I know it’s normal to be unsure about life and the world, but I want to thank you -whether l know you or you’re just meeting me for the first time now- forgiving me some comfort in all this.
My charge comes with a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20. The federal government has labeled me “armed and dangerous” and blasted a $30,000 bounty for my capture, which Zionist and white supremacist news outlets have happily supported in their racist doxxing and smear campaign against me.
My home has been raided alongside two other addresses in New York City, and my little siblings had assault rifles brandished at them as they were harassed and forced outside.
I’m not, nor was I ever, scared. This scare tactic is nothing compared to other black people that are beaten and/or murdered, and their names being dragged through the mud as the media does damage control for the officers that did it. It’s not new to Palestinians and Arabs that are being assassinated, deported, and harassed. I’ve met immigrants that live under daily paranoia, not knowing whether or not ICE goons will bust through their doors and kidnap their families.
I’ve been arrested 12 times before this, and doxxed and lied about by fascist press and police officers alike. I’ve seen friends and comrades lose relationships, homes, and jobs because of their refusal to be responsible for the genocide in Palestine and the kidnapping of migrants.
The SCC61, the CUNY8, the Prarieland1 1, the 2020 prsioners, Tarek Barzouk, Leqaa Kordia-all just a few current examples of the the government’s attempt to regain control. The use of COINTELPRO and its domestic warfare campaign that left hundreds of dead and imprisoned revolutionaries throughout the 20th century and now has caused a memory crater in our movement, where we don’t know to how to handle the brutality of State repression.
Repression is the State trying to call our bluff. It is intense because it shows itself when our potential to disrupt genocides and capital becomes too grand to ignore. Millions of people, whether they consider themselves revolutionaries or not, that participated in the encampments, the anti-ICE street rebellions, and the George Floyd Uprising have helped create a social crisis in the last five years that continues to bring in millions more and fuel the need for liberation.
The constant effort it takes the State to oppress us is not manageable. It is already breaking, with the funding and hiring disasters in federal agencies, the infighting between the Trump administration and his base, and the complete political catastrophe over Israel.
The harshness of the State’s eye on our movement is nothing more than a defensive reaction, a mask from their fear. This is as much of a make or break moment for them as it is for us. If we come out of this with our solidarity and our infrastructure intact, it is a monumental win for our communities and a devastation to our enemies.
Our greatest strength is each other-that we are not just coworkers maintaining appearances for the duration of a shift. We are comrades, and with that comes a promise to love, defend, and fight for one another. Because you are my comrades, I hold this promise towards all of you.
I don’t know what will happen now, but I do know that I will never stop fighting and I will do my best wherever I find myself to be.
With love and solidarity, Jakhi
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Janeishly
in reply to tante • • •"Yes, but it will potentially fuck up the entire corporation's brand image."
"Yeah, but can we save money?"
"Not very much compared to the brand image."
"Fuckit, save the money, it'll be fine."