Support

It is apparent now, as it has been for decades, that prisoner support is an essential aspect of any liberatory movement. That we must remain with friends and family that fall victim to State repression if not physically than in spirit, or else find ourselves isolated and few.
The statement ‘solidarity is a weapon’ refers to the ability to transcend oppression through the expression of our beliefs and our connection to each other. If putting us in jail does not isolate, discourage or intimidate us, what can they do? Our strength is in what we are not afraid of and what we can sustain each other through.
Support and solidarity may look many different ways. For Jesse, letters and financial contributions are a large part. You can find his address and a PayPal link on this website. Communication is such a large aspect of healthy relationships, and as such is even more important during times of stress. Letting our friend know he is not alone is solid ground he can stand on. Helping raise funds and alleviating some of that pressure on him and us here in the Twin Cities allows us to have space to maintain our mental health as well as our political support.
But these are not the only ways of communicating connection, care and community. Supporting others going through similar ordeals and facing longer sentences, like Dave Mahoney and the RNC 8, is acknowledging that we are all threatened with incarceration, and that Jesse’s case is undeniably tied into the political landscape of this country. In this way, support presents itself as a presence in our approach to life. It is a taking into consideration the struggles of others, the contexts in which those struggles are created, and the expression of care towards those contexts. If we were to only write letters and/or give twenty dollars when asked, would we really be supporting each other? Support is foundation, it is tied to what is necessary for survival, and as such must be expressed with care and thought.
All of this is to say that the support of any one person goes well beyond the taking care of his small physical needs. It is up to each of us to determine what it means and how it should manifest. Jesse is fighting his charges and needs help and there are links on this website that can lead you to others still facing charges from the RNC, as well as to individuals who have had their lives stolen and are serving decades in prison.
Thank you for finding your way here. I hope you found what you were looking for. May we find support and compassion where we least expect it.