Those of you who have ever organized a letter writing event on regular basis know that it is normally visited by very limited amount of people and those who are doing it on regular basis is even smaller. People visiting such events quite often don’t see the point of regular letter writing, or find it complicated, tedious and do not leave any space in the schedule for it.
Why do we still continue to organize these events despite such a limited response from our own comrades?
Let’s start with the simple part. Letter writing events are there to create space for the practical solidarity – you can come to an event and write letters to the imprisoned comrades (most of the time who you don’t know personally, but find important to support). Quite often we are left on our own writing such support letter or continue communication. During the letter writing events there are people who can give you advice what you can and what you can’t write in the letter and how to form up a relationship with an incarcerated comrade.
This is something on the surface of every letter writing event. Quite often during events people prefer to sign postcards instead of writing a longer letter and that’s great as well. Postcards don’t form up longer communication, but are important for the prisoners to keep up the spirit and see that people do not forget them outside the prison walls.
Forming up a longer communication with a prisoner is always complicated. It requires a lot of dedication, but also discipline. Very few of us have time to answer to our comrades directly after receiving a letter. Most of the time we put it aside and try to find a time to reply later. This can drag for months, which for people in prison last different in comparison to many of us outside.
We believe that letter writing events is an answer to this constant problem of finding time to write letters/messages to our comrades behind the bars. Instead of searching for several hours during a busy week, you just plan once a month a certain date where you collectively come with other comrades interested in solidarity and write replies to everyone you want to support. And even if you get replies from comrades less often due to for example slow post delivery, you can still sign postcards to the other comrades and keep up the solidarity work.
Letter writing should become one of those rituals that are present always in the revolutionary movement. We have some yearly events that we try to feel up no matter what: for example, 8th March is an international day of women struggle or 1st Mai day of labor struggle. We also have a lot of those ritual days in our personal lives that might be connected with important events or social celebrations like birthdays or new year. Letter writing events is an important manifestation of solidarity within our communities.
So we call our comrades in different parts of the world to establish that tradition and stick to it despite the challenges and problems. Solidarity is a weapon that should be always kept in good shape, which requires a lot of work. Write letters, sign postcards, support those in prisons!
Till all are free
Anarchist Black Cross Dresden