By James F. Harrington

AUSTIN, Texas – I attended the eleventh annual March To Abolish The Death Penalty on Saturday, October 30, 2010 at the Texas state capitol in Austin. About 500 people participated in the rally.

Our contingent met at the S.H.A.P.E. center in Houston at nine in the morning. We were scheduled to take a bus to Austin, but the vehicle broke down. Therefore we carpooled in five cars to make the trip.

We took Highway 71 to Austin, which is a very scenic route. We stopped off at a small variety store which is known for their German sweets.

After a safe drive to Austin, we arrived right in front of the capitol building which was having some repair to its dome.

We got parking spaces right across the street from the capitol.

There was quite a good attendance and the weather was simply wonderful!

Special guests included exonerated death row prisoners, including Custis McCarthy, 21 years in Oklahoma; Derrick Jamison, 17 years in Ohio; Greg Wilhoit, five years in Oklahoma; Shujaa Graham, three years in California; Ron Keine, two years in New Mexico.

All spent time on death row for crimes they did not commit!

After most of the speakers spoke, we all marched down the street to Fifth Street, chanting our abolition slogans. Then we marched back to the state house to listen to the remaining speakers.

After the last speaker had spoken at the rally,everyone packed up all their equipment and headed off to their home towns.

Our group stopped off at an Mexican restaurant in Austin for some good Mexican food and comradeship.

Finally, we all headed back to Houston after a long day of activism on behalf of Abolishing the Death Penalty in Texas.

“If you tremble with indignation at every injustice,
then you are a comrade of mine!”
~Che Guevara