Excellent movie of the grassroots and the Names speaking of how Mumia Abu-Jamal is and why he should be free. Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary" is more of a tribute than a hard-hitting piece of American filmmaking, which is too bad, because the subject - the imprisonment of ex-Black Panther figure Mumia Abu-Jamal - deserves a thorough, serious examination.What the documentary does well is make the case for Abu-Jamal's eloquence, prolific writings and dogged determination to fight class injustices from behind bars. And that voice. His is a voice that was born for radio and television - and revolution. After hearing and watching him, it's not hard to understand why he has so many admirers around the world. So lionized in Europe that France put him on a postage stamp but almost unknown in this country except to left- and right-wing zealots who either esteem or excoriate him, Mumia Abu-Jamal would be the perfect subject for an investigative documentary that explored his life and thought with a calm and even hand. "MUMIA: Long Distance Revolutionary" is a powerful indictment of the hypocrisy inherent in the American dream and is a must-see for any and all who are concerned with upholding the constitutional rights of all Americans." During the Jim Crow era of American history, African-Americans existed as second-class citizens in a segregated society. Laws have banned segregation but now, according to Michelle Alexander, a longtime civil rights advocate, nearly half of the nation's black men are in prison or have been labeled felons. As a result, they are subjected to discrimination in employment, housing, education, public benefits, and jury service. Or as Alexander states: "We have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it."Mumia Abu-Jamal is one of the most famous and impressive prisoners in the United States. In 1982, he was charged with shooting a Philadelphia policeman and was found guilty of first degree murder. Thanks to widespread support over the years, Mumia's death sentence was recently overthrown. Documentary filmmaker Stephen Vittoria has chosen not to look into the particulars of this extraordinary man's case and focuses instead on his life and work in prison as a journalist, writer, cultural commentator, and revolutionary. In his cell, Mumia has written seven books and recorded over 2,000 radio commentaries.Writing prophetic words from prison puts him in good company with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Daniel Berrigan, and others. The always audacious Cornel West says of Mumia: "He forces us to come to terms with the depths of the crisis of the American Empire." His writing zeroes in on the death of imperialism and the search for alternatives. Also on hand to celebrate the courage and the creativity of Mumia are Alice Walker, Angela Davis, Rubin Hurricane Carter, Dick Gregory, Ruby Dee, Giancarlo Esposito, and Amy Goodman.In our times of deep and widespread ethical disarray, it is good to know that this passionate black man has remained true to his vision and to his difficult role as a prophet of a nation gone astray.

This film is about Mumia Abu-Jamal and does an amazing job of humanizing him. It chronicles his life and provides incite into many aspects of American culture. The film includes interviews with supporters and opponents of Mumia and it allows the viewer to draw his/her own conclusion. His story is a story of American history that should be told and retold. This film does a great job of condensing his story into a fascinating and exciting time slot. After watching this film you cannot deny how special of a person Mumia Abu-Jamal is. The world would be a better place if more people watched this film.

I thought the documentary would be a dry, factual restating of the case. I was wrong. It pulsed with life, in the words of Mumia Abu Jamal, and in the many people who spoke from their hearts about the man, his case, and his effect on their lives. I learned more about the hidden history of this country. worth seeing and sharing. The fact that anyone, especially someone convicted on such flimsy and suspect evidence has been left in solitary is obscene. The way that Mr. Abu Jamal has not only retained his humanity, but is using his words to reach out and make a positive change in the world, is a lesson for us all. I was fortunate enough to also hear from the director of this powerful documentary, and his journey to gain access, and to bring this story to the world, also should be noted.

I grew up in the Philadelphia area, and both of my parents were born and raised in Philadelphia as well, so I was more than familiar with Mumia's story. That is - the one the media wants you to know. I never really gave it much thought. As a child and teen, I just assumed, rather ignorantly, that what I was told was true. I also never understood why everyone was so interested in the case after so many years and a conviction had passed. But as I grew, I was able to educate myself more, and in doing so my opinions changed.The best documentaries are the ones that draw emotions. If, afterwords, I don't feel angered or inspired or enlightened, then the doc and the filmmakers didn't do what they intended. There is nothing worse than a bad doc, but there is nothing better than a great one. Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu Jamal is a GREAT documentary. It made me angry, it made me sad, and it made me what to run out of the movie theater and DO something.What I loved about the doc, besides it's ability to draw emotions from viewers, is that it told a story that we aren't familiar with. If you're familiar with Mumia, then you know all about the case, so 2 hours worth of "this-is-why-he's-innocent" really wouldn't have swayed you one way or the other. But Steve took a different, and I believe more powerful, route, to tell Mumia's story. He showed us the Mumia that our media and government want to silence, and by doing so, Steve has given Mumia an even more powerful voice.