MIM Notes 186 May 15 1999
Censorship victory in Illinois

Greetings comrades,  I am just writing to inform you that we have 
won part of the censorship war here in Illinois. As you may 
already know, I filed suit against the Director of the Illinois 
Department of Corruptions and his subordinates for violating my 
constitutional rights in not permitting me access to your 
publications. I say that we won half because I raised 2 issues. 
One being that the publications were not denied to me because of 
security issues but because of its political content. And the 
other being that I was denied my due process rights because the 
same members of the Review Committees are the same ones who decide 
on the grievances -- thus denying me my right to protest to 
someone other than the censor.

The State files a motion to retract the evidence (publications) 
and a motion to dismiss -- stating that they have agreed that the 
publications are not a security threat. They will give them to me 
and therefore see no reason why the case should go on!

I showed the court that this is wrong because the practices of how 
these people conduct their hearings and also how bias the hearings 
are is something that needs to be exposed and fixed. I am waiting 
on the Judge's decision now on this motion to dismiss. The name of 
the case is Padilla v Washington, Director et al. Case number 
97CV1279.

So, now brothers in Illinois can receive all the MIM related 
Publications which you offer. They have returned all the Theory 
Journals which they confiscated. My MIM Notes, my Maoist 
Sojourners, Notas Rojas, and the pamphlet "What is the Maoist 
Internationalist Movement?"

So I am kind of caught up so far on my literature. I am making 
copies of all the Theory Journals so that I can distribute to the 
brothers down here.

I would appreciate it if you could send me the following material 
as soon as possible: MIM Theory #11;  Arms and Empire; Settlers; 
The Fundamentals of Political Economy; The Chinese Road to 
Socialism; "The BPP Community Newspaper 1969-71"; Agents of 
Repression; Revolutionary Suicide; Chairman Mao Speaks to the 
People; Mao's Poems, and The Essential Left.

I would appreciate this as soon as possible as I have started a 
study group here on our wing and it looks very promising. We have 
all accepted MIM's ideology and are willing to work with MIM to 
uplift all brothers and sisters in the struggle.

So please hurry as we do not want to lose interest. Plus, keep the 
MIM Notes paper coming as it is getting a very much needed 
reception at this institution. ...I know I'm beginning to get on 
your nerves with all this begging but your organization has opened 
up a hungry beast in our minds.

I gladly appreciate all the work MIM has done and hope that we can 
keep striving forward till I receive your response. I remain aware 
and alive and active in the struggle.

-- an Illinois prisoner, 12 April 1999.

P.S. The majority of the known brothers who read your newspaper 
and other material some how wound up in this supermax. Ain't it 
surprising how we all became classified as "Extremely Dangerous" 
(yeah right and pigs fly!)

MIM adds:  There are many prisoners fighting similar cases 
against censorship. MIM, RAIL and United Struggle from Within have 
taken up the battle to fight censorship in a more comprehensive 
way. We are in need of people with legal experience as well as 
people willing to write letters to the censoring prisons. (See 
campaign announcement or write MIM for a list of prisons to send 
protest letters to.) We are also in need of books and funds to 
fill requests like the one from the revolutionary brother in 
Illinois.