MIM Notes 187 June 1 1999

Under lock and key: news from prisons and 
prisoners

Purpose of SMUs is control & manipulation

Some people call them maximum security units. 
Some, special housing units. However, one thing 
is certain of Pennsylvania's Special Management 
Units (SMUs) - it's primary purpose is mental 
and behavioral manipulation with long term goals 
of injecting the violent aspect of same into 
minority neighborhoods.

Presently, my location, Greene SMU, is housed 
with a "great percentage" of minorities who are 
due to max out within two years. After 
subjecting anyone to the psychological and 
physical manipulation one experiences here at 
Greene SMU, for any health or psychiatric 
official to argue that the ramifications upon 
release do not include violence is purely 
hypocritical propaganda. No effort whatsoever is 
made to counsel those locked up in the SMUs. And 
the staff employed are anything but qualified to 
deal with an inmate who is locked down, long 
term, 23 hours a day, allowed only three showers 
a week and forced to exercise I an exercise cage 
literally no bigger than a dog kennel.

To use the word farce would be an 
understatement. Boredom is a regularity, and of 
course with boredom comes the need for mental 
stimulation and/or attention. It would appall an 
unseen observing psychiatric official to what 
great lengths some of these 'caged men' go to to 
receive some stimulation. Acts include inter 
alia: suicide, throwing fecal matter, smearing 
fecal matter on themselves, flooding, 
assaulting, kicking on the door and the list 
goes on. In the midst of all this, no 
psychiatric personnel is to be found and 
security turns a blind eye on it. Camp Hill's 
SMU is 200 times worse. This, however, is 
exactly what is wanted for it is the goal of the 
DOC to release these men back into their 
neighborhoods, have them commit a crime against 
one of their own and return so as to keep the 
recidivism rate nice and high.

-- a Penn. Prisoner, 5 April 1999.

New dungeon in Ray Brook

I am writing to bring your attention to the new 
torture dungeon implemented by the Warden, Ronny 
Wiley, at the Federal Correctional Institution 
at Ray Brook, New York.

Inmates are often placed "under investigation" 
in the "Special Housing Unit" at FCI Ray Brook. 
The SHU consists of a 23 hour lock down which is 
designed for a maximum capacity of two persons 
per cell, yet the Warden has instructed his 
staff to place four inmates per room, with two 
sleeping on the floor. The food is served in 
trays without lids, and is often spoiled or 
cold. More importantly, the food is kept in a 
hot cart for hours, which causes it to become 
dehydrated.

As a grand finale, the Warden has made it 
impossible for inmates to flush their toilets. 
Rather, the inmates must wait for the guard to 
arrive every few hours. Thus, an inmate must 
sleep on the floor near a toilet which contains 
urine and feces.

Access to the law library is never granted 
despite repeated requests. Medical personnel 
arrive extremely early in the morning while the 
inmates are sleeping, and they are very quiet so 
inmates do not call them to receive medical 
attention.

The new unit is designed to harass and punish 
the inmates. The Warden continues to overcrowd 
the rooms despite repeated admonishment from the 
local court.

This is the new "tough on crime" punishment 
designed by the federal government.

Thank you,

--A PA prisoner February 9, 1999

Grievances against

brutal conditions ignored

A clenched fist salute to all my brothers who 
dare to fight in this war that is being fought 
to smash the color lines, end oppression, and 
give equal housing, medical care and education 
to all who desire. Once again, I have found a 
way to reach up out of the depths of that 
dungeon, my strength that breeds hope that I may 
get word back to my fellow comrades who know not 
of the danger they face down, down deep here in 
tha dungeon of the Ferguson Unit we all call 
"Administrative segregation."

Here in this pit called Ferguson, that is 
located in a small town called Midway, Texas, 
any officer wearing a gray and blue uniform 
is/are free to exercise any fantasy that their 
crooked minds and hearts can conjure up and 
fulfill them free from prosecution, or 
persecution. Inmates both here in seg. and in 
general population are assaulted here as regular 
as it takes the milk truck to arrive every other 
morning, bringing dairy products. 

I myself am a seg. inmate and have been this way 
for almost 3 years now. So I can't really speak 
of the horrors that go on in general population 
since I left in '96 (although I am still aware 
of them also) but I damn sure can tell you 
what's going on down here in tha dungeon.

Here in dungeon there is little or no hope of 
pursuing any further form of education, because 
TDCJ offers no in-cell school programs for us 
seg. inmates because they know that knowledge is 
power, and any man who has the power to utilize 
his or her thinking is a threat to tha corrupt 
system.

Some of these locked down soldiers who are 
confirmed gang members of various races and 
organizations will never have a chance to return 
to general population to obtain even a GED 
before they are released to the free world, if 
they are released. So what type of job is good 
for a man with no skills to hold it down? Some 
of these dudes been here seven and eight years 
behind these ad seg. doors obvious to tha fact 
that they will be here in this unchanged state 
until they discharge their sentences or alter 
their positions legally. So they have lost hope 
and all heart. They have allowed themselves to 
be defeated mentally and physically by these 
tactics they use to control us.

Leaving my brothers caught up in angry, hurt, 
and hopeless web of misdirection... they stay 
doped up on these psychological drugs these 
doctors prescribe them, they are so far gone 
from the affects of the drugs that they sleep 
for two and three days at a time, or use the 
restroom and then they are back to the sound 
escape of sleep. And these cops don't seem to 
have any compassion for these lost individuals. 
These hoes leave these mentally disturbed 
inmates over here when they know they need more 
help then they can give them here, yet they 
refuse to transfer these inmates to the units 
that are specially made for their special care.

These inmates cut themselves, lose control over 
their body fluids and waste and are greatly 
mistreated. They are left in their cells for 
weeks without showers or clean sheets or 
clothes. We are beaten because we want to go to 
recreation or showers, if we make these hoes 
work we are threatened that once we are 
handcuffed and taken out of our cells we will 
get this ruff treatment.

Rank has blind eyes and deaf ears to our pleas 
of help and outcries. The grievance procedure 
here which all inmates hope to find some type of 
justice in our complaints against these "peace 
officers" is a joke. Everybody I've seen or 
heard of (myself included) write a step one or 
two grievance, it is returned stating 
insufficient evidence was found to sustain our 
claim, so the grievances are always denied 
without any investigation- having never been 
conducted.

The cops are assaulting inmates over here and 
giving out more time to the ones they beat up, 
even though most of the time the inmates don't 
even get a chance to fight back. These hoes are 
getting away with it too. I've been on this unit 
since '95 and I can count on my hand how many 
times I've seen a warden. So his punk ass don't 
give a fuck.

These cops write bogus cases and put us on some 
shit even a hungry dog won't eat called "food 
loaf" and they take pleasure in knowing they can 
always give you that shit when you put them in 
check verbally for fuckin over somebody. They 
keep us under tha finger with this food loaf and 
level system. So it seems hopeless on trying to 
organize the masses because no one is willing to 
make any sacrifices for a whole, let alone a 
personal one. But I must admit there are some, 
but not nearly enough.

I received you papers still and I pass the words 
of hope on down the lines to the ones who are 
willing to learn and make a difference. Last but 
not least a call out to all you soldiers in tha 
struggle fallen and standing, keep tha dream and 
hope alive.

In tha Struggle,

-- A prisoner in Texas, 29 December 1998.

Ad Seg stops organizing

I would like to bring to the attention of MIM 
comrades of my absence as a committed supporter 
and active participant in the struggle.

A couple of months ago MIM sent me the book "How 
Europe Underdeveloped Africa," and asked that I 
write a book report for MIM Notes since there 
wasn't one done for that book. However, I was 
placed in Ad Seg (administrative segregation) 
over a disciplinary infraction that resulted in 
my isolation (without any personal property) for 
over a month, until I was finally cleared for 
placement back in general population.

At this time, I'm on orientation "again" 
awaiting a classification for program settlement 
(still without personal property), so once I 
receive my property I will be able to put the 
finishing touches on the book report.

These types of tactics are solely designed to 
undermine or obstruct progressives from carrying 
out the task of educating the people.

I am the assistant director of a study group 
here at X prison, and we are attempting to raise 
the political and class consciousness of the 
brothers here, utilizing a revolutionary arsenal 
of Marx, Lenin, Mao and the example of the Black 
Panther Party.

I didn't receive the December issue of MIM Notes 
(which I would like to), yet I was able to read 
that issue from a comrade and was real inspired 
about the article I read on the "mass 
organization."

In order to start a program of that magnitude 
here, we would need the program's platform in 
order to see how we can launch it, without 
opposition obstructions - "Before it even gets 
off the ground."

If it's possible, could you send me more 
information on the "mass organization" as well 
as some material on MIM Theory to be taught at 
our study group.

A Voice from the Barricades.

With a Clenched Fist Salute,

-- A Texas prisoner, 20 December 1998.

MIM adds:  We argue that the segregation of 
prisoners who are politically active is a direct 
attempt to stop revolutionary study and 
organizing. But even the readers who do not see 
such isolation as a tool of the oppressor should 
recognize that this isolation does not serve the 
purpose of rehabilitation or education. In 
segregation, most prisoners are denied access to 
study material, even pen and paper. And when 
they do have access, it is severely limited.

Socialism is a transition toward communism and 
during this transition to the abolition of 
oppression, prisons will be necessary (and were 
in China). But in prisons under socialism, the 
prisoners are treated as humans. Communists 
believe that humans have the potential to do 
more, to contribute productively in developing a 
just society, and to correct mistakes. Chinese 
prisons helped individuals to understand their 
potential and to correct past errors so that 
future actions would not harm others or society 
as a whole. Study is an essential part of 
prisoner rehabilitation under socialism. Study 
is seen as dangerous within the capitalist 
system's prisons.

Long live the Revolution & Viva Puerto Rico 
Libre!

by a Boricua prisoner in Michigan

7 April 1999

I come to you wholly in the spirit of our Puerto 
Rican patriots and revolutionaries of the past 
and salute you with a clenched first and do 
proudly shout Long live the Revolution and Viva 
Puerto Rico Libre!

Comrades, It is truly uplifting to hear from 
true and loyal brothers of the struggle. I 
received your letter today along with the copy 
of the draft transcript of the interview of Jose 
Lopez. Sad but not surprising to inform you that 
I did _not_ receive the two issues of the RAIL 
newspaper, if was rejected by the pigs in the 
grey and black.

You asked for my opinion on the interview you 
had with Jose Lopez and so I will give it to 
you.

Mr. Lopez came across with some very interesting 
and truthful issues. As he spoke about the 
Martial Law that was implemented in Puerto Rico 
by the U.S. in 1898 until 1900, we can still see 
up to this day a modern way of Martial Law in 
the island. The U.S. has forced itself up 
against the will of our Puerto Rican nation by 
brainwashing them and leading them to believe 
that being called an American is the thing to 
be. So now it has turned into a psychological 
war. One of our main foes is ignorance and so we 
must begin to educate our people as has Mr. 
Lopez.

We must begin to fight against all the sell outs 
of our people like Gov. Pedro Rossello at all 
costs. Men must have something in their lives 
that they are willing to die for, let the 
liberation of Puerto Rico be ours. Puerto Rico 
and our people will never have the just rights 
of a nation as long as the U.S. is allowed to 
keep their claws around us and our island of 
Boriquen. The U.S. military has no position in 
our land and it must be stressed continuously.

Mr. Lopez also spoke about the prison system, 
and, like many of us, he has compared it to the 
Hitler concentration camps. Mr. Lopez hit the 
nail right on the head. We, prisoners, work 8 
hours a day for 25 cents per hour. This is 
modern day slavery but to manipulate their way 
around it they give us 25 cents per hour for a 
job that can help the jobless in the streets. In 
modern times we are suffering from a mental 
Holocaust by the U.S. They (U.S.) seeks to take 
away our sense of identity and our land, just 
like they've done to the Red Nation and the 
Black Nation.

We are labeled as U.S. citizens (Americans) but 
we are not Americans, we are proud Puerto Ricans 
and we must continue to fight to preserve our 
culture. Our blood is but the blood of warriors 
and so we must stand unified and fight off the 
oppressors by any means. Our flag was created by 
true revolutionaries who had a vision of a free 
Puerto Rico. It is time that our generation 
stands up and make these visions a reality.

I will leave you comrades with a shout of Live 
the Revolution, viva Puerto Rico Libre.

MIM responds: In December, 1998 we sent this 
prisoner a copy of Palante: The Story of the 
Young Lords Party so that he could participate 
in a study group among people on the outside and 
in prisons, but the book was rejected by 
mailroom staff. We also sent him copies of two 
RAIL newspapers on Michigan prisons at the 
beginning of April, 1999 but these were also 
denied by the mailroom. This prisoner is an 
example to all progressive activists as he 
struggles to contribute his thoughts and 
writings to the cause of anti-imperialism even 
as much of his basic reading materials are 
censored.

We publish this comrades letter here as part of 
an effort to build public opinion in favor of 
the just struggles of the Puerto Rican nation, 
alongside the other Latino nations, all the 
Indigenous nations and the Black nation in this 
hemisphere to gain self-determination and 
liberation from u.$. colonial domination.

Amerika turned Marine against imperialism

I feel all stories of oppression begin the 
minute a person of color is born. I will start 
mine from the time I joined the Marine Corps. 
During boot camp they told us we were all green 
and there was no distinctions, but then they 
would turn around and call the black Marines 
"dark green." During boot camp many recruits 
were going AWOL. Some of them were white. The 
reasons I would hear for some of them leaving 
were, "there's too many niggers here!" 

During training we were given many classes on 
different topics which pertained to issues on 
and off the battlefield. I remember a few on the 
topic of racism. They told us that when we go to 
combat they encourage us to yell out and have 
racial slurs in our minds, for example: "fucken 
gooks" and "dirty ragheads." They said this was 
not out of racism, but to help us kill the enemy 
in combat. You be the judge.

During a close combat course they asked, "how 
many of you have never been in a fist fight?" 
About 80-90% of the class raised their hand. The 
majority of them were white. Then the instructor 
said: "Don't worry, because when you go to 
combat, most of them 3rd world people are small 
and you'll be able to just grab them and throw 
them around and kill them. 

After boot camp I was used in a training 
exercise because I speak Spanish. The scene was: 
"terrorists have taken some Amerikan hostages 
and the Marines were coming to the rescue." I 
was the leader of the so-called terrorists and 
spoke Spanish to them., but I realize now that I 
was leaving an impression on their minds that: 
one of the enemies is brown and speaks Spanish. 
They had white Marines who spoke Russian, 
German, and some other European languages. Why 
didn't they use them?

When I got to the fleet the unit I was with was 
a combat ready unit. They were on Alpha 
increment (alert status) more than usual. Every 
time there was elections in another country or 
an embassy was threatened they would start 
"briefing" us on certain countries. It was 
always 3rd world countries! Our People!

The United Snakes has bases all over the world. 
The United Snakes has boats and secret 
submarines all over the world. The United Snakes 
Empire controls the world. What the hell are 
they getting ready to do? People need to wake up 
and realize what's going on. People of color 
feel "safe" here. After they kill off all of 
Africa, Latin America, the Arabian Nations, and 
Asia. Whose next? Us!

When people join the service they usually say 
"I'm defending the country!" What are they 
defending the country from? No ones attacking 
the United Snakes! The United Snakes is 
attacking other people either directly (cowardly 
bombings) or indirectly(sanctions).

When the United Snakes sends troops to other 
countries they say "Our American boys" or "Our 
children are in that other country." I will tell 
you right now they are neither boys nor children 
they are trained killers and assassins with no 
business in our Mother countries of the so-
called 3rd world, and when they send them, we 
need to fear for the women and children of the 
country they are invading and not for the 
American assassins and killers.

 -- a North Carolina Prisoner.

MIM responds:  We're happy to see prison 
comrades and other members of Amerika's internal 
semi-colonies take an increasingly 
internationalist stance against imperialism. The 
majority of the world's people are victims of 
imperialist exploitation and the key enforcer is 
Amerika. Amerika dominates the Third World 
militarily, economically and politically. This 
domination will bring about further 
politicization, revolution and ultimately the 
demise of the Amerikan empire.

Members of internal semi-colonies in Amerika 
face the situation where their peoples are 
dominated by imperialism. Nonetheless the 
internal semi-colonies also benefit from 
extracted profits funneled to the First World 
from the Third World. MIM pushes oppressed 
nationals in Amerika to unite against 
imperialism entire with the majority of the 
world. Essential to this is understanding the 
oppression of internal semi-colonies and its 
origins -- and essential is taking up a firm 
internationalist position. Many will start 
working with MIM because they see concretely 
that the pigs in the streets are an occupying 
force that must be stopped. Oppressed nation 
comrades should study and fight against not only 
the white settler nation's domination here, but 
also Amerika's domination world-wide.

Facts about U.$. imprisonment

The facts about imprisonment in the United 
$tates are that the United $tates has been the 
world's leading prison-state per capita for the 
last 25 years, with a brief exception during 
Boris Yeltsin's declaration of a state of 
emergency.(1) That means that while Reagan was 
talking about a Soviet "evil empire" he was the 
head of a state that imprisoned more people per 
capita. In supposedly "hard-line" Bulgaria of 
the Soviet bloc of the 1980s, the imprisonment 
rate was less than half that of the United 
$tates.(2,3)

To find a comparison with U.$. imprisonment of 
Black people, there is no statistic in any 
country that compares including apartheid South 
Africa of the era before Mandela was president. 
The last situation remotely comparable to the 
situation today was under Stalin during war 
time.

The majority of prisoners are non-violent 
offenders(4) and the U.S. Government now holds 
about a half million more prisoners than China; 
even though China is four times our 
population.(5) 

The rednecks tell MIM that we live in a "free 
country." They live in an Orwellian 1984 
situation where freedom is imprisonment.

Notes: 

1. Marc Mauer, "Americans Behind Bars: The 
International Use of Incarceration 1993," The 
Prison Sentencing Project, 918 F. St. NW, Suite 
501, Washington, DC 20004 (202) 628-0871 
Reference: SRI: R8965-2, 1994. 

2. Ibid., 1992 report. 

3. United Nations Development Programme, "Human 
Development Report 1994,:" Oxford University 
Press, p. 186. 

4. Figure of 51.2 percent for state prisoners 
there for non-violent offenses. Abstract of the 
United States 1993, p. 211. 

5. Atlantic Monthly December, 1998.