MIM NOTES No. 201            January 1, 2000

Under Lock & Key 2000 Campaign calendar

January

Serve the People

"Serve the People" (STP) is a concept and practice basic to 
Maoism. It differs from charities and philanthropy. Service to the 
people means organizing in a self-reliant and internationalist way 
to meet basic needs of the oppressed. "Our point of departure is 
to serve the people whole-heartedly and never for a moment divorce 
ourselves from the masses, to proceed in all cases from the 
interests of the people." -- Mao Zedong, "On Coalition 
Government," April 1945

MIM builds institutions independent from the oppressor. The 
Prisoners' Legal Clinic (PLC) and Free Books for Prisoners (BfP) 
program are two MIM Serve the People programs. Such programs and 
other independent institutions, like MIM Notes, serve the masses' 
specific needs while organizing for revolution.

We welcome article and artwork submissions that demonstrate the 
Maoist principle of service to the people. We welcome personal or 
historical accounts of STPs from the Black Panther Party, Young 
Lords, AIM, etc. Supporters can contribute legal research and 
writing; time to type submissions by prisoners; or organizational 
skills to build benefit shows and book drives. Check out our 
website for more information or contact the prisons minister to 
find out how you can help.

February

Prisons as political repression

A handful of Puerto Rican Prisoners of War have been released, 
Silvia Baraldini has been returned to Italy, Mark Cook and 
Geronimo ji Jaga have been released, but there are hundreds of 
political leaders still incarcerated for their political beliefs 
and actions. Amerika calls them terrorists, but it is the u.$. 
that is terrorizing the majority of the world's population. When 
prisoners fight against Amerika's terrorism around the world, they 
are further repressed and silenced. Imprisonment in Amerika is 
clearly political as Blacks are more than half the prison 
population but less than 15% of the general population. We call on 
all advocates of justice to work with us in this fight against 
political repression.

MIM can assist supporters in setting up educational and organizing 
events for this month. We also welcome information demonstrating 
the history, legal situations and present conditions of political 
imprisonment. Submissions that can be used in both outside and 
inside organizing are most useful. For instance, we'd welcome 
everything from a poem about Mumia Abu Jamal to a speech 
concerning the fact that all imprisonment is political in the 
United Snakes to a drawing (black and white in ink if possible 
please) about the repression of politically active prisoners.

March

End Amerikan Apartheid

March 21 marks the 40th anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre 
when 69 people were killed as they fought against Apartheid in 
South Africa. The United Snakes has demonstrated that legalized 
segregation and subjugation of oppressed nations will continue to 
be its modus operandi; this is evident in the warehousing and 
repression of prisoners.

Use this month to remind young activists that an apartheid system 
was legal and official ten years ago in South Africa, and that 
major Amerikan corporations invested in South Africa then -- 
supporting the Apartheid system. Host a study session or 
presentation on what Apartheid was like and discuss similarities 
between Apartheid South Africa and u.$. repression of its internal 
semi-colonies today.

April

Prisons versus Education 

Amerika no longer carries the pretense of educating and 
rehabilitating prisoners. The corrupt capitalist system spends 
more money killing people and incarcerating them than it spends on 
education.

MIM has long run a Serve the People Free Books for Prisoners 
program to provide prisoners with political education 
opportunities they would not otherwise have. This program makes it 
possible for some prisoners to participate in organizing as they 
develop the basic tools of understanding their own history.

Prisoners: get in touch with us by the end of February with your 
thoughts on why people on the outside should participate in the 
Free Books for Prisoners program. If you have access to the 
information, accounts of the historical and current education 
opportunities for prisoners in your state would be very helpful. 
People outside the walls: we can use your help to build the BfP 
program, and to gather more information regarding the resources 
spent imprisoning versus educating.

May

Prison slavery 

Slavery is constitutional within Amerika's prisons. With prisoners 
working -- both for private corporations and the state and its 
corporations -- there is an increasing financial incentive to lock 
up more people. We celebrate May Day by exposing Amerikan slavery 
in prisons.

June

Black nation behind bars 

June 19th or Juneteenth started in Texas in 1865 with the official 
emancipation of Black slaves. During June, we celebrate the 
victories that have made conditions better for the Black nation 
held captive by Amerika, but we continue the struggle for genuine 
national liberation and freedom.

July

Indigenous and Latino nations behind bars 

Amerikkkans celebrate the kountry's "independence day" during July 
and we use July as a time to educate about Amerika's foundations. 
Amerika, built on the stolen land and on the backs of the 
oppressed is still occupied by the white settler nation. Amerika's 
independence day and the entire month should be used as a time to 
expose the way that Indigenous peoples and Latino peoples have 
been and are being treated by the white settler nation.

August

Censorship in Amerika's prisons

During August, we should expand our work to expose censorship in 
Amerika's prisons. August 21 marks the anniversary of the 
assassination of George Jackson in 1971, silenced because of his 
political beliefs. Almost 30 years later, we are still fighting 
for the voices of the oppressed to be heard. We must continue to 
dispel the myth that there is freedom of speech in Amerika.

September -- October

End the Amerikan Lockdown month 

Between September 13th and October 15th, MIM will hold the 2nd 
Annual End the Amerikan Lockdown Month. EAL Month 1999 was a 
success, but we need to start now to make EAL 2000 much stronger. 
Contact the MIM Prison Minister if you want help building panel 
discussions, hosting a speaker, organizing a rally or other EAL 
activities. We will provide information on MIM's website and also 
send out organizing packets, but remember to start early.

November

Health care in prisons 

Many prisoners must pay for health services but receive no 
adequate treatment in return. Amerika is not concerned with the 
health of prisoners, just as it is not concerned with the fact 
that humyns are locked up and denied other basic needs. 
Politicians talk about universal health care. But like universal 
suffrage, universal does not include prisoners in Amerika.

December

Torture in prisons 

There are countless methods of torture used in Amerikan prisons. 
Sensory deprivation, isolation, punitive retaliation for 
organizing, brutal force, and everyday inhumane conditions are all 
forms of torture used to control prisoners. We must continue and 
expand on the education to expose the torture within Amerika and 
demonstrate that it is fundamental to the imperialist system of 
control.