Massive prison building in the wings 
By a prisoner in Oregon

President Bush unfolded "Project Safe 
Neighborhoods" on May 14, 2001. The crux of this 
fascist initiative is, according to Bush, "if you 
use a gun illegally, you will do hard time." Bush 
says that American society is "far too violent." 

While recognizing that there is a violence problem 
within u.s. society, one should not be caught off 
guard by Bush's rhetoric. The imperialists, as 
usual, want to treat the symptom and not the 
disease, thereby yielding the highest monetary 
rate of return, although they "plan "to "monitor" 
the "success" of the program in reducing crime. 

This, after dumping upwards of $223.5 million 
dollars this fiscal year and $189 million in 2002 
into their reactionary coffers. Much of these 
monies represent matching funds from state 
treasuries, so the payment to capital will 
actually be much higher. The monies already 
earmarked to be spent represent at least $169.3 
million over the next two fiscal years to hire 
state and federal full-time "gun prosecutors." 

Where is all this leading? Where else can it lead 
except to continue incarceration of more and more 
proletarian victims, which, in turn, means more 
prisons. The "initiative" is simple and plain on 
its face, more prisons, more prison fodder from 
the ranks of the oppressed nations, more golden 
pocket linings for the capitalists. The entire 
$223.5 million dollars eventually ends up in those 
deep golden pockets. Many, if not most, crimes 
involving guns, are serious crimes, I doubt that 
anyone would argue otherwise. The reality behind 
the new "initiative" however, is the increased 
profit taking from the continued build up of the 
prison industrial complex. They have the capital 
to invest in prison expansion, and they have the 
power to fill the prisons by enacting whatever 
laws necessary to criminalize enough people to 
fill the investment, further turning the profit. 

They continue to get away with these crimes by 
hiding behind the time worn, but oh so effective, 
"law and order" invective. Where is the 
interdiction? Where are the social programs? Where 
is the outreach to these gun offenders? They're 
gone, replaced by prisons which provide jobs to 
the white working class and lock up the oppressed 
nations. We are in the age of imperialism, the 
highest form of capitalism. The United States, 
known for it's world wide imperialism also attacks 
the oppressed nation populace within its own 
borders. It's time for new class struggle history, 
people's history. History is written by the 
winner.

Notes: Criminal Law Reporter, 16may01, p.182