Dear Comrades,

In my last two letters, I forgot to mention that I  have been receiving your MIM Notes unhindered.  Please be aware that I will never lose interest in  your work, but as you say, policy is policy.

What do you think about the national shutdown of  nearly all federal prisons? Within this state, they  have moved all inmates into a security system  called "control movement". Instead of allowing us  to go to the recreation field, which was probably  an area of one square mile, they have placed us in  an area of maybe 250 square yards behind our  dormitories. One dorm alone houses about 300  inmates.

We are not allowed to go from the A-side to the B- side of the dorm any longer. Whatever side you are  on, that's the side you stay on. They are really  making it a cattle stall now....Until next time,  may we all struggle as one against the beast!

--a South Carolina prisoner, 10/30/95

 DEATH PENALTY CRISIS IN AMERIKKKA

 Legalized lynching, commonly referred to as the  "death penalty", is out of control in the United  States of America. Only Allah (God) knows how many  poor people will have to be murdered by the states  before this genocidal machinery of death stops.  There is a bloodbath taking place in the U.S. today  with the southern "death belt" states carrying out  executions at a frenzied pace. In Texas, sometimes  as frequently as two legalized lynchings per week,  with no end in sight. What is happening at this  bloody site is an international disgrace. It is  appalling, outrageous, horrific and it is getting  worse!

No longer can socially conscious people of good  will and progressive forces throughout the world  remain silent in the face of the enormity of these  human rights violations and this racial injustice.  For history is a fit testimony of the fact that if  a government is not strongly resisted when it does  wrong, it will continue to do wrong. Silence in the  face of injustice and inhumanity only invites  greater barbarity. This human massacre is  horrifying and tragic. Poor people, human beings,  are being silently killed in the middle of the  night and little is known or being said about it.  This is the time to break the silence--by any means  necessary! We must all come together and stop this  bloody massacre!

Only hours ago, the people of the United States  murdered yet another African-American male, Carl  Hammond. He was the 12th person murdered by the  political serial killers of Texas this year. The  97th person I have known and befriended who has  fallen victim to this bloody madness since my  unjust arrival on Texas' death row as a child in  1981.

Today, June 21, 1995, as the blood of victims of  legalized lynchings continues to flow in Texas and  throughout the country, I have initiated an  indefinite hunger strike to protest against this  racial injustice. I will only discontinue the  hunger strike in the event that there is serious  and immediate action taken to impose a moratorium  on all executions throughout the U.S. Pending the  outcome of an in-depth inquiry of the racist use of  the death penalty and the civil and human rights  abuses arising from its use.

I believe strongly that such an inquiry will  provide us with concrete and solid evidence on the  social impact, constitutionality and desirability  of the death penalty and ultimately lead to and  support abolition of the death penalty in this  country once and for all before the executioners  kill all of us....

Sadly and outrageously, there have already been  over 18,777 executions in this country since the  first documented one in 1608. Racism has  accompanied this shameful march for nearly 400  years...

Today, there are more that 3,000 men, women and  children trapped on America's death rows. A  disproportionate number of them are poor  minorities. Former slave-holding states have  carried out over 80% of all U.S. executions. The  death penalty is used almost exclusively to  vindicate the death of a white person and is seldom  sought when the victim of the crime is a person of  color. Why in all of modern history have there been  only three white persons executed for taking the  life of a Black person? This is yet another example  of the double standard of justice in Amerikkka,  which places value on the life of a white person  but totally devalues the lives of people of  color...

We must take immediate action to abolish the death  penalty in this country, just as those great and  courageous spirits before us rose to the challenge  and met the demands of history and abolished  slavery. For as the late Supreme Court Justice  Thurgood Marshall once declared: "The scandalous  state of our present system of capital punishment  will cast a pall of shame over our society for  years to come. We cannot let it continue."....

--A Texas prisoner, 6/21/95

 A WORLD OF DESPAIR

 We are the oppressed; We are the forgotten; We are  the ones that Suffer day after day. What is to  become of Ourselves in this world of ours?

The bricks we count Just to wind down our long  days, to hope to be free again, Shall we always be  forgotten to the days of our death?

And then do we have to oppress our peoples that are  behind those walls that show despair with No  concern because "It's not our problem?"

But do beware you may be next, to find the pain  that lurks in there.

--an Iowa prisoner, 10/16/95

 AFFLICTION

 Troubled by thoughts of loneliness on short running  roads back by circular wire high above the sky  Might not make the difference for all the rage  within bundle up in-tie for the otherside.

--an Iowa prisoner, 10/16/95

 SOUTH CAROLINA SANCTIONS LETHAL INJECTIONS

 Since I last wrote I have been placed on lock-up  for standing up for myself, which one has to do a  lot around here. It has gotten to the point now  where these people (prison officials) just do  anything. They have just passed a law for the  lethal injection, and the first person they killed  was a handicapped African-American. All that the  prisoners did here was say how fucked up it was.  Which is right, but what is really fucked up was  that there was nothing they (other prisoners)  wanted to do about it. The ones that did try to  protest or have a sit-in, or boycott the canteen  were locked up or ignored.

The real sadness of it all is that next time it  might be one of these brothers getting that needle.  Wake up, my brother! Sleep no more in the belly of  the beast. Don't take your life for granted.  Remember it could be you, me or your neighbor next  time. Let's not let there be a next time.

No matter what, the blood of brother Sylvester  Adams is on the South Carolina Department of  Corrections' hands. Well, until next time, I'll  leave you with one final thought. Want for your  brother man that which you would want for yourself.

Sylvester Adams (1959-1995) Peace be Upon Him. The  first to die in South Carolina of lethal injection  and hopefully the last.

--a South Carolina prisoner, 9/27/95

 OHIO-7 MISREPRESENTED

 On Oct. 1, NBC's Sunday Night Movie was titled, "In  the Line of Duty: The Hunt for Justice." It was  billed as the "true story" of the decade-long  government hunt for a group of anti-imperialist  political fugitives who, when finally captured in  1984 and '85, were called the Ohio-7. This was a  pro-FBI/police/government movie that contained many  misrepresentations and one very dangerous outright  lie. It had no input or collaboration from any of  the Ohio-7. In fact, we weren't even aware that  this movie existed until it was aired.

Besides casting the revolutionary fugitives in a  negative light in which the government was  portrayed heroically, a totally fabricated element  was included. Richard Williams, one of the Ohio-7,  was shown as cooperating and providing information  to the FBI. This is absolutely false. In one scene,  as Richard is being transported by the FBI and NJ  State Police, they threaten to kill him and as the  scene ends, he is seen agreeing to talk. This never  happened. No defendant in any of the Ohio-7 state  and federal trials, including Richard Williams,  ever was a government witness or in any way worked  with the government against the Ohio-7.

Richard Williams was convicted in Brooklyn federal  court for conspiracy and bombing and later in NJ  State court for shooting a New Jersey state  trooper. He received double life from NJ and 45  years from the federal case. Richard, like three  other Ohio-7 political prisoners, has been in  prison for about 11 years. He has no release date.

Richard is and for years has been a committed left  activist, a political prisoner, a stand-up convict  and my friend. This slanderous lie has the stink of  the FBI COINTELPRO on it. It is designed to cause  mental anguish as well as physical attack. This is  a very serious move against our brother. Because of  the nature of this government lie, I am releasing  this statement immediately and ask that it be  disseminated as widely as possible. I am one of the  Ohio-7 and I feel confident that I speak for all  the Ohio-7 when I denounce this government lie  against Richard Williams.

--an Ohio-7 prisoner, 10/12/95

 MEDIA COVERAGE OF CORRUPT POLICE: THE MUMIA  CONNECTION

 NBC's program 'Dateline' which was aired on October  20, 1995, spoke of a corrupt police department in  Philadelphia. Corruption that covered up for five  Philadelphia pig cops mentioned in the program (but  we know there are more). It was reported that 55  people who've been "set up" and brought in by these  corrupt pig cops, have had their cases thrown out  or overturned by the courts.

These corrupt cops had planted drugs on people,  lied on people, and robbed people for their money.  It would be safe to say that they even murdered  people. According to the report there are about  1,000 cases that the Department of Justice is  looking at in connection to these cops. They are  (possibly) going to release those who are sitting  in prisons because of these foul cops.

Philadelphia is the same state where they are  holding brother Mumia for an alleged murder of a  cop (which he did not commit) and have him  sitting/rotting on death row. Now these truths are  coming to light. Now the news media is reporting  this reality.

But I still do not trust the news media. There is  some hidden agenda they have in wanting to expose  these truths. For the news media has known for  years of trumped-up charges being lodged against  innocent people and never said a word. The news  media knows of the secrets this government conducts  against the people and they go along with the  cover-ups by not reporting these truths unless it  is good for them to do so, not what is good for the  people.

...Still monitoring and still observing.

--A Michigan prisoner, 10/21/95

 TWO WASHINGTON STATE PRISONS CENSOR MIM NOTES

 MIM received letters from two Washington state  prisons rejecting MIM Notes.

On October 10, 1995, the Special Offender's Center  (SOC) in Monroe, WA returned the September 1995  issue of MIM Notes with a rejection notice.  Official Renschler at SOC claims that, "The mail  contains information which, if communicated, would  create a risk of violence and/or physical hard to  any person."

On October 24, 1995, the McNeil Island Correction  Center (MICC) in Steilacoom, WA sent MIM a  rejection notice for a copy of MIM Notes. Official  Hollowell at MICC claims that, "The mail or  publication is a threat to legitimate penological  objectives."

Complaints and protests can be sent directly to:  Tom Rolfs, Director, Division of Prisons or  Community Correction, P.O. Box 41100, Olympia, WA  98504-1100.

 MAIL APPEAL FOR MIM NOTES

 This letter was written to, Tom Rolfs, Director,  Division of Prisons, PO Box 41100, Olympia, WA  98504-1100, in response to MIM Notes being  censored.

This is an appeal to the censorship of the October  1995 issue of MIM Notes. The reason given for the  censorship was that in each issue on page two it  states: "MIM struggles to end the oppression of all  groups over other groups, classes, gender, nations.  MIM knows this is only possible by building public  opinion to seize power through armed struggle." The  claim is that the reference to armed struggle  violates DOC Policy 450.100 E.3.b.

Am I correct in understanding that each and every  copy of MIM Notes will be censored solely because  of this statement on page two? Please tell me if  there is anything else in this issue of the MIM  Notes which you find objectionable and a basis for  censorship.

DOC Policy 450.1000 E.3.b states material can be  censored by the DOC if "It may be reasonably be  thought that the material would incite, aid, or  abet the performance of physical violence or  criminal activity upon an individual or group, or  the material is deemed to be a threat to legitimate  penological objectives."

What "legitimate penological objectives" do you  claim are threatened by this issue of MIM Notes?  More importantly, how are such objectives  threatened? If you claim it will incite violence  please identify whom you think would be the object  and the perpetrators of such violence.

I have subscribed to and received MIM Notes for  approximately six years now. No issue has been  rejected prior to this and most importantly, no  illegal and criminal activity can be traced to any  issue of MIM Notes I have received. It is apparent  that you and your staff are seeking to impose your  political views and beliefs upon me. Being part of  the machinery that actively oppresses others and  helps maintain the political status quo, your  decision to censor is not surprising.

Please note that in Wright v. Van Boening, I  successfully litigated the censorship of political  materials similar to those in MIM Notes. In  addition to a monetary settlement and the return of  the materials, your predecessor, Larry Kincheloe,  sent all institutions a directive to the effect  that political materials of this type were not to  be censored. I can provide you with a copy if you  need one.

More recently in Wright v. Blodgett, I was also  successful in litigating the confiscation of  political materials of a similar nature and  received a monetary settlement.

I am requesting that this and all future issues of  MIM Notes be delivered to me in a prompt manner. In  the event you deny this appeal please inform me if  the decision to ban MIM Notes applies to all future  issues that will be sent.

Thank you for your time and attention in this  matter.

--A Washington state prisoner, 10/29/95

 SUNDIATA ACOLI REQUESTS EMERGENCY RESPONSE

 Sundiata has requested people contact their local  news media and demand coverage of the nationwide  prison uprisings that have been erupting as of late  as well as the total lock-down of all U.S. Federal  Prisons (including USP Allenwood where Sundiata is  imprisoned). He also asks people to contact their  Congressional representatives and state that if  they do not change their position on the sentencing  of crack offenders, they will not receive your  vote.

The following is a sample letter by a New Jersey  activist. Please feel free to use/modify this  example in writing your local media.

 Dear Editor,

Your coverage on the issue of Congress voting to  maintain the disparities in sentencing between  crack cocaine and powder cocaine was unfortunately  minimal. The short story on October 31st "Clinton  Draws Flak on Crack" didn't nearly capture the  inherent racism in the Congressional decision to  ignore the recommendation of the Sentencing  Commission, which was that penalties for crack be  equalized with those of cocaine.

As a prisoner advocate, I am aware of thousands of  young males of color all over the country who have  been waiting for the Congress to vote to make the  minimum sentences equal. They feel, as do most of  us in the field of criminal "justice" that the  disparity in sentencing is based on the race and  economics of the law breaker--folks of color are  those most frequently using and being charged with  possession of crack cocaine, getting the mandatory  minimum of five years, as opposed to the mostly  white folks who get charged with use of the more  expensive cocaine getting a minimum of ten months  probation for possession of the exact same amount!

Can we really ignore the racism inherent in the  congressional decision? I am also suspecting racism  in the lack of coverage on the issue. How many  people know that young men of color protested and  rebelled in Federal prison after prison all across  the country? Where was the media coverage this past  couple of weeks on that? These young prisoners are  full of justifiable rage and frustration at the  differential treatment that whites get from police,  the courts and while in prison. They understand  that racism isn't an emotion, but is an intentional  political construct backed by the government and  its institutions. Racism is not some mental quirk  or psychological flaw. I can think of no clearer  example of this than the refusal of Congress to  heed the equalization recommendation of the  Sentencing Commission--and the astounding lack of  coverage of these nation-wide rebellions.

These young men of color have been doomed to years  of imprisonment, while seeing their white  counterparts walk.... President Clinton's statement  that "crack carries with it so many devastating  social ills" is shallow. It isn't crack that  carries with it social ills. It is the social ills  of poverty, horrendous schools and high  unemployment that create the need for pain-numbing  crack. Neither racially based sentencing nor  prejudicial coverage do justice to any of us.

Sincerely, --A New Jersey activist

 MONEY MISUSED: PRISONS INSTEAD OF PEOPLE

 Sorry for not writing, but there are so many  altercations going on in the system today that I  had to do an in depth study on the American Justice  System. First of all roughly 877,000 Black men  between the ages of 20 and 29, an astonishing one  in every three, are in prison, jail, on probation  or parole. Incarceration rates for Black men have  soared since 1990, when one in four were under the  criminal justice system.

Discrimination explains part of it. So does the  Sentencing Project, a research organization that  seeks alternatives to incarceration. Also the  nation's failed "War on Drugs". Police drug sweeps  in poor communities and mandatory sentencing laws  have had a disproportionate impact on young Black  men.

But discrimination and drug policy don't explain it  all. Poverty, unemployment, drugs, family  disintegration, and gangs in the poor communities  all play a part in the downward direction of our  Black men. So far the country is moving precisely  in the wrong direction, wasting increasing funds in  the construction and operation of prisons while  doing less to change the conditions that breed  crime in the first place. (The focus should be on  relieving poverty in the Black communities.)...

--a California prisoner, 10/11/95

 PRISON BRIEFS

 The beatings still go on. Isolation cells are still  being used, although I hear that both the "pink- room" and the "cadre area" isolation cells are no  longer to be used due to a government  investigation, but if so, it hasn't started yet.  The physical and psychological torture is applied  constantly and the blowers I mentioned are still in  effect.

--a Maryland prisoner 5/7/95

 Texas no longer feeds its captives beef. Yeah,  they've got a new flavor, "VitaPro" (soybean). They  are actually feeding us animal food. That and pork  (forced vegetarianism). Despite the fact that the  system raises and slaughters thousands of cows and  pigs a week. Obviously being sold for private  profit.

--a Texas prisoner, 6/2/95

 We've been facing down attacks from various  plantation "administrators" because of our  political activities. Our press has been withheld  from captives at different camps. One brother was  put in the "hole" for a piece that he wrote on the  Oklahoma City bombing by the right-wing  reactionaries. Another brother was placed on "phone  restriction" for calling the media. So these are  some of the things that we must contend with. And  this isolation isn't helping one bit. Nevertheless,  just thought I'd "plug in". Press on and keep up  the good work.

Stand Firm, --a Michigan prisoner 9/17/95

 A MASSACHUSETTS PRISON CONTINUES TO CENSOR MIM  NOTES

 One Massachusetts prison has been censoring MIM  Notes since May 1995. In September 1995, Under Lock  & Key printed "Massachusetts prisoner fights  censorship," which documents one prisoner's  struggle to receive MIM Notes. This prisoner is  continuing his legal battle to receive this paper,  as the prison continues to censor MIM Notes. The  following is the most recent censorship letter from  the prison officials.

 Dear Sir/Madam:

Please be advised in accordance with the Department  of Corrections policy, 103 CMR 481, Inmate Mail  Regulations, your publication, MIM Notes, shall be  disapproved for receipt by an inmate at Old Colony  Correctional Center for the following reasons:  poses a threat to security and good order of the  institution.

481.15 (1) (e) Depicts, describes or encourages  activities that may lead to the use of physical  violence or group disruption.

481.15 (1) (f) Encourages, facilitates or instructs  in the commission of criminal activity.

You may appeal this decision to the Superintendent,  Paul B. Murphy, should you opt to do so.

Respectfully,

Edward Ficco, Deputy Superintendent of Operations,  10/12/95

 Letters of Protest can be addressed to: Edward  Ficco, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, or Paul  B. Murphy, Superintendent Executive Office of  Public Safety, Department of Correction Old Colony  Correctional Center, One Administration Rd.,  Bridgewater, MA 02324

 Calls can be made to: Massachusetts Department of  Correction (617) 727-3400 or Old Colony  Correctional Center (508) 697-3360.
 
 

How many times do you have to break a man's body  before you break his soul?

Shaka Shakur is back in a lockdown situation - he  was recently put into the Hospital Restraint Unit  (HRU) of the Indiana Reformatory until he learns to  walk without crutches again.

After much pressure was put on to get him taken to  outside doctor, Shaka was finally sent to a  hospital and diagnosed with a herniated disc in his  back. He has been on medication for the pain for a  year and has been on crutches since June - recently  his crutches were taken away from him arbitrarily.

He was scheduled for surgery under the  recommendation of Dr. Kevin Kaufman at Wishard  Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. Shaka has not  been allowed this surgery and has been further  isolated by being put into the HRU. Indiana  Reformatory "doctor" Dr. Chavez has further  escalated the situation by harassing Shaka--calling  him a "fucking shithead" and accusing him of faking  his injury.

The HRU is in total isolation from the rest of the  prison. According to Shaka it is much like the  Maximum Control Complex prison in Westville,  Indiana with boxcar doors and forced air and no  contact with anyone. The one other prisoner in the  HRU is being "treated" (i.e., experimented upon)  with psychotropic drugs.
 
 

Please write letters and send faxes to:

Ed Cohn Indiana Department of Corrections Indiana  Government Center South 302 W. Washington Street  Indianapolis, IN 46204

FAX: 317-232-6798
 
 

Demand that Shaka Shakur 28443 be removed from the  HRU and taken back to the AS unit where he was and  further demand that he be sent to Wishard Hospital  for the Surgery recommended by Dr. Kaufman, and  finally that he be given back his crutches.
 
 

Write letters of support to Shaka at:

Shaka Shakur 28443 Indiana Reformatory P.O. Box 30  Pendleton, IN 46064

--Posted to the Internet by BCAC, P.O. Box 93312,  Milwaukee, WI 53203, October 7, 1995