A Revolutionary Alert to all prisoners held captive in North Carolina's state prisons! I am a revolutionary prisoner presently being held at the Maximum Control Complex (MCC) in the state that always smells like straight up shit, Indiana. I am here to warn my long-distance fellow prisoners in North Carolina that y'all are in danger, 'cuz your state's politicians and prison administrators (i.e. pigs) are up to their trickery.
Just about an hour ago [10:00am October 24, 1995], I was working out on the recreation pod, and I saw one of the most sickening sights: a crowd of pigs in suits and ties being escorted around the pod for about half an hour. They were being given a tour of MCC. It just so happens that these pigs were from North Carolina, and were here in Indiana touring this prison camp because they now want to build a control unit in your state and were here to get ideas.
So all you state prisoners in North Carolina, if I were you, I'd keep my ear close to the ground and start organizing both prisoners and people on the streets. Make inquiries and make a plan of action, so when the pigs let it out about their plans, y'all can counter them and shut them down before they get it off the ground.
BECOME ACTIVELY POSITIVE, PROGRESSIVE AND PRODUCTIVE!
Also, to all the prisoners presently at the MCC here in Westville, Indiana, and to all prisoners nation-wide, I'd like to quote Chairman Mao Zedong.
"Recently there has been a falling off in ideological and political work among students and intellectuals, and some unhealthy tendencies have appeared. Some people seem to think that there is no longer any need to concern oneself with politics or with the future of the motherland and the ideals of humankind. It seems as if Marxism was once all the rage but is currently not so much in fashion. To counter these tendencies, we must strengthen our ideological and political work. Both students and intellectuals should study hard. In addition, to the study of their specialized subjects, they must make progress both ideologically and politically, which means that they should study Marxism, current events and politics. Not to have a correct political point of view is like not having a soul." ("Quotations From Chairman Mao Zedong", page 142)
What I just quoted is very applicable to the present situation here at MCC, which is very sad! When I was first brought to MCC back in February 1994, the atmosphere on this set was one of nothing but straight-up consciousness. Every section I was on or around, people were unified as a whole, people were striving to become re-educated and progressively conscious and we were working collectively to challenge the numerous violations committed by the prison administrators and state politicians.
Now it is rare, I mean very rare, to see any of this. All I hear is people rap'n about now days is that same old-ass penitentiary bullshit, such as who's a fag, or who's a coward, etc. People are walking around doing nothing but searching for reasons to disrespect someone or assassinate someone's character. And I could go on. Why is this? Here people are sitting in these cement crypts partaking in activities which are negative, not progressive and these are counter-productive.
What ever happened to collective struggle? I'm not saying that this is everyone, because there are a few of us prisoners who are still struggling with and challenging the pigs every time they violate those who do attempt to remain actively progressive and attempt to help people re-educate themselves. But the majority of prisoners on this set have become so damn pacified and negative-minded that it makes me sick.
I do not knock people for listening to the radio, watching television, or eating commissary, 'cuz there is nothing wrong with that per-se. But there is something wrong with these items when they allow you to become lazy and blinded, to where that is all you want to do. You dudes are pathetic; you need to get your lazy asses out of bed and learn to discipline yourselves. Start shedding that bullshit "convict" mentality, and become actively positive, progressive and productive.
Then there are those who are in fact progressively conscious, but who have become discouraged, depressed and withdrawn 'cuz of the level of unconsciousness that now infests this set. I say to you, do not allow yourselves to lose sight of hope and slack from your responsibilities. Stay strong, and continue to be actively progressive and productive, and to attempt to bring the unconscious and negative-minded into a conscious and positive mind-frame. Pass these words of consciousness down, the range, so all can once again become unified and productive.
--a Indiana prisoner, Oct. 24, 1995
FEDERAL PRISONERS FACE LOCKDOWN
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 (South Carolina), 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, Oct. 30, 1995
ONE YEAR LATER...REMEMBER AJAMU NASSOR (AUG. 12, 1951-DEC. 8, 1994)
"I REFUSE TO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING SOMETHING OTHER THAN A MODEL INMATE... A BEHAVED SLAVE" - AJAMU NASSOR
One year ago today the state of Indiana murdered a proud New Afrikan warrior by the name of Ajamu Nassor. Ajamu is remembered by many, especially those who he worked with and helped guide in the kamps of Indiana. We should not forget this brother--we must let his death be a constant reminder of why we continue our work.
--an Indiana prisoner, Dec. 8. 1995
IT'S OVER?
It wasn't over when your first invaded and plundered the Mother Land
Committed your vicious acts and made a vow to annihilate the Afrikan man
It wasn't over when you nefariously conspired and murdered brother Nat, Malcolm, George & Fred
Our anger must never subside and should be appropriately stored within our heads
And to this day, we refuse to allow it to be over Even with your attempts to murder brother Ziyon and Mumia Abu
And you foolishly thought we forgot when you brutally murdered brother Ajamu?
--An Indiana prisoner, Aug. 12, 1995
DEATH AFFIRMING REALITY IN INDIANA
The case of Mumia Abu-Jamal is bringing to light many other situations of injustice that have been glossed over for far too long. Sitting in two different Indiana prisons are two men awaiting state murder, two New Afrikan men, two soldiers.
The cases of Ziyon Yisrayah (slave name Tommie Smith) and Khalfani Khaldun (s/n Leonard McQuay) are tied together by a comrade of both men who was murdered on August 8, 1995 by the State of Indiana. His name is Ajamu Nassor (s/n Gregory Resnover).
Ajamu and Ziyon were co-defendants stemming from a pre-down raid on their home on December 11, 1980. The raid left Ziyon wounded and a white police officer, Sgt. Jack Ohrberg, dead. In a stark similarity to the August 8, 1978 raid on MOVE headquarters in Philadelphia, Ajamu and Ziyon were charged with killing the police officer when in fact the officer was shot in the back while facing Ajamu and Ziyon. The only people behind the officer were other cops. Even the Governor of Indiana and the prosecutors of the case have publicly acknowledged that Sgt. Ohrberg was shot in the back and that neither of the guns found in the house could have fired the fatal shot.
Nevertheless, Ajamu and Ziyon were sentenced to die. Ajamu was murdered on December 8, 1994, and was pronounced dead at 12:13 a.m. Ajamu's family was there and claimed the body immediately afterward and drove it to Indianapolis where their twelve-car procession stopped at the governor's mansion.
Prior to his execution, the Indiana ACLU battled for Ajamu's life. They presented evidence that in the electric chair, one's body temperature goes from 98.6 to 117 degrees in seconds, that third degree burns are administered while the mind is still conscious, and that death takes at least five minutes.
In a manner familiar to anyone working around the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, this case has had a well- oiled machine pushing for Ajamu's and Ziyon's deaths from day one--namely the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). The Indianapolis FOP sent a gang of cops to the prison who carried signs and chanted "Fry him". The police tried to physically intimidate the people holding the prayer vigils and the bigger anti-death rally sponsored by Amnesty International and others. One of the signs carried by an Indianapolis FOP demonstrator said, "Justice is 5,000 volts burning through a body." The sadistic nature of the police showing its true face once again.
"JUSTICE IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD" -- GEORGE JACKSON.
On December 13, 1994, a corrections officer, Phillip Curry, was killed at Indiana State Prison where Ajamu had been killed five days earlier. An article that appeared in Prison News Service from an anonymous prisoner had this to say, "In de evening of December 13th, a Black kkkop was stabbed twice and later died as a result of his wounds. De kkkamp was placed on total lockdown while de reality dat justice is a double edge sword settled into de minds of other kkkops and state officials. Inside sources stated dat immediately afterwards 17 soldiers quit, resigned." Khalfani Khaldun was the first prisoner that investigators came after. Investigators told Khalfani "I'm putting this one on you and it's gonna stick."
Khalfani was transferred out of Indiana State Prison to the infamous Maximum Control Complex at Westville, Indiana. He was charged with the murder of Officer Curry on January 31, 1995 and the state has promised to seek his death if convicted. Prior to these charges Khalfani was scheduled to be released in two and a half years.
It is important to realize that all of these brothers were/are working for the people on the inside. They are working to transform the colonial/criminal mentality that they observe in so many young men coming into the prison camps. They are freedom fighters, fighting for a better life for all of us on the inside, and all of us out here in the minimum security "free world".
It was the ruling class that killed Ajamu, and it's the ruling class that wants to kill Ziyon, Khalfani and Mumia Abu-Jamal. It's the ruling class that wants all of us to live in a world where we toil for their benefit. They're tired of the problems that they created by cutting off the inner- cities, by burning children out of their homes, by cutting wages, by lay-offs, and many other points in their pogrom. They are tired and their solution is mass incarceration and mass murder. They will say it is in the name of the people, it is up to the people to stop it.
For more information contact:
The Human Rights Coalition of Indiana, 508 E. Corby Blvd., South Bend, IN 46617
--by the Brew City Anti-Authoritarian Collective (BCAC), Dec. 8,1995. BCAC can be reached at P.O. Box 93312, Milwaukee, WI 53203.
PRISONER WINS IN COURT, PIGS RETALIATE WITH LOCKDOWN
In the October 1995 issue of MIM Notes, we printed a letter called "Prisoners fight oppressive conditions" dated Jun. 20, 1995. The following letter is a continuation of one prisoner's legal battle against the pigs in Pennsylvania.
Dear Comrades,
...Thanks for bringing attention to my struggle. I received a hung jury on June 30, 1995 for the assault charge they gave me on the guard. Well, on Dec. 4, 1995, the judge consented to my motion to dismiss the case under rule 1100 and the commonwealth's violation of Double Jeopardy principles.
The judge stated that the District Attorney could not prove his case...and that he had had 120 days to retry me and had violated that. In addition, all my witnesses were threatened, put in the RHU (Restricted Housing Unit), etc. The commonwealth's violations of my rights were too harmful to ignore. In reality the courts did not want to waste any more money on this case because the evidence showed that I was defending myself against abusive guards.
So I have been sent to the SMU (Special Management Unit) twice for cases I won in court. The first one was in Huntingdon, on Nov. 13, 1992. I was found not guilty, and three days later I was sent to the SMU, where I stayed until June 1994 when the courts got involved. I stayed locked down from March 27, 1992 until June 1994, just because they do not like my politics. This for a bogus case in which I was found not guilty.
This time I was given 90 days in RHU by the hearing examiner at Rockview on Dec. 31, 1994. On Feb. 3, 1995, I was sent back to the SMU where I will sit until 1996, 1997 or longer. Again I WON in court. What does it matter if you win in court, when the prison system can still violate you and retaliate against you by locking you down for years under the pretense of administrative custody in the SMU, where all the conditions are disciplinary and twice as bad as the RHU. So the 90 days the hearing examiner gave me was immaterial.
Well Comrades, I leave you in the spirit of unity.
--A Pennsylvania prisoner, Dec. 9, 1995
YOU HAVE A LOT OF MEN AND WOMEN ON YOUR SIDE!
***This letter is a response to an article printed in the November 1995 MIM Notes called "Does relentless activism amount to nothing?"***
Greetings MIM,
From reading MIM Notes and the information that's being stressed is an enlightening forum for comrades around the world to view, I trust that MIM is acting in the best of its ability to make comrades aware of MIM theory. I received my Nov. issue of MIM Notes and I appreciate what you do and did for men like myself, and other comrades that are struggling to make a change for the better.
There was a letter from Under Lock & Key dated July 10, 1995 from a comrade subjected to California's pig prison plantation. I read and studied his letter with great understanding. The conditions he's under affect me mentally because I've been subjected to his effect and impact.
Brother to brother
More important is that men like us, brother, learn to deal with these unnatural conditions of life. Brother, nothing is lost until you've given up on self. Say Brother, I can attest from your letter that you have a strong mind and body, soldier. You have the strength to lead a productive group of men at your location to deal with those pigs with a mindframe of awareness.
Brother, you may not realize it, but you have a men [and women] on your side. We can't hand up our guns up because when those pigs start rollin' we have to be ready to fight them to the grave!
--Maryland prisoners, Dec. 5, 1995
MARION CONTROL UNIT RELOCATED TO FLORENCE
Dear Comrades,
I received the first issue of your excellent paper in English and Spanish dated November 1995, ...and will see to it that the papers are read by everyone that wants to read them. On page 6 of the current paper under the heading "Boston-Area event in November", you make a reference to a film that documents abuses and brutality at the control unit of the United States Penitentiary at Marion, Illinois (USP- Marion) and further suggest to "Shut down the control units at Marion prison".
Please be advised that the Bureau of Prisons has terminated its control unit at USP-Marion and relocated it at the United States Penitentiary at Florence, Colorado (ADX-Florence) where I am being held. There are several institutions at Florence, Colorado involving different levels of security classification. ADX-Florence is the control unit that officially opened on April 18,1995, accommodating all USP- Marion control unit prisoners. ADX-Florence control unit is a long term segregation unit for Federal Prisoners. We do not have access to the main library...
Political consciousness is virtually non-existent at the present time. The majority of control unit prisoners, although they are from the working classes, nevertheless identify themselves either from the west or east coast or other locations.
Although I can write fairly well in Spanish, at the present time English would be more appropriate to evade the ever present censor. It would take the lazy prison guards several weeks to censor any out- going letters written in Spanish for obvious reasons....
Luchando Siempre, [In the struggle always,]
--a Colorado prisoner, Dec 17, 1995
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, Oct.12,1995
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.
PRISON BRIEFS
We've been facing down attacks from various plantation "administrators" because of our political activities. Our press has been withheld from captives at different kamps. 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, Sep. 17, 1995
The Texas prison system has gotten tougher on its inmates.... TDCJ is taking our locks, and if we want another we have to buy it for $10.50, at a $5.50 increase. After 20 years of selling locks in the Texas prisons, now they are dangerous. ...Price Daniels Unit also makes its own policy outside of TDCJ rules. Such as, prisoner are not allowed to have everyday cold pills or headache pills without a doctor's prescription. Yah right, as if the doctor will write one. Last week the doctor took a man's leg till he proved he needed and owned the leg. Like we steal legs every day.
--a Texas prisoner, Nov. 25, 1995
Graterford Prison just had a major breakdown and shakedown. Dogs were jumping on the inmates' beds and other personal effects while the inmates stood outside their cells, butt-naked. They were treated like animals. Animals in a zoo are treated better, although I don't agree with locking up animals without a trial by jury.
--a Pennsylvania prisoner, Dec. 7, 1995
VEGETARIAN HUNGER STRIKE
...As I have stressed to these people more than once, my diet cannot include "meat" since I am a strict vegetarian. These people have deliberately placed meat on my tray. MCC officials continue to disrespect my religion. Due to this strange but known tactic by officials, I have chosen not to eat until some kind of comprehensible understanding can be reached. I know without my medication and food, I will be seriously damaged for a long time....Standing Strong.
--an Indiana prisoner, Dec. 8, 1995
PRISONER RECEIVED MIM NOTES AFTER BEING CENSORED
I am in receipt of the latest MIM Notes.... I was contemplating whether or not I should inform you to discontinue forwarding the paper because of the prison's censorship policies. They have refused to allow the last two issues of MIM Notes to come in. However, I was blessed to receive the latest one that is now circulating amongst the other captives in this section. Our appreciation and solidarity always.
--a California prisoner, Dec. 8, 1995