Dear MIM,

I thought you might like to know that your paper is  being censored here at the Fremont Facility. They  are censoring many types of materials, and are  clamping down in several other areas. You can keep  sending me the paper if you like as it takes a lot  of their time up meeting about materials they feel  are not in good taste or to their liking. Hopefully  one will get in once in a while. Keep up the good  work of bringing the message to the oppressed, we  need alternatives in the struggle to survive.

--A Colorado prisoner, Jan. 26, 1996
 
 

DEPORTED MASSACHUSETTS PRISONER DIES IN TEXAS
 
 

Dear Comrades,

It makes my heart truly heavy to have to bring you  the news of another of our brothers who was claimed  by our injustice system.

This morning I received word that a fellow inmate  who was forced to go to Texas died. Mr. Al Sullivan  died in Parkland Memorial Hospital this morning  from pneumonia, which was caused by the temperature  inside our tanks. Mr. Sullivan had both AIDS and  tuberculosis. He wasn't even supposed to be shipped  to Dallas as all likely candidates were supposed  not to have other outstanding medical or legal  issues.

It could be surmised that had Mr. Sullivan remained  in Massachusetts or been given access to his  medication (AZT) which he received in  Massachusetts, he would most likely be with us  today.

My only solace in this is that he will suffer no  more.

I did not know him well and therefore don't know if  he had a family to mourn his passing. he will be  missed by all he touched.

Brothers in struggle,

--a Massachusetts prisoner in Texas, Feb. 18, 1996
 
 

America is a country behind bars
 
 

America is a country behind bars.  Trying to number inmates is like trying to count  stars.  America the land of the free and the home of the  brave.  Or is it the land of the greed and home of the  slave?
 
 

Whoever said that nothing is free,  it's a cliche and it don't sit well with me,  Just visit city hall, on any given day,  you shall witness judges just giving time away.
 
 

Innocent until proven guilty is a game called lets  make a deal.  The District Attorneys lie, cheat and steal.  The truth is no real factor.  It's whose attorney is the greatest actor.
 
 

Legislators should fight poverty as it instigates  crime.
 
 

There exists no freedom of speech,  my mail is censored and my phone calls are  screened,  these guard dogs are downright mean.
 
 

Capital punishment stands for 'those without the  capital receive the punishment'.
 
 

Politicians manipulating pawns for economic gains,  the media programming children's brains.  America has prison plantations across the land,  Slave labor camp built to exploit any poor man.
 
 

I am the voice of the future,  writing with the voices of the past,  whatever we are going to do it must be done fast.
 
 

You have a responsibility to our nation,  You have a duty to yourself.  Women in prison, children in chains,

The way I see it, only revolution remains.
 
 

Public Defenders or public pretenders.  I wasn't arrested I was resurrected.
 
 

Can't you hear and see,  It sounds like people are waking up to me.  Just take a look around,  You'll see the signs of a country falling down.

...Now is the time to break your chains.

Just one final option, armed resistance remains.
 
 

Respect yourself! Protect yourself!  They only sell you things that destroy your health!  Drugs are nothing but a handicap,  just like prison, the perfect trap.
 
 

When teachers go on strike only the students  suffer,  So each one, teach one another.  ...Hear what I say,  Four hundred years looking like yesterday.

--A Pennsylvania prisoner, Nov. 21, 1995
 
 

NO JUSTICE FROM THE "JUSTICE SYSTEM"
 
 

Dear Editor,

Today's mantra is, "get tough on crime." I read of  it in the press and hear it on the radio. I would  be amused by such a sweeping display of ignorance  were it not for the massive toll in the quality of  human life..., this easy answer to a complex  problem will take on society. The fear and hate  mongers of the politically correct right preach of  a utopia which will flow from the implementation of  stringent laws, harsher penalties, no parole and  more and swifter capital punishment.

Does a child learn more from being beaten by a  baseball bat than can be learned from a simple  hickory switching? And is this truly a lesson that  society wishes to impart?

I came to prison in 1981, mainly for the alleged  robbery of $14.20 worth of Exxon unleaded gasoline.  This being the most severe crime of which I was  accused. In the course of the ensuing 13 years I  have been stabbed 8 times, slightly disfigured by a  calamitous application of a steel bar to the side  of my head, lost an eye and my father all while, as  the political expedient would have it, being  coddled by a too benevolent prison system.

I have never done any human being physical harm,  except in defense of my person. I have not  murdered, raped, assaulted, nor maimed anyone and  have only struck those who struck me. I am not a  malicious person, nor the personification of evil  that demagogic politicians portray me, the  prisoner, to be. I am a brother, a son, an uncle  and a nephew. I was a rambunctious, adventurous and  undisciplined youth when tossed into Virginia's  penal system. Today I am an embittered, scarred  cynic.

What lesson has the bat wielder imparted? That  there is no Justice to be had from the "justice  system." That the good citizens of Virginia prefer  to pounce on easy answers for fear of having to  face hard truths in finding true answers to the  complex problem of crime. That the life of a poor  man in the state of Virginia has no more value than  the amount of money politicians and bureaucrats can  squeeze from the taxpayer and pocket for keeping  that man in a cage. The lesson taught is reflected  in the 70% recidivism rate which Virginia's prisons  boast.

--a Virginia prisoner, Dec. 11,1995
 
 

WE WILL BE EQUAL ONE DAY
 
 

I am in the Texas prison system. I get shipped  around a lot because I always try to get inmates  together to see the fact that they're getting  abused here in the Texas prison. We get good time  for working, but if we get a disciplinary case they  can take away our good time and it cannot be  returned. There are a number of other injustices,  but I don't know how to prove it all yet.

I am an African American. I am deeply into my race  and I like to teach these young brothers who are  hunting each other in here. Most don't know nothing  about their race and they seem to hate themselves.  We have these Crips (blue) and Bloods (red) and  they are hunting and killing each other. There are  a small number of us that are trying to get them to  make a peace in prison.

We need all the information, that...we can use to  help these young brothers before they get out and  become nothing but brother-killers and drug  dealers. I will appreciate any help that you can  provide.

I also wish to become involved in a big movement  that is dedicated to helping the Black struggle by  any means necessary. Not the turn the other cheek  way, because nobody ever turned the other cheek for  us, they just keep slapping the cheek we offer. I  am due to get out of prison in 1997, but that will  only make me go harder and longer in my mission of  teaching these young brothers about ways to help  themselves. We will be equal one day!...

Sincerely,

--a Texas prisoner, Dec. 6, 1995.
 
 

NOT GUILTY
 
 

I read the "Guilty: Black Amerika's verdict on the  LAPD" in the MIM Notes

106, November 1995 issue. I was glad that O.J.  Simpson was found "not guilty". I really don't  think he committed these murders.

He's very lucky he's a rich man because if he  didn't have the money to get a real good defense  team, he probably would have went to prison. [O.J.  was] unlike most of American people, black, white,  green, or whatever color they are, who don't have  the money for a good defense.

To find a good and honest attorney that will fight  for you is like finding a needle in a giant  haystack.

It doesn't matter if you're guilty of innocent,  they are supposed to defend you. But they don't  care, all they want to do is take your money and  run. If you don't have any money, you're beat!  These court-appointed attorneys are a joke. Most of  them aren't even criminal attorneys and are lucky  if they can put their pants on right in the  morning.

If you are innocent of the crime(s) that you are  convicted of and have no money, then you are SOL  (Shit out of Luck) because nobody wants to get  involved, especially if you don't have any green  (money). Society doesn't want to get involved, but  one day it might happen to them.

I am convicted of a crime that I didn't commit.  I've been trying to find any groups or people that  help falsely convicted prisoners. I sure hear about  all these groups or people but everyone I write  doesn't seem to know anything.

What it comes down to is, that nobody wants to get  involved because 90 percent are guilty but the  other 10 percent that are innocent will have to  suffer.

 The people on the outside need to open their eyes  before they become one of the 10 percent like me  and a few others.

--a Kansas prisoner, Dec. 17, 1995.
 
 

MC49 responds:

The question of whether Amerika's prisoners and  defendants are or are not guilty as charged is  relatively unimportant, whether we are talking  about Amerika's prisoners as a whole, or about  individual defendants like O.J. Simpson. We find it  worthwhile to publicize cases like Geronimo Ji-Jaga  (Pratt)'s and Mumia Abu-Jamal's--cases in which it  is abundantly clear that the accused are innocent.  However, the first question which needs to be  addressed is Amerika's fitness to judge. We say  Amerika is the real criminal, the real mass  murderer, the real mass rapist, the real thief, and  the real number one enemy of the people. When we  focus on the question of the guilt or innocence of  those who commit relatively petty crimes, we play  into the enemy's hands.

 REPRESSION IS THE PRISON OFFICIALS' RESPONSE TO  RISING AWARENESS
 
 

Revolutionary Greetings,

I am a politically conscious New Afrikan prisoner  being held captive in one of Indiana's most racist  and repressive concentration camps known as the  "Indiana Youth Center." Don't be taken in by the  name of this racist institution because it is truly  not reflective of the degrading existence which is  a never-ending reality for those being held captive  there.

Currently I am being held isolated from prisoners  in regular population and made a target of state  repression because of my revolutionary ideals and  my selective efforts to raise awareness and expose  the atrocities to which we are being subjected on a  daily basis at the hands of the administrative  officials.

The cycle of violence, brutality, and degradation  aimed at prisoners is not a new issue. However,  what is changing is the administrative officials'  justifications for these harsh and brutal tactics  and the consequences we now have to suffer for  exposing their injustices. As an organizer, I have  worked with many revolutionary elements while I was  held captive in several other repressive prisons in  Indiana. We have been successful in establishing  structures designed to generate a revolutionary  consciousness and inspire progressive activity.

Now, because of the growing receptivity amongst the  victims of this whole oppressive process, I have  been targeted by administrative officials and these  have been the results:

On November 1, 1995 after leaving a visit with a  progressive advocate who works with prisoners to  expose the harshness of prison existence and who  also monitors and works to abolish control units, I  was escorted by two prison guards to see  investigators Collins and Novak where they soon  questioned me about my prison activity and accused  me of being a leader.

After refusing to answer their questions, I was  handcuffed by the two prison guards present and  informed that I was being locked up on  administrative hold pending transfer to a more  secure prison because I was a threat to the safety  and security of their institution and that there  exists a possible threat to my safety. However,  when I challenged this and demanded that they  produce some evidence of me being a threat to the  safety and security of their institution and  further demanded to see evidence of an alleged  threat to my safety, the administration refused to  respond and has not produced anything to support  either claim.

Then on November 2, 1995 while on lock-up pending  this transfer, the two investigators Collins and  Novak went through my personal property and  confiscated approximately 40-50 books dealing with  Afrikan history, politics, and the establishment of  New Afrikan revolutionary movements. No initial  justification was given for seizing this property  and when I requested to send it home, I was told  that it was sent to their Central Office for  careful review. Since then, investigators Collins  and Novak have stopped my incoming and outgoing  mail and have confiscated several books sent in to  me through the mail as subversive material. And  this cycle of harassment continues today. I am  seeking the support of all who read this article  and am requesting that you write letters of protest  to the below-listed people and demand an end to  this blatant harassment and demand that I be given  back my books and returned to population. Write to:

Christopher Meloy, Superintendent of I.Y.C., 727  Moon Road, Plainfield, IN 46168

Christian DeBruyn, Commissioners Office, 302 W.  Washington, Room E334, Indianapolis, IN 46204

If we are going to be successful in overcoming a  lot of the obstacles which we are constantly  confronted with, we are going to have to start  forming united fronts and establish bases of  support through which we can collectively support  each other and combat enemy aggression.

Moving forward!

--an Indiana prisoner, Dec. 7, 1995
 
 

PENNSYLVANIA PRISON DECLARES WAR ON LITERACY
 
 

Greetings to all my comrades in the struggle for  change....I was kidnapped eight years ago. I am  currently being held hostage in Camp Hill Prison.  This prison has declared war on literacy. They want  their slaves deaf, dumb and blind.

All inmates who receive a misconduct report and go  into disciplinary custody are compelled to send all  of their books home with the exception of ten. If  they refuse, then [the books] are destroyed. They  make you send home religious books and legal books  alike.

If this don't beat it all, you can't take a book of  any kind or a newspaper into the yard at any time.

Before getting into any kind of vocation program  you must be staffed and then rejected. You must be  staffed for any jobs that you apply for, and Blacks  are given only menial employment....

--a Pennsylvania prisoner, Dec. 24, 1995
 
 

FLORIDA PRISONER SHARES VICTORIES AND DEFEATS
 
 

Dear Comrades,

...The struggle continues here, and although the  victories are few and far between we do  occasionally triumph over the fascist  administration.

Our latest victory is being able to have two  blankets. This may not seem like much, especially  in Florida. But when the outside temperature dips  down into the 20's and 30's, and with no heat in  the building where we are housed, it does get a bit  chilly. Can't say how and why it was done exactly,  but after last year's one blanket policy it was a  welcomed relief when they came around and passed  out extra blankets.

Another bit of news happened early this month (Dec.  1995). Several Muslim brothers living on the same  wing would express their faith outside when they  went to the exercise yard. This was done in the  form of group prayer, after which they would affirm  their brotherhood by hugging each other.

This went on for about a month, at which time the  fascist administration promptly put an end to it.  They moved several of them to other wings and put  them on yard restriction. The reason for this?  Unauthorized contact. The hugging was deemed as  unauthorized contact between prisoners.

At first the administration tried to reason with  the Muslims, well more like using fascist logic,  "Stop doing it or else." Of course some actually  did, but the majority refused and that led to their  being moved and the yard restriction.

There are a number who are fighting it, so the  struggle goes on.

We finally received some actual law books in our  law library, they were donated by some attorney,  won't tell me who though. Of course we can't use  them, can't even touch them, so it's all just for  show. This unit has been opened for years, and  still we haven't an adequate law library. They  claim it's due to our special security needs, being  death row and all. Any excuse to oppress us even  more.

That's it for now, finally got some stamps in so I  can catch up on correspondence. The Florida DOC  only allows one free letter a month for us without  funds. I'll write again when I can. Keep the faith.

--a Florida prisoner on death row, Dec. 28, 1995
 
 

"UNDER INVESTIGATION" MEANS UNLIMITED TIME IN AD- SEG
 
 

Dear MIM,

...I am a new subscriber to your organization, and  I'm well aware of the responsibility to keep a  monthly commentary to insure that we are receiving  your paper. But before I could respond back, the  opposition jumped reactionary, after several  measures and incidents had taken place on these  campgrounds. After being questioned about the  incidents, I was among a few soldiers who were  eventually placed in ad-segregation.

Since everything has erupted, no violations have  been written on me. According to their practicing  policy, I'm under "investigation", which is a  tactic which allows them to keep one detained. I've  recently been informed that the "investigation"  comes from my refusal to participate in their  mocked up scheme to take a lie detector or PSE  test.

But just as Comrade George Jackson once said, "If  my enemies prove stronger than I, they'll never  count me among the broken men." The institution has  just recently come off a temporary seven-day  lockdown.

Be in fact to know, that I would like to remain on  your mailing list for MIM newspapers. For us the  struggle continues!

--a Maryland prisoner, Jan. 11, 1995
 
 

VICTIM OF PHONY WAR ON DRUGS
 
 

MIM,

Hello, I recently read one of your newspapers and I  was really impressed. Now I'd like to know if you  could please add me to your mailing list?

I'd also like to know what type of articles do you  print? I am doing two 45-year sentences on a drug  charge. I am a victim of the phony war on drugs. I  sold nothing and possessed nothing.

Only one informant or snitch who got busted selling  an ounce of cocaine on two separate incidents and  in return for his charge to be "dropped", he told  the police that he got his drugs from me. So here I  am in prison doing 90 years, two 45 year sentences,  all on a lying snitch's word to save his own ass  from going "back" to prison.

My case involves a lot of racism also. I am a  Native American Apache Indian, tan skin, waist long  hair,...and my woman "was" a...white woman. I got  my charge in a "very" small, short haired farmer  town, mostly all white folks.

The prosecutor called me a Nigger, so did my own  court appointed local racist lawyer. They told my  woman she was white trash and would stay in "their  jail" as long as she was my woman. She abandoned me  and cut off all contact and they dropped her  charges. She was charged with the same as I was,  "dealing in cocaine", because the snitch said he  got his drugs from me and my woman.

...I need legal help. I have two babies and I got 7  years down. They are back in Florida with their  mother. I haven't seen or heard from her since  1990....Thank you for your time.

--an Indiana prisoner, Jan. 12, 1996