...We dealing at this kkkamp to back off the repressive tactics of these fools and its touch and go. Winning some rulings from the kourts, but these clowns just disregard rulings and continue with their fucked up retaliation and abuse of discretion. Many dudes are giving up and going along with their behavior modification so they can get somewhere soft, its joke. Many comrades are still holding the line and are giving as well as we are taking. The joint is still locked down 22 and a half to 23 hours a day in the max end. They are getting ready to build a 1,000 man joint in the hills near Shirley and Gardner, these people want the jobs and money off our suffering!... -- a Massachusetts Prisoner, July 28, 1996.
OHIO GETS TOUGH ON "CRIME"
...Things here in the Ohio penal system are very bad. The population at this place is steadily increasing with younger black males mostly. The population at L.O.C.I. is about 2,800, but construction is underway and they plan on housing 5,000 by 1999. So the theme here is get tough on crime: Lock them up for as long as possible. -- an Ohio Prisoner, June 17, 1996
POLICE INCITE VIOLENCE IN MARYLAND
...On July 13, 1995, we (housing unit #3) were locked down after the police incited a small riot. The lockdown lasted until July 19, 1996, during which time we received no showers, visits, or hot meals (bag lunches only). A few of the officers were hurt, unfortunately, all of the prisoners (at least 5) didn't get away as others did. However, their sacrifice is appreciated, praised and won't go in vain.
This is why they have me on administrative segregation pending investigation at this time. Because I refuse to allow what happened to be swept under the rug so easily. They are afraid that I'm a threat to the security of this institution. They, however, haven't decided as to whether they are going to keep me on ad. seg. for a while or send me out of the prison.... -- a Maryland Prisoner, July 29, 1996
OPPRESSION IS ROUTINE IN ILLINOIS
...Most of the info that I would offer is already being covered by other prisoners' mail...negligent medical care resulting in prisoners' deaths, bad food, appeals routinely denied by the courts, grievances routinely denied by the prisoncrats, sex between guards and inmates, guards bringing in drugs while they lord it over inmates who are in prison for drugs, psychotropic drugs being prescribed by the psychiatrist as if they were Tylenol... nothing new here.... -- An Illinois Prisoner, Aug. 5, 1996
BASKETBALLS INSTEAD OF BOOKS IN NORTH CAROLINA
Comrade, ...Regarding this new prison, presently there is not much going on as far as programs are concerned cause they are really behind in everything educational, something that could really benefit an incarcerated person. But we do have, or they made sure that we had plenty of basketballs, weights and weights in the gym.
Unfortunately the area of, or the classroom of higher learning are empty. This is why I always try to teach myself the important things I need to know. Also my teaching of the Nation of Islam require all striving brothers to seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave, so that's my quest to the end.... -- a North Carolina Prisoner, July 21, 1996.
GEORGIA PRISONER WORKS TOWARD REVOLUTION
Dear Comrades, ...Myself and three others have been in segregation for almost two months for some BS about being a threat to security because of our study group. The oppressor has put his foot down on the Little man once more. Our study group is going very well. But at this time I've had to start all over because the other two have been transferred to other prisons. All in the world we've done is continued our group after being told to stop.
The prison pigs don't like your newsletter and have a difficult time with the truth....It's really funny the pigs don't like the revolutionary politics, and yes, they keep a very close eye on me.
As far as my lawsuit, things are well. The United States judges have handed down an order to the Department of Corrections that all inmates will have access to the law library materials in lockdown areas. As well as for indigent inmates who need paper, envelopes, pens and carbon paper can complete a request form and get his supplies, after being verified to be indigent. It's not much, but it's a start. Really they just tried to take the access to see if they could get away with it.
Comrades please remember me, down here the oppressors have it in for me Big Time. But the struggle will never end for me, the battles will be many. I'm Iron-Clad and will sacrifice to bring down the oppressors.
MIM you're my heart. You stand for everything I believe in....Respectfully in Struggle. --a Georgia Prisoner, July 31, 1996
PSYCHOLOGY AND SEX USED TO CONTROL PRISONERS IN CONNECTICUT
Warm revolutionary greetings, I am writing so that you will know that I am still alive, and I wish for my papers to continue. I apologize that I have not been in touch, or sent any of my essays or writing lately, but I have been trying to survive a situation which developed here. I'm enclosing a copy of a report that I wrote [printed below]. I am hoping you could write up an article on this report, because I am sure that this tactic is much more widespread that we are aware. The purpose of it is to kill the desire of leadership, through psychotropic drugs...
If they are unable to break your spirit one, they try another. So when they realized that the isolation (almost complete), the repression of all my emotional ties and community support, and all of the other means they have attempted to get maximum control over me, failed, they sent this mental health woman at me, bringing me to the brink of destruction. I would like to see if others have been approached by these means, to get them on some type of psychotropic drugs. I have been successful in locating at least 10 to 15 people that are now on some type of psychotropic, mind controlling drug, and I'm confined to a cell 24 hours a day.
All of the persons I've located, had some type of contact with this person [the mental health woman]. She used the same basic approach, the higher your profile, the more sexual games she played with you. Even to the point of having sex with a few [prisoners]. This issue is being swept under the rug by the DOC [Department of Corrections] and mainstream papers. It needs to be brought out of the darkness.... -- a Connecticut Prisoner, July 1996.
[SEXUAL MANIPULATION] REPORT JUNE 19, 1996
I have just emerged from a very traumatic experience. I was involved with a personal relationship with my therapist. She is a female by the name of Joan Mason who has since resigned from the DOC as of June 6, 1996. I truly believe that she was sent to snare me, [sent] by whom, I'm not sure. But I believe that the purpose was to get me introduced to some type of psychotropic drug in order to suppress my revolutionary ideology and philosophy. There are many reasons that I believe the above statement, too numerous to go into, completely at this writing.
The plot and scheme was a typical Samson and Delilah machination. To have me fall in love with her, [and have her] manipulate me into taking some type of psychotropic drug and thereby killing my tendency to fight. [Killing] my revolutionary drive and spirit.
The scheme was so shrewd and sophisticated I was unable to recognize it as such, until it was too late. But I accidentally stumbled upon it due to my stubbornness and beliefs that a man is not supposed to be led like a sheep, by a woman. The details of this whole experience are so intricate and complex, I'm not sure I'll be able to put it on paper. I believe that there is a protracted effort by elements in the Mental Health Department and DOC to medicate and zombitize "High Profile Individuals", and the record will support by theory.
The process works by getting female staff to befriend you, and gain your confidence by whatever means necessary, even enticing you sexually. I was not any easy mark, thereby making it necessary to go beyond her normal call of duty, leaving me with a lot of material evidence, which I initially was destroying until my ESP caused me to start saving certain evidence.
I did eventually fall in love with her. She had me in a constant state of flux, an emotional roller coaster. She was on the verge of succeeding at her task. She constantly had me angry, hurt, frustrated, upset and in a disturbed state of mind. She would come to my door, tell me lies and bring me bad news; tell me she would call me out, then not do it; tell me she would answer my letters, and then have all kinds of excuses. She would tell me, "Oh I'm just causing you too many problems. Maybe I better step back.", knowing full well that would evoke my fear of loss....
Then she would suggest that I take an anti- depressant. I resisted taking any drugs, and she would be very persistent. By no means am I weak, but when it comes to matters of the heart, it is my Achilles heel. Coupled with being in this environment which is devoid of human compassion and feelings. [Since I was] never allowed any real social intercourse, it was not hard for her to trap me with her sexual games and innuendos.
But my resistance to taking psychotropic drugs was still strong. My principle of love is one of trust, and I caught her in lie after lie. And this actually saved me in a way, because while I was in love with her, the animosity created by her lies was just strong enough to keep me from being "all in".
She came to my door with something some guard said, but would not tell me who. Something I didn't need to know. Anyway it ended with me giving her an ultimatum, if she left my cell without telling me ... either who the pig was, or at least why she would not tell me, [I would break off the relationship with her].
She was so confident in the thought that she had a ring through my nose, she left. I did what I had to do. She came to my cell the next day and told me that she loved me. I told her it was too much, too little, too late. She could resign or stay and be disgrace and fired. She resigned.
In the aftermath of her resigning, I got feedback from through-out the prison. Learning that my suspicion of other relationships were true. Another prisoner whom she had done the same to, unlike me had cut his throat (he did survive). There are some 6 or more men she had [treated] like this.
I am at present trying to get an attorney so that I can sue her and the state because it is now known she has a history of inappropriate behavior. She was my therapist and she violated every rule and code of ethics that exist. And the state knew of her past or should have known. She was disciplined on April 18, 1996 for unauthorized contact with another prisoner. She has left me mentally scared for life. -- the same Connecticut Prisoner, June 19, 1996
LAWYERS AND PRISONCRATS HAVE THE SAME INTERESTS
...Check this out, I went to my pre-trial hearing and I wasn't allowed to take a B.M. I was forced to wear leg irons and chains were run through my handcuffs. My attorney never said one word to the prison official about our privacy. They were looking down our mouths. I told one of the prison officials to get out of my mouth. I was in chains from 5:00 am until 2:00 pm.
My family came to the courthouse in Brazoria county to see me but were not allowed to visit me nor talk to me. Them SOB's pulled guns on me and talk shit to my family, my attorney didn't say a word. She [the lawyer] was busy trying to undermine me to cop out for 20 years.
Mrs. Barbara Landes, Staff Attorney for Inmate Legal Services. This woman is my lawyer. See I told her that the Asst. Warden, Norman E. McClure, put me or tried to set me up to kill a friend of mine, an inmate named "T." He is a writ-writer and has a civil rights lawsuit against Warden McClure. I refused to take [my friend's] life for this snake [McClure].
Mrs. Landes is trying to cover up for Warden McClure. She has not told the District Attorney or the judge that I was pressured into cutting "T" up with a homemade knife (a razor blade on an ice cream stick), but "T" cut me first.
Mrs. Landes works for the prison system, as staff attorney. She is real transparent and you can see through her lies. I had to tell you that because it is absolutely disgusting. She has not done one thing to defend me, but to have me in for a plea bargain. -- a Texas Prisoner, June 26, 1996
FLORIDA PIGS HARASS PRISONER BY TEARING UP MIM NOTES
Dear MIM, I've come to realize that the prison staff not allowing MIM Notes in, or the confiscation of after it's let in, is not always censorship. In my case it was pure harassment.
You recently sent me MIM Notes 117 and 118. I'd already read and passed on 118, but was still reading 117. I am in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) for "security concerns" whatever that is. No one will tell me and I'm using the grievance procedure to try to get out.
Anyway, last week our prisoner (want-a-be-federal- agents) guards came in to shake down my cell. On my table was MIM Notes 117, which on the cover has a picture of a KKK person. Well, they took it saying I couldn't spread my "racial hate" in here. I tried to explain that the paper and article was not pro- Klan. I also pointed out that despite me being white I believe in the causes of MIM, which is a supporter of all minority causes. But they would hear none of it and accused me of being a racist. They promptly tore up the copy and threw it in the trash.
While I'm sure the guard was only trying to harass me, as is the norm in the SHU, I still wanted to share with you how MIM Notes was accused of being Klan literature. Until now, I've never had a problem getting MIM Notes. So don't think their censoring you, [they were] just harassing me.
I look forward to getting my next copy of MIM Notes, as it's the one of only a few papers to print the truth and support those that are in need of support.... In Struggle! -- a Florida Prisoner, July 31, 1996.
TENNESSEE PLAYS CENSORSHIP GAMES
MIM has received another notice from Mr. Howard Carlton, Warden at the Northeast Correctional Center in Mountain City, Tennessee. The letter claims that "Under Tennessee Department of Corrections policy, this material [MIM Notes] is not allowed into this penal facility."
MIM first received this notice in April 1996. Soon after, the prisoner who was being censored said prison officials would allow him to receive MIM Notes if the "X" was removed from his name on the address label. MIM then removed his "X". Then the July 1996 issues of MIM Notes were returned to MIM, with a note from prison officials stating, "insufficient address". August 5, 1996, MIM received the above notice again with the same prisoner information as the envelope marked "insufficient address". What will these prison officials think of next?
Letters of protest can be addressed to: Howard Carlton, Warden, Tennessee Dept of Corrections, Division of Adult Institutions, Northeast Correctional Center, PO Box 5000, Mountain City, TN 37683-5000. -- RCG1, August 13, 1996.
WASHINGTON CENSORS MIM NOTES STATE-WIDE
MIM has received several notices from the State of Washington Department of Corrections stating that MIM Notes is being "rejected statewide per headquarters". The specific reasons differ with each institution.
For example Clallam Bay Corrections Center claims, "mail advocates that any ethnic, racial or religious group is inferior for any reason and makes such a group an object of ridicule and scorn and may reasonably be thought to precipitated a violent confrontation between the recipient and a member of the target group." On the other hand Airway Heights Corrections Center took the shorter route. It claims "the mail or publication is a threat to legitimate penological objectives."
The following is a letter protesting the censorship of MIM Notes by a prisoner at the Washington State Reformatory in Monroe, WA which has also been censoring MIM Notes. It is addressed to the director of Washington state Division of Prisons. -- RCG1 Aug. 13, 1996
Dear Mr. Rolfs:
I am appealing the "Offender Mail Rejection" I received on July 19, 1996 at the Washington State Reformatory. No file number was given on the form.
The rejection was for the MIM Notes (a political newspaper) No. 116, June 15, 1996. The reason for the rejection alleges it "Promotes the seizing of power through armed struggle. Since that is the stated purpose the Division has rejected this issue statewide."
I contend this censorship is discriminatory and violates my First Amendment Rights to Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Expression. Every major political entity in history has promoted the "as an extension of politics" --- Clautzwitz on War. Even the Declaration of Independence of the U.S. has promoted the same. The purpose of MIM Notes is not to promote violence in prisons, as it would serve no political purpose, but to express the range of politics under the communist philosophy.
The U.S. Supreme Court has found Washington State's anti-communist statues unconstitutional on their face. The mail rejection of MIM Notes by WSR, DOP or DOC policy can not circumvent the Supreme Court's decision. I therefore appeal the mail rejection as violative of my rights to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. -- a Washington state Prisoner, July 22, 1996
RCG1 ADDS: It is MIM line that there are no rights under capitalism only power struggles. Continue the struggle.
Letters of protest can be addressed to: Tom Rolfs, Director, Division of Prisons, PO Box 41123, 401 W 5th, MS:1123, Olympia, WA 98504-1123.
NEW YORK CONTINUES REPRESSIVE CONDITIONS
To whom it may concern: In 1991, May 28th and 29th...there was a major rebellion at Southport Correctional Facility...where numerous prisoners suffer severe injuries as well as state officers who operate the facility. Such a rebellion was caused by the barbarous treatment and inhumane conditions prisoners were being subjected to by members of the Ku Klux Klans.
Today the situation in Southport Prison is unchanged. In fact it is even worse. The prison's response to demands for basic human rights have been to increase repression, oppression, depression and suppression in the name of "security" and beat up on prisoners for no reason whatsoever, while in mechanical restraints, waist belts and leg irons.
The number of guards has doubled since 1991. Racist guards, staff and employees, which many believe to be Ku Klu Klan [members] harass, beat and threaten the lives of prisoners daily. Southport is in a very high tension right now as the racist, unprofessional and prejudiced officers continue to push, press, destroy personal property, sexually assault prisoners, tamper with food and mail, frame prisoners up, steal prisoners' photos, harass visitors and beat up prisoners.
The menu that was sent from Albany (statewide supposedly)... [portions are] drastically reduced, i.e. fruit juice, fresh fruit and the main course are usually cut in half... Any religion other than Christianity is heavily scrutinized by chapel staff and the guards...The store prices here are about 20-40% higher than any other facility....
The staff here is disoriented, ...related to each other and make sure to cover each others tracks. None of the staff follow the NYCRR (New York Codes Rules and Regulation). They make up shoe string policies daily... Prisoner's property is consistently stolen by the guards and there is constant misuse of the inmate betterment fund.
The grievance system is a joke. No steps are ever taken within the institution to correct any problem. Any prisoner complaint of staff misconduct results in the prisoner being infracted and harshly punished. Counselors never make any attempts to work with prisoners to help them better themselves. All they do is push through miscellaneous paper.
Personal mail is unlawfully read by guards and constantly stolen. Harassment of visitors is commonplace. The guards are ... constantly physically and verbally abusive toward visitors and prisoners. Prisoners have limited access to the legal library. Sanitary supplies which are given to clean our cells contain feces and urine...While institutional investigations are being held guards, staff and employees ... conspire ...to cover up the barbarous treatment prisoners face daily. -- a New York Prisoner, May 25, 1996
PRISONER EXPOSES CA PRISON "BENDING THE RULES"
Dear MIM Notes, They did it again! A you can see, this fine institution that I'm blessed to be housed in denied delivery of your publication again. Now, instead of stating which pages are offensive they say the "entire publication meets disapproval criteria". What can be done to ensure that mine, and your, right to free speech is not taken away?
This prison seems to bend a lot of rules concerning our rights. Just last month I went to classification for an annual review and at that time I requested a transfer to a prison closer to my family. Penal Code 5068 clearly states that inmates have every right to be housed at a facility close to home. The Penal Codes obviously don't mean squat to Pleasant Valley State Prison! I was denied and given a lame excuse of: "Sacramento sent out a memo stating that inmates will no longer be transferred to other prisons unless the inmate's points change their level of custody." When I asked if I could see this so called "memo", I was flatly denied again!
My question is: Why do certain inmates have the luxury of being housed in prisons close to home, and in prisons where the inmates are able to earn enough money to buy hygiene products (that the state won't give indigent inmates) and other items to make their sentence more bearable, and I'm not? I have remained write-up-free for the entire 3 years of my incarceration and for what? I'm stuck away from my family and their potential visits. I'm forced to survive on the meager state issue and unable to get a paying job because of the vocational training that I was basically forced into.
Oh, I didn't tell you about that! I signed up for a computer training course when I arrived here in January of 1994. They said the waiting list was 6 months. At my annual review (my second one since I've been here) in April, I was told that I had to get off the computer training list because that list was now 2 1/2 years long! It was only 6 months when I signed up, over a year ago! So without my consent I was put on the consumers electronics class list. I've been a blue collar worker all my life and can't see myself trying to get a job at the age of 42 trying to repair TV's or radios. But, can I get out of that class? Not unless I want to go to the hole and subsequently have my points jacked back up so I could never leave this cesspool!
I feel the action of PVSP [Pleasant Valley State Prison -MIM] need to be brought to somebody's attention. If there's anything you can do, or perhaps you have an idea for me to use, I'd greatly appreciated it. Have a great day and I apologize for dropping all this in your lap. I wish there was a way I could get your publication! I feel PVSP is out of line in denying me to read it. I hope to hear from you soon.
Respectfully yours, -- A California Prisoner, June 18, 1996.
Letters of protest can be sent to: Pleasant Valley State Prison, PO Box 8500, 24863 W. Jayne Ave, Coalinga, CA 93210.