IMPROPER MEDICAL "CARE" CAUSES 13 DEATHS
Revolutionary Greetings Rades,
I write from the Belly of the Beast, hoping this letter finds you in high Revolutionary spirits, thoughts and struggle. I write to notify the rades that I was transferred from the Maximum Control Complex (MCC) in Westville, to another control unit prison in Carlisle, Indiana, which is twenty-five miles south of Terre Haute.
The repression has basically increased at this new prison where I reside now. They call it Wabash Valley Correctional Institution, but don't allow the name to fool you, the act of genocide is very common here. Within the last three years this genocidal tomb has been open, over thirteen prisoners have died from serious medical problems. [This is] due to the improperly trained Medical Personal and the Department of Colonialism's (IDOC) refusal to build a medical facility in this prison to attend to the serious medical needs of prisoner.
The food here is so inadequately proportioned that an adult male from the age of 23-50 can not sustain his physical well being. Prisoners who need hygiene [items] such as soap, toothpaste, deodorant, [and] shampoo must submit a written request to a counselor in order to receive it. Instead of toilet tissue and soap being provided to prisoners when they need it, they are forced to wait on these colonialist enforcers to give it to them, when they want to. No showers are provided to prisoners who need them.
The cells are doubled celled, but they are only large enough for one individual. No ink pens or paper are given to prisoners at state expense. This prison forces prisoners to buy certain hygiene [items], clothes, stationary, over the counter medication that the state is obligated by law and their own correction polices to provide to prisoners. All other penal facilities in Indiana provide prisoners with free hygiene [items], clothing, stationary, etc. except this one in Carlisle.
This is supposed to be [general] population [where] I am housed, but we are being are being treated as if we were on disciplinary segregation. There are many wicked crimes occurring here and once I am finished compiling all the data about this prison, I will be back at the rades with an update on the situation. There is supposed to be a class action filed against the conditions of confinement on the infamous lock-up unit the SHU, which the Indiana Civil Liberties Union is handling, but the strange part about this said class action [suit] is that it is not being filed against the conditions of confinement in [the general] population at this prison, why? It is time for all principled revolutionaries and progressive rades out there to support our struggle against the colonialist enforcers....
-- An Indiana Prisoner, 14 October 1996
TEXAS PIGS WATCH PRISONER COMMIT SUICIDE
In Tennessee Colony, TX on Coffield Unit last night, a TDCJ officer watched an inmate commit suicide in his cell by hanging himself. This officer is at work tonight. The officer is insisting that he never tried to stop the inmate. He even stopped the inmate when one of the SSI walked up. After that he said go ahead, I never seen this before. Yes, the officer had a front row seat.
After the body started jumping he just smiled. Are you thinking what I am thinking. Yes, you are right, the officer is white and the inmate is Black. See that is what made it so good to the officer. Just like the old days. Go for it. Anyway, when the body jumped again he walked slow to the sergeant. One is hanging himself. He called the infirmary. They are very slow. It takes them well, about 6 to 8 minutes. And when they made it to the inmate they didn't know what to do. It's like telling a dog to fly. Well, about the time they removed the sheet from around his neck, he was dead. The inmate hung himself with a white sheet, and it takes you at least 10 to 20 minutes or longer to do. The sergeant told the officer to walk the run every 10 minutes because something could happen. All the inmates on that end are suicidal. The officer said yell, OK.
It's not the first time this has happened. I remember about 3 years ago there was an inmate who was having chest pain. He told the officer, the officer said yell, OK. He did, he called the infirmary and he said they told him to put a sick call in. See sick call or red tape in other words, ain't nothing happening for you. We don't have time, it's almost time to go home. Anyway the inmate had a heart attack. So they have to come to the wing to get him, you know, 6 to 8 minutes later I can see them coming, walking very slow. So when they finally made it there, he was really having one. They didn't know what to do. So they put him on the bed with wheels and started down the hall.
They said he's not breathing and he needs CPR. I'm not putting my mouth on no inmate. So they ran the shower and said anyone know how to give CPR. No one said anything. So they ran out of the shower and headed down the long hallway. About the time they made it to the infirmary he was dead. But they wrote it up as if he died on the way to John Sealy Hospital. The man was dead before they left the unit.
Well I just wanted you to know it's happening in the system. It's even worse on Ferguson unit, an inmate hang themselves and they are the closest to going home. I never understood that...
-- A Texas Prisoner, 19 November 1996
PRISONERS HEAVILY DRUGGED IN THE NAME OF MEDICINE
Peace Comrade,
I hope this message finds self in the best of health mentally, physically and spiritually. I enter your realms in effort to have my name added to your mailing list. Up until now I was sharing MIM Notes with another brother who was transferred due to changes here. This used to be a prison which housed convicts, now that the whole population has been converted to a medical facility, all cons that were stable are now heavily sedated with some type of psychotropic drug. Other than the cycle of continuous mind abuse, all is going as the neo- colonialistc correctional elite planned.
-- A South Carolina Prisoner, 21November 1996
MEDICAL BILLS FOLLOW PRISONERS AFTER RELEASE
Greetings Comrades,
...Life inside a South Carolina Ad-Seg unit is continuing to be more oppressive every day. No telling what will be next. I've enclosed the most recent tactic by the South Carolina pigs to get more from us.[See below.] From my understanding any/all medical bills will follow prisoners to the streets, so now prisoners who max-out etc, will be hassled upon release, and all bills for medical etc will re-establish upon any prisoner who gets out and then returns to the system. Just more South Carolina Bullshit as usual.
-- A South Carolina Prisoner, 23 October 1996
The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) has the authority to charge prisoners for the costs of state property they allegedly damaged or destroyed intentionally. Now under Section 24-13- 80, South Carolina Code of Laws, 1976, the SCDC's amendment gives the pigs authority to charge a prisoner to re-pay the costs of the following: "1. Medical treatment for injuries inflicted by an inmate(s) on him/herself or others; 2. Quelling a riot or other disturbance in which an inmate(s) is unlawfully involved; and 3. Searching for and apprehending an inmate(s) who escapes or attempts to escape." These additional items prisoners will be charged for went into affect August 1st. This sham to get money out of prisoners makes the prison-proliferating-settlers satisfied that they are not footing the entire bill to maintain tight control over Amerikan prisoners and serves as a legal billy club to keep prisoners - disproportionately of oppressed nations - unhealthy, quiet and silent.
MEDICAL FEES ADD TO ABUSE IN PRISON
...Police on my end are scared of Latinos due to the Latino unity and love. There is no secret that the same way another inmate will feel the Latino's wrath, so will the police. We do not play what-so- ever on my end, police get beat up constantly by the inmates, but you can imagine the outcome when the inmate is hauled off by ten white C/O's [Corrections Officers] into a single cell behind closed doors.
We also face the problem of having to pay for medical care. Inmates are required to pay $5.00 for each visit to the doctor. Medication is $2.00 and aspirin, rolaids, medicated ointment, and sudafed are sold on canteen only, and will not be given to us free. If you have any money in your account, trust me when state pay comes, it will be reduced from the door.
Also this ad-seg is so pitiful that lights out is at 11:00. We are not allowed baby oil, lotion, soap, state soap will be provided. And recently all B and D batteries were banned. Envelopes are not sold anymore unless they are bought with stamps, anything for a profit...
-- A New Jersey Prisoner, 25 October 1996
BLACKS AND HISPANICS ACT NOW TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE AIDS EPIDEMIC
by a New York Prisoner
11 November 1996
The AIDS epidemic is worsening amongst our people. I want to reach as many as I can with my message. "It's about saving lives for me." We are living in a time where the world is over- populated, 5.7 billion people. There's a war against our brothers and sisters. Bodies are dropping at an alarming rate. AIDS is just another weapon used to destroy us. Wake up! Blacks and Hispanics have been in denial about this crisis. In part because of a traditional homophobic tendency in our culture, in part because of ignorant stereotypes about HIV and AIDS, our people have been in denial about AIDS in Black and Hispanic communities.
The Harvard AIDS Institute released figures projecting that by the year 2000, more than half of all AIDS cases in Amerika will be amongst Blacks and Hispanics. Wake up! By that same year a Black or Hispanic person will be nine times as likely to be diagnosed with AIDS as someone who is White. The institute estimated that nearly 100 Blacks and Hispanics are diagnosed with AIDS every day in Amerika. This is not a coincidence, it is part of an overall plan.
I am a prisoner in New York State. The numbers of prisoners with AIDS is incredible. "I am HIV POSITIVE." However I don't live with AIDS -- AIDS lives with me! I am in charge of my life today. I have a story to share with my younger brothers. Hopefully I can save as many as I can, before I am taken out by the Amerikan Plan.
We must educate our young brothers and sisters. Dr. Alvin Pouissant, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School said, "Prevention programs have not been as strong in the black community as in the white community." This is not a coincidence! There is a taboo about talking about AIDS. And there is still a lot of despair. This is one more problem. We've got crime, violence, teen- age pregnancy, homelessness, now we've got AIDS. We must wake up! Study, and you will see right through the smoke screen. We are the target. It's time to fight back! Wake up! I beg you!
I have more alarming figures. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention released more than a year ago: AIDS kills twice as many Black men aged 25 to 44 as homicide. Black women constitute two thirds of all women infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. More children with AIDS are Black than all other races and ethnic groups combined. WAKE UP! THIS IS NO FUCKING COINCIDENCE!
By the year 2050 the world population will be an estimated 10.4 billion. That's about double the population today. Senator Bob Dole called prisoners, "Undesirable Parasites". Study and you will learn that all prisoners don't wear chains and locks. "We are all prisoners of the oppressor. We are the target, brothers and sisters. With us they will attempt to balance out the population. Africa alone is estimated to have 14 million people suffering with AIDS. This is a human tragedy of monstrous proportions. And that's what this is all about. They have a plan. We must put a stop to the oppressors!
Wake up! The time is now!
MIM ADDS: We wholeheartedly agree with the overall article and its push for action to stop genocide against oppressed nations. AIDS as well as other deadly diseases affect members of oppressed nations disproportionately because of the way that imperialism works. Imperialism sucks the labor, wealth and resources from oppressed nations. Imperialism denies the oppressed access to medical and educational resources for prevention and for cures.
The problem with the above article is that it states that the number of people is one of the problems. This is a myth perpetuated by the bourgeoisie to support its tactics of oppressed nation genocide like population control programs, war and forced migration. The problem is not that the world is over-populated but that imperialism is sucking it dry of resources and hoarding the wealth and profits from the labor of the international proletariat. We encourage you to check out MT12 on Revolutionary Environmentalism coming out soon.
The most effective method to stop the genocide of oppressed nations through AIDS and inadequate access to medical care is to build revolution to smash imperialism. Only true independent institutions will serve the needs of the people. Getting the facts together and the word out is a necessary first step. Its impossible to have equal and adequate education or medical treatment for oppressed nations within Amerikan borders. The people must do the work ourselves. Building educational programs and medical facilities are more effective under proletarian leadership - China and the BPP prove that - so we must strengthen the Party and expand the Serve the People programs. At this point, we can help with resources you need to build educational programs for other prisoners on AIDS. Please keep us up to date on your work.
PRISONER EXPOSES SOCIAL WORKER AS AGENT PROVOCATEUR
These people at this prison think that they are so slick. Today about 6 social workers came in lockup trying to get everyone to take a mental evaluation screener. It's a test with about 60 true or False questions on it. I looked at it and seen that it was a serious joke. I read only 7 questions before I threw it on the floor. What made me throw it on the floor, was question number 7. It asked, Did you ever have any problems with the police? That had to be the stupidest question of 1996. I told the social worker that I didn't want to participate in their prison games.
See it really pissed me off because the only reason their giving these guys the test is so they will know how these guys react in certain situations. The social worker told me that the test is to help us. I told him that if they really want to help us, then they should let us set up social groups that will prepare us to go back to general population. Because you have Brothers who've been on lockup in these sensory deprivation cages for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, years. You can't really expect a Brother to do all that time in a cage by himself, then tomorrow just blend into general population. Now don't get me wrong, some can do it, but many can't. I told the social worker, aka Agent Provocateur that we need groups where we could get out of lockup for a couple of hours and have little group sessions among ourselves. The agent-provocateur locked at me and said he had to go. And that was the end of our conversation. But he knew that I knew that his or rather their phony little test wasn't put out to help anybody but them....
Well Sisters and Brothers, as you know, the Struggle Must Continue!
-- A South Carolina Prisoner, 27 November 1996
SALVI'S SUICIDE PROVOKES QUESTIONS ON PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT OF PRISONERS
by a comrade
On November 29, John Salvi, was found dead in his prison cell from an apparent suicide. Salvi murdered two receptionists at Boston abortion clinics on 30 December, 1994.
His parents have requested state and federal investigations into his death, arguing that the prison system ignored his mental illness. Salvi's mother "had been telling people for a long time and no one wanted to listen that her son suffered from long-term mental illness."
The Walpole prison superintendent responded that "Salvi was not under any mental health watch at the time of his death because 'he was deemed by the court not to be insane.'"
Statements by Salvi's parents sparked a debate within bourgeoisie about the role of mental health services in the prison system. They ask: Was Salvi insane? If he was, why didn't the prison system know it? and How can the prisons treat the mentally ill within its walls?
MIM believes these to be the wrong questions. Instead of looking at problems individually, we look at social causes of individual problems. The bourgeoisie defines "sanity" as living happily within imperialism. This is an unreasonable expectation of some people because imperialism is too much to adjust to. To MIM, the question is: How can we change society so as to remove the stresses of unequal and inadequate material conditions.
Governor Weld and state Sen. James Jajuga (D- Methuen) want to abolish the state's "not guilty by reason of insanity" defense and replace it with a new verdict -- Guilty, but insane. This verdict would mandate psychiatric treatment and then when deemed "cured" the rest of the sentence would have to be served.
MIM opposes this change because it is anti-defense and would increase convictions in the injustice system. Likewise, the plan to add "guilty but insane" and not scrap the current insanity verdict, as discussed on National Public Radio would also increase convictions. MIM expects such a change or addition to take place because the settlers who sit on juries demand not only the right to send people away but to pass judgment on their ability to cope with this disgusting system.
NOTES: The New York Times 30 November 1996; The Boston Globe, 3 December 1996. p. B1.
*For more information, see "Psychological Practices in the Chinese
Revolution", part of MIM Theory 9, "Psychology and Revolution."*