This Under Lock & Key edition focuses on the ongoing struggle against censorship within Amerikan gulags. Prisoners and comrades under lock and key have encountered various types of censorship. Some states blanket a ban on literature and correspondence. In other states, prisoncrats censor literature case by case depending its content or the political whims of mailroom supervisors. Some prisons use minor regulations to justify political censorship. For instance, prisoncrats claim that books must be only paperback, new and from the publisher and cannot be authorized photocopied books. The specific requirements and regulations vary, but the purpose is the same ñ political censorship to prevent prisoners from obtaining historical and political information which will aid in struggles against oppression.
MIM prints articles and letters which expose censorship across Amerikkka because our aim is to educate and organize to build support for revolution. Amerikkka does not want information which exposes its oppressive strategy to reach the oppressed. Amerikka fears the development of opposition to its repression and systematic brutality, torture, and imprisonment based on imperialist interests. We want prisoners and non-prisoners alike to learn about the nature of Amerika, take the information and struggle against oppression by building solid foundations to ultimately crush imperialism and settler nation colonialism.
Articles written by comrades under lock and key explain repression faced in struggles to build opposition to oppression. To build support for revolution, we must be able to contact our comrades under lock and key and make information available to them. The fight against censorship is an necessary reformist tactic which we use to tackle the obstacle of reaching our comrades. Lead by genuine proletarian leadership, reformist battles against censorship can be successfully fought. Reformist battles which are necessary should be fought to create enough leverage to organize and should not stray from our primary objectives -- to achieve national liberation for Amerika's internal colonies and build socialism.
Comrades under lock and key should send us information about the specific censorship policies of your captors. Finding which methods of censorship and which justifications are used can help MIM and MIM supporters on the outside better aid prisoners in their requests for information. In some cases letters of protest, grievances, lawsuits and public pressure can reverse censorship policies. Prisoners should also send specific names and addresses of the appropriate prisoncrat who should receive letters of protest. Sending the name and address of the warden, superintendent or publications approval committee can improve the chances of letters of protests reaching the appropriate people.
Comrade interested in fighting Amerikan censorship should write to receive MIM Notes #136 which includes the "How to fight prison censorship: A guide for prisoners." Another important resource for battles against censorship is Prisoners Self Help Litigation Manual for $29.95 (for prisoners) and $39.95 (plus postage for non-prisoners) from Oceana Publications, Inc., 75 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 693-1320.
MISSOURI PRISONER BATTLES CENSORSHIP
A couple of months ago I received a letter from one of you, asking me if I was receiving your newspaper, MIM Notes. I wrote back explaining that I had NOT been receiving MIM Notes. I had thought you simply stopped sending it to me. Recently I received a letter from you telling me that I am being censored. So I immediately wrote to the superintendent, a supervisor at missouri department of corrections, and the American Civil Liberties Union.
So TODAY I received the two March issues of MIM Notes.
I [had] not received MIM Notes for about a year. Had you not thoughtfully written me, I would have went on thinking you had simply stopped sending me MIM Notes. This is why it is so important for all of us who are in these prisons to write you more -- so we will know what's going on, and if the paper stopped arriving we can find out immediately that it's being censored.
I received the papers today because these pigs know I have been made aware that they have been censoring it. And I'm known for suing.
For the last two months I've been placed on grievance restriction in retaliation for the act of filing grievances and for using disrespectful language in some of my grievances. Prison officials placed me on this status in an attempt to prevent me from filing lawsuits for prison conditions violations. The united snakes congress passed the prison litigation reform act. Among other things, this act gives prisons the ability to stop all lawsuits from being filed against them by denying a prisoner the right to file a grievance. The law makes it mandatory for prisoners to exhaust the grievance procedure BEFORE they may sue.
-- A Missouri Prisoner, 9 April 1997
TAMPERING, CENSORSHIP AND CONFISCATION IN DELAWARE
Thank you all for keeping in touch with me and the books you sent as well. We are still having problems with the prison administration here. And our rights are being violated and privileges being taken by the administration. [They] have us confined to quarters 24 hours a day for weeks at a time now. Staff are deliberately destroying or tampering with our personal property and mail; and confiscating legal materials as well, from us in administrative segregation. We now need help to file a 42USC1983 complaint against guards, administration and other staff here in the Institution.
-- A Delaware Prisoner, 21 February 1997
Letters of protest can be sent to: M.P.C.J.F, Gander Hill Prison, PO Box 9561, Wilmington, DE 19809
ILLINOIS SNAGS MIM LIT... AND CLAIM IT'S WHITE SUPREMACIST
These prisoncrats have kidnapped my copies of the MIM Theory Journals 1-10 and the "What is MIM?" Pamphlet that you mailed to me. They sent me a notice stating that the publications review committee was going to review them. So I sent back the notice stating that I would like to exercise my rights and file a statement of support, speak to a committee member personally and, write to the publishers of publications and send them the form provided by the committee. But because of the red tape, I was denied my rights to challenge the committee. I wasn't sent the form that I requested from them! They decided on the Publications on 4-24-97, and decided I shouldn't have them because supposedly "publication contains white supremacy literature, which attempts to spread hate messages."
Now I need a letter of support from you comrades so that when I give my grievance to the Director, I can exactly show them what the journals are about and be able to get them back!
-- An Illinois Prisoner, 25 April 1997
Letters of Protest can be sent to: Pontiac Corrections Center, PO Box 99, 700 W. Lincoln, Pontiac, IL 61764
PELICAN BAY CENSORS AGAIN
I am a prisoner at Pelican Bay State Prison in the SHU [Segregated Housing Unit]. My MIM Notes arrived here in this KKK prison and were not given to me because this KKK Captain P. Dillard said that my MIM Notes No. 133 pages 1, and 8; No. 134 pages 1, 7, 8, and 11; No. 135 pages 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 11; No 136 pages 3, 4, 6, 8, and 11: "Incites Riots, or any form of violence to any person or group and is soliciting a response from an inmate"
So this KKK P. Dillard is keeping them and throwing them in the trash. But please keep sending me the MIM Notes because I have filed an inmate appeal form and when I win they will pay for every issue they throw away. We must stop this Pelican KKK Bay State Prison from doing what they please to our materials. People of struggle please write the Warden at this prison to have my MIM Notes given to me.
-- A California Prisoner, 14 May 1997
Letters of Protest can be sent to: Warden, Steven Gambra Jr., Pelican Bay State Prison, P.O. Box 7500, Crescent City, CA 95532-7500
FLORIDA COMRADE RECEIVES FIRST MIM NOTES THIS YEAR
Dear Comrades, The power of the press, and the efforts of Comrades joining together, has seemed to be successful in helping me.
Regarding the jail censoring my MIM Notes, you printed a letter in the April 15th issue ["Censorship in Florida Continues"], asking for comrades to support my right to read MIM Notes. Just today the April issues were delivered, uncensored, and I was allowed both copies. A first since last year.
My thanks to all Comrades who called or wrote the jail in support of MIM Notes. It is by joining together that we can and will overcome this oppression forced upon us by the in- justice system. If we can change one jail's policy, and then another, and another, the system will be reformed. It is NOT an overnight success story, but it is with a grain of sand we begin to build (or unbuild) these wall of injustice, into walls of hope.
Keep up the fight for your rights, for our rights, and never give into the KKKorection mentality! You are someone and we are all going to make them realize it one day.
In Struggle,
-- A Florida Prisoner, 5 May 1997
CENSORSHIP PROBLEMS ON DEATH ROW
Right now I am having problems with the mailroom here, about the book you sent me. They have confiscated it because they claim that MIM is not a publisher. I am fighting them through the inmates grievance procedure. Our oppressors don't want us to have anything that they think would wake us up to the revolutionary [thoughts] that are coming to pass.
I still haven't been receiving the MIM papers which I would like to continue.
Here in Florida our legislator and court system are perfecting the laws in Florida to carry out the murdering system like Texas. Right now the murdering system is on hold until Sept. 1, 1997. The lower courts are having hearings on whether or not the electric chair is cruel and unusual punishment. The public doesn't care whether or not the chair is cruel and unusual punishment. The public don't give a damn about that, they want blood. When the hearing is over and done with the court will say that the chair is just fine and they will continue to slaughter our asses as if we were cattle.
-- A Florida Prisoner, 3 June 1997
Letters of Protest can be sent to: M. L. Graves, Mail Room Supervisor, Union Correctional Institution, PO Box 221, Raiford, FL 32083 or telephone (904) 431-2131
MORE FLORIDA CENSORSHIP
I have been receiving my MIM Notes with no problem for over a year. But the last issue that was sent to me the mailroom sent me a contraband slip. They are holding it because they claim it did not come from the publisher, but I was under the impression that MIM is its own publisher.
If indeed you are, try to contact these people here and make them aware of it so I can get my MIM Notes that they are holding as contraband. The lady in the mailroom is B. Singer and the superintendent's mane is Mr. Germany. Please try to help me receive my MIM Notes. Don't worry I keep my faith strong all the time. This injustice system can't get me down. Please try to clear this matter up.
I remain strong.
-- A Florida Prisoner, 1 July 1997
Letters of Protest can be sent to: B. Singer, Mailroom Supervisor, and/or Mr. Germany, Superintendent, Washington Correctional Institution, PO Box 510, Vernon, FL 32462
MIXED MESSAGES FROM FLORIDA
As I trust you may be aware of by now, the 4/1/97 and 4/15/97 issues of your publication -- if not my entire subscription has since been rejected by officials here per the enclosed notice. I have since, as of 5/11/97, initiated a grievance along with a request to review the rejected materials. As soon as I receive a response or exhaust all of my administrative remedies, I will send you a copy of same for future reference or further litigation purposes. 12 May 1997 As I trust you are aware -- the May 1 and May 15th, 1997 issues of MIM Notes have also been rejected or confiscated. However, for some reason, I just received the June 1, 1997 and July 1, 1997 issues in the mail! So please keep the newspapers coming.
In solidarity,
-- A Florida Prisoner, 9 July 1997
NEW YORK APPROVES MIM NOTES
I want to inform you that before receiving these important MIM Notes, this correctional department submitted them through the Media Review for approval. A few weeks later they were given to me. So this means that the MIM Notes newspaper is approved in this Solitary Special Housing Unit.
In Struggle,
-- A New York Prisoner 9 June 1997
PENNSYLVANIA CENSORS MIM THEORY
I'm writing to inform you that I received the May issues of MIM Notes. I also wanted to tell you that I didn't receive the MIM Theory that you sent. It appears as though SCI-Green has chosen now to make its move toward censorship. I've been informed that the MIM Theory is being withheld for review by the Publication Review Committee (PRC). They will notify me when a decision is made, whether or not it will be allowed into my possession.
But you and I know will not [be allowed]. So any help that you can give will be of great help. When I receive the decision, I'll inform you. If it is not in my favor, I will appeal their action. I'm willing to fight for what I believe in and this is no exception.
In Struggle,
-- A Pennsylvania Prisoner, 3 June 1997
Letters of Protest can be sent to: State Correctional Institution-Greene, 1040 E Roy Furman Hwy, Waynesburg, PA 15370-8090
PENNSYLVANIA CENSORSHIP
I have been relocated to the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, PA, RHU [Restrictive Housing Unit] Sensory Deprivation Unit. Your newspapers were forwarded to this institution. However, these brain dead assholes stop the newspapers [March 97 MIM Notes] at the door, for the reasons they allege on the enclosed pink slip. Right now I am a little put out, as these racist people here are so far back in the middle ages with their mode of thinking. They don't realize that there is a world outside of Dallas, PA.
I'm not interested in reading about football, or sports, or sex magazine, hunting catalogs, etc. They allow all that type of crap in here.
-- A Pennsylvania Prisoner, 14 May 1997
Letters of protest can be sent to: Superintendent David H. Larkins, State Corrections Institution - Dallas, Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612-0286
COLORADO GULAG BANS MIM NOTES & NOTAS ROJAS
I regret to inform you, that the Limon Correctional Facility has taken it upon themselves to ban MIM Notes and Notas Rojas. The reasons given: The paper advocates violence and armed revolution; furthermore it was stated you are advocating racial hatred. Since March 3, 1997 I have not received either paper.
What I would like your staff to do is write this facility and inquire why the papers are not being allowed in this facility. Furthermore a call out for others to write here would be great. Write to the following assholes: Carol Soares, Review Committee Chair, and/ or Robert Furlong, Superintendent of Limon Correctional Facility, at PO Box 10,000, Limon, CO 80826.
En Lucha,
-- A Colorado Prisoner, 10 June 1997
TEXAS CENSORS MIM NOTES
I received my first 2 publications on June 3, 1997. One of the papers was taken by the White Supremacist, Angela S. Milbern, Mailroom Supervisor.
I have started a discussion group and a study group on our struggle with the Administration. My Rail Notes was taken by the mailroom without property censored denial forms from Angela S. Milbern. [Milbern] took the publication out of the package of MIM Notes.
I would appreciate it if someone could write her here or call her in the mailroom to see why she's holding my MIM Notes and RAIL Notes without proper appeal or denial forms.
Sincerely,
-- A Texas Prisoner
Letters of Protest can be sent to: Angela S. Milbern, Mailroom
Supervisor, 2101 FM 369 North, Iowa Park, TX 76367- 6568, or telephone
(817) 855-7477