Federal Prisons

I am writing to inform you of the Ferguson Unit’s mishandling of COVID-19, which is common throughout the state of Texas. One unit (Pack Unit) has a lawsuit on it already in court as I write this. I’m trying to get in contact with that lawyer to take my case too.

My cellie was the first one to test positive on July 6th. They came and moved him to solitary per policy. While the guards dressed in full PPE waited for him, I stood next to him in only boxers. When I asked, “what about me?” I was ignored. Do you think they moved me? Do you think they tested me? Do you think they even gave me a bar of soap to clean the infected cell with? No, to all. I filed a Step 1 grievance on it and you can guess how it came back.

To make it worse, they moved him into the cell with me after only 12 days of being quarantined. I filed a Step 1 on this – no response yet. I filed a Step 2 on the first part when I got a copy of the rules that they are suppose to be following: CMHC Infection Control Manual B-14.52.

“Offenders that are close contacts of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases should be placed in medical restriction.”

“Thoroughly clean and disinfect all areas where suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases spent time.”

“Offenders should be kept in medical isolation until at least 3 days (72 hrs) have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath); and at least 14 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.”

You can see for yourself how they broke the rules. They didn’t stop there. They did a mass test of the unit, which is about 2,500 prisoners. Around 380 positives came back. They didn’t know what to do, so they cleared one row out here on B-block and housed some of them there with two and three row not having COVID! The block is already infested with rats and roaches. I mean, I got roaches crawling on me at night – it’s not a clean environment to begin with. I filed a Step 1 on all that too.

I’m not letting this pass. I’ve wrote the media, ACLU, and advocacy groups. The public needs to know how we are mistreated in here! Any help or ideas are welcome.

There has been over the past several months here lockdowns under the name quarantine. Over 200 people (prisoners and guards) have been confirmed sick and just yesterday our living section was divided 1 section well, 2 section well, 3 section sick. The sick and the non-sick are being housed together in an effort to get us all sick so the unit can get extra money to treat us that they have and has put into their pockets.

About a month ago, a guard showed up to our cells early in the morning with a back pack full of lights and buttons and a hose gun that produced a vapor that the guards called vitrol or some such nonsense that they claimed killed all virus. Well, it didn’t work obviously and while on this “quarantine” we are only allowed to purchase certain correspondence items and the only cleaning items we are allowed to buy is one bottle of shampoo and five small bars of soap. With all the sickness you would think the guards would want us to clean but they don’t. They just want us sick. We are not even allowed to make outside purchases.

We’re on a newer COVID-19 lockdown here at FCI Manchester. We only get 2 10 minute showers a week. No phone calls or emails. They refused to shut down UNICOR so a UNICOR unit has 42 plus cases of COVID-19 now. They started to ship people/prisoners in from other places, which brought in more COVID-19. The main doctor, Perkins, walked from unit to unit with COVID-19 for a week. We believe he knew he was sick. We all thought so looking at him sweating etc.

“Wherever there is struggle there is sacrifice, and death is a common occurrence. But we have the interests of the people and the sufferings of the great majority at heart, and when we die for the people it is a worthy death. Nevertheless, we should do our best to avoid unnecessary sacrifices.” -Serve The People, 8 September 1944, Mao Zedong

The semi-colonized, oppressed nations in amerikkka suffer from a debased and reprobate collective psyche which has been generated from our subjugation under enslavement, colonialism and neo-colonialism and now fascism. This mind frame is usually referred to as “colonized thinking”. ‘Colonized thinking’ is in opposition to the self-sacrifice principle Comrade Mao mentioned in the above quote. This ‘Colonized thinking’ will be referred to in the body of this essay as ‘amerikkkanism’. The letters ‘ameri’ in the term amerikkkanism are representative of the empire known as america. The three K’s are indicative of the white supremacist, hetero-patriarchal nature of said empire and its government policies. amerikkkanism will be spelled with lower case ‘a’ to note the inferiority and low mindedness of such thought.

amerikkkanism can be and is propagated and perpetuated by all nationalities subjugated under amerikkkan dictatorship. This is merely due to colonial policy, which strategically eradicates an oppressed nations’ culture, hystory, spirituality by force (slavery, war, colonization, police terror, prison). The colonizer then forcefully indoctrinates its culture, twistory, and religion into these nations. The goal is to eliminate the diversity and manipulate one into identifying with their own enemy (the colonizer). Without ever freely recognizing the humyn rights of these nations. The nations and their people are led to believe they’re not a nation at all. They tell us “you are Mexican-American, Afrikan-American, Asian-American, Native-American”, all this ‘amerikkkan’ talk is to insinuate one’s value and worth as a humyn is subject to one’s identification or lack thereof with the amerikkkan colonizer.

This acts to steer the mass of oppressed nations away from seeking self-determination and thus true FREEDOM. Instead we are strategically steered into the thought of amassing as much wealth or capital as possible. This is the capitalist-bourgeoisie’s mentality now alive within the very people such a mentality acts against. The competitiveness mentality which is driven by each one’s aspiration for capital creates the national chauvinist (racist) mentality. It creates a race to the finish line so to speak, between nationalities, and individuals. This race/competition breeds the hatred, oppression, and division we see within amerikkka and amerikkkanism. This individualistic, neo-liberalism is a counter-productive ideology and culture for those on the bottom tier of this caste and class, amerikkkan system. This bottom tier, the poor-working sector, those within the lumpen class, have our only pathway to throwing off the yoke of the fascists oppression is in Unity-Struggle-Unity.

Unity itself makes sacrifice prerequisite. According to ‘Webster’s New World Dictionary’, sacrifice is defined as “a giving up of one thing for the sake of another”. amerikkka has pillaged, raped, manipulated and murdered it’s way to the drivers seat of world imperialism and globalization of capital. As such just being on so-called amerikkkan soil has its privileges. As revolutionists striving to overthrow the domination of the capitalist-bourgeois class both within the amerikkkan empire and the Third world, we must reprogram ourselves into people who continuously sacrifice these ‘privileges’ and blood money for the sake of self-determination for the world’s oppressed and underdeveloped nations. We must establish revolutionary principles within our society, and purge ourselves and our kind of the reprobate, colonized mind/thinking. Reprobate is defined as: unprincipled or depraved.

At the foundational level this 30 day journey and cleansing of the mind, body, and spirit [Black August] is an independent institution being established by a collective of lumpen promoting self-determination of oppressed nation people through resistance, sacrifice, and unity. Let’s keep struggling comrades! Vita wa watu - Power to the People!

My unit has been on lockdown for 41 days as of this day, 27 July 2020. We all was tested on 2 June 2020 with all negative results. But on the 16th of June prisoners started to get sick so we went on lockdown. The out breka caused a second testing for COVID-19, which at this time about 1000+ cases came back positive. Of those, 800+ with no symptoms and about 200 with symptoms so that what going on on the Coffield Unit.

-Forty

#AllPowerToThePeople!

#LongLiveTheGuerrilla!

In early March [2020], at the beginning stages of the public information campaign regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, I was informed of preventative methods such as wearing a mask and hand washing by family and friends on the outside. I began to educate the other prisoners at Valley State Prison (VSP) of the pandemic and how the administration was trying to down play the severity of the situation.

I decided to exercise my influence by leading by example, so my first step was to create my own face mask, second step I wore it in public every time I got the chance. At first I looked and felt rather silly because I was the only one wearing a mask; not even medical staff were wearing masks. People were calling me paranoid and hypochondriac, they said it was not that serious and the virus would not come into prison.

One day while going to A-yard dining hall a really rude officer named Miss Avila stopped me and confiscated my mask and told me “Inmates are not allowed to wear a mask.” I was also warned by another officer that worked regularly in my building, that I was causing a hysteria among the prisoners by wearing my mask. He also said he believed the pandemic was just a hoax.

By the end of April, CDCR’s Prison Industry Authority(PIA) starts creating and distributing masks to all of California’s imprisoned population. Medical staff began to wear masks, but custody staff officers still refused to wear any masks. Officers would harass any prisoners not wearing masks, although it was hot and the masks were uncomfortable we wore the masks as a symbol out of solidarity we want to protect one another, in particular our elderly population and those with high risk medical conditions. But the officers still refused to participate with us by wearing a mask. On 24 April 2020 we united around a common interest as imprisoned lumpen striving to build a healthy environment and we filed a group Appeal L (602) Log# VSP-A-20-01089 with 12 prisoners and on 5 May 2020 a memorandum was issued ordering “All Staff” Mandatory wearing of cloth barrier masks by warden R. Fisher Jr. On 5 June 2020 our inmate appeal was partially granted and all staff was mandated to wear “cloth barrier masks.” I want to thank MIM for encouraging me to exercise my influence by creating a united front and helping me to turn my knowledge into political organizing.

MIM(Prisons) adds: This is an example of real leadership. Recognizing what the material needs of the people are, and sticking your neck out to lead by example in how to meet those needs. The people soon recognized this leadership and followed. This is just one of many examples we have printed in recent weeks of prisoncrats actively resisting safety measures to protect prisoners (and staff). This is everyday treatment of those in U.$. prisons, it just has more immediate relevance to the outside world because of the global pandemic. Supporters of United Struggle from Within join these comrades in these day-to-day struggles to say “Prisoner Lives Matter!”

Continuation of San Quentin: Greatest Concentration of COVID-19 after Guards Refuse Masks and Put Hands in Prisoners’ Food

On 15 June 2020, swab tests for COVID-19 were performed outside East Block on what is called G yard. Donner’s 1st tier and 2nd tier (now occupied by a group of grade B condemned prisoners from the AC which is being used as a quarantine unit) are now waiting to see who got infected by the disrespectful sows too righteous in their own eyes to cover their snouts.

Since 29 May 2020 forward, less and less care is being seen. Trays went from having no lids to being paper without much if anything protecting them from any number of pathogens during food seizure.

On the morning of 15 June 2020 and throughout early afternoon, locking cuff ports were installed on holding cages. When asked why no plexiglass partitions were installed (because the cages are literally only separated by the grated walls they’re made of) the installer’s response was “they’re doing a lot of stupid things right now.” That rings truer than wanted.

New rules implemented 1 June 2020 got rid of CDCR 22 forms. The purpose of such forms was, according to DOM54.090.1 policy, to document communication between staff and inmates. By getting rid of a way to document communication between staff and inmates it opens up a trap door for things like grievances to fall through. It also shuts down any prisoner’s attempt to resolve problems in a timely manner that could and now will spin out into oblivion. Of course, CDCR must have another purpose for invoking “emergency regulations” as regards the appeals process (see 15 CCR 3084-3086 on http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/regulations/adult_operations). But CDCR hasn’t said what the emergency is concerning appeals and/or CDCR 22 forms. Why not emergency enforcement of 15 CCR 3052(e)(f)? Why not emergency training for disrespectful sows that don’t tuck their snouts into their masks?

On 16 June 2020 Donner condemned is allowed yard with 1/2 of East Block (one day after testing and before results). It turns out EB is getting fed with normal trays that have lids. When confronted, staff explained that it’s because the kitchen doesn’t want to chance spreading COVID-19. Nobody in Donner has tested positive, but 2 prisoners with “symptoms” were moved to the AC. Even still, how does serving food uncovered on a paper tray stop the spread of anything? The bullshit thickens.

On 22 June 2020, ABC News at 5 did a story called “Outbreak at San Quentin”. It did have snippets of testimony and video footage but it was edited to be misleading. It casts CDCR as being proactive and without cases until a transfer of inmates from Chino. Not only is that bullshit, it explains nothing about how death row prisoners became infected having no contact with those Chino prisoners. As of 15 June 2020, at least 30 of the other 300 reported infected prisoners at San Quentin are death row prisoners currently warehoused in Donner Section.

The virus will continue to spread out of control because of staff’s extreme lack of care expressed by their actions and/or reckless disregard for the health & safety of both themselves and others.

Today (23 June 2020) two of the disrespectful sows assigned to Donner RC (Busseman and Peters) began their daily asinine antics by first prepping the RC prisoner food without face coverings. Later, the same two handled the 5th tier’s canteen without face coverings or gloves. Then they handed it to each of the intended recipients. Prisoners continue to be put at risk when exposure is available. This outbreak springs from an extreme lack of care NOT Chino.

According to the news ticker going across the bottom of the TV screen, KPIX 5 reports over 160 death row prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19 (as of 26 June 2020). More than 1/4 of all DR prisoners! In addition to not wearing their masks properly or not at all, the disrespectful sows assigned to Donner continue to follow orders to do other really stupid things which facilitate the spread of the virus. Death row prisoners warehoused in Donner take showers in cages with no way to be more than 3’ from the prisoner in the cage next to them. Here’s another example of stupid from the guy who built them. When drunkard Ron Denis was warden at S.Q. he decided to prohibit prisoners from using the yard showers. Rumor has it that the decision was in response to female employees complaining about seeing naked men. A stenciled sign was also posted on each yard prohibiting “bathing”. That reactionary mole only detracts from what would be an available option. Death row prisoners have been denied yard for 12 days as of 28 June 2020. However, a continuing lack of care blinds the S.Q. administration’s ability to see and implement common sense solutions. The present plan seems to be keep everyone locked in the units (health professions warned have such poor ventilation) until all prisoners are eventually exposed to a lethal dose of bullshit. Appeal #SQ-A-20-01123 recently submitted 29 March 2020 was due 29 June 2020 but continues to be ignored despite the issues cited therein being major contributing factors to the spread of COVID-19.

According to KPIX News (30 June 2020) a 71-year-old man on the row died in his cell last week from COVID-19. CDCR is now assigning blame to outside hospitals to further bury the fact its own employees NOT wearing face coverings correctly or not at all are willing accessories.

The same report mentions 40 prisoners have been transferred to an outside hospital due to COVID. Stepping up enforcement of Newsom’s mask mandate has been and remains a joke as “essential employees” such as Busseman, Peters, Alwhart, Costa and others “on assignment” for now or who returned after being infected themselves remain a vector refusing to properly wear or wear a face covering at all. Unfortunately, it is that same selfish attitude that has led to the sharp spike in this whole state - this whole country. According to every employee asked who returned after a bout with the virus, S.Q. is NOT testing for the virus prior to their return. These employees explained all S.Q. did was basic symptom checks without any requirement to actually test negative for COVID-19.

Now that CDCR says all its employees at S.Q. have been tested it seems as if quite a few of those employees think a negative test means you’ll never get COVID-19. But they could now get it (or give it) walking into any cell block. Here’s another illustration to help make this point more clear: on 15 June 2020 all death row prisoners being warehoused in Donner Section were swab tested for COVID-19. Those who tested positive could have been infected 2 weeks or more before the test was done - BEFORE the transfer of prisoners from Chino even arrived. Those who tested negative could have been infected while en route back to their cell under “hands on escort” AFTER being tested.

On 1 July 2020 Gov. Newsom said nothing about the skyrocketing cases of COVID-19 at S.Q. “Technical difficulties” prevented any questions from the media. The Gov. went on about contact tracing for a moment but the narrative surrounding the cause of the outbreak here remains fictionalized in the mainstream version of events.

On the same day, later that evening it was put out on the wire that another death row prisoner died. From what remains undisclosed at this time. Can Gov. Newsom put a moratorium on the Pestilence Pilot Program?

a CMF prisoner: From California Medical Facility (CMF) at Vacaville, CA, where we have no program.

So like so many Californians I watched the governor’s speech. Sitting in my 8x10 cell I watched yesterday as Governor Newsom spoke on the impact of COVID-19. The spiking of coronavirus in our state and the prison outbreak in California.

He spoke about coming out to Vacaville the day before to oversee the building of a tent city out on the yard. His project is meant to reduce the population of San Quentin State Prison due to out break of coronavirus and all the deaths there by moving them out. Implying the truth with out coming straight out and saying it, that they would move them here. Thereby, jeopardizing an already medically fragile community housed here at CMF, which is in fact a hospital. Most of us here are 55+ years of age with medical issues, many of which are the underlying medical conditions we hear them referring to all the time when discussing the COVID-19 pandemic. I wonder, is this the Governor’s plan to reduce the population of CDCR?

But reducing the population of CDCR by means of population control by euthanization through coronavirus?

They are expecting the virus to spread like wild fire here, now like it did at San Quentin. Even more so because of the medically fragile population here.

But when it does, don’t believe the lies and fairy tales that CDCR will put out on it, and Governor Newsom stories of caring about incarcerated populations. Because his actions prove otherwise.

MIM(Prisons) adds: One persyn recently told eir story of being released from San Quentin prison and dropped off at the San Rafael transit center, as is standard practice. After riding a bus to San Francisco, this persyn got off the bus with flu-like symptoms and passed out on a bench. Ey tested positive for COVID-19 immediately after release.(Snap Judgement on National Public Radio, 25 July 2020)

California, which began the pandemic as the good example in the United $tates, is quickly going downhill as capitalism demands business opens up to “keep the economy going.” Meanwhile, the San Quentin humanitarian disaster is an embarrassment for the CDCR across the country and in the global news. Yet, the staff still seem proud to violate safety procedures and endanger the people around them.

The sickness that is spreading throughout the population of the United $tates that is due to the COVID-19 virus is just a symptom of a deeper sickness that is the individualism and cruel sadism that has allowed the virus to spread so much more in this country than in others. It is no coincidence that this cowboy, settler, #1 imperialist country in the world sees itself as superior and invincible and enjoys inflicting suffering on others. These characteristics are required to keep imperialism going. Yet, this pandemic is an example of how these characteristics will be part of this empire’s undoing. They are intentionally spreading a disease among their own people, even as the oppressed and the imprisoned suffer disproportionately from their behavior. Recent events have only strengthened the oppressed peoples’ cries for organized resistance that serves humyn need. It is in these conditions that real leaders and servants of the people must act to bring us to a new stage of history.

When you enter a new mental, you tap into true potential

Unsatisfied with the gat you become attached to the pencil

You can’t brag on your little strap when they enemy’s blastin missiles

Do the math on that real fast, now you get the picture

You wanted to get cash real fast now you in the system

Then you want that wealth that’ll last once you get the wisdom

It’s not about “DEVELOPING PLANS” it’s staying with ’em

Knowledge supersedes any title, so it’s vital!

It’s not about what you read, it’s the substance of your recital

First you try it, then apply it to your life and just let it guide you

It’s more than quoting the Qur’an, Hindu Scriptures, and Holy Bible

It’s Essentializing Beneficial Knowledge without College

Using LOGIC and not VIOLENCE when it’s time to solve your problems

It’s more than filling up your pockets and seeing your whole profit

The real challenge is to BALANCE getting dollars with killing DRAMA.

K.S.A.T.