A note on RAIL's "confrontational" language & tone

Many of RAIL's articles take a harsh approach to prisons. We refer to 
AmeriKan gulags, to the united $nakes, to prisons as koncentration 
kamps and more. We use this language because we believe in calling a 
duck a duck, and a pig a pig. 

We write about prisons and about imperialism generally to give voice to
prisoners and the oppressed, and to educate people living within u.$.
borders to the crimes this country commits daily. As an organization RAIL
exposes the brutality of Amerikan imperialism and organizes people to
fight oppression. We refer to this country in terms that reflect our
beliefs about this country's politics. You may disagree with our
assessment of this country. But we hope you'll understand that we are only
using language to reflect the meaning of our arguments.

People who work with RAIL and contribute to RAIL publications are not
required to use this language -- some agree with it and some don't. Those
of us who do use this language take much of it directly from the prisoners
we organize with. 

Prisoners living daily under lock and key do not hold illusions about this
country's inherent nature. The prisons systems dehumanize prisoners daily
-- calling them by number instead of by their given names, and on a more
personal level by condoning guards referring to prisoners as "assholes,"
"predators," and more. Why should prisoners in this countext refer to this
country by its chosen name? What is sacred about prisoners' allies
respecting the name this country calls itself?

While not everyone in RAIL will call this country Amerika, as an
organization we would not pretend that there is anything wrong in doing
so. We encourage all activists and potential activists to dig beneath what
you may see as a harsh tone long enough to comprehend the reason for using
it. If you disagree with us, we're open to challenges. But we urge you not
to dismiss our criticisms of this country just because we display them
honestly.