MIM Notes 186 May 15 1999

Political repression in Missouri

More than half of my prison term has been spent in the hole known 
as super max. This is due to my leadership position, mass 
organizing and uniting inmates in various struggles and for the 
work I do with RAIL. I can tell many stories of the physical and 
mental beatings received due to all of this and the many other 
things I do to expose these pigs and the corrupt system they 
protect.

At this particular time, I write from the hole due to my 
persistant attempts to organize a demonstration to honor the 
memory of George Jackson. They covered themselves by saying I 
threatened a guard.

I say this so that we (prisoners) must give up the material things 
these pigs give to pacify us, as we must come together and form a 
mass organization from inside to be led by MIM. We must fear no 
punishment if we know what we are fighting for is right. We must 
put all differences aside, religious, gang, race etc. Until we do, 
nothing can be gained. And when inmates do unite, they can't be 
the [egotistical ones] who join the struggle only because they 
want to lead something. And they can't be the scared ones who 
abandon the struggle when the pigs start talking about the hole or 
taking the TW and other bullshit.

I have endured every possible means of torture as a means to break 
me. I've seen other prisoners murdered by the pigs, I've lost 
family relationships and have lost every chance of parole so that 
I don't get out until my max date. I've laid in a striped cell 
bleeding and hogged tied with a face full of mace. But I stand 
firm and continue my struggle, I continue to educate myself and 
others to give up the struggle, you might as well give up on your 
life and join the other side...

[One of the tactics discussed for organizing in the prisoners' 
letter is a phone tree.] If a prisoner gets harassed and thrown 
into the hole for bullshit, the RAIL comrade is notified and 
relayed all the information to other comrades and organizations 
and then everyone begins flooding the prison administration with 
phone calls finding out what the problem is and protesting that 
the comrade be released. It doesn't much get the prisoner out of 
the hole, but it lets the administration know that people on the 
outside are monitoring the prisoners' conditions and the pigs are 
more hesitant in doing anything harmful.

I want to do all I can to organize United Struggle from Within to 
strengthen the MIM-led united front against imperialism. Count me 
in until the end.