MIM NOTES No. 196        October 15, 1999	

Under Lock & Key

Control units: repression against Blacks and Latinos

In response to some of your questions: yes, there are control 
units in this facility. We have a regular lock-up for those with 
adjudicated disciplinary charges, we have an administrative 
segregation unit for those whom are considered to be security 
threat groups or those who interfere with the orderly operation of 
this facility. First I would like to say that it is unjust and 
unfair for a prisoner to be locked up for having his own beliefs 
and ambitions. As I stated in my last letter I am a part of a 
group of Latino inmates who join together to become one so that we 
may unite and fight against our oppressors.

In pig language they'd call us a gang. I don't see it that way. 
Just because I choose to be a part of a nation of Latinos who 
struggle for righteousness and justice I am treated as thought i 
were a murderer. We constantly get our rooms ransacked with the 
excuse of looking for contraband material pertaining to a security 
threat group. Well the "gang units" as they are called house 
supposed gang members such as the Latin Kings, the Association 
Neta, the Bloods, the Nation of Gods and Earths, and believe me 
it's rough. You are locked down for 24 hours a day and they allow 
you one of those to use the shower and use the phones. They place 
you in a cell all by yourself with the vents blowing a hundred 
miles an hour. They limit your canteen, the amount of reading 
materials, also when you are in a unit such as that one you don't 
get any recreational period.

Basically you are in a cage for 23 hours a day with one hour to 
shower, use the phone, make your moves, and somehow try to keep 
your muscles moving instead of being like a couch potato all day 
long. Sometimes the corrections officer are real assholes and 
don't want to give you your hour, and sometimes they don't even 
give you your whole hour. When you are placed in this unit you are 
placed there for good until you are released or until you are 
transferred. It is very hard to get out of the gang unit. 
Basically when the administration feels threatened by someone, 
regardless if one belongs to a security threat group or not, 
they'll place you in there without hassles. You cannot win with 
these people. In here if you comport yourself good or bad you 
always get the short end of the stick regardless.

-- a prisoner in New Jersey.

Non-Violent protest in Pennsylvania

We Capital Cases at SCI Greene are participating in a nonviolent 
protest to disclose the racism that still persists. We are not 
eating on the morning shift because of the racism, harassment, and 
oppression that have us paranoid about our health and well being. 
We are therefore robbing our bodies of proper nutrients and are 
not functioning right. The racist staff here refuse to let any of 
us see a doctor. We are also participating in a nonviolent protest 
by singling up in the 17-man yard animal cages to show our disgust 
with the racism. They house over 128 capital cases here on L/BLK 
and we are allowed 2 to a cage. We have opted for 1 in a cage 
because we are fed up with the continuing harassment and 
oppression of CO 1 Albright, Clovis, Schwartz, and DiCiano, all 
morning shift guards. We are also fed up with the administration 
monitoring our legal phone calls when the law state just personal 
calls. Mr. Warman, our Unit Manager, is in cahoots with the 
guards.

Mr. Warman, Lts. Capts., and Major Hassette have been quietly 
sweeping our grievances about racism under the rug. We just 
received an African American Superintendent, Conner Blaine. He was 
deputy here with Ben (racist) Varner and then Superintendent 
Clanes S, Price. Mr. Blaine is an Uncle Thomas, and he lets these 
Klan heads commit all types of racist acts on us without saying a 
word. The guards even stepped it up a notch when he came back as 
Superintendent.

We have vowed to stay steadfast in our nonviolent protest until 
the racism and other tactics are investigated. Please help support 
us by contacting the following individuals and demanding that we 
receive medical treatment for our food strike and the racist 
guards are removed:

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge (507-787-2500), 

Martin F. Horn, DOC (507-975-4859),Conner Blaine, Supt., SCI 
Greene (412-852-2902). 

House of Representatives Harold James, 1423 Point Breeze Avenue, 
Philadelphia


Abuse in South Carolina

I am currently under lock and key in Evans Correctional Institute 
in South Kkkarolina, one of many torture camps. A few days ago two 
officers assaulted an elderly Black man who had to be in his 60's 
or 70's, while he was in a wheelchair. Ofc. Coleman and Sgt. 
Childress both jacked him out of his wheelchair and slammed him 
down several times, causing cardiac arrest. A week or two later he 
died in the deathtrap infirmary. None of these pigs received any 
punishment for the murder. One less nigger to worry about I guess.
Rebuilding!!!

Amerika: The real criminals

I sincerely thank you for putting a true Black spirit into my 
heart and for helping me remove those hateful seeds implanted in 
me towards my bro and sis by the real enemies. Your words and 
works have shown me that one true love, and that's Black love, 
Latino love and love to all the oppressed peoples.

Amerikkka, are the first and only Real Criminals. This nation was 
founded on two principles crimes and slavery. Why is it that the 
crimes that founded this nation are never mentioned?

It was Amerikkka who kidnapped us.
It was Amerikkka that robbed us.
It was Amerikkka that raped our wimmin.
It was Amerikkka who committed child abuse.
It was Amerikkka who murdered us.

My older warriors and younger soldiers, we must tell ourselves it 
is better to die in our graves than to die as slaves. This same 
spirit was in Nat Turner, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, 
Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm 
X, Mao, Marx, Engles, Lenin, Stalin and countless unknown others.

-- a prisoner in Florida

Texas prisoner wants info on 'rights'

I need some information concerning the living condition and food 
service policy in Ad Seg in the Texas prison system.

I couldn't understand why the officers turn the air conditioner on 
while it's winter time and turn the heater on while it's summer 
time. When it rains, ALL of the cells in Ad Seg leak rain real bad 
from the ceiling and maintenance won't come and repair the ceiling 
in NONE of the cells. They say @#$% the rules and regulations for 
the use of the Ad Seg plan within the TDCJ-ID.

I also would like to know about this new food service policy that 
the state of Texkkkas is suppose to have stating that the state 
prison system is suppose to be cutting back on the food. The state 
has started feeding us bread and milk for breakfast with two ice 
cream scoops of oatmeal and some watered down gravy or sometimes 
we'll get fed two little biscuits one boiled egg, a handful of 
butter and these %*&#$ are talking about cutting back on the food.

T.D.C. grows it's own vegetables and fruit. And T.D.C. has its own 
meat packing plant and processes it's own meat.

-- A Texas prisoner.

Repression in Oregon

Well I received a letter asking about this $%?@*! gulag.  Here in 
OR what can I say I've been in the hole since the day I got 
shipped here -- 25 minutes after I got here as a matter of fact.

This place is full of rats and child molesters so what OR is doing 
is shipping people like me who won't reform to their game of jump 
through our hoops, do our programs where we can humiliate you and 
in the end you get nothing but another hoop. So as punishment 
they're sending a lot of us here to set us up.

Here's how there hole works. Your cell is all bullet proof glass 
fronts and there's a camera in front of each one and then the 
swine sit's in a booth that stretches the length of the tier so 
they watch you 24-7. They have all toilets set on 30 minute 
timers, they flush for 3 seconds only and the toilet will plug 
cause they used the wrong size pipe. Then you have waste in your 
cell until they call a plumber. It's even worst for the people in 
two man cell's.

Then there's the mail, they open it and if they don't like what's 
in it they tear them up and do it in front of you. I've written to 
you about this twice before. I got a $200 fine for one letter I 
wrote you. They said it fall under unauthorized gang organization. 
I along with others have proof about the mail, I have a stack of 
letters that the fronts have been all crossed out in red. Even the 
stamp so it can't be used again. I have write ups with capt's 
signatures saying they opened my mail, read it, and determined it 
was gang-oriented and given $300 fine. I've written and asked why 
they're braking the law and destroying federal mail there answered 
because they can.

Yes, they shipped a bunch of us to Texas in 1995. I started a riot 
and food strike and was pulled out and did 24 months in a 
isolation cell. I was fed beans and rice for lunch and dinner for 
the 24 mo. The only thing that changed was the beans. They brought 
us back because OR didn't pay their bill. They sent us to Arizona 
but didn't pay so Arizona sent everyone back. They burned 
Washington State too.

Now they have this new state of the art pen that is costing $200 
or $300 million. The contractor is using inmate labor -- they pay 
them about $100 a month but this is the good part. The contractor 
is putting down that they are being paid 19 an hour. This guy is 
cleaning up he as pays the inmates and pockets the rest and has 
been getting away with it for 5 years. It's the good old boy 
system here. They're using the wrong plumbing and got caught using 
the electrical wiring and had to close half the institution over 
again. This is just part of what goes on here.

As for myself I think the time for the pen is over I feel its time 
for people to put there petty differences aside and unite and 
start to fight.

In total resistance,
--a prisoner in Oregon.

Gang units repress political education

I just finished reading MIM Notes for June and July and i see 
where someone had written in about the STG unit in Northern State 
Prison in New Jersey. I was one of the first prisoners grabbed off 
the yard in January 1990 to be held until March of 1998 when the 
unit opened up. On March 4, 1998 we were shipped here from all 
over the state. Most of us did nothing except belong to what they 
call a gang but to us it's political education to fight the abuse 
these pigs use on us!

They hold our mail for two to three weeks before giving it to us, 
and when i was expedited to South Carolina in July of 1998 for a 
parole hearing they took a large amount of money out of my 
account, and stole my radio. This is one form of their abuse on us 
by these pigs.

Cold showers and cold food are another. They try to make us give 
in but i for one am stronger for my eyes are open to the abuse 
they puton us. I will continue to fight for prisoner's rights even 
if i have to spill every bit of my blood! I'd like to say 
Decorazon to all my brothers!

-- a New Jersey Prisoner, 27 July 1999.

Wisconsin prisoner spreads revolutionary lit

If we want justice in this world, we will have to fight for it, 
because the only thing we'll get in this world, is their law.

Greetings my beloved comrades. I just received your MIM Notes, 
thank you very much, I have at least 10 men in line to read them 
once I am finished. We are all on their "administrated 
confinement" -- about 30 Africans, 10 Hispanics and 3 or 4 whites. 
Something is wrong with that picture. But I'm trying to keep these 
brothers of all colors, reading more then these "Mary had a little 
lamb" ass books that they try to push off on us to read from the 
library. So thank you for working with me, in sending me good, 
truthful stuff to read and pass on.

-- a prisoner in Wisconsin.

New subscriber sends revolutionary greetings

This letter is in response to your June 15, 1999 no. 188 issue, 
your interview with brother Grim. A lot of positive things were 
said in that interview. Thanks MIM, job well done.

People need to realize that it's all about uplifting our race and 
people, breaking the chains of oppression, there is nothing 
glamorous about selling drugs or hanging out on corners. All that 
is doing is exploiting our people and keeping them down. We need 
to educate and wake our people up. Because knowledge is power and 
that is the key that opens all doors.

No one is going to give us anything. So we have to take what we 
want. We have to create programs where we can teach our own about 
"Social Development" and how to overcome these "imperialist pigs" 
whose only wish and objective is to keep us down and confused and 
at each others' throats. That is why when I read your interview 
with brother Grim, it hit my heart to hear someone speaking on 
what I feel and believe in (Thanks again MIM). I would like to 
send a shout out to our brothers and sisters in these prisons. 
Keep your heads up, stay strong.

Justice for the people, glory to the Queens, and power to the 
almighty Latin Kings!!!!

Before I sign off, could you put me on your mailing list ...

-- an Illinois Prisoner.

New methods of total lockdown

I am in receipt of the August 1, 1999 four page letter updating us 
on the progress of MIM's work. I also received last month's MIM 
Notes. Thanks.

After reading the update letter, I've been trying to determine 
where I can be of assistance. This prison kamp is not really 
conducive to engaging in real political agitation and organizing. 
I am part of a small study group that attempts to critically 
analyze our conditions concretely. We pass on information to our 
fellow kaptives and encourage everyone to study. We at this prison 
kamp are not allowed to receive donated books. However, the prison 
library is set up to receive book donations if the books are in 
relatively good condition. Our library has very little updated 
books on politics from a progressive point of view.

There has been a stepped up program of total lockdowns for the 
purpose of searching the prison for contraband. However, very 
little contraband was found. Mainly kaptives lost personal items 
like stamps, books, and personal letters and photos. One guy I 
know who is New Afrikan, had pictures of his white female friend 
confiscated mysteriously during the big shakedown.

Let me explain the new methods of total lockdown. Friday, 
approximately 7 AM, a large contingent of prison guards silently 
crept into housing units 400-C and 400-D and ordered us kaptives 
to get dressed and exit our cells to be escorted down to the gym. 
Of course, they searched us before allowing us to leave the 
housing units. We were not allowed to use the toilets until we 
arrived at the gym. 250 men stood in line to use three toilets and 
two urinals. We were told we could either go eat breakfast or go 
to the gym and use the toilet. Very few people went to eat because 
most had been awaken after having slept all night. Most people 
have to relieve themselves when they first wake up in the morning. 
So it was to the toilet or the chowhall. I went to the toilet.

We were kept in the gym until after 2PM at which time we were 
ordered back to the housing units to remain in our cells another 
three hours.

A few days later, at 11:10 AM this same routine was repeated but 
directed only at unit 400-C. We stayed in the gym four hours 
before allowed to return to our cells. The thing that stood out 
for these lockdowns is that they were ordered without the siren 
being sounded. Usually every month, the siren is blown to signal 
official locked down status. The siren alerts the surrounding 
community that the prison is under emergency status. These last 
two lockdowns were performed without the outside community knowing 
anything was afoot at the prison until after it was over.

The guards come in dressed in black jumpsuits and paratrooper 
boots. They wear helmets and carry shields and long wooden batons, 
pepper spray and handcuffs. Their demeanor is akin to nazi storm 
troopers and they are hostile and menacing.

I don't like the idea of the snaking in the early like that and 
locking the entire prison down without notice to the community. 
But this is the belly of the beast and they have the power.

My fellow kaptives didn't like the stepped up repression but no 
one challenged the goons. They, male and female alike, were very 
confrontational.

Prisoners are not organized to defend against gestapo tactics.

I suggest to those who will listen, to educate themselves as to 
what they are up against and then to educate their outside family 
and friends. Then I suggest that they have their family and 
friends organize as concerned citizens about the going ons in 
these kamps. Many people think its beyond their ability to impact 
the operation of these kamps, but a few people do write letters 
and call the warden about how they treat us.

I don't have a problem sharing my experience with those who want 
to learn and listen. I will have served 27 years come October 1999 
for killing a drug dealer during a robbery. I have seen many 
changes over the years. And in many respects, it has never been 
worse.

Well, thanks against for the newsletters and information.
The Struggle Continues,
-- A Michigan prisoner.