Under Lock & Key Nevada prisoners' 10-point program proposal for Ely What We Want, What We Believe 1. We want an immediate end to restitution charges unrelated to the direct destruction of uninsured state property, the overpricing of goods in the prison, and the excessive billing of phone calls. We want a free market system in place to ensure quality goods and services at the best prices. We believe Warden E.K. McDanial and his employees have shown themselves to be true criminals, using us to extort money from our loved ones, who for the great majority, live in poverty themselves. 2. We want the establishment of a culturally diverse program allowing respected religious leaders from our communities to visit the general population and lock down units. At least three thirty-minute personal phone calls a month in the lock down units and the opportunity to purchase pictures of ourselves for our families. We believe we have the right to establish, strengthen, and rebuild positive ties to our families and communities. 3. We want weights back in the general population, pull up and dip bars in all recreation areas, maximum access to outside recreation area for the winter months. More healthy food, fresh fruits and vegetables on the daily menu. At least two additional doctors and better training for the entire medical staff so that all of the nine hundred plus prison population can receive the best possible medical care. We want an immediate end to the illegal use of psychotropic drugs to silence and control inmates. We want all mentally ill and protective custody inmates to be separate from lock down and general population inmates. All mentally ill inmates should be sent to a facility better able to professionally care for them. We believe we have the right to policies and programs that work to encourage good physical and mental health. 4. We want an immediate end to the hand cuffing of cell mates in general population and prisoners receiving haircuts in lock down. We want all inmates housed in double man cells to have at least five hours out of the cell daily, where they can have time apart. We believe we have the right to suitable living conditions and the opportunity to defend ourselves against physical attacks if necessary 5. We want an immediate end to the filthy living conditions and the humiliating practice of forcing inmates on their knees to be shackled. We want daily access to cleaning materials, soap, cleanser, and hair care products in lock down units, razors for the indigent inmates to shave themselves, and inmate trustees to keep the lock down units clean. We believe we have the right to good personal hygiene and clean living conditions. 6. We want an immediate end to the mental and physical abuse of inmates at the hands of prison and medical staff, better training, and accountability for misconduct. Policies that reward staff reports of misconduct among prison employees, an immediate end to the freezing of inmate accounts, and the use of jail house informants in disciplinary hearings. We believe we have the right to be treated as human beings, with respect, fairness, and consideration. 7. We want the school building re-opened to all general population inmates, more teachers to spend more time in the lock down units, more educational books in the prison library and the option to donate our personal educational books to the prison library. We believe incarceration does not include a sentence to ignorance, we have the right to think for and educate ourselves and the right to participate in all educational programs and access to any educational materials, not only what the prison provides, but what our families and communities could provide as well. 8. We want an immediate end to the forced use of the prison copy machine at excessive prices. We want close contact with knowledgeable law clerks in the lock down units. The options to donate personal law books to the library, free access to inmate welfare fund information (which is our money!!!) and participation in the formation of programs funded thereof. We believe we have the right to unhindered access to law books, legal documents, and trained law clerks to explain and/or help fill out and file legal documents. We should know and have a say in how the inmate welfare fund is being used. 9. We want real-time job training, such as computer, construction, carpentry, and electrician classes, more prison jobs for inmates and an end to selective hiring. Many of us will eventually be released from prison. We believe we have the right to reasonably provide for ourselves and our families upon release. 10. We demand new policies, procedures and regulations be written to reflect the fore mentioned human and civil rights and that the existing written rules reflective of these rights be upheld and enforced among staff here at Ely prison. We believe we have the right to and will resist by all available means anyone and anything that promotes or encourages the violation of our human and civil rights. Attn Convict: These are your rights as men and human beings, stand up for them. Demand them, fight for them if necessary. None of these are unreasonable or unattainable. The majority we already had before E.K. McDanial came and stripped us of them. His policies work to strip us of our very dignity, we must resist now. Post a copy of this document on your wall as a reminder and notice to all that you will not accept any treatment less than a human being deserves. In truth and respect, -- a Nevada prisoner. MIM Prison Minister adds: This submission, like the one following, presents a clearer and correct example for other prisoners to follow. The Nevada prisoner's platform addresses conditions specific to a smaller set of prisoners and South Carolina Prisoner Number 1's proposal addresses issues relevant to prisoners across the United Snakes. MIM encourages both types of participation in the development of United Struggle from Within (USW). On the one hand some USW prisoners must think in terms of developing political, ideological and organizational leadership of the anti-imperialist prisoner movement. On the other hand, specific proposals, like the Nevada prisoner's, present goals for local action. Both types of leadership are welcome and overdue. We encourage prisoners who see their needs outlined in either of these proposals to work out a plan of action to achieve the goals. For instance, to battle censorship, MIM uses MIM Notes, flyers, advertisements, other media resources to educate about the censorship of materials sent to prisoners. As we educate about the reality of censorship, we gain supporters who help to end censorship through legal means. For instance, we can have petition and letter-writing drives or we can gain legal research assistance from law students or lawyers. Similarly, prisoners seeking to fight legal battles against other unjust prison conditions need to plan to educate on the topic as well as lead others in a plan of action to fight the conditions legally. And of course, MIM Notes' pages are open to reports on conditions and stages of progress of such campaigns. Part of MIM's role in leading prisoners into genuinely revolutionary work is guidance on issues of political and ideological content. The only political disagreement with have with the Nevada prisoner's proposal is within point number one. We encourage prisoners to study MIM's works that analyze the conditions of Amerika's internal semi-colonies. Demands that MIM supports which affect prisoners must also be in the interests of the world's majority -- the international proletariat. For this reason, MIM would put forward a demand opposing product dumping in prisons the same way we would put forward such a demand against international product dumping. United Struggle from Within Platform draft MIM, USW and the United Front revolutionary trigger hand salute! Without correct analysis, there can be no correct approach to liberation. Previously in MIM Notes 161 MIM stated "all prisoners interested in developing the structure and goals of the mass organization should write to MIM with their proposals. Proposals should be about goals for prisoners in your state or for a continental campaign of prisoners. Make your argument for why these particular goals would help build unity among prisoners and target winnable yet important struggles which are inhibiting prisoners' ability to organize or which will improve prisoners' material conditions." Since this article appeared on May 1, 1998, the mass organization has become known as the United Struggle from Within. Over time our intentions have become more clear, but we have yet to organize the USW in a thoroughgoing materialist way. Throughout the many articles that I will be submitting to Under Lock and Key for the USW, I will have more than a few criticisms of MIM itself. Now that MIM has decided to assist prisoners in building a "mass" organization what must be asked of MIM is, "How does MIM intend to lead such a mass organization, and what is the purpose of such a mass organization?" My first criticism of MIM in regards to USW is that MIM is failing to provide prisoners with a clear analysis of the nature of a mass organization. What is the nature of USW? What must be the structure of its organization? In the same article MIM states "write to MIM and start building the prisoner pole of the united front against imperialism." In MIM Notes 166 MIM states that it is having trouble with the united front, and it should because it fails to do organizational follow-up in the face of its criticism of itself. Simply put, MIM is not posing the right and proper questions to its audience. There is no recapitulation! No follow up on mass organizing! Why do you want to build a mass prisoner organization in contradistinction to imperialism? Why imperialism? Why not capitalism? How do you justify sending all these study groups and individuals the four essays of Mao and do no follow up to develop and deepen prisoners' political understanding as if to say, "Look, we want a mass organization against imperialism in the u.s. prison system. Here is the book for prisoners, you figure it out." Explain to us how imperialism is the principal contradiction in the world. Explain to us why in the formation of a united front all of the MIM-led mass organizations must be organized in contradistinction to imperialism. Begin to eradicate the anarchy of organization by defining the relationship between MIM and the mass orgs it seeks to lead. This writer considers himself a member of the MIM and the USW because I agree with all the cardinal questions and I accept democratic centralism. So let's build! The following quote by Mao is at this time relevant to both MIM and USW: "Some comrades see only the interests of the part and not the whole. They always put undue stress on that part of the work for which they themselves are responsible and always wish to subordinate the interests of the whole to the interests of their own part. They do not understand the party's system of democratic centralism. They do not know that the communist party not only needs democracy, but needs centralism even more. They forget the system of democratic centralism, in which the minority is subordinate to the majority, the lower level to the higher level, the part of the whole, and the entire membership to the central committee. We must definitely build a centralized unified party and make a clean sweep of all unprincipled factional struggles. We must combat individualism and sectarianism so as to enable the whole party to march in step and fight for one common goal."(1) This understanding by Mao holds relatively true for the USW also, except, we cannot liken the USW to a party. We should replace the word with "organization." First, the USW needs principles on which to unite. Without principles, USW comrades we cannot organize our struggle. As a mass organization we must begin to ask ourselves what unprincipled factional struggles look like within the prison movement. Listen and look beyond the confines of your prison walls/fences and understand the various types of prisoner advocacy organizations that claim to be working in the interests of prisoners. Many offer legal support, i.e. civil rights groups such as ACLU, NAACP Legal Branch for Prisoners, and the Southern Center for Human Rights. Some groups and organizations offer community support. Some help and aid us in building public opinion. Yet if prisoners do not realize by now that many prisoner advocacy groups/organizations only harp prisoners rights to line their own pockets then goddamit you just don't have a clue! Everyone wants prisoner art and poems. Just think about the recent international success of the so-called "Prison Blues" jeans. Who is Mr. Opportunistic! If the USW is to be successful we must have principles! In building the type of mass prisoner organization that MIM has in mind. The USW has the historical duty and task of making a clean sweep of all opportunistic prisoner advocacy groups who refuse to unite upon and struggle for the principles we have laid out. Damn what they say on the outside. It is the historical duty of the USW to clarify and define once and for all just who qualifies as political prisoners and prisoners of war. Does MIM intend to build or help prisoners build the USW in an abstract manner? This writer holds the view that the USW by its very nature must be a cadre organization. By its very structure it must have democratic centralism or else it will fail in the face the highly organized apparatus of repression it is led to challenge by the MIM. As a mass organization, we need a mission statement (if we do not already have one) and a point program on which to rally around. As far as USW leaders are concerned there is a lack of revolutionary arrogance! Do you lack confidence?! Here is something that also must be posed to the USW comrades, "What is the possibility of having the USW chartered?" My analysis of the cadres who adhere to the theoretical vision goes beyond that of MIM and other USW units where they claim in MIM Notes 192 that "USW is in necessity of the formation of study groups and intense study." As materialists this USW unit places practice in the primary position by agreeing under democratic centralism to submit a certain amount of work to Under Lock and Key consistently. I salute the cadres within my unit for the formation of this 10- point program. Our efforts were to form the most scientifically advanced and broad-based platform so as to include all prisoners. Please take note of point 4 of our "What We Want/What We Believe" platform. We realized that many prisoners write to MIM's Under Lock and Key without signifying whether or not they belong to USW. It is for this reason we want unity of all prisoners who can be united under United Struggle from Within. We need membership! How many prisoners are willing to join the USW? How many prisoners possessing leadership qualities are willing to take the initiative by actively struggling for the reigns of leadership? I am a member of and I represent the comrades under USW here within the state of South Carolina. As a prison activist I hereby step forward to do my part in helping the MIM to build the united front. As a theoretician I have an analysis of South Carolina prisons in particular and prisons across the triple K states in general. I believe my analysis is most correct and my approach the best and quickest way forward. At this time, I will introduce myself as South Carolina prisoner number 1 and from here on out I will retain this title until and unless there is another prisoner in this state who can prove by the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist theory of knowing and doing that his/her analysis is more correct and his/her approach the quickest way forward. My proposal is that we find the most politically advanced prisoner in every state and to use these as a core/center around which to attract and build a prisoner mass organization. Only through systematic organizing will these advanced elements be located across Amerikkka in the prison industrial complex. If the USW is to be successful, it must pay careful attention to the relationship between its leaders and the prison masses. Mao says of the masses: "the masses in any given place are generally composed of three parts, the relatively active, the intermediate and the relatively backward. If we compare these groups of people, then in general the two groups are small, while the middle group is large. The leaders must therefore be skilled in uniting the small number of active elements to form a leading group, and must rely on this leading group to raise the level of the intermediate elements and to win over the backward elements. A leading group that is genuinely united and linked with the masses can be formed only gradually in the process of mass struggle, such as rectification or study campaigns, and not in isolation from it. In the process of any great struggle, the composition of the leading group should not and cannot remain entirely unchanged. Throughout the initial, middle and final stages, the activists (heroes) who come forward in the course of the struggle must constantly be promoted to replace those original members of the leading group who are inferior by comparison or who have degenerated. One fundamental reason why the work in many places and many organizations cannot be pushed ahead is the lack of a leading group which is united, linked with the masses and kept healthy." (2) To realize the above as one of the methods of Maoism is not our objective, rather, to carry into practice this realization is our objective. Its application is Maoism. This method implies hierarchy. And without it we cannot even implement this method. We need a leadership who is willing to engage in ruthless ideological struggle to obtain positions within the USW. I suggest we be about trying to locate prisoner number 1 in each state to better organize the prison movement. -- South Carolina Prisoner Number 1 Notes: 1. Political Thought of Mao Tse Tung, Stuart Schram. Praeger, p. 2 2. pp. 315-316. REVOLUTIONARY REFORM Submitted by South Carolina Prisoner Number 1 WHAT WE WANT, WHAT WE BELIEVE 1) WE WANT ORGANIZATION-We want the right to organization. We demand the right to have organizations that recognizes the Political Rights of prisoners. Only by exercising our Fourteenth Amendment right to Due Process can we preserve our right to organization in the face of the repression prisoners suffer across the U.S.A. within the Prison Industrial Complex 1(a) We believe nn principled struggle. Without principles for which to strive for we cannot organize our struggle. Furthermore we believe that prisoners have the right to organize themselves under the First Amendment, i.e. to peaceably assemble. 2) WE WANT COMMUNITY SUPPORT-We want Community support based upon these PRINCIPLES. 2(a)We believe that prisons are being used as a tool of social control against the Community. We believe that prisons directly affect the stability of the Community. We believe that prisons are for profit in the U.S.A. Furthermore, we believe that prisoners cannot expose the injustices of the U.S. prison system without the support of the Community. 3) WE WANT POLITICAL EDUCATION-We want Political Education as guaranteed under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. 3(a) We believe that all prisoners are political prisoners. (*****WE BELIEVE THOSE POLITICAL ACTIVISTS WHO WERE INCARCERATED BECAUSE OF THE COUNTER-INSURGENCY WAR (COINTELPRO) QUALIFY AS PRISONERS OF WAR. WE ALSO BELIEVE THOSE ELEMENTS WHO WERE INCARCERATED BECAUSE OF AMERIKKKA's WAR ON DRUGS ARE VICTIMS OF WAR*****) 4) WE WANT UNITY OF ALL PRISONERS UNDER U.S.W.-We want Unity of all prisoners under the United Struggle from Within who can be united upon these Principles, because U.S.W. is the only organization capable of coordinating a prison movement in the interests of prisoners. 4(a) We believe that the U.S.W is the only mass organization in existence at this time functioning on a National Scale-having a publication under LOCK and KEY-with a consistent national output capable of addressing the entire prison movement. 5) WE WANT PRO SE LITIGATION-We want pro se litigation because prisoners are not being afforded effective assistance of counsel as guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. 5(a) We believe prisoners have been historically denied education/information within the United States about the entire legal process from beginning to end. Furthermore, we believe prisoners have a right to expose the Injustices of the entire JUDICIAL SYSTEM of the U.S.A. 6) WE WANT AN END TO CENSORSHIP-We want an end to all political and legal censorship. 6(a) We believe that censorship is primarily being used as a weapon of repression that violates prisoners First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights of the U.S. Constitution. 7) WE WANT VOCATIONAL AND REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS-We want programs that aide us in becoming productive members of society. 7(a) We believe that the U.S.A. never had rehabilitation as its main objective for those it holds as prisoners. We believe that the U.S. legislative branch has a political and economic interest in passing laws only designed to punish and not to rehabilitate its prisoners. We believe it to be in the best interest of the Community to have those prisoners who return to the Community to be vocationally trained and rehabilitated. We demand effective programs for prisoners that will assist us in transforming ourselves and the Community we left behind. 8) WE WANT ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE-We want adequate health care as guaranteed by the Standard Minimum Rules For The Treatment Of Prisoners approved by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, 31 July 1957 (Resolution 663 CI (xxIv)) on the recommendation of the First Congress. 8(a) We believe that the present Health Care System within U.S. prisons is extremely inadequate. We believe that as long as the Penal System holds Individuals as prisoners it has the sole responsibility to provide them adequate Health Care. 9) WE WANT BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS-WE want better conditions of living. We want living conditions in the U.S. prison system that are Compatible and consistent with the Internationally recognized standards required of industrialized Countries 9(a) We believe that the living conditions within the U.S. Prison Industrial Complex constitute CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT in violation of the Eighth Amendment rights of prisoners. 10) WE WANT FULL RECOGNITION OF THE ATTICA DEMANDS 10(a) We believe the Practical proposals of the ATTICA prisoners are still relevant today. THE UNITED STRUGGLE FROM WITHIN IS A "MASS" PRISONER ORGANIZATION THAT IS ANTI-IMPERIALIST, ANTI-MILITARIST, ANTI- RACIST AND ANTI-SEXIST SEEKING UNITY OF ALL PRISONERS WHO AGREE WITH THE ABOVE PRINCIPLES. MIM Prison Minister adds: Again, we thank this comrade for taking initiative in leadership and congratulate the prisoners imprisoned in South Carolina who continue to push forward development of United Struggle from Within. Many of the questions posed to MIM in this letter deal with MIM's role in USW development. These submissions demonstrate what MIM had envisioned when MIM initiated USW. We knew there was demand and a need for an anti-imperialist prisoner mass organization. However, it is not the Party's role to build the mass organization in its details or to decide matters of organization or action. These responsibilities remain with prisoners. Prisoners must take hold of the organization, decide on issues of platform and concrete plans for action. MIM's relationship with USW is similar to the relationship between MIM and RAIL. MIM's political and ideological leadership of the organizations involves things like struggle with leaders regarding the organizations' direction and involves setting examples for masses on how and why to build campaigns. USW prisoners can expect political guidance from MIM and support on just campaigns. For instance, MIM Note's pages are open to publicizing conditions within prisons and the progress toward changing those conditions. South Carolina prisoner number 1 asks about the nature of sending literature to prisoners and what MIM's purpose in doing so is. This is one example of how MIM can assist prisoners to develop an understanding of history, an analysis of political economy and political theory. Study is an essential aspect of constructing the most advanced path forward. MIM cannot answer all letters in depth on subjects that are contained in the classics, it is best to study the classics and put into practice the science of Maoism. MIM recently sanctioned members of the Revolutionary Anti- Imperialist League (RAIL) to hold a permanent congress, where they could work through political and organizational issues for themselves -- with advice from MIM (MIM Notes 228, 15 Feb 2001). The reasoning behind this holds true for members of United Struggle from Within. For those who have demonstrated a disciplined practice of applying Maoism, they should consider joining the Party. Many others -- especially those new to revolutionary politics -- will need to discuss various political lines presented by MIM and the details of building a mass organization. For our part, we can give some advice from our experience in organizing, but overall, the political experience of mass organization members will grow if they have these discussions amongst themselves. We look forward to seeing initiatives such as those from the South Carolina and Nevada prisoners spring from such discussions. One point of disagreement we have with the above letter is that MIM has a more inclusive picture of USW membership. From experience, we see that the mass organizations should (and currently do) include people coming from a wide range of political levels. USW should include those, who like the SC prisoner number 1, have had experience in organizing and know what is necessary to take initiative to promote revolutionary anti-imperialism. USW should also include those prisoners who have much more to learn but are willing to develop USW campaigns or otherwise expose the injustices of the United Snakes' prison system. Standards for membership is a question open to alteration by USW members, this is the type of question that MIM encourages discussion on though we would not encourage the elevation of organizational questions above discussions of action and agitation (see MIM's recent self-criticism on agitation). Another disagreement we have with the above is the statement that there are no other prisoner organizations capable of leading a movement in prisoners' interests. MIM works with other prisoner organizations, many of which have made some significant steps toward building a movement fighting for prisoners' interests. The Missouri Prisoner Labor Union, the Political Prisoners of War Coalition and the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (in prisons) have all contributed to the movement against imperialism and against the u.$. prison system. MIM agrees that prisoners should join USW, make the organization a strong force to gain survival rights for prisoners and should do so within the broader revolutionary movement serving the interests of the international proletariat. However, to state that USW is the only organization is missing out on United Front opportunities. Anti-imperialist prisoners are currently welcome to join USW even if they belong to other mass organizations that are not led by revisionists. Lastly, the above writer criticizes MIM for not articulating why USW should be anti-imperialist. This answer can be found written on in depth within the classics, MIM Theory and MIM Notes. Imperialism is the principal contradiction in the world. We mean that imperialism is the number one battle to overcome. Before a nation can determine its economic policies or laws or change its patriarchal culture, the nation must be free of military, economic, and political control by imperialist powers. With regard to prisons, a nation cannot construct a just police or judicial system when it is controlled by an outside force. We lead prisoners to the anti-imperialist movement because this is the means to most effectively change the Amerikkkan prison system and because it is what is most just and scientific for the majority of the world's people. We of course encourage prisoners to study the wealth of information we have on this topic as they go about working toward reforms within this imperialist system that could improve living conditions for the oppressed. For starters, prisoners can read MIM Notes to understand the nature of imperialism. And you can write MIM to receive revolutionary lit in exchange for whatever revolutionary political work you can achieve given the limitations of prisons. Progress on the Revolutionary Health Program Submitted by a Kansas prisoner, 20 May 2001 Dear MIM, I am writing to let you know that I have finished reading "Serve the People: Observations on Medicine in the People's Republic of China." This was an excellent book and it helped me to more fully appreciate aspects of Maoism which I was totally ignorant of. I have taken my time in studying this book and I believe it has helped reshape my understanding of what a revolutionary movement is and how to organize such a movement. In regard to addressing the plight of prisoners who face extreme conditions concerning their health care, I think you'll find my (next few) submissions interesting. I have attempted to apply the principles which I learned from the above entitled book, although the conditions of inmates will require some unique considerations when applying and formulating a solid program. My ideas involve a Revolutionary Health Program designed to combat the medical neglect that inmates face. I would like to have interested inmates and myself to coordinate a committee in charge of this program[] I think that it is essential that inmates are responsible for this program, although it should be done through MIM leadership. If inmates are not willing to get involved I will commit myself to take full responsibility for writing new articles, initiatives etc So you know, I am locked down in a cell 24 hours a day in Supermax so my sources of information are very limited. However, I will attempt to make sure the Revolutionary Health Program submits new publications at least every two months. [] Serving the people: Revolutionary Health Program First Initiative In order to combat continued neglect by prison staff, it is necessary that inmates are both active in this process, and take full responsibility in building any program to fight all arbitrary living conditions which inmates are currently forced to endure. It is in this spirit that we seek to empower the people so that we can build institutions for the oppressed, being totally self-reliant upon the power of the people. This program, which we will entitle "Revolutionary Health Program" is in the beginning stages of development but is no less important because we are seeking to address the health concerns of inmates who face unsanitary environments, contaminated food and water, physical and psychological abuse, medical neglect and overall hostile living conditions which affect inmates' health. Although inmates are limited in their ability to fully address the health problems which they face, it is possible to combat these issues both individually and collectively in a concerted effort. In keeping with the principles which Mao Zedong gave as directives to the National Health Congress to develop health services in China: Medicine must serve the people, or in this case it must serve the prisoner; and health work must be integrated with mass movements. These two principles are essential components to any program designed to bring revolutionary change to the conditions which inmates are subjected to. Mao laid great stress upon mobilizing the individual to "fight against his own disease" (1), which can be stated in the context of this program as mobilizing the individual to combat illness which may plague him/her personally and to take individual responsibility to combat the policies, procedures and living conditions which affect the health of all inmates at the prison you are in. Mass movements can be organized prison my prison, state by state, or [continentally] by initiating grievances, letter campaigns, conducting polls and exercise programs. One goal the Revolutionary Health Program should strive for is a collective organization of inmates [continentally], so as to arrange individual inmates in each prison and each state to organize the other inmates at their prisons to participate in this program. This will require that individuals step up and get involved because it is through the self-less dedication of an individual who mobilizes the potential of the masses that revolutionary change begins its process of serving the people. As part of the Revolutionary Health Program, we will introduce a system of exercise whereby inmates can begin to process of healing themselves. The system of exercise being introduced is formally known as 'Tai Chi Chu'an', but which we will refer to as 'Initiative self-reliance'. The exercises of initiative self- reliance have been known to bring relief for stress, breathing disorders, muscular ailments, chronic headaches, and a variety of other complaints. Because this system of exercises is a combination of stretching exercises, deep-breathing exercises, martial arts and callisthenic/therapeutic exercises all incorporated into one system, it will allow inmates to engage in a full range of exercises that will increase the strength and vitality of the inmate. This also empowers each individual in regard to his own health conditions. Initiative self-reliance is important for the simple fact that it begins building toward an inmate who relies upon him or herself rather than the prison staff (medical or guards) who have a long history of abuse and neglect toward prisoners' needs. [] The necessity of inmates getting involved in the development of this program cannot be stressed enough. To continue with future initiatives for the Revolutionary Health Program, we need ideas for mass movement articles on health and news and most important we need to organize those inmates who are willing to build this program. Anyone who wishes to get involved should write to MIM. Note: Serve the People: Observations on Medicine in the People's Republic of China. (Available from MIM Distributors for $12) MIM adds: For readers unfamiliar with Under Lock & Key, prisoners send countless essays detailing horrendous health conditions in prisons, forced payment for treatment, general denial of adequate medical care and essays describing torture and abuse within prisons. MIM works with prisoners to change these health conditions. A part of this work is building public opinion against the inhumane treatment of prisoners. Building opposition is essential, but there is much more that MIM and prisoners can do to change health conditions within prisons. Included in the work that we encourage prisoners to include in their Revolutionary Health Program is to define the concrete problems that prisoners at various facilities face. Then form a plan of action to legally change these conditions. For instance, many (if not all) prisons charge for health services. However, the services are often inadequate or not even appropriate. If prisoners are being forced to pay, then campaign to ensure that they are actually getting proper services. Others may want to tackle the issue of payment for services directly. The Kansas also prisoner sent along the first of 64 exercises to MIM. At this time, MIM will not be publishing the exercise techniques within MIM Notes as our resources are limited, though the lessons are available upon request to prisoners in exchange for work or articles.