I am writing on behalf of myself and one other inmate. We are both women in a Maximum Security prison. She is 23 and I am 32. We write constantly about conditions here and in other countries. We both write as a hobby/career, and to right what's been wronged. We write about government induced diseases, hunger, and underground issues. We've attempted to reach the papers, the broadcasting centers, TV & radio, but none have taken an interest. We also write about prison conditions, theory, research on any law or policy that is inhuman, degrading or is a problem or could result in a future problem. We are now working to pass a law in Oklahoma to ban long-term segregation (more than 90 days) in an 8' x 10' cell. As of November I've been confined for one year, and my comrade for 19 months. This is not the first time either of us has done a long stretch for a minor infraction. We are on 23-hour lockdown, when we are taken to our showers we are handcuffed. When we go out for our one hour exercise, we have on leg chains, belly chains, black box and cuffs. But we won't conform. What's right is right and what's wrong is wrong.
--a prisoner in Oklahoma, December, 2003
MIM responds: Don't be shy, send us your writings! Under Lock & Key and the rest of MIM Notes can always use your thoughtful anti-imperialist and anti- militarist contributions.