I am enclosing with this brief notation the results of an inquiry launched in regard to the attempted banning of MIM materials. It appears that I have won a victory/understanding on our behalf. See the results and ASAP forward MIM Theory #4 (again).
-- a California prisoner at SATF, Corcoran, June 2003
With this comrades letter was the following letter he sent to the Community Resource Manager (who had been censoring MIM material because it is educational material!) along with the response he received:
Dear Community Resource Manager:
This notation is to notify you that numerous publications/correspondences from MIM Distributors have been labeled refused by your office, and returned for no other reason than the content not being something that you or a reviewer disagreed with personally. The materials in question are nothing more than Theory journals which provide articles of different opinions. These journals are not study materials so therefore there is no reason for them to continually be denied/refused/returned. I hope that by sending this brief notation that this will make you aware of future decisions regarding these materials. Currently Title #15 Section 3004 Rights and Respect of others states: (A) Inmates, paroles, and employees will not subject other persons to any form of Discrimination because of race, religion, nationality, sex, political belief, age, or physical or mental handicap.
Also 3135. Disturbing or offensive Correspondence states:
(B) Disagreement with the senders or receivers apparent moral values, attitudes, veracity, or choice of words will not be used by correctional staff as a reason for disallowing or delaying mail. Correctional staff shall not challenge or confront the sender or receiver with such value judgments nor shall such value judgments be considered in any action affecting the Correspondents except at described in section (c).
In closing I hope that you will be in accordance with the current institutional policies.
--[SATF prisoner]
The response he received is below:
I am sorry to hear that you have experienced some problems receiving your correspondences from MIM. This is a matter that was discussed with the mailroom, education, and the Community Resource Manager. The CSATF Mailroom was being overburdened with Educational mail as well as Religious mail. We had tried to get all the different vendors to get approval before sending to try and cut down on the amount of needless mail. But as you see this did not work out. It seems that there is no needless mail.
Since the last meeting with the mailroom, Education, and Community Resource Manager, the mailroom is now processing all mail as before the problem occurred. I would hope that all your mail is getting through now without any delay. Although you must remember that all mail must met [sic] the requirements set forth by the Warden of this institution. As stated in the Operating Procedures 129 (Mailroom Procedures). In any case, if your mail is being denied by the mailroom, you will receive a CDC 1819 Disapproval form explaining the reason why.
C. Pugliese
Mailroom Sergeant