MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
www.prisoncensorship.info is a media institution run by the Maoist Internationalist Ministry of Prisons. Here we collect and publicize reports of conditions behind the bars in U.$. prisons. Information about these incidents rarely makes it out of the prison, and when it does it is extremely rare that the reports are taken seriously and published. This historical record is important for documenting patterns of abuse, and also for informing people on the streets about what goes on behind the bars.
I want to comment on your article
“Soulja
Boy Dissed by Amerikan Rappers,” featured in ULK22. Personally it is
a grave disappointment to witness what hip hop has morphed into. We went
from “Fuck da Police” and “Don’t Believe da Hype” to “A Milli” and “Arab
Money.” Ironically the vast majority of the people that these modern day
braggarts grew up around don’t even have U.S. middle-class money, let
alone “Arab Money.”
Modern day hip hop artists seem unable and/or unwilling to move beyond
this brag-about-my-wealth style of rap. Of course there’s exceptions to
this but in general there’s no longer any social consciousness or depth
to the lyrics of these mainstream hip hop artists. I’m no hater and I
love to see people prosper and enjoy life but an album has to go beyond
an artist detailing his or her good fortunes, to really have merit.
But pertaining specifically to the article, is it any real surprise that
these artists ostracize an associate for something as simple as speaking
his mind? The one main thing that the Black nation has been consistently
good at throughout the years is attacking one another and embracing
division, internal division.
Additionally all, or most of, the major hip hop artists are personally
benefiting from the current system and establishment so naturally they
stay in tune with it. They don’t care that the overwhelming majority of
people who look like them have been systematically discriminated against
and oppressed from the very origin of this racist and corrupt country.
The Hollywood set of the Black nation, which most of these hip hop
artists integrate to, would sell their mothers and sisters for the
crumbs their “massa” throws to them.
In part it goes all the way back to their forefather’s house, which is
Uncle Tom’s cabin. A place where anybody who opposes “massa” is the
enemy. And these descendants of Uncle Tom are the same today, they will
go the extra mile, extra 1,000 miles, to protect their imperialists
masters’ interests; chiefly because they perceive some sort of shared
interests and maybe even camaraderie.
Many people, even some in the underprivileged class, accept and embrace
the glaring inconsistencies and contradictions which permeates U.$.
society. They willfully embrace the lie that the establishment means
good for them and the rest of the world, and when they’re being pacified
with their “Arab-Money” there’s little chance they’ll think any
different.
MIM(Prisons) responds: While we share this comrade’s dismay at
the current state of politics from major hip hop artists, we don’t see
them as quite so isolated in their benefits from the current system.
While the New Afrikan nation certainly faces ongoing national oppression
within U.$. borders, they also enjoy the wealth of an imperialist
country and can see that they are better off than the majority of the
world’s people. The vast majority of U.$. citizens, regardless of
nation, are earning more than the value of their labor and are part of
the labor aristocracy. So in a way, hip hop artists who speak about
their good fortune, do represent something real to their audience, even
if their level of wealth is unattainable for most of their listeners.
And the shared interests with the imperialists are real: the wealth of
the labor aristocracy is won from the exploitation of the Third World.
Amendment I of the Bill of Rights of the United States:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
After decades of expanding the repression of the U.$. prison system, and
despite their effectiveness in misleading and breaking up unity, the
control units remain a flashpoint of struggle within U.$. borders. These
flashes do take time to develop, due to the excessive restrictions
placed on those in these units. So when they do come to light, they
emerge from much struggle and are not likely to fizzle out soon.
The struggle against control units is a struggle against torture. It is
a struggle against not just the violation of some of the most basic
rights that this country was founded on, but also basic humyn needs like
sunlight, exercise, mental stimulation and social interaction.
Orders From the Top
As U.$. president, Barack Obama once honored Rosa Parks and the movement
of civil disobedience that she symbolized. It was a movement of Black
people for basic rights under U.$. imperialism. Yet today the Obama
administration gives its explicit approval to the torture and repression
going on in a country that imprisons more of its population than any
other state in humyn history, and a higher percentage of Blacks than the
openly racist Apartheid state of South Africa.
U.$.
prisons also hold a higher percentage of their prisoners in long-term
isolation than any other state that has been documented.
The 2014 federal budget proposed by Obama includes an overall increase
in funding for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. More damning, it describes
the remodeling of the recently acquired Thomson Correctional Center in
Illinois to include an Administrative Maximum Custody (ADX) and Special
Management Unit (SMU). ADX “houses the most violent, disruptive,
dangerous and escape-prone inmates within the Federal Prison System
including those convicted of terrorist activities.” “The SMU program is
for inmates who have participated in or had a leadership role in
geographical group/gang-related activity or those who otherwise present
unique security and management concerns.” The budget proposal claims
that one in six prisoners in maximum security are “gang affiliated.” It
does not specify how many of the 2100 beds will be SMU or ADX
classified.(1) While lawsuits challenge the constitutionality of the
treatment people face in these units, and international bodies like the
United Nations condemn them as torture, the Obama regime is providing
clear leadership to the hundreds of state and local agencies involved in
the U.$. prison system on how prisoners are to be treated.
Obama’s role is even more clear in Guantanamo Bay, where prisoners are
being held as enemy combatants by the military. Prisoners there began
another hunger strike on 6 February 2013. Since then the ranks of the
strike have grown to over 130 people.(2) Many are being force-fed, and
many are skeletal in appearance now.
All this is being done as the United $tates still has the audacity to
claim it is promoting freedom around the world, with bombs. As we
highlight the connections of the struggle against control units to the
struggle against the imperialist system itself, the global importance of
this struggle becomes evident. As RAIM pointed out in their recent
statement to the international communist movement,
failures
at building socialism in the past have been connected to a temptation to
imitate Amerikan ways. One way the anti-imperialist minority in the
First World can strengthen the movements in the Third World is by making
it very clear that this is not a model to follow, and that the Amerikan
dream is built on torture, genocide, exploitation and injustice.
What to Expect
A Yemeni prisoner held in Guantanamo Bay, who has been on hunger strike
since the start had an Op-Ed published in The New York Times,
where he wrote,
“I will never forget the first time they passed the feeding tube up my
nose. I can’t describe how painful it is to be force-fed this way. As it
was thrust in, it made me feel like throwing up. I wanted to vomit, but
I couldn’t. There was agony in my chest, throat and stomach. I had never
experienced such pain before. I would not wish this cruel punishment
upon anyone.
“I am still being force-fed. Two times a day they tie me to a chair in
my cell. My arms, legs and head are strapped down. I never know when
they will come. Sometimes they come during the night, as late as 11
p.m., when I’m sleeping.
“There are so many of us on hunger strike now that there aren’t enough
qualified medical staff members to carry out the force-feedings; nothing
is happening at regular intervals. They are feeding people around the
clock just to keep up.”(3)
Another prisoner who has since been released from Guantanamo Bay after a
438-day hunger strike reported how the force feeding was brutal and they
did not clean the tubes between feeding people. The prisoners asked
military personnel why they were doing this:
“They told us, ‘We want you to break your hunger strike.’ They tell us
directly like that. They ask us to break our hunger strike. They said,
‘We’ll never deal with you as the detainees until you break your hunger
strike.’”(2)
Comrades from NCTT-Corcoran-SHU (a New Afrikan think tank) have reported
that staff at Corcoran State Prison have been announcing similar plans
to prisoners in California, indicating that they will not be providing
proper medical care and attention to strikers in their prison in the
future. These threats, which violate state policies, will also result in
undercounting strikers.(4) It is possible that information will not flow
as freely this time around, meaning outside supporters will have little
information to go on until the struggle is over. This reinforces the
need for strong unity among those inside and the ability to act
independent of outside support.
We’ve also received word of plans to move prisoners and staff around
strategically over the next couple months. In particular, Special Needs
Yard prisoners are reportedly being moved to other facilities and given
work assignments. Prison staff apparently thinks this will dilute the
spirit of prisoners. However, depending on the balance of forces, this
could go either way. We know there are strong supporters of the
prisoners’ rights movement in SNY already, and we hope these coming
months provide the conditions to further break down the divisions within
the imprisoned lumpen class. While we know that staff regularly bribe
prisoners to create disruptions among the population, the mass support
for the interests of all prisoners will make it hard for these bribed
prisoners to create disruptions openly in the coming months, hopefully
longer.
There have been positive reports of prisoners being moved to areas they
once could not go, as a result of the
agreement
to end hostilities that has been in place for over 6 months now,
which was endorsed by the largest organizations in California prisons.
In particular, positive reports have come from Pelican Bay and Corcoran,
where two of the main SHUs are located. San Quentin death row has also
reached out to share ideas to build their own prisoner rights campaign
over the coming months.
We have received some letters about ideas on tactics for advancing the
prisoner rights movement in California. We’ve printed some in
ULK and shared others with United Struggle from Within members
in California. But in most cases it is impossible for us to have a full
understanding of the balance of forces, and thus we are not in a
position to determine which tactics are best. In addition, conditions
vary so much between facilities. Clearly the comrades in Pelican Bay and
Corcoran took the lead in struggling to shut down the SHU and they will
likely continue to do so. What we can say for sure is that July 8 will
be an opportunity to have your voice amplified by acting in solidarity
with all across the state, and many in other states as well. To
determine how you can best do this, you must think through and balance
the effectiveness of your tactics with the risks involved.
Where we can provide leadership is in our ideological alignment. Some
lists of goals that are circulating include things that are not humyn
needs. These demands may be subjectively popular among the prison
masses, but will greatly damage support from the outside and
internationally by trivializing the struggle for basic rights. As we
presented in ULK 31, below are the strategic goals that, if
attained, we think would represent the establishment of basic humyn
rights for prisoners (note a small change to point 1.f.).
An end to torture of all prisoners, including an end to the use of
Security Housing Units (SHU) as long-term isolation prisons.
Basic humyn needs are centered around 1) healthy food and water, 2)
fresh air and exercise, 3) clothes and shelter from the elements and 4)
social interactions and community with other humyns. It is the SHU’s
failure to provide for these basic needs that have led people around the
world to condemn long-term isolation as torture. Therefore we demand
that the following minimum standards be met for all prisoners:
no prisoner should be held in Security Housing Units for longer than 30
days. Rehouse all prisoners currently in SHU to mainline facilities.
interaction with other prisoners every day
time spent outdoors with space and basic equipment for exercise every
day
healthy food and clean water every day
proper clothing and climate control
an end to the use of and threat of violence by staff against prisoners
who have not made any physical threat to others
access to phone calls and contact visits with family at least once a
week
timely and proper health care
ability to engage in productive activities, including correspondence
courses and hobby crafts
a meaningful way to grieve any abuses or denial of the above basic
rights
Freedom of association.
As social beings, people in prison will always develop relationships
with other prisoners. We believe positive and productive relationships
should be encouraged. Currently the CDCR makes it a crime punishable by
torture (SHU) to affiliate with certain individuals or organizations.
This is contrary to the judiciary’s interpretation of the First
Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. We demand that prisoners of the
state of California only be punished for violating the law, and that
there be:
no punishment based on what books one reads or has in their
possession
no punishment for jailhouse lawyering for oneself or for others, for
filing grievances or for any challenges to conditions of confinement
through legal means
no punishment for what outside organizations one belongs to or
corresponds with
no punishment for communicating with other prisoners if not breaking the
law
no punishment for tattoos
no punishment for what individuals of the same
race/nation/organizational affiliation do unless you as an individual
were involved in violating a rule or the law, i.e. no group
punishment
no punishment for affiliation with a gang, security threat group, or
other organization - in other words a complete end to the gang
validation system that punishes people (currently puts people in the SHU
for an indeterminate amount of time) based on their affiliation and/or
ideology without having broken any rules or laws
El inmigrante proletario ha sido componente fundamental del incremento
en el número de prisioneros en los Estados Unido$ en los últimos años.
Debido a ello están sufriendo en sus propias carnes las tácticas de
tortura que los Amerikanos utilizan contra sus propios ciudadanos. Un
informe reciente muestra que la oficina de Inmigración y Aduanas de los
EEUU tiene a más de 300 prisioneros en aislamiento en 50 de sus mayores
cárceles, lo que supone un 85% de sus detenidos. La mitad son mantenidos
en aislamiento durante 15 o más días y cerca de 35 de los 300 llegan a
permanecer en esas condiciones más de 75 días(1).
Aunque estas condenas son relativamente cortas comparadas con las que ya
se consideran habituales en los Estados Unido$, las experiencias vividas
en ellas son particularmente difíciles para el inmigrante que no habla
ingles y han sido víctima del trafico de seres humanos.
Los autores del articulo citado anteriormente relatan con tono cauteloso
que los Estados Unido$ usan el aislamiento más “que cualquier otra
nación democrática en el mundo.” Esto solo indica que es posible que
otros países utilicen el aislamiento todavía más. Una de las razones por
las que no pueden obtener estadísticas sobre las prácticas carcelarias
de algunos países es que éstos son regímenes títeres de los Estados
Unido$ que se administran de una forma intencionadamente opaca para
permitir formas extremas de opresión contra los pueblos oprimidos. No
hemos podido encontrar pruebas de una nación mitológica que torture en
confinamiento solitario a más gente que Amerika.
Los Amerikanos encarcelan a más gente que ninguna otra nación incluso
excluyendo a aquellos que mantienen en prisiones de terceros países. Con
al menos 100,000 personas en aislamiento de larga duración dentro de las
fronteras de los EEUU, parece altamente improbable que ningún país pueda
superar sus números. Podemos encontrar más pruebas si observamos el
estado de las prisiones en la mayoría de los países del tercer mundo,
las cuales son más transparentes con su información que cualquier
prisión de baja seguridad en los Estados Unido$. Las excepciones a esta
regla siempre son los países con gran actividad militar o de
inteligencia Amerikana, donde normalmente son los propios Amerikanos los
que gestionan las prisiones.(3)
El ciudadano de los EEUU Shane Bauer fue encarcelado con cargos de
espionaje por el gobierno de Irán, el cual es independiente de los
Estados Unido$. Bauer nos ofrece ejemplos de como sus condiciones en
aislamiento se distinguen en lo positivo y en lo negativo de las de
aquellos encarcelados en Pelican Bay SHU en California. Lo más llamativo
es el tiempo total pasado en aislamiento, que en su caso fue de sólo
cuatro meses. Comparándolo con el “democrático” sistema de injusticia de
los EEUU, Bauer escribe sobre Iran: “Cuando Josh Fattal y yo finalmente
nos presentamos ante la corte revolucionaria de Irán, teníamos un
abogado presente, pero no se nos permitió hablar con el. En California
un reo que se enfrente a la peor condena posible, con excepción de la de
muerte, no puede tener a su abogado en la sala. No se le permite
acumular o presentar evidencias para su defensa. No puede llamar a
testigos. Muchas de las pruebas, recabadas por informantes, son
confidenciales y por lo tanto imposibles de refutar. Eso fue lo que el
Juez Salvati nos dijo después de que la persecución soltase su discurso
acerca de nuestro papel en la vasta conspiración Americano-Israelí:
había montones de pruebas, pero ni nosotros ni nuestro abogado podíamos
verlas.”(2)
Cita luego una decisión de la corte de los EEUU: “el juez dictaminó que
‘un prisionero no tiene garantía constitucional de inmunidad al haber
sido falsa o injustamente acusado de una conducta que pueda resultar en
la privación de su libertad.’ En otras palabras, es perfectamente legal
que las autoridades de la prisión mientan con el objetivo de encerrar a
alguien en aislamiento.”(2)
La célebre prisión Californiana de “Pelican Bay” informa de un promedio
de tiempo de los reos en el SHU (Unidad de Confinamiento Seguro) de 7.5
años. Muchos de los que pelearon por la liberación nacional contra el
imperialismo Estadouniden$e han pasado 30 o 40 años en aislamiento en
prisiones a lo largo de los Estados Unido$. MIM(Prisons) no conoce
informes de ningún otro Estado que utilice el aislamiento como
herramienta de castigo hasta estos extremos.
Las técnicas de tortura desarrolladas en las unidades de control
Amerikanas fueron diseñadas para destruir el espíritu combativo de las
personas y grupos sociales que desafían el status quo, en
particular el imperialismo de los Estados Unido$. Treinta años después
de su desaparición, la posesión de materiales del Black Panther Party
(Partido de los Panteras Negras) todavía mete a la gente en problemas de
forma regular, siendo incluso citados por una infracción del tipo “Grupo
de Amenaza a la Seguridad” (Security Threat Group). Éste es el termino
Amerikano para los “crímenes de pensamiento”.
Puede que estas técnicas se están desarrollando en centros de detención
de inmigrantes como forma de disciplina para el proletariado Mexicano
que los Amerikanos temen como una fuerza social de cambio. O puede ser
un ejemplo de la cultura de una nación opresora extendiendo sus
tentáculos hacia otras naciones. Sea como fuere, esta es una de varias
formas de opresión que sirve para socavar el mito propagandístico de
Amerika como nación que promueve la libertad.
Durante años, los Estados Unido$ han sido criticados por las Naciones
Unidas como el principal Estado responsable del uso del aislamiento de
larga duración como forma de tortura. Hoy, el Alto Comisionado de las
Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos dijo, “Debemos ser claros: los
Estados Unido$ están en clara violación no solo en sus propios
compromisos sino también en leyes internacionales y normas que están
obligados a cumplir.”(4) Estas palabras figuraban en una declaración
dirigida a los 166 extranjeros que llevan más de una década detenidos en
la prisión de Guantanamo Bay, muchos sin ningún cargo.
Así como el armamento de alta tecnología no pudo ganar la guerra de los
Amerikanos en Afghanistan, las técnicas más sofisticadas de tortura de
las modernas unidades de control no pueden acallar el ultraje extendido
de las masas que viven bajo el dominio imperialista. Las oportunidades
para hacer conexiones internacionalistas en el movimiento de prisiones
dentro la fronteras de los EEUU no hace más que crecer a medida que más
y más gente de fuera de esas fronteras son atrapados por el
sistema.
I’ve been siting here in North Kern State Prison for the last 3 months
waiting to see my counselor so I could get cleared for transfer to my
next place of confinement. We don’t get much action or anything here,
reading material is always hard to come by. But the other day I got the
chance to read your Under Lock & Key newspaper and I must
admit I liked it, a lot!
Through the grapevine I heard about what was planned for July 8th, 2013,
but to be real no one knew if it was true or not. Until reading your
newspaper it was just a rumor, and today we know it’s not, thanks a lot
for the information.
MIM(Prisons) adds: It may seem like information about the hunger
strike in California was widely available to prisoners based on the high
number of participants, but this letter demonstrates the slow and
difficult work involved in building such an action. Each pod, or
sometimes each cell, is isolated from all others, and getting
information about what’s going on depends on the whims of the censors at
each prison, who might get transferred, and what outside contacts people
have. This is one reason we stress the importance of everyone getting
their own subscription to Under Lock & Key. You never know
when you will be isolated from your comrades, but as long as you can
receive mail you will at least get some news from ULK. In
addition, the more people subscribed, the more likely that one or two
copies of the newsletter will make it past the censors in any prison.
I have now been put in a terrible dilemma. As I’ve tediously pursued a
path of peace between all other structures, humbly accepted harsh
criticism, and deeply entrenched myself and all those I’m entrusted to
lead here in Texas in a now awkward ordeal. I’ve painstakingly strove to
clean up my own structure’s fumbles and reestablish a mutual trusted
bond to the numerous others who speak of their fundamental views which
essentially determine how the inner structures function.
Surrounding us who strive for our established agendas are numerous
confidential informants and rats who refuse to come out their cell cage
and constantly inform to the authority on any of our attempts. Sadly
these rats have been studying how we try to heal differences, and move
past minor mishaps. Then when given the opportunity, these rats inject
ploys which are specifically designed to cause immediate distrust and
steps backwards, as it induces paranoia and causes all to erect the
walls of defense.
All forward progress I have made has crumbled, as I passed items to
another, the booklet on freedom of information, right to communicate,
and a kite of explanation. The booklets made it to the other structures,
but then the kite disappeared. I had drawn the assumption they had the
kite (my bad).
I then moved to pass information to the structure’s main spokesperson.
Upon arrival of said material, he deduced I was playing and seeking to
disrespect him, his creed, ethics, and morals. To avoid a verbal dispute
I avoided all until it mellowed out. Then, when he approached me I
verified yes, I apologized for the crossed wires, but the rats seen were
at negative work and attacked both he and I by falsely filing to alter
our medical diets, cell searches, and my legal requests to invoke doubt
that I was attacking them, and make me think they were retaliating. This
was a massive ploy instigated by the confidential informant rat. At the
same time, one of them verbally threatened the rat, and mysteriously he
got moved. But, due to the melodramatics the rat was orchestrating, and
myself being under the gun, they believed that I initiated and
instigated these ploys.
So, I and all I represent are at arms. I have tried to keep honest peace
between us, but due to hard heads and extreme views of subordinates they
kept the seeds of hate and distrust germinating.
I am designated the lead representative for mine here. All I’ve
tediously striven to build with MIM(Prisons)’s guidance of United Front
has been undermined. Now a vicious wedge has been shoved in between us
and our ability to move forward. I have tried to speak, apologize for
circumstances beyond my control, and offer all we can to resolve the
problem. But this is the second time rats have attacked our struggle.
MIM(Prisons) adds: Developing the ideas behind the
United Front
for Peace in Prisons (UFPP) was the first, easy task. The hard part
is actually getting people to look past previous disagreements and
conflicts to unite for a common interest. This comrade sheds light on
one of the big problems our anti-imperialist organizers face behind
bars: the same kinds of covert attacks that the revolutionary movement
has faced for years from the government. While prison conditions have
done much to bring LOs together to see their common circumstances, there
is not much freedom to operate under such repression. It takes careful
communication and education to build around these attacks. One thing
that we can do to help prevent these problems is educate people about
the
COINTELPRO-like
attacks that will happen to progressives, so that people are on the
look-out and aware of what might be done by the pigs.
We want to hear from the various groups and cells that have signed on to
the UFPP statement. How have you implemented the principles? What
progress and setbacks have you seen? How can we build on each others’
experiences? Often we learn more from negative experiences. So send your
reports in to Under Lock & Key. We also still welcome
statements of unity from groups new to the UFPP. Both help us promote
the United Front and the struggle for peace.
Recientemente el estado de California ha creado lo que ellos llaman el
programa “Step Down”, el cual nosotros en el SHU de Pelican Bay hemos
rechazado. Las huelgas que barrieron las prisiones Amerikanas en el 2011
se iniciaron con la intención de obtener cinco demandas, las cuales el
estado no ha concedido hasta el día de hoy. Este Julio se cumplirán dos
años desde que la población presa se movilizó por primera vez en torno a
estas cinco demandas y el Estado aún sigue fabricando excusas tras
excusas y dando vueltas en círculos arrastrando las cosas con promesas y
más promesas.
Hemos llegado a lo más profundo para tener algún poco de paciencia que
todavía nos quede como personas que han sufrido por años y en algunos
casos décadas bajo la tortura brutal del Estado. Y aún así, esta
paciencia fue tomado como debilidad, así como todos los opresores toman
la paciencia o los buenos gestos que vienen de los oprimidos. Hemos
tratado de resolver este asunto con el Estado brutal mediante el
diálogo, y mediante acuerdos, sin ningún resultado. ¡Ahora entendemos
que como todos los esfuerzos por la dignidad y los derechos humanos esto
tomará una gran lucha!
En todos partes del mundo donde la gente luchó la opresión fue mediante
la lucha, con actos de sacrificio y desinterés en alguna manera. La ley
de dialécticas comprueba que la lucha, el sacrificio y sufrimiento
producen justicia, libertad y paz. Una se apoya en la otra en una unidad
de oposiciones y una contradicción perpetua y esta es la contradicción
en la que hoy los prisioneros nos encontramos y que creo la condiciones
para que las huelgas del 2011 salieran a la superficie.
California, como todas la cárceles y prisiones imperialistas, han
dependido del tratamiento brutal para poder controlar a sus prisioneros.
Es el vivir dentro de una sociedad capitalista que crea estos campos de
prisión, estos campos de concentración que capturan a nuestra gente, que
capturan a nuestra juventud y nos tienen viviendo bajo una fuerza
ocupada, colonizada no solamente físicamente sino también mentalmente.
La suerte de nuestras naciones dentro de las prisiones deben de lo que
hagamos hoy.
En las últimas décadas el movimiento por los derechos de los presos ha
estado estancado en un punto y coma, muchos han sido comprados con la
ideología burgués insignificante donde todos buscan el salir adelante y
hacer dinero, demasiados buscando el escasísimo en las drogas o el
alcohol, muchas veces escucho a los presos hablar sobre “hacerse ricos o
morir tratando,” pero como dijo el fallecido Prez, “necesitamos
liberarnos o morir tratando.”
La pregunta es, ¿Continuaremos encerrados en condiciones opresivas o nos
levantaremos finalmente y demandamos nuestra dignidad? Más y más de
nuestra juventud entra en estos campos de concentración formandose de
tras de nosotros y caminando en sincronización al matadero conocido como
el SHU o el Hoyo. El estado nos ha arrebatado tantos de nuestros
“privilegios.” Nuestros seres queridos también sufren por tener que
viajar largas distancias para visitarnos, y tener que pagar precios
atroces por llamados telefónicas y productos caros, y con todo eso lo
seguimos aceptando. Esto ha ocurrido por demasiado tiempo y nuestra
paciencia se acabó. Estamos envejeciendo, nuestra salud esta empeorando,
nuestra cordura está en peligro bajo estas condiciones crueles y
decrépitas que parecen no tener fin. Sin ver luz al final del túnel,
seremos nosotros los que tendremos que encender la chispa que creará
nuestra propia luz al final del túnel.
Le hemos dado a la prisión hasta el 8 de Julio para cumplir con las
demandas del 2011, si no se cumplen, nuestra huelga de hambre continuará
ese día. Demandamos ser tratados como seres humanos, no continuaremos
siendo torturados. Lo que aprendimos del 2011 fue la represión que
vendrá de una protesta no-violenta y muchas ideas han nacido de esto.
Aprendimos muchas lecciones desde la última huelga. Lecciones que nos
harán mucho más fuertes la próxima vez. Hacemos un llamado a todos los
oprimidos para que utilicen el 8 de Julio como grito de huelga y día
histórico para llamar la atención a tu sufrimiento, a tu tortura y
condiciones agobiantes. Así, les pedimos que todos unidos entremos el 8
de Julio en huelga de hambre en unidad por todos los presos, no
solamente en Estados Unidos sino alrededor del mundo.
unidos podemos lograr lo que sea, mientras activemos como uno. Tenemos
que recordar que nuestros opresores actúan como uno cuando crean leyes
tan severas y botan la llave. Actúan como uno cuando a palos nos rompen
la cabeza y nos someten a condiciones tortuosas. No importa sus
antecedentes formación o nacionalidad, sus botas y palos se sienten
igual en nuestros cuerpos. Así también usemos todos los presos esta
unidad en un frente unido en el cual cada calabozo forme sus propias
demandas el 8 de Julio para mejorar las condiciones donde sea que te
encuentres.
Todavía quedan algunos meses para que llegue esta fecha, y es mejor
tener tiempo para preparar la mente y estar listos. California ha
iniciado a desarrollar zonas de paz en todas la cárceles y prisiones
donde los presos y a no se pelean entre ellos mismos, oprimiendose los
unos a los otros. Ahora, en vez de guerrear entre nosotros, los presos
en California están buscando maneras de mejorar sus condiciones de vida.
Estamos promoviendo la paz y creando zonas de paz en todas la
instituciones. Están con la mirada fija hacia en verdadero opresor y
desarrollando una cultura más revolucionaria en todas las prisiones,
cárceles y centros de detención juvenil. Solamente creando un ambiente
más revolucionario es como el verdadero cambio puede llegar y no
solamente en nuestras condiciones en la prisión, sino también en
nuestras relaciones en los los unos y los otros detrás y dentro de estas
paredes de la prisión. Hay que crear estas zonas y mirar a aquellos que
también están cautivos como luchadores en contra del mismo opresor.
Sitting here I thought I would touch base and let you know that the pigs
in Raleigh got caught red-handed. I’m in an eight-plaintiff lawsuit
against 23 defendants, including the former and present wardens at
Central prison.
Last year they put a guy in a wheelchair. Pigs were aware that the
cameras didn’t record or even have the capacity to record in certain
areas and would put prisoners in restraints and then beat them down.
They broke several of my ribs.
We are working on getting new cameras and a video retention policy,
which currently they don’t have. I have been working like hell to get a
light shown on these corrupt pigs so as the hunger striker said in
ULK 24, “Let’s Rock!!”
The case is: Stanley Earl Corbett et al., v Warden GJ Branker et
al., U.S.D.C. Eastern District of NC Western Division,
No. 5:10-CT-3135
Of course, the Department of Public Safety turns around and accuses
ULK of promoting violence and lawlessness, having censored
every issue we’ve put out since November 2011. As the rampant abuse and
corruption of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety comes to
light, we have comrades struggling against these abuses on many
different fronts including censorship,
grievance
procedures and physical brutality, as well as education and
recruitment on the inside. And despite all the censorship, as one reader
points out, it seems
interest
in Under Lock & Key only continues to grow.
While many of our readers write to us to express the lack of
consciousness and unity in the prisons where they are held, one USW
comrade pointed out in ULK 31 h realization that
ULK
is a venue where conscious prisoners can come together and build,
minimizing that isolation. We try to make ULK a tool that helps
the development of the growing new prison movement. But primarily it is
to be the “voice of the anti-imperialist movement” in U.$. prisons, and
it is a Maoist-led project. This not only sets this newsletter apart,
but makes for what we believe is a more effective way to address
oppression.
Over the years, we’ve received comments from some USW comrades that
ULK is too light on international news and analysis. With all
the reader surveys we’ve gotten back recently, we’ve had many say they
love the content of ULK and like to hear about similar
struggles throughout the U.$. prison system. But a few have said they
find the prison reporting dry and, more importantly, it does not provide
a clear political message to the less ideologically developed comrades.
If true this would be a grave error.
Even if we unite the handful of conscious comrades in each prison across
the country, we are still only dealing with a small minority of
prisoners, not to mention the whole U.$. population. One young comrade
recently wrote us, “I write this because I seek advice. At times I feel
like giving up trying to fight this fight because it seems like I’m here
fighting by myself.”
While the day-to-day struggles of USW comrades are primarily focused on
the conditions of oppression that the prison masses around them face, a
reformist strategy would understandably lead one to defeatism. This is
particularly true if you accept our line that Amerikans in general
support the current injustice system and have made it what it is today.
How could asking them for change ever change anything? That is why we
strive to help prisoners build reformist battles in targeted ways that
build a movement, while realizing the limitations of such struggles.
Campaigns for prison reform are a tactic to push the prison movement to
develop.
One important piece of our strategic orientation is the strategic
confidence we have from our global class analysis. Basically, our
analysis says that the vast majority of the world’s people, a solid 80%,
will benefit materially from an end to imperialism. This is why we
believe anti-imperialism is destined for success. Subjectively, this can
be important to keep in mind in an environment surrounded by class
enemies or by those with bourgeois consciousness.
Pulling these theoretical points together into our practice, as editor i
will continue to push for international content in each issue of
Under Lock & Key, as has been our policy. One way i plan to
expand the international connections we make is to have a section in
each issue to print news snippets on events from the Third World that
demonstrate determined resistance and a broad class consciousness that
is opposed to imperialism. We hope that our readers find inspiration in
this information that you probably aren’t getting from other news
sources. With no further ado, here are a few recent events that help
illustrate why we have strategic confidence in the people’s struggle
against imperialism.
Paktiya province of Afghanistan, 17 April 2013 - Hundreds of angry
residents protested against NATO occupation troops for conducting a
night-time raid that killed at least one
citizen.(Khaama
Press) The sentiments of the people of Afghanistan are so clear that
even U.$.-backed President Karzai has continuously called for an end to
these raids led by the Amerikan military.
In India it is reported that Maoist forces have established a “Red
corridor” allowing troop movement between the two key fronts of the
People’s War in southern Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, near Gumla.
(Hindustan
Times, 15 April 2013)
The Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been leading a
People’s War for decades, has clearly opposed the use of the Philippines
to stage a U.$. war in Korea:
“With not even a hint of advocating or forging an independent foreign
policy, the Aquino regime declared it an ‘obligation’ on the part of the
Philippines to side with and support US warmongering under the RP-US
Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) of 1951. The Filipino people must take a
stand and resist the Aquino regime’s puppetry to US imperialism and for
dragging the Philippines into intervening in the Korean Peninsula and
the Asia-Pacific. Such a policy endangers the Filipino people.”(CPP Ang
Bayan, 10 April 2013)
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s Nasrallah said in a TV statement, “Syria has real
friends in the region and the world that will not let Syria fall in the
hands of America, Israel or Takfiri (extreme jihadi)
groups.”(The
Guardian, 30 April 2013) Russia and Iran continue to support the
Syrian government, while Obama threatens intervention and Israel has
reportedly bombed the capital of Damascus. This over two year “civil
war” is an example of why we say World War III is already here, and it
is characterized by U.$. hegemony and low-intensity warfare in the Third
World involving both local interests and the conflicting interests of
the imperialist camps.
In South America, indigenous people have once again interrupted
construction of the Belo Monte Dam in Brazil. Hundreds of people
including, “Munduruku, Juruna, Kayapo, Xipaya, Kuruaya, Asurini,
Parakana, Arara, fishermen and peoples who live in riverine communities”
occupied the site releasing a statement that read, in part,
“You invent stories that we are violent and that we want war. Who are
the ones killing our relatives? How many white people have died in
comparison to how many Indigenous people have died? You are the ones
killing us, quickly or slowly. We’re dying and with each dam that is
built, more of us will die. When we try to talk with you, you bring
tanks, helicopters, soldiers, machineguns and stun
weapons.”(Earth
First! News, 2 May 2013)
Finally, in Ecuador, the media has covered the continuing struggle of
the Wuaroni and Kichwa people who have pledged to fight to the death to
keep oil operations out of their homeland in pristine Amazon rainforest
habitat. Both struggles stand strong against formidable opposition of
the local state and multinational corporations.
It should be very disturbing when young Latinos from so-called “War
Zones”, and Texas urban centers – infested with drugs, gangs,
prostitutes, pimps, young men from broken homes, raised by the State, in
foster care, or juvenile prisons – can look you in the face and speak
with prestige about U.$. political systems and social institutions,
giving the impression of “legitimacy” when referring to U.$. democracy,
freedom, justice, and “social mobility”.
This past week the local news station for the San Antonio area aired a
special report about a strengthening Mexican economy. The report talked
about Mexican consumption reaching levels unprecedented in history,
Mexican buying power, and this consumption being fed by U.$. products
and production. It included images of bourgeoisified Mexicans holding up
a sign with an image of a U.$. flag that said “Made In The USA”. This
report aired as President Obama visited Mexico and Centro America. One
Latino patriot started singing “I’m proud to be an American, Where at
least I know I’m free,” sparking heated debate across the viewing area.
Another moment of patriotic sentiment was recently expressed when an
article was published in the San Antonio Express Newspaper.
Ex-State Representative, and self-proclaimed “Hispanic,” Henry Cisneros
(D) revealed a “philanthropic and humanitarian aid” initiative for the
State of Chiapas in Mexico, backed by U.$. financiers. The article
stressed the extreme poverty and economic woes of the region.
Mr. Cisneros was quick to exaggerate a connection between his own ethnic
roots and the City of San Antonio, Texas, as a backdrop for the plan
expected to build “international bridges” and raise the living standards
of Mexico’s “wretched.” These “Mexican-Americans” I’m surrounded by were
quick to point out the article as an indicator of U.$. international
efforts at “nation building,” and how our political system here in the
States allowed a “Mexican-American” to become a representative not only
for the “raza” in Texas, but all the way in Chiapas. What the article
didn’t mention, and nobody seemed to notice, is that Chiapas is partly
under “rebel control.” The EZLN (Zapatista Army of National Liberation)
and the Mexican Federal Government are engaged in low-intensity warfare
for the land, hearts, and loyalty of the citizens of Chiapas and most of
Southern Mexico. Could it be that Mr. Cisneros is being used as a Brown
face for U.$. imperialism? Could the U.$. humanitarian aid be a cover
for undermining the insurgents’ efforts to gain legitimacy by building
infrastructure inside the barricaded “rebel zones” in Chiapas? Wake up
people!!!
The strongest argument these Patriots have is: if our living standards
are raised, buying capacity strengthened, and struggles of life eased,
what’s the problem? If a “Mexican-American” can be elected into office,
representing Latinos locally and internationally, what is so wrong with
our political and economic systems? They say we need more Latin@s in
office, and that we need to exercise our rights to vote, and take
advantage of every opportunity available, before we point the finger
hollering “oppression!” That’s the attitude of these fools.
I owe my political development to MIM(Prisons), but I’m just not
advanced enough in my understanding of capitalism and imperialism to
effectively challenge these views raised when I criticize U.$. domestic
and foreign relations. When i speak about communism as an alternative,
the programming is reflected by smart remarks about oppressive regimes
that sprang up after communists seized power in countries like Cuba,
Korea, and Vietnam. China is referenced as a communist system in their
minds. The word communism raises so many fears and scares folks away. I
don’t know how to raise arguments to fight all the negative stigma
surrounding communism. I don’t know how to effectively strike at the
image of legitimacy and prestige seated deep in the consciousness of
these herd-minded sheeple (sheep-people). Lumpen prisoners need to
understand where their real long-term interests are at. It’s not with
the maintenance of the Empire, or replacing the conservative white
politician with a liberal Latin@. Please help!
MIM(Prisons) responds: First let us quickly address the title to
this comrade’s essay, as many throw around the term fascist in
their letters to us, but we print it here in line with our very specific
definition of the term (see our
Fascism and
Contemporary Economics study pack for more background info).(1) As
we will explore more deeply in our forthcoming book on the First World
lumpen class, the combination of wealth in this country and the
precariousness of the lumpen class makes for a potentially radical, but
potentially pro-capitalist, pro-exploitation political base that would
team up with the most brutal imperialists. It is for this reason that we
take seriously the task of reconnecting the lower class of the oppressed
nations with their radical anti-imperialist histories and interests.
Ultimately communists are educators. Some who read Marx mechanically
will say that communism is inevitable, period. However, Marx’s theory
that communism would replace capitalism was based in the idea that the
masses of people would, for the first time in hystory, gain a scientific
understanding of society and how to guide it to meet their needs. This
requires a conscious effort of people to study, understand and teach
others. Without that we remain trapped at the whims of social forces
beyond our control, determined by a powerful elite who only teach us to
be good consumers.
In the imperialist countries this is not just a question of “waking up”
or educating people, as there is an economic interest in maintaining the
system that gives us all the material wealth that we enjoy at the
expense of the Third World. So we are focused on building minority
movements while splitting the unity of those who would oppose a
transformation of society to a more just and sustainable mode of
production. When we have people sitting in prison so twisted in the head
that they are singing patriotic songs about Amerika “where at least I
know I’m free,” we know we have room to expand our influence.
The question of how to reach these potential allies is of utmost
importance to us. One piece to addressing this is training our existing
allies theoretically. The forthcoming book, Chican@ Power and the
Struggle for Aztlán, will give comrades an example of how to push
Maoism in the context of Aztlán. This will be especially helpful for
those narrow nationalists who won’t listen to you tell them how great
China was under socialism. However, we must also
study Chinese
socialism, because they accomplished things no other society has to
date; Chinese socialism led the way up until 1976. A new bourgeoisie
rose to power within the “Communist Party,” which remains the name of
the capitalist leaders who have led China down a disastrous road for the
last 37 years. We have many good books on China and
MIM
Theory 4: A Spiral Trajectory, which takes a look at some of the
other socialist experiments of the past.
Of course, most will not jump right into theoretical study, which is why
our education work requires agitational work. It is up to those of us
with the theoretical knowledge and understanding to translate the most
pressing contradictions in our society into simple, stand-alone ideas
that can be repeated over and over to the masses in a way that will
resonate, build understanding and support. The mission of Under Lock
& Key is to be an agitational tool among the prison masses.
This is where we try to put forth our theory in short pieces that will
make people think critically and act.
While the majority of the world has a clear interest in ending
imperialism, in the United $tates we have to be more creative. We focus
on prisons and other state repression that seriously threatens a
minority of people in this country. For the oppressed nations we can
also draw connections to their people’s histories and how imperialism
impacts those places as this comrade did with Chiapas. And for the
majority of Amerikans who aren’t affected by those things, we still have
the destruction of the environment and the never-ending threat of war
that are inherent contradictions within capitalism, easily remedied by
ending the profit motive. As long as we are guided by the correct
theory, we can try all sorts of agitational tactics and test them in the
real world. It is through this practice, and sharing our experiences
with each other, that we can learn what works best.
Recently a fellow prisoner told me he had heard that Nevada was the only
state in which a CO had never been killed. Knowing that I have more than
3 decades in this system, he asked if this was true. I looked back and
had to admit despite hundreds of assaults, attacks, hostage situations,
takeovers, etc., I could not recall one CO being killed, ever.
Up until Nevada State Prison (NSP) closed (2011-12) it was the oldest
prison still in use in the united states. The building in which the
first experimental execution with gas occurred (on a cat) still stands
as a testament to the gravity of the statements above.
In the early 1980s NSP received attention on “Good Morning America” as
the most dangerous prison in the continental united states. This was
true for prisoners only (apparently), who’ve died by the score.
I arrived in 1979 and the two dominating prison-formed organizations
were well established, all other groups were extensions of existent
street organizations. These two prison-formed orgs were based on
racially charged genesis mythologies of defense from other prisoners.
The COs tended to “turn a blind eye” to, or participate in,
prisoner-on-prisoner violence out of fear of retaliation or through
“negotiation.” Prisoners also turned a blind eye to, or participated in,
guard-on-prisoner violence/oppression in return for concessions,
creating an environment which thrived on the victimization of prisoners
facilitated by guard/prisoner cadres. This relationship still exists in
Nevada, though less visible.
Many prisoners have been killed, assaulted and raped at the hands and/or
instigation of COs, myself included.
The point of this is that, historically, Nevada prisoners organize on
one of two opposing platforms: 1) persynal defense/safety 2) profit.
Some combine these two and others degenerate from the former to the
latter. This approach inevitably results in a contradiction of defense
vs. predation with the consequence of a self-perpetuating condition of
disunity among prisoners, due to the self-replicating nature of these
positions.
In Nevada this is an entrenched proxy of the prison political landscape
which must be dismantled.
Alongside the two groups above, there have formed new organizations
whose lines continue to define fellow prisoners as enemies or potential
victims. In such a climate, racial polarization is inevitable in the
defense camp and predatory capitalist expansion is inevitable in the
profit camp.
These philosophies embrace, advocate and promote a prisoner vs. prisoner
paradigm, a mirror image of the Amerikkkan/prison paradigm used to
oppress the masses and to prevent organizing among prisoners. By making
prisoners impotent, it facilitates their continued oppression and the
violence and exploitation visited upon them, their families, and
community by the state.
It was against this background that
SAMAEL
emerged in defense against the state and it is against this
background that Nevada prisoners are oppressed today. It is time for
Nevada prisoners to wake up to the reality of our mutual conditions. We
reject the prisoner vs. prisoner paradigm out-of-hand and refuse to
cooperate, facilitate, or participate in our abuse, oppression and
genocide, or that of others. We are calling on all Nevada prisoners to
join us in:
Organizing for our mutual defense against our mutual enemy, the state,
by opening dialogue and forming alliances with all fellow prisoners to
address conditions of confinement as a single body.
Ending all inter-tribal disputes by adopting the
agreement
to end hostilities as proposed by the PBSP-SHU short corridor
collective. This should include all facilities in Nevada and all custody
levels in these facilities striving to expand this initiative beyond
prison walls and into our respective communities.
Rejecting all racial, gender, sexual, religious and custody divisions as
counter-revolutionary distractions. The enemy does not limit its
capabilities based on these distinctions and we must stop allowing these
distinctions to be an exploitable weapon against us. Our weakness is
their strength.
Ending prisoner-on-prisoner predation. While Nevada prisoners are
victimizing and exploiting each other, the state is fomenting and
capitalizing on this disunity to further abuse and oppress us. Do not
assist this process through inaction or abuse and oppression of fellow
prisoners.
Breaking silence:
when
a CO mistreats you, grieve it. Put it on paper and into a public
forum. When a CO mistreats a fellow prisoner, step up and back their
play. Put it in writing and get it into a public forum. The COs back
each others’ play without question and we must do the same. We will only
be oppressed further by enabling them with silence, and they are
exploiting this reluctance to speak up. Every voice counts (see
addresses below)
Back up the
California comrades. It is not just their struggle – many prisoners
in Nevada have been segregated/tortured for decades and their voices are
not being heard. We must speak for them because all prisoners are united
by captivity, suffering and oppression.
Nevada prisoners must unite against our captors and stop enabling and
assisting in our own destruction.
Expose abuses to:
NV-CURE, 540 E. St. Louis Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89104 Jonathan Smith,
Chief, Civil Rights Div U.S. Dept of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Ave N.W.,
Washington DC 20530
MIM(Prisons) adds: Also send your reports on abuse to
MIM(Prisons) for publication in Under Lock and Key!