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 was born of a womb of a mother who smokes grew of age in a
concrete tomb choking on I-15’s exhaust smoke my veins I must
stretch to feel at ease This is what my life is like from
conception to the grave unable to breathe quit what it is you
hate while you still hate it three quarters done with my
sentence hoping someone’s still there to say “You’ve made
it” Considered depressed and despondent since the age of
five that’s when I learned to pledge allegiance age five they
taught us loyalty to one’s country as I smuggled cans of copenhagen
and snickers to my daddy in prison age five I was born of a
country Built on and maintaining DOC brutality Pledged allegiance
to a flag that destroyed my family So, you see this is what my
life is like from conception to the grave Still unable to
breathe
Outside Adams County Correctional Facility during the rebellion
On May 20 prisoners at the privately run Adams County Correctional
Center in Natchez, Mississippi, rose up in protest of the violence,
abuse and neglect at this prison for non-citizens incarcerated for
re-entering the United $tates after deportation and for other charges.
Prisoners took control of the facility for over eight hours before SWAT
teams took back the prison using pepper spray grenades and tear gas
bombs among other weapons.
The prison administration is claiming the violence was a result of
prisoner-on-prisoner conflicts but one prisoner involved in the struggle
called a Jackson TV station and clearly articulated that the riot was
due to mistreatment of prisoners: “They always beat us and hit us. We
just pay them back… We’re trying to get better food, medical, programs,
clothes, and we’re trying to get some respect from the officers and
lieutenants.” The prisoner confirmed his identity by sending photos from
inside the prison.(1)
In recent years the U.$. has hit 400,000 deportations a year, the
majority Latino nationals. Pre-deportation Detention Centers are the
site
of widespread abuse as the prison guards are accountable to no one
and the prisoners are among the least valued people in Amerika by those
in charge.
As we reported in a 2009 article
“National
Oppression as Migrant Detention”, migrants are the fastest growing
prison population and they face significant abuse behind bars: “The
American Civil Liberties Union says that the conditions in which these
civil detainees are held are often as bad as or worse than those faced
by people imprisoned with criminal convictions. These detention centers
are described as ‘woefully unregulated.’ The ‘requirements’ that they do
have about how to treat people have no legal obligation, reducing them
essentially to suggestions.” So it should be no surprise that these
prisoners in Mississippi are fighting back.
The economic motivations of the private company that runs Adams County
CC, Correctional Corporation of America, is directly counter to the
humyn rights of prisoners. Again from the 2009 MIM(Prisons) article:
“The Correctional Corporation of America, a private prison management
company who controls half of the detention facilities run by private
companies, spent $3 million lobbying politicians in 2004. They want
stricter immigration laws so they can have access to more prisoners,
which will bring them more money. In turn, ICE is able to pay 26% less
per day to house prisoners in a private versus state-run facility. This
is possible because of the lack of public as well as governmental
oversight at private facilities, where they reduce costs by getting rid
of everything that would help prisoners, including necessary-to-life
medical care. One reason state governments shied away from private
prisons for their own citizens was the scandals that they quickly became
associated with. In the year 1998-99, Wackenhut’s private prisons in New
Mexico had a death rate 55 times that of the national average for
prisons. The migrant population’s lack of voice allows these
corporations to get away with their cost-cutting abusive conditions when
contracted by ICE. This is another good example of how capitalism values
profit over humyn life.”
The distinction between legal and illegal residents of the United $tates
is a clear example of the enforcement of imperialist wealth and poverty
using borders. Those who happen to be born on the north side of the
artificial border to Mexico have access to many resources and
opportunities, and most of those born on the south side live in poverty
with very limited opportunities. The United $tates can’t let migrants
through the border because that would open up jobs to all who want to
compete, rather than keeping them for the well off labor aristocracy.
Instead the imperialists set up corporations to suck the wealth out of
Latin American countries, devastate their economies with loan programs
and puppet governments, and benefit from the cheap labor that results.
Prisons are just one aspect of the imperialist oppression of
undocumented migrants. We support the prisoners in Mississippi and
across the country who are fighting back against inhumane conditions. We
need more reporting directly from the prisoners involved in these
protests. Help us spread the word by sending your stories to Under
Lock & Key and request MIM lit in Spanish to spread our
message.
I have been incarcerated in the Missouri Department of Corruption since
1997. Over these many years I have been confined to seven different
“camps” within the state of “Missery.”
I have seen prisoners maced and beat severely at Potosi Correctional
Center in the late 90s. Officers there would routinely chain prisoners
up “hog tied” like and leave them lying in their cells. Rather than move
prisoners that didn’t get along or otherwise weren’t compatible they
would make them fight and in two instances I know of, prisoners were
murdered by their cellmates.
All over the state it is common practice to place completely
incompatible people in a cell together. Guys with life without parole
being celled with prisoners with only a matter of months left in their
sentence.
At Crossroads Correctional Center I saw a sergeant kick a “chuck-hole”
closed on one prisoner’s arm. Another sergeant grabbed a prisoner in a
reverse headlock and dropped said prisoner on his face using all his own
body weight. Prisoners with asthma or other health problems are sprayed
with pepper spray.
All over the state it is common for prisoners to be “free-cased” for
violations or crimes they had nothing to do with because a scape-goat
was needed in a hurry to save face or out of animosity issues between
staff and prisoners.
At South Central Correctional Center prisoners were “free-cased” for
another prisoner’s murder because the institution needed scape-goats to
cover up their own incompetency in running a safe and secure ‘camp’ and
insufficient security equipment.
All over the state there are prisoners on a status termed “long term
mandated
single-cell
confinement.” This security status has no set end, no guidelines and
no governing policies or any unit set aside for such a special security
status. There are men on this status who have been confined solidarity
for over ten years.
At South East Correctional Center things are to a point where at the
time of this writing there are prisoners eating foreign objects such as
ink pens, screws, and any item obtainable (in one case the ear stem of a
pair of eye glasses) to express the need to be transferred away from the
tyrannical oppression found in this backward run facility.
All over the state prisoners are housed in single-man cell units with
prisoners with severe mental illness so they are subjected to round the
clock beating on walls and sinks, yelling and screaming, smearing and
throwing feces, urine, etc. Lights are left on or shut off per the whim
of the officers.
I am writing as a representative of the Five Percent Nation of Gods and
Earths(5PNGE). Although I cannot speak in authority on behalf of all
Five Percenters, I aim to show how our nation’s fundamental principles
are in line with those of the
United Front
for Peace in Prison.
The
first
principle of PEACE is in line with the third principle of “What we
will Achieve.” Peace being the absence of confusion and chaos within
ourselves, our communities, our nation, and the world. The attainment of
PEACE in any fashion stems first from education and the subsequent
enlightenment of the individual. Once the oppressed are emancipated from
the mental slavery that results from the thorough indoctrination of
self-destructive concepts presented by the imperialist elite, then we
can truly stand together and defend ourselves from the now known enemy.
The imperialist machine has done a great job of placing false labels
upon us to keep us separated rendering us unable to attain any true
Umoja amongst ourselves.
The first principle of “What we will achieve” (National Consciousness)
is in line with the principles of Unity, Growth, and Internationalism in
that national consciousness is the awareness that “we are all one
people, regardless of geographical origins and that we must work and
struggle as one if we are to liberate ourselves from the domination of
outside forces” and destroy white supremacy, white privilege and
imperialism once and for all. The labels Latino, African Amerikan,
Asian, and Native American only help to separate us and keep us from
realizing that we are only truly one people who share a common history.
Somos originales. As the descendants of the fathers and mothers of
civilization we have an obligation to humanity to restore the true
culture of communal living and peace.
Now although the 5PNGE seeks to unite people of color and firmly resist
white supremacy/privilege in all its forms, we do not exclude whites
from our ranks. This transition is difficult for many whites because
they are forced to realize that the overwhelming cultural history of
Europeans consists of colonialism, murder, enslavement, and general
exploitation of the world’s inhabitants. After coming under study and
rejecting this devilish, destructive legacy they have the opportunity to
join the struggle of the Original People and overthrow the Devils
Un-civilization (the imperialist machine).
The 5PNGE finds independence through the second principle of “what we
will achieve”: community control. This consists of regaining control of
the educational, economic, political, media, and health institutions
within our communities for ourselves. We must have control on the
collective level so that we can maintain and advance the civilization.
The current political/socio-economic system does not serve us as a
people because it was not established for us. The United $nakes of
Amerikkka (as well as all other imperialist countries that make up
un-civilization) was born on the backs of the exploited class. It is
futile to rely on the slave masters for substance when we have in us the
tools to sustain ourselves in a more productive manner than any program
the current system may provide.
Now although ULK serves as a forum for political and
revolutionary discourse, it is the responsibility of all within the
5PNGE as well as all other LOs as part of the United Front for Peace in
Prison to educate those individuals still blinded by the propaganda of
the mainstream. Revolutionary education will build revolutionary minds
equipped with the tools to make revolutionary actions. Remember
P.E.A.C.E. Positive Education Always Corrects Errors.
MIM(Prisons) responds: Overall we have a lot of unity with this
comrade, which demonstrates the ability of organizations with different
ideologies to unite on common principles. We agree it is the goal of the
United Front for Peace in Prisons to unite lumpen organizations in the
struggle while pushing them to a higher level of political action and
understanding. We hope that others with 5PNGE will take up this
comrade’s call for unity of the oppressed and all who oppose
imperialism. 5PNGE takes a religious focused approach to the struggle,
while Maoists use the scientific method based in dialectical
materialism, but when we both arrive at the same anti-imperialist
conclusions then we we have fundamental unity at this stage in the
struggle.
I’m reporting from Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP). I’ve been engaged in
the last 16 months educating our comrades to the increasingly aggressive
tactics California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
has taken in the course of systematically depriving us of every human
and civil right a prisoner is supposed to retain. I’ve also been
attempting to strengthen communication and, aside from a select few,
have been met with complacency and apathy.
We few have organized effective communication with one another and have
used creative strategies to combat certain conditions we’ve been
experiencing. At first, utilizing the 602 grievance process was only met
with rejections, so we took our well written 602s (grievances) that used
Department Operations Manual (DOM), California Code of Regulations (CCR)
Title 15, California penal code, and U.S. law, and bypassed the lower
level institutional coordinators and submitted copies to:
Governor Brown, State Capitol, Ste. 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814
CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate, 1515 S. St., Ste. 330, Sacramento, CA
95811
CA Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, Capitol Bldg, Rm 4005, Sacramento, CA
95814
Inmate Appeals Branch, Chief CDCR, PO Box 942883, Sacramento, CA
94283-0001
And other relevant heads of department and politicians. The outcome
has led to a spotlight shining down on KVSP administrative staff with
official reprimands and supplemental memorandums and addendum. Warden
M.D. Biter has been reprimanded to the effect of: stop superseding the
DOM, CCR, and other applicable state and federal law, and to honor the
CDCR 22 written request process that was formulated after the 2011
hunger strikes, and 602 grievance process. I’ve only been told this and
cannot provide documentation, but it comes from reliable sources within
administrative staff who are against the institution head’s policies.
Ever since these reprimands have supposedly taken place, there has been
a notable change in everything. Our 602s are being accepted for review,
22 forms are being answered within time limits, program has resumed on
modified procedure, and our food is adequately proportioned. We’ve had
no cases of staff misconduct, threats of any kind, or adverse
retaliatory actions from administration, from January through today’s
date of 5 June 2012.
I’ve created a private law library of essential regulatory content and
political value which has been utilized and facilitated by interested
prisoners and we are accumulating knowledge.
These are still initial stages and our struggle needs lots of work, but
even minor accomplishments are boosting morale. I encourage everyone to
take the steps we’ve taken and stay strong and diligent. Keep records,
daily logs, and file immediate complaints of misconduct.
MIM(Prisons) adds: This prisoner is setting a good example of how
to push forward the legal struggle for basic rights. And this article
provides some good advice for California prisoners working on the
grievance
campaign demanding that grievances be addressed. Improving
conditions within which prisoners live and organize is an important step
in the struggle against the criminal injustice system. We know these
reforms will only bring short-term relief, as the system itself serves
the interests of the ruling imperialists and so substantive change will
not come until we overthrow imperialism. But these battles are important
for both education and the successes they bring.
Illinois has followed in the steps of
California
and Virginia. On June 3, 2012 twenty-three political prisoners went on
hunger strike together in protest of various administrative issues at
Pontiac Correctional Center. On the same day I.A. interrogated all of
the strikers in an attempt to frame the strike as “gang activity.”
Pontiac Correctional Center exists in Illinois for the sole purpose of
isolating prisoners from each other and the world. The vast majority of
prisoners here are in segregation. As part of the administration’s
oppression against us we are beaten, unfed, given inadequate law
libraries, isolated, and much more. All of this is being protested by
the strikers. From Palestine to California and Virginia to Illinois the
revolution against tyranny and despair, extortion and exploitation,
oppression and capitalism is growing stronger.
In the name of revolution, solidarity, and struggle.
George Zimmerman
In a letter from a long-time reader of Under Lock & Key we
received an interesting criticism of the general political movement
around the shooting of unarmed Black youth, Trayvon Martin. While he did
not criticize MIM(Prisons) directly, some of the comments apply to the
the
article by cipactli on Trayvon Martin printed in ULK 26
which he had not yet seen when he sent the letter. One of the main
points of criticism is based on Zimmerman being half Latino – a point
that cipactli’s article does not address. The article in ULK 26
identifies Zimmerman with white supremacists. This is a correct
categorization of his actions which manifest the results of a lifetime
of racist education, but there is a more subtle point to be made about
race and national oppression when these crimes are oppressed nation on
oppressed nation.
There are some fundamental points on which we disagree with the reader’s
critique. He writes that “it’s long past time for us all to stop
speaking in the terms of the racist color codes used to identify human
beings like any other commodity in order to facilitate marketing and
manipulation.” We see the national contradiction as alive and strong
within the imperialist United $tates, and it is certainly possible for
one oppressed nation to participate in the oppression of another. In
fact, it is possible for individual Blacks to rise to positions of power
within the imperialist state and help repress the Black Nation as a
whole. Barack Obama is an obvious example of this. Those comprador
individuals from oppressed nations who want power and wealth, even at
the expense of their nation, do not provide evidence that we can move
beyond the national contradiction which is what drives attitudes and
practices of racism.
As we explained in ULK 26, the
national
contradiction is still principal in Amerika today. While not called
out in the letter, underlying our disagreement on nation is a
disagreement on class: MIM(Prisons) sees clearly that the vast majority
of Amerikan citizens are not part of the proletariat. Their material
benefits from imperialism have put them squarely within the exploiter
class.
Every persyn in this country sees the stereotypes of Black youth as
hoodlums, dangerous and destined for prison. Zimmerman is no different.
And so it is a result of national oppression that unarmed Black youth
can be killed by cops and vigilantes while the imperialist state does
nothing. Studies have shown that Amerikans (of all nationalities), when
asked to identify or imagine a drug criminal, overwhelmingly picture a
Black person. This is statistically inaccurate: they should be picturing
a white youth. (See our review of
The New Jim Crow for more on this topic).
The state would prefer that oppressed nation youth kill each other, as
this is a more efficient approach for the state and it helps reinforce
the stereotypes about the dangerous hoodlums who must be locked away. By
hesitating to pursue Zimmerman for the death of Martin the state is
treating him more as a white man than a Latino.
This reader criticizes the many people who have come out to demand
“Justice for Trayvon” but didn’t step up when Oscar Grant was murdered
by police officer Johannes Mehserle. “A cold-blooded execution that met
all the elements required to convict Mehserle of premeditated murder
beyond a shadow of a doubt! A murder for which he only served one year!
Where’s the hue and cry for Mehserle’s blood!” This is a fine argument,
but one which again underscores the national oppression in Amerika which
leads to racist stereotypes of Blacks (and other nationalities) that
results in racial profiling and police brutality targeting these
groups.(1)
The reader concludes with some good points about the criminal injustice
system, “After being railroaded into prison for a crime the police
committed, I’ve learned that nearly a third of my fellow prisoners are
innocent, with another third convicted by unlawful police and
prosecutorial tactics. All of you out there are just one arrest away
from the horror show that is justice in America. You don’t have to do
anything, except be in the wrong place at the wrong time and, then, even
white privilege won’t save your ass!” But the reality is, if you are in
the wrong place at the wrong time and you are
Black
you are significantly more likely to get thrown in prison or killed.
A recent report by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement cited
at
least 110 Black people killed by Amerikan cops and security in the first
half of 2012.(2) This is in a country where the FBI reports around
400 police killings each year, total!(3) Just as Blacks are about half
the prison population in a country where they make up 12% of the
population, they appear to also be about half the police killings. So in
fact white privilege is alive and well. It doesn’t work for everyone,
the injustice system rounds up plenty of whites, but disproportionately
Blacks, Latinos and First Nations are victims. This is a statistical
truth that is not disproved by individual incidents that are exceptions
to the rule. Statistics and thinking at the group level are important
requirements for a scientific analysis of society, which in turn is
necessary to transform our reality.
Who are we… Peasants from the slums/ The ghettos, the
streets Where we love drug lords & hate bums/ Drug up &
get numb/ Party to hide our embarrassment Trying to live
lavishly/ As the tears stream down From momz face she’s treated
savagely/ But still we’re lost & brainwashed I can afford a
ounce of weed/ But can’t buy the baby shoes when in need/ I can
slang dope to fend for the kids/ But can’t teach them some
respect Cause the slave pen is where I live/ Who are we… Some
thugs & gangstas/ Or fakes & wankstas/ Oblivious &
ignorant Cold-hearted & impenitent/ Broken-hearted &
belligerent But intelligent & benevolent/ But we only show the
malevolence…why?/ Cause where we from weakness only leads to
violence/ Funerals, head shots/ Dead homes & dead cops/ Who
are we… Lovers & haters, givers & takers/ My mind says
it’s time To change who we are/ From the only things being
important is money, clothes & cars/ To cherishing our women
instead of sluts, hoes & broads/ To being brothers instead of
niggas/ To pullin good mass-movements instead of pulling
triggas/ Selling dope is so old, only makes you hot instead of
cold/ With ice, don’t sell your soul cause it’s a hellava
price/ Revolution is the only solution/ The only
resolution/ Fight for what’s right/ Fight for your life/ A
soldier, warrior, survivor/ A man, a woman, a sister, a brother, a
rider?/ Who are you…
When one is imprisoned and kept away from society for a rather long
period of time, it’s not unnatural to feel as if you’re beginning to
lose your bearings, and it’s not unnatural for one to seek help from
“medical professionals.”
What is considered unnatural however is to speak of the plight of the
oppressed. I found this out the hard way when I went to my annual
psychiatric review. To be “mentally-ill” or depressed when one is from
oppressed nation origin and imprisoned is perfectly normal. However, to
be perfectly normal or “sane” under the oppressive conditions of
imperialism is certainly abnormal. One cannot be of oppressed nation
origin and imprisoned and be content. Depression is a completely
appropriate state of mind when oppressed by imperialism; there can be no
other reaction.
As stated above I attended my annual psychiatric review and was
introduced to the four member committee. I was asked a series of
questions. How did I feel? Have I experienced any depression lately? Am
I suicidal? I answered their questions as quickly and concisely as
possible. I felt I passed their test with flying colors. As I was about
to be excused however one of the psychiatrists stopped me from leaving
and asked me if we could talk about my revolutionary tattoos. My first
instinct was to ask him what my tattoos have to do with my “mental
health.” However, I felt it might look bad to not cooperate so I agreed
to stay.
The psych wanted to know what they meant. I simply stated that they were
political symbols and took it no further, but he pressed and wanted to
know exactly what they meant. S/he kept pressing and at this point I
once again thought, “what the hell do my political beliefs have to do
with my mental health?!” I figured I’d play their little game and see
exactly what they were trying to get at.
I was asked why I choose to have this artwork on me. I replied that they
were simply expressions of my solidarity with the oppressed and
exploited of the Third World. But why did I feel the need to show my
solidarity? “Because” I stated, “they’re oppressed and exploited,
they’ve been oppressed and exploited and they’re gonna continue to be
oppressed and exploited for the foreseeable future!” “Oh, is that all?”
At which point I lost temporary control of my emotions and strongly
stated: “Yea, that and the fact that they’re currently being massacred
across the globe!” The committee then collectively jumped and stared at
me as if I was indeed crazy for saying these truths.
The psych then attempted to further bait me and get me to incriminate
myself by asking me if I felt the need to show my solidarity in any
other way. To which I simply laughed and stared in h judgmental
hate-filled eyes and said “of course not, I’m in prison.” But what if I
wasn’t in prison? And of course I laughed and just said no.
S/he then accused me of being a gang member, to which I immediately
objected and said “no, I am not a gang member!” But the bald-head, the
tattoos and last but not least the fact that I’m from the oppressed
nations certainly means that I’m a gang member. S/he then asked me what
I’m in prisyn for. I told h the truth and told h that I’m in prison for
“gang violence.” S/he then repeated that I was a gang member. “No!” I
once again corrected h. I explained to h that while I once was a gang
member, I no longer am today. However, s/he insisted and asked me if I
was in solidarity with the Third World when I was on the streets. I told
h of course not. I was in solidarity with myself and my “gang”. “So
you’ve changed?!” Of course I changed, everybody changes. To which s/he
then looked at me curiously and asked if I’d ever been in an insane
asylum. “No” I stated. “Would you like to go to one?” “No” I once again
stated. I was quite simply surprised that s/he would threaten me so
openly. I was then excused.
The implication is clear. To speak of the plight of the oppressed and
exploited Third World masses, one must be “crazy.”
Recently I was informed that my nación is now considered a Security
Threat Group (STG) here in the state of Texas. Not because we are doing
anything that’s criminal, but because the system knows that we have the
potential to make change possible for all, which they see as a direct
threat to their institution. For years we have been around, but now they
see more and more of us getting tuned in to our doctrine, becoming aware
of the de-humanization of the system. So it seems that they want to slap
us with this label. Recently in an article published in ULK
there was a fellow Black Panther, who is here with me, informing you all
that the Gang Intelligence staff have also classified them as an STG in
the state of Texas.
All I can say to those manitos and manitas doing time representing
[these groups]: there is nothing new under the sun! Keep underground not
because we have a sense of guilt, but because by watching and studying
history we made ourselves a threat and now the system is ready and
waiting to take us out just like it does with so many others. The war on
STG is real and the tracking mechanism they use is serious, inside and
out.
¡Trucha! Always be aware and make the right decisions.
Remember, just because you are in general population doesn’t mean that
the future is going to be the same. This goes for all the lumpen class.
Prepare yourselves for that ripple effect because the war on so-called
STGs is going to get much more repressive.
MIM(Prisons) adds: This comrade is right that the prisons throw
around the “security threat” label as an excuse to lock down conscious
prisoners organizing against the system. We get many
letters
talking about this happening in states across the U.$. In addition, the
“security threat” label is used to keep
Under Lock & Key
out of prisons. This
censorship is so
common that every issue of ULK finds many copies returned to
us, in some cases banned from entire facilities.
This writer gives good advice to be very careful about what information
we reveal. We don’t need more good comrades locked up in segregation
just for their lumpen organization affiliation. Don’t make it easy for
the pigs. Don’t give them any information.
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