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.
On 17 April, 2012 the Associated Press reported on the election of the
New United Snakes president of the World Bank.(1) This article
demonstrates the control that the U.$. has in the bureaucracy of this
agency which serves as an administrator of neo-colonial economic
policies within the Third World. Jill Yong Kim, a Korean-born U.$.
citizen was elected by the 25 member executive board after he was
challenged by the neo-colonial nations, which the author describes as
“developing countries.” His selection extends the tradition of Amerikans
leading the World Bank dating back to the institution’s founding in
1944.
The neo-colonial nations contend they need a greater voice in the World
Bank.(1) This is evidence that the UN dominated bureaucracy does not
take these “Developing” countries interests seriously. Underdeveloped
nations struggle for positions of power within these agencies to better
influence the policies which are geared to (under)develop their
economies. They are bureaucratically smothered by the developed nations
(led by the UN) because more developed nations equals less super profits
for the imperialists. Hence, the World Bank is founded on the need for
underdeveloped countries. In reality, these other countries are only
given a voice in the UN to the extent that they can’t use it to change
the status quo.
The associated press reports: “The World Bank raises money from its
member nations and borrows from investors to provide low cost loans to
developing countries.”(1) This bourgeoisified spin of propaganda
purposely hides the fact these loans to the “developing” countries
intensify under-development by systematically refusing to fund serious
industrialization programs.(2) Instead, these loans are granted for
purchase of surplus food from the imperialist nations home markets
attached with obligations to pay the money back with interest. If the
U.$. controlled World Bank was truly interested in providing “aid” to
underdeveloped countries they would grant loans that are geared towards
developing agricultural industry which is aimed at consumption needs for
the population and to establishing institutions within these countries
that produce native modern technicians and engineers who were free to
use their expertise within their own respective nations.
Without programs like these, “aid” to a neo-colonized state is merely a
revolving credit, paid by the neocolonial master, passing through the
neo-colonized state and returning the the neocolonial master in the form
of increased profits.(3) Over half the century of the World Bank
developmental “aid” to the Third World has accomplished nothing more
than creating a comprador class of native exploiters who rely on
imperialist agencies and forces to keep the oppressed nations in their
place while robbing the national treasuries for their own wealth and
privilege. Together the comprador class and imperialists work to exploit
the oppressed nations with institutions such as the U.$. run World Bank
which in its pure form is an imperialist front to finance oppression in
the Third World.
MIM(Prisons) adds: For an example of World Bank economic
practices that keep countries under the imperialist thumb, see our
article on
the
Middle East and North Africa.
So often I hear about all these “new” groups popping up, and I can only
laugh. It’s 2012, there is nothing “new.” The foundation for our
political beliefs has already been laid. There is nothing “new” about
these stances/agendas and their supposed political beliefs. The only
thing that is different is the day and age we live in. The root of our
problem remains the same, the haves oppress the have-nots. However, the
point of this writing is to address my thoughts, feeling and opinions on
all these “new groups” popping up.
There are any number of them, with a wide range, variety and jumbled
assortment of colorful names. The names range from political to outright
comical in wording/phrasing. Some state just who and what they are. Some
are rather ambiguous and then others are as laughable and colorful as a
male peacock strutting in full plumage. And as we’re aware, no matter
how a peacock struts, it hides in the trees the first time a storm
threatens.
It’s cowardly, and more importantly, embarrassing. For all the strutting
and plumage behind the colorful names, the truth is they do nothing,
accomplish nothing and solve utterly nothing. If anything they present
more of a problem, because of the loud, attention-craving racket, and
absolutely no productive political action, they cause the people (the
ones we struggle for) to laugh and not take anyone serious. All they see
is the “bells and whistles” of colorful names.
All this does is take away from the true, sincere and actual
revolutionaries striving to bring about the true and necessary changes
and reforms to society, which is needed to overcome the corrupt
imperialist swine oppressing us.
Remember, that’s the goal. To bring communism to the forefront of
political power. Not to be dividing into numerous groups with no true
moral fortitude to accomplish what’s needed. Each time I see or hear
about “new” groups claiming to have and hold the same beliefs, views and
stances as already well-established, virtuous organizations are already
firmly grounded. It presents me with a question: why?
Why are these people so eager to form “new” groups? And why aren’t they
able to fit in with the already proven, reliable and established
organizations? The answer I come up with is disturbing but can only ring
true: Because these people lack of true moral fiber, and they possess
one or more character flaws that prevent them from being accepted in and
part of an already structured, active and producing organization. They
are unable to follow the rules and regulations and necessary leadership
to steer the group, and society as a whole, towards the ultimate goal:
revolutionary change to overcome the oppression from the
capitalist/imperialist swine. It’s either that or these individuals who
start “new” groups have outrageous delusions of grandeur, so they hop
from group to group or create their own groups all in hopes to try and
get their fix of feeling “important.”
We can all attest to the effect that there is no possible way to trust
someone who hops from group to group, from cause to cause, showing
absolutely no loyalty to anyone or even to their own proclaimed beliefs.
In either of the above mentioned answers, I only see comical groups of
misfits who do more harm than they bring about actual political change.
So, since there are already well-established, grounded and virtuous
groups out there being productive, find one! And devote your time,
support and efforts to an organization already striving for the ultimate
goal we’re all struggling for. The entire point of this struggle is to
work together, as one, for a common goal. The common goal. And only in
uniting will that goal be reached. Continuous divisions amongst
ourselves only slow the process of growth.
Instead of dividing attentions, assets, resources and comrades, find a
firmly established organization already fighting and struggling for the
betterment of the people. And assist them in bringing about that
betterment.
It makes me sick when I hear about see or read of some “new” group of
misfits breaking away, and who have no firm education in political
maneuvering or strategy. And quite frankly it’s insulting to see or hear
a new colorful name or term like “gangsta this” or “gangsta that”
Are ya serious? That’s embarrassing, especially when all those
character-flawed people are trying to do is get attention to their
no-account group by using a virtuous group to put their group name in
print because none of their actions are meritorious enough to be deemed
worthy of it any other and the proper way.
Truly I hope not another group’s name is printed. If you’re a Maoist,
then that’s name enough.
In closing, stop dividing and start uniting. As one people, in one
struggle, doing one work, to overcome the imperialist pigs who oppress
us.
MIM(Prisons) responds: On the one hand, we agree with this
comrade on the importance of not forming new groups just for the sake of
recognition or self-aggrandizement (see
“Building
New Groups Vs. Working with USW and MIM(Prisons)”). Ultimately we
need unity behind common Maoist principles for successful revolutionary
struggle. However, at this current stage of struggle within imperialist
Amerika, there is a practical need for organizing in a
cell
structure, where regional independence provides security.
As we have demonstrated in our work with even the best of these new
organizations which are claiming to uphold Maoism, we hold everyone to a
high standard of work and don’t just look at the labels and names they
choose. This was seen in our work with the New Afrikan Maoist Party
(NAMP) with whom we found some significant developing disagreements over
line and strategy. We published a
self-criticism
about our working relationship with that group.
The other important point to make here is that we should not hold
everyone to the standard of Maoism to work with them. We need as many
strong committed revolutionary comrades as possible. But for those
individuals who are not at the level of communist theory, we can unite
around anti-imperialist goals in a United Front. We don’t want these
folks blindly signing up for Maoism; we would rather they study and
learn through practice about the value and seriousness of communism. And
if there is no anti-imperialist cell or organization in their place, we
support the creation of such a group. It is in forging this unity that
we are building the
United Front
for Peace in Prisons and this is the basis for the names of groups
being printed in Under Lock & Key declaring their
participation in this United Front. We do our best to verify that these
groups have an actual progressive practice, but we cannot be everywhere
checking out everything, so we rely on our comrades to vet these
organizations and look at their work over time for confirmation of their
anti-imperialist orientation. In line with this comrade’s critique, we
have shifted our focus for United Front writings in ULK to
practical reports, rather than statements of unity that were causing
more trouble then they were worth.
I have received
ULK24. I love the
article by release coordinator of MIM(Prisons)
Overcoming
Release Challenges. It goes into detail on the “Post-Release Plan”
you all sent me. A comment on the time management is that it’s true that
time is critical, but as we do something like traveling to and from work
or to see our parole officer, lunch breaks on the job, we communicate
with people. This may not seem like much but one conversation on the
basics can change lives.
My backpack will go everywhere with me. And this backpack will be
stuffed with the best zines, newsletters, etc. If I pass a store, I can
place some on the counter: hand them out to “passer-bys.” We should take
advantage of every little opportunity with limited time. These “little”
things will hold some over until more time frees up or until they get
into the habit and get settled.
And another comment is on “the personal vs. the political.” I agree with
MIM(Prisons) on security issues but on the attempt to preventing the
destruction of relationships with friends and family in the name of the
struggle, I don’t agree. I say this to say if they can’t accept me for
who I am, then they’re not real friends nor real family. This doesn’t
include telling them of more clandestine activities, but in telling them
of your position and what you fight against imperialism. Your friends
and family should want you to fight injustice. Not saying that they are
obligated to do the same in order to be my friend - No! Everyone has a
role in the struggle and some peoples’ may be more radical than others.
These challenges are paramount and needs to be tended to fully. The only
way to go is up because we’re at the bottom; we can’t get any lower.
MIM(Prisons) responds: We agree with this comrade on the
importance of advantage of every minute to do some revolutionary
organizing. And there is nothing wrong with talking in general about
political views with friends and family if you think there’s a chance
they might be interested (if you have an FBI agent in your family you’d
be a fool to talk to them about anything). But you have to be careful
about what you share. What happens when they start asking questions
about details on what you do just because they are curious. And when
your friend is angry with you for something and decides to go tell the
cops about your activity, you’ve just put yourself in danger
unnecessarily. We encourage people to keep their discussions of politics
on the level of theory with people you know, until they demonstrate a
real interest in getting involved in something. There are plenty of
strangers out there we can talk to about politics without fear that they
can use it against us: there is no lack for people to educate and
organize.
The grievance campaign is very well alive out here in Arizona. As a
litigious prisoner of war, isolated behind closed doors, I am doing my
part in disseminating the grievance campaign where I feel it can have
its most impact. I have also imported its meaning into an actual
grievance alleging a denial of my First Amendment rights and access to
courts. If Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) does not follow
through and respond to my grievances within their specified time frames,
I anticipate filing a lawsuit. I am also seeking injunction relief,
asking the court and ADC to consider how its grievances are handled when
being delivered to prisoners. This is because I believe they should be
handled confidentially due to the legal issues that are presented in
these grievances.
Your most recent letter including an Unconfirmed Mail Form and letter to
Director Charles L. Ryan, et al. regarding censorship was given to me
yesterday [3 April 2012] with “please pick up your idiot form from you
CO III” written on it. In addition, a cigarette hole was burned through
the letter. This type of misconduct is extremely unprofessional,
especially coming from a government entity claiming rehabilitation,
justice, standards, and professionalism.
Unfortunately this type of unprofessional behavior seems to be an
ongoing pattern of harassment against MIM(Prisons). I am requesting that
an incident report be documented in this case, and that ADC conduct an
internal investigation. Furthermore, I’m asking that they ensure that I
am no longer harassed in the form of tampering with my mail, which is a
Federal offense.
I am sending this envelope to the ACLU who is now representing me and
several other prisoners in a class action lawsuit against ADC Director
Charles L. Ryan as the Defendant. We are alleging inadequate medical and
mental health services, which are unconstitutional conditions of
confinement. I am hoping they can see the hatred that is rained upon us
at the hands of this corrupt state. This lawsuit appears to be following
the footsteps of Brown v. Plata. The ACLU is asking for
injunctive relief, asking that all mental health prisoners be taken out
of isolation.
I am including some addresses that can be helpful in gathering some
momentum in our struggle. They are aware of the prejudice that we’re
currently experiencing. I’m hoping we can put this together and change
Arizona’s precedent to violate our First Amendment rights.
MIM(Prisons) adds:Strategically, MIM(Prisons) disagrees with
legal battles that do not serve the rights of all prisoners such as the
popular trend of getting “mentally ill” prisoners out of isolation.
Doing this further legitimizes the use of torture against those who are
mentally strong and are put in isolation for political repression rather
than “ill” behavior. There are better ways to reform torture and
reduce
the number of people in long-term isolation.
Above is a letter from a staff persyn at Florence Correctional Center
responding to a grievance petition that a prisoner submitted. The staff
persyn tells the prisoner to talk to a Correctional Officer about his
grievances, when the grievance petition clearly says that this has been
tried, doesn’t work, and something else needs to be done to protect the
prisoners’ rights to due process.
So far everyone who has responded directly to the many, many grievance
petitions that have been submitted to various prison administrators all
over the country have simply referred the petitioners to seek remedy
from another entity. No one has taken responsibility for this issue, all
the way up the hierarchy. Even when petitioning the United Nations for
various humyn rights abuses, U.$. prisoners have been told to seek
remedy within the United $tates “justice” system. We will continue to
distribute and publicize the grievance petitions to further highlight
this point. One prisoner
reports
to have seen some success in a lawsuit in Oklahoma.
Clearly justice, due process, and fairness will not be given to us just
by making the authorities aware of the problem. Raising public awareness
may help apply pressure for reforms to be made. But the most thorough
remedy for an end to injustice is to organize against the conditions
that allow this to happen. A government designed to protect people and
not profits would jump at the opportunity to correct an injustice,
especially against its imprisoned population. We know that a society
like this is possible, because we’ve studied how socialism worked under
the Chinese Communist Party under Mao Zedong. We encourage everyone
frustrated with the Amerikan administrative runaround to work with
MIM(Prisons) to build for a better world.
I was reading an article I would like to bring to your attention, titled
“Facing Race in Oregon,” it was printed in Justice Matters, published by
Partnership for Safety and Justice, out of Portland, Oregon.
As of 2010, whites in Oregon made up 78.5% of the state population,
while “people of color” made up 21.5%. (The article uses the term
“people of color.”) Whites are 72.5% of the prison population. Oregon’s
population is 2% Black, but Blacks are 9.6% of the prison population.
Oregon’s population is 11% Latino while they are 14% of the prison
population. Oregon’s general population is 1.6% Native American, Native
Americans are 2.4% of the prison population. Oregon’s general population
is 3.7% Asian/Pacific Islander, with this group comprises 1.4% of the
prison population.
The imperialist pigs gave out a 2011 report card, a legislative report
card on racial equality. The Senate received a “C” while the House
received a “D” (great grades from our supposed leaders eh?) These grades
alone show that racial “equality” isn’t a matter these swine politicians
care about. (The entire whack report can be found at the website for the
Partnership for Safety and Justice. But it’s useless to read because it
amounts to imperial pigs wasting $ on stupid reports instead of solving
problems.)
The supposed “justice” system clearly shows it’s practice of
disproportionate and biased policies on “people of color,” by the fact
that, despite having one of the smallest Black populations in the
country, Oregon ranks 13th highest in the country for Blacks in prison
per capita. And Blacks are 5 times more likely to be incarcerated in
Oregon than whites. But here’s the kicker, national research proves that
crime
rates as a whole show there is no difference among racial groups in
regard to likelihood to commit crime. So obviously race plays a
factor in who Oregon decides to send to prison.
And check this out, Oregon has a whack law called Measure 11 (it’s some
mandatory minimum bullshit) and it requires youth of the age of 15 and
older to be automatically prosecuted as adults as soon as they are
charged. And when they are convicted it’s mandatory they serve the same
sentence that applies to adults. And guess what, of the 36 percent of
youth who are victims of this Measure 11 crap, 25% of them are “youth of
color.” While Black youth make up only 4 percent of Oregon’s general
population, 34% of all juveniles who are female measure 11 indictments
are Black girls!
Point is this, numbers sure don’t lie. And the corrupt swindlers and
leaders of Oregon seem to enjoy putting “people of color” (as they term
nonwhites) to work in their prison factories to keep the money rolling
into their greedy pockets. And the sad thing is, inmates do the labor
for these pigs and shuffle to the “cotton fields” like mindless cattle.
That’s why MIM is vital! Because it educates the people. That’s why I
cherish each of your newsletters and share them with everyone who can
read, and wants to, and why I read it to the ones who can’t or don’t
want to.
MIM(Prisons) responds: It is a common misperception that
prisoners who work play a role in enriching their captors in this
country, and even that such labor is there are so many prisons. Like the
prison system itself, prison labor is more about oppression (largely
national oppression as this author points out) than making money. As we
explained in an article on
The
U.$. Prison Economy, prisoners who work are helping to offset some
of the cost of imprisonment, at best. Prisons are a very expensive
system of social control for the imperialists. The people who get jobs
in the criminal injustice system certainly are benefiting from it, but
the money mostly comes from the government, not from prisoner labor.
A clenched fist goes up for the New Afrikan youth Trayvon Martin who was
murdered in Sanford, Florida on February 26 2012.
Here we are in this endless cycle of genocide inflicted on the internal
semi-colonies. Hunting season is never over in Amerika; it is merely
covered up with different words to describe it. But those of us in
prisons across Amerikkka understand what is taking place.
It has taken almost two full months for the arrest of George Zimmerman
to be finally carried out. That’s sad, when a Black 17-year-old is
executed in cold blood and the killer is allowed to roam free, but we
are arrested for reckless driving and given a life sentence. U.$.
soldiers slaughter villages, cut off ears, take photos of themselves
urinating on the bodies, without being charged; and when they are
charged they walk free. Migrants are shot and killed by white
supremacist militia groups, and not only does the corporate media not
report it, but bills are currently being pushed through that call for
militia groups to formally work in concert with border patrol.
The truth is the state operates in a way that allows many loopholes and
leeway for white supremacists to survive and continue their terror. This
is seen in the treatment these groups are given from Amerika. If you
look closely at this phenomenon it shows us what kind of a rotten system
we really live under. The problem is we have been born and raised in
this imbalanced existence so we now believe many things are “normal” or
“okay” when in fact they are very wrong.
Case in point: the existence of white supremacist militia groups. If we
were to have a handful of Chicanos with guns in any house we would be
labeled “gang members” and the SWAT team would come in and crush our
existence. If a handful of New Afrikans were at a house with guns and a
flagpole flying their banner, they would be labeled terrorists and
crushed. Yet there are entire compounds of white supremacists with guns
and websites proclaiming their objectives, and for the most part Amerika
leaves them untouched. Why is this? Well because these neo-Nazi or other
white supremacists actually complement the imperialists’ agenda here in
Amerika in many ways.
In one way they help to keep the mass attention off the state itself,
but they also make room for the state to step in and appear as some
savior. As in the Trayvon Martin murder, they allow this vigilante
psychotic maggot to run amok, allowing the people’s anger to boil, and
then step in to arrest him. This way many will think “they did the right
thing” or “the law works.”
These tired old bait-and-switch tactics don’t fool nobody. We know
Amerika is Zimmerman! Zimmerman is only a physical
manifestation of imperialism. Imperialism, like Zimmerman, travels the
world stalking Third World nations and then attacking the oppressed
nation, latching on and sucking the blood, the resources, leaving a
lifeless corpse in its place. They can call Amerika a “colorblind”
society; they can allow the public to be “intermingled”; they can
nominate Obama as president; but any way you slice it there is no
justice to be found here for Brown or Black folks. Our justice will only
come from our own hands through struggle.
Racism is generally understood by revolutionaries first and foremost as
an outgrowth of the ruling class, which nurtures these white
supremacists into fascist foot soldiers. They are imperialism’s reserve
army and are intertwined with the state apparatus. They have a mutual
interest in keeping things “the way they are.”
The most we’ve gotten out of Obama concerning this modern day lynching
was him saying “if I had a son he would look like Trayvon.” Really? He
couldn’t even make a speech denouncing the attack on Black people, the
problem of white supremacy, or the new caste-like system that encourages
these modern day lynchings lest he offend the oppressor nation. But
saying nothing at all would offend the Black nation. His “middle ground”
was “if I had a son he would look like Trayvon.”
These bourgeois politicians serve the ruling class, they serve capital,
they serve Wall Street. Our justice may not come tomorrow but it will
surely come, and until then let us prepare the people for the cold
reality in Amerika.
[This series of events followed two statewide food strikes in California
in 2011 focused on putting an end to Security Housing Units and
improving justice and conditions in CA prisons.]
When we, the prisoners housed in the Administrative Segregation Unit
(ASU1) of CSP-Corcoran, initiated a hunger strike to protest against the
inhumane conditions and constitutional violations we faced in the ASU1,
the prison officials responded with retaliation and indifference. Their
intent was clear: to set an example of what would occur if these
protests that had been rocking the California Department of Corrections
and Rehabilitation (CDCR) this past year continued. Their statement was
not only meant for the protestors in this ASU1, but for the entire class
of oppressed prisoners in the CDCR.
The hunger strike in this ASU1 initially began on 28 December 2011. It
was a collective effort with various races and subgroups standing in
solidarity for a common interest. A petition was prepared with the
issues we wanted to address, and it was submitted to the Corcoran prison
officials and also sent out to prisoner rights groups in an attempt to
gather support and attention.
A few hours after the protest began, Warden Gipson sent her staff to
move the prisoners who were allegedly, and falsely, identified as
“strike leaders” to a different ASU. I was included in that category
because my signature was on the petition that was submitted to prison
officials. When we initially refused to move, the correctional staff
came to our cells wearing full riot gear to cell extract and move us by
force. Since we were engaging in a peaceful protest, we agreed to move
and were placed in the other ASU. This turned out to be 3A03 EOP, an
Ad-Seg unit that houses severely mentally ill prisoners.
While isolated in that psychiatric ward, we continued to refuse food
until we received word that the hunger strike ended in the ASU1. I later
found out that the Warden and Captain had met with the spokesmen of the
ASU1 protestors and promised to grant a majority of our demands but
requested three weeks to implement the changes and to have the
agreements in writing. The protestors agreed to give the prison
officials the benefit of the doubt, and for that reason the hunger
strike was put on hold.
I continued to file complaints and 602s during this period asserting
that my placement in a unit along with severely mentally ill prisoners
violated my Eighth Amendment right because I was not mentally ill; and
that my placement in this psychiatric ward was the result of illegal
retaliation by prison officials against me for exercising my First
Amendment right to peaceably assemble and protest. These grievances went
ignored. In addition to my isolation in the psychiatric ward, I received
a 115 for “inciting/leading a mass disturbance” (12 month SHU term), and
was later found guilty although they had no evidence to support that
charge besides my signature on a petition. The other protestors who were
also falsely identified as “strike leaders” were issued the same 115 for
“inciting/leading a mass disturbance.”
On 18 January 2012, Warden Gipson ordered her staff to move me, as well
as the other isolated protesters, back to the ASU1 believing that the
hunger strike was over. Before we were moved back, she sent an email to
Lt. Cruz of 3A03 and asked him to read it to us. It contained a warning
that she would not tolerate any more disturbances in the ASU1, and a
threat that any such behavior would carry more severe reprisals.
After three weeks passed since the hunger strike was put on hold, it was
clear that the prison officials had no intent to honor their word and
keep their promises. The hunger strike resumed on 27 January 2012.
The ASU1 Lieutenant, after hearing that we resumed the protest, came to
a few protestors and stated the following: “We are tired of you guys,
all you guys, doing hunger strikes and asking for all this shit. I am
not only speaking for myself, but for my superiors as well. There are
correctional officers and staff getting laid off because the state
doesn’t have money, and you guys in here are asking for more shit? You
know what, we don’t care if you guys starve yourselves to death. You
guys aren’t getting shit. The only thing you’ll get are incident
packets.”
Two days later, on 29 January 2012, Warden Gipson sent her staff again
to round up the alleged “strike leaders” and place them in isolation.
This time, the spokesmen who had previously come out to speak and
negotiate with the prison officials regarding our demands were also
included in that category. We were all moved once again to 3A03
psychiatric ward although we were not mentally ill. Furthermore, our
visits were suspended by classification committee for the duration of
our “involvement in the hunger strike,” and we were issued another 115
for “inciting/leading a mass disturbance.”
The retaliation did not stop there. All the participants of the hunger
strike were issued 115s for “participation in a mass disturbance,” and
the most important of all, the correctional staff and prison officials
were deliberately indifferent to the medical needs of the starved
protestors in the ASU1. When some of the protestors started losing
consciousness, experiencing serious pain, and requesting emergency
medical attention, the correctional staff were deliberately slow in
responding, and in many instances just simply ignored them. This conduct
and this mindset, of prison officials to set an example by showing
deliberate indifference to the medical needs of the protestors, directly
contributed to the death of one of our own. His brave sacrifice and
unfailing personal commitment will never be forgotten, nor will it have
been for naught.
This is where they stand. The oppressors who take away our freedom and
liberty continue to fight tooth and nail to deprive us of even our basic
human rights. They employ brutal means of retaliation and suppression in
an attempt to keep us from exposing the harsh truths of everyday life
inside these prison walls. Although the ASU1 hunger strike may have
ended, I will continue to have the spirit of resistance. The outcome
will not be decided by a single battle but of many, and I will do my
part in hopes that my small contribution may make a difference.
19 April 2012 - Greetings comrades in struggle. Here in Texas at
Clements Unit I am engaging in a hunger strike in protest of the gang of
racist officers systematically targeting New Afrikan prisoners with hate
as a mechanism to control or punish us. I’ve sent in numerous grievances
and complaints to the administration to no avail.
I’m in the high security building as an administrative segregation
prisoner for a weapon planted in my cell by one of these racist
officers. They have done cell searches to steal my legal documents,
destroy my property, defile my religious books and prayer rug, and leave
obscene drawings of monkeys or apes being hung or impaled with a KKK
cross. They have been doing this to the New Afrikans here for a while
and are getting more and more violent and vindictive.
As a political prisoner, I’ve been targeted not only because of my ebony
hue, but for my constant struggle to enlighten these slave-mentality
prisoners to unite and take a stand. I’ve been told by Sergeant
Mondragon and Correctional Officer Ruiz that they will make sure I die
in this cell. Captain Boland, Major Hardegree, Lieutenant Hancock and
Warden John Adams have created this kind of fractal injustice as there
is not one New Afrikan officer/employee on 2-Card/1st Shift High
Security.
Comrades this is only the beginning of my hunger strike - 2nd day - and
wish for your support and solidarity to keep me strong and vigilant. I
can only hope to force a change and get outside recognition to the abuse
and hate crimes committed by these racist gangs in the guise of
correctional officers.
MIM(Prisons) responds: We stand behind this comrade’s fight
against racist injustice. But we don’t fight to add more Black officers
in the prison. We know oppressed nation pigs are still pigs. This kind
of integration is not progressive. We encourage our comrades to explore
all non-violent methods of struggle, including hunger strikes when
necessary. But these actions should not be taken without building
necessary support for success. Even in California where thousands of
prisoners joined the
hunger
strike, the victory has resulted in few immediate changes, while at
least one comrade died in that struggle. These movements require careful
planning by an organized leadership and time spent building mass
support.
Below is a response to
“Validation
Leads to Longer Sentences for Oppressed Nations” from ULK
24. I would like to say first and foremost that I feel for these
brothers in the state of California. From what I can tell the gang
validation program in California is what the Department of Corruptions
(DOC) in Connecticut call Security Risk Group (SRG). Our system is also
corrupt but the process seems harder in this state. We also have a
Safety Threat Member (STM) designation, which is a more severe version
of an SRG. STM is for someone with a leadership role, or a repeat
offender.
I believe if the California comrades looked at the DOC’s model over here
it would help in presenting a more productive model for them to use in
reform. They used to be able to designate us at will with no evidence.
Now it goes by a point system. A tattoo is not enough to designate you
alone. And when you finish the program here, there’s no debrief. You
just have a piece of paper of renunciation; no information is needed.
They have found ways to corrupt this process, of course, but it is a
step up from what California is doing to our comrades.
Our mission is to put an end to these methods altogether, but I believe
there are steps in that process. Not only should we be giving a list of
demands, but also presenting a model for reform that honors our human
rights as well as our due process rights.
MIM(Prisons) responds: California Prison Focus, a reformist
organization focused on issues related to SHU prisoners, recently put
out an issue of their
newsletter almost entirely devoted to analysis and criticism of
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR’s)
proposal for a new gang validation system.(1) The CDCR’s proposal rests
on a point system similar to the one used in Connecticut. A point system
might make it more challenging for prison staff to frivolously send
someone to a control unit indefinitely, but only if the evidence used to
calculate the points is disclosed. Another key difference in the
Connecticut DOC’s system is that it lacks a debriefing process, and is
therefore not as self-perpetuating as the CDCR’s.
It may be a tactical advantage to model our reforms off of those which
have led to some improvements in other localities. This would depend on
the conditions in each location and time. A point system is slightly
more objective than the CDCR’s earlier protocol of identifying just
three pieces of evidence, which were often kept secret as
“confidential.” But as Ed Mead reports in Prison Focus,
The stated purpose [of CDCR’s proposal] is still to “prohibit inmates
from creating, promoting, or participating in any club, association, or
organization, except as permitted by written instructions.”(1)
MIM(Prisons) stands in strong opposition to this stated goal of the CDCR
in our efforts to support prisoners in organizing themselves for
democratic rights as a class and for self-determination of the oppressed
nations.
The U.$. government uses the domestic injustice system to justify the
denial of democratic and Constitutional rights to a growing segment of
its internal semi-colonies. The recent CDCR proposal refuses to
eliminate the use of secret evidence to put people in SHU, which is a
denial of due process. Meanwhile, not only is SHU used to punish people
for associating with others, but the recent proposal includes plans to
expand the range of Security Threat Groups targeted for repression. If
these policies were implemented for the overall population we would call
it fascism. Organizing strategies of our comrades behind bars should
reflect this reality.
What is so sinister about the
debriefing
process, why it has been a primary target of the anti-SHU struggle,
is because the statements given are used as secret evidence to put
others in SHU for indefinite sentences, translating to years if not
decades, in long-term isolation torture cells. As long as this
continues, and as long as prisoners are denied basic First Amendment
rights of association then we see no progress in the “new” proposal.
MIM(Prisons) calls for the abolition of long-term isolation, as it is a
form of torture that destroys humyn beings. In addition, the way it is
used attacks whole nations by targeting leaders of the oppressed and
isolating them from the masses. There are reforms that could weaken the
second effect, but people would still be tortured unless control units
are abolished completely. The proposed point system barely puts a dent
in either problem and can hardly even be considered a reform. Therefore
we stand with the broad consensus among prisoners opposing the proposal,
and call on supporters on the outside to do the same to remove all
legitimacy from the government’s attempts to keep the oppressed from
organizing for any purpose.
When Republican Bill Haslam was elected Governor of the $tate of
Tennessee, he appointed Derrick D. Schofield as Commissioner of the
Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC). I assume the “D” in
Schofield’s middle name stands for either dumbass or dickhead, because
since then the conditions in prison have deteriorated. Schofield is one
of the $nakes that was instrumental in causing the largest prison
sit-down in United Snakes hystory.
It is no doubt that the Governor brought this individual to cause chaos
and mayhem to the captives at all the prisons in Tennessee. They do this
in the hopes of enticing the captives to riot so that they can receive
federal funds and justify turning the state plantations over to
Correctional Corporation of America (CCA). This way they can pad their
pockets and implement new legislature that will rob the captives of what
little dignity they may have left.
Many of your politicians have stock in CCA as well as political
allegiance to their dubious goals. Recently it was revealed that CCA had
sent
letters to
most state governments offering to buy up prisons on the condition
that the state contracts with them for at least 20 years, and that the
state keeps the prison at a 90% occupancy rate or more. Such a move
would further cement the prison industrial complex that profits off
humyn suffering while lessening government oversight in how prisoners
are treated.(1)
Schofield has attempted to remove all identity and dignity from all
captives. His agenda is to persecute instead of rehabilitate the
captives. His tactics have been to disregard policies and procedures
that have been in place for years and implement unwritten rules. He has
caused an atmosphere of hate, discontent and danger for both his
employees and the captives.
Captives are required to walk single-file under escort on the compound,
a specified distance apart. Captives are not allowed to talk or have
their hands in their pockets while under escort, even during cold
weather, and the TDOC has not issued gloves to all captives. Captives
must be neatly dressed and keep their cells in an orderly condition with
beds made, and must stand at attention during morning inspections
without speaking, engaging in any other activity or making eye contact
with the inspectors. This includes captives who work night shifts who do
not get off work until early in the morning, yet must be out of bed for
inspection. When captives are called to meals, they are required to line
up and wait outside until it is their turn to go to the dining hall,
even when it is pouring rain. Captives must keep their property in
specific locations in their cells, and property storage rules have been
changed multiple times in an arbitrary manner, leading to confusion and
frustration among both captives and staff. Captives may no longer
possess coat hangers, which makes it difficult to dry wet towels.
Permissible items on the property list have been changed and, rather
than be grandfathered in, items that are no longer allowed have been
confiscated or required to be mailed out.
Wardens have been transferred to different facilities, and it has been
stated that Schofield intends to continue transferring Wardens every few
years, which may have an adverse impact on institutional stability.
There are daily cell inspections, including by Wardens and deputy
Wardens, which means that all of a facility’s highest-ranking
administrators are on the compound at the same time, which may
constitute a security risk.
The policy changes that Schofield has implemented have significant
consequences. This is not a concern that is only an opinion of the
captives. At least four Wardens have resigned or retired since Schofield
was appointed commissioner, some due to the implementation of
Schofield’s new unwritten policies. Also, a number of TDOC staff, from
the Warden level down, have contacted the Human Rights Defense Center to
express their concerns about the effect Schofield’s policy changes have
had on both captives and staff in terms of frustration and discontent
among prisoners and decreased morale among employees. None of the staff
members who spoke with Human Rights Defense Center were willing to
publicly identify themselves, citing fear of retaliation. The atmosphere
here is very vile and becoming extremely dangerous. As is the case in
the state of Georgia, the fights, assaults on captives and assaults on
staff have gone up significantly, all because of Schofield’s silly
unwritten rules.
At Turney Center Industrial Prison (TCIX), captives are targeted to fill
up the hole commonly known as segregation. It once held Close Security
captives, and once they were transferred to other plantations, the
oppressors began to target captives by issuing both arbitrary and
capricious disciplinary reports for so-called infractions that the
captives have never been informed of, not to mention the unwritten rules
are as silly as the individual who implemented them. The ridiculous
rules have no penological interest. Moreover, most of the disciplinary
infractions issued are fraudulent and without legal authority.
Within the masses of captives at TCIX, you would be hard pressed to find
many that are willing to fight against their oppressors for the
liberation of the basic human rights. I call them the “i can’t crew.” I
like to say that i am part of the “i can crew.” There is a famous
saying, which goes like this, “if you won’t stand for something, you
will fall for anything.”
Since the atmosphere here and at all the prisons has become vile, a few
of us decided to get together and address our concerns in a petition. We
recognize that the oppressor wants for us to riot and that we must first
put our struggle out there before we start busting heads.
We got together and put all our concerns down on paper. We then found
someone with a typewriter and asked him to type up our concerns. After
this petition was typed up it was given to a person in each pod to go
door-to-door asking individuals to sign. The only ones not asked to sign
were known rats. The signatures were then sent out to be copied and we
sent copies to many organizations, State Senators, State
Representatives, Turney Center Warden, Commissioner Schofield and
Governor Bill Haslam. The petition has also been placed on the internet
and Facebook.
To protect the large number of captives who participated in
brainstorming this movement, we submitted our demands in the petition.
The demands included and were not limited to a meeting between the
Warden, Commissioner, Governor and various other officials, with the
Captive Counsel Members and different religious organizations. The
purpose of having the other organizations present at such a meeting is
because the individuals who go to counsel are generally intimidated by
the current Warden. Even if they were allowed to speak freely, they are
ill-equipped to speak on matters they have no interest in or have no
knowledge about. As in the past, a majority of them cannot be trusted.
Some are sincere, but most are there to be close to the oppressor to
feel some sort of worth.
If the oppressor does not acknowledge or dialogue with us, we will be
forced to conduct a sit-down. The sit-down will consist of all of us
refusing to go to work, and refusing to purchase commissary items or use
the phone. The oppressor can serve the food and make the beds in the
metal plant for the new prison that they have built in Bledsoe County.
We want all of the captives held against their will in all the prisons
in the State of Tennessee to stand up for themselves, before they are
unable to fight for their dignity, identity, freedom and justice.
What the captives don’t realize is that the fiscal year for the TDOC is
July of each year. They can expect more legislation coming that will
give the bourgeoisie more authority to take more inmate property and
continue to deprive us of basic human rights. The food will become worse
than it is presently; there will be less opportunity to access the fresh
air; it will be mandated for all to cut our hair in a military fashion,
including facial hair; and visits will be by monitor, thus denying human
contact with your family, friends and loved ones. There is a laundry
list of atrocities that are on the way, and instead of complaining about
them, the captives must rise up and do something about it, in every
single death camp in this state. If anyone wants to help in the cause
and has ideas, please contact MIM(Prisons).
Warden Jerry Lester recently told one of his minions that he does not
have to respect the captives. Is this a directive from Schofield, or is
this the Warden’s mentality and/or the result of Schofield’s
intervention that is causing this oppressive thinking?
The captives cannot change their condition until they want to change
themselves. Every captive needs to realize who their real enemy is and
come together so that they can maintain what dignity, respect, manhood
and rights they have left.