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.
Even with my release date approaching, the spread of COVID-19 in
prisons means that there remains the very real possibility that not only
myself, but many others may not make it out of here alive.
The outside public may raise an eyebrow at this statement, and to an
extent I understand why. Their reaction might be, ‘Do the crime, do the
time – along with everything that comes with it.’ Granted, prison isn’t
intended to be a steel and concrete paradise. From the moment you wake
up to the time you close your eyes you can expect to be perpetually
stressed, depressed, anxious, isolated – a whole range of negative
emotions. But does that mean that we should be subject to a form of
roulette that could be tantamount to a death sentence?
Most casual readers of articles concerning incarceration in the U.S.
are aware that there is an overcrowding issue in their jails and
prisons. The facility where I am housed is no exception. FCI Petersburg
Medium has a population of 1,500 spread among three buildings containing
twelve housing units of 120 men each. We are housed two, sometimes four
to a cell about the size of a handicapped parking space, with a toilet
and a sink thrown in. Remaining socially distant is out of the question.
Despite the feeling of sitting on a powder keg, prison strangely felt
like a sort of protective bubble from the effects of the pandemic raging
unchecked on the outside. I never would have perceived it in that manner
before.
In mid-September 2020, the first cases were reported in the building
furthest from ours. There was a heightened tension in knowing it had
finally arrived, yet it was still this nebulous thing that felt like a
problem of the outside world. The outer defenses had been breached, but
some of us are still safe. We wonder at the fate of the others – who has
it? How many? Did they recover or not? Official answers are few, and it
seems deliberately so. They do not want to create a panic, so rumors
abound.
We immediately enter into a lockdown period, meaning complete cell
confinement save for a ten-minute shower three times a week. This
experience is psychologically taxing, however it is a reasonable
precaution. I am struck by the fact that during this period, none of us
are tested for symptoms despite a memo proclaiming daily testing. This
is a disaster in the making, but with protocol typically disregarded by
staff in day-to-day operations, it does not come as much of a surprise.
After fifteen days, we are allowed a degree of freedom once more, to
collect our meals, to venture outside … with a sense of foreboding. I
found myself wondering, ‘is it too soon?’
Eight days later, on the 6th of October, more cases were reported,
this time in the building next to ours. Still a separate place, but
nearer now. The feeling it evokes could be compared to hiding from
someone with no possibility of escape, and being able to hear each
footfall resonating ever louder as they close in… it is unnerving. The
protective bubble has turned into its opposite, and we are trapped. We
are immediately placed back on lockdown. I didn’t have a chance to let
anyone know why I won’t be calling anymore, so I hope they will infer
the reason why and not be overly alarmed. Thoughts such as ‘Am I still
being thought of? Do they care?’ become amplified, as anyone who has
experienced being alone with your thoughts in isolation knows it can be
challenging at times. I begin mentally preparing for the days ahead. I
look forward to any word from the outside.
Twenty days in, and suddenly, voices emanate from the ventilation
system: In the unit above ours, we are informed that someone is showing
symptoms. It is here. They have moved the affected person to a separate
cell for monitoring, but it is still in the same unit. We all continue
to breathe in and share the same recycled air. Is there nothing else
that can be done? There is less talking now. My cellmate and I cover up
the vent as a precaution, but it does not block out the sound of muffled
coughing that has now begun in earnest somewhere above us. I don’t know
what will come next, but I’ve prepared for all eventualities.
As Revolutionaries and Communists, we must organize and agitate our
fellow captives to demand that our health, safety and human rights be
respected by the prison and medical staff. A tall order, knowing that
our oppressors are here merely to collect a paycheck and the additional
hazard pay that has undoubtedly accompanied these lockdown measures, but
a just fight during these trying times.
I have enclosed a bulletin that has been enforced on us here at
Federal Correctional Institution - Manchester. I don’t think it’s legal
but have no way to find out either way. So I’m reaching out for any help
in this matter. This is not Federal Bureau of Prisons policy, only here
and by this warden.
The bulletin reads in part:
“Effective February 8, 2021, the following procedures will be
implemented for ordering any book. There will be a book”catalog”, placed
in Education. The catalog will be the only vendor authorized… any books
ordered through any other vendor or purchased by family members will not
be accepted into the facility.”
MIM(Prisons) responds: The Human Rights Defense Center
(Prison Legal News) already fought them on this and won 2 years ago.
They will be contacting the counsel representing the prison to put a
stop to this again.
The oppressor continues to break their own laws to prevent the
oppressed from accessing information. The other issue we are having at
this same facility is a restriction to only 5 one-sided pieces of paper
per envelope. This prevents comrades there from receiving any of our
resource guides or study assignments. If you have any information to
provide on either of these issues please get in touch so we can hold
them accountable.
Internationalism - A policy of cooperation among nations, esp. in
politics and economy. (Webster’s New Basic Dictionary)
Internationalism is the basis of building a United Front with all
concerning the same political & ideological line that is relevant to
the People; social, political, military, and economic needs to produce
equality, independence and land. Internationalism is mainly pushed to
build a strategy within theory & practice against the oppressor and
to stretch its resources of economics, military and allies out to the
point of weakness to either attack or defend in order to control and
secure its power.
If everyone is on the same accord politically & ideologically
within a true socialist/communist aspect, while really practicing the
theories and strategies given through history and philosophy within
their conditions NOW to further design solutions in socialist/communist
theory & practice to accommodate betterment of our existence through
the stages to lead to the weakness of capitalism/imperialism nationally
(locally & regionally) & internationally (other countries).
When we tend to practice nationalism in an aspect of Mao [editor:
revolutionary nationalism] it shows a sense of commonality to others
that are nationally oppressed and helps them understand the true
scientific socialist way/dialectical materialist way. This observation
is a common point of the same struggles against capitalism/imperialism
oppressors where the oppressed is just of different nationalities but
concerns the same fight of human rights being violated socially,
politically, militarily & economically. That’s why internationalism
is a bridge to a strenuous fight towards ending capitalism/imperialism
and also helping with resources needed to continue our survival now,
during, and after the time is here, seized and power is taken to rebuild
land, necessities and socialist government structure until a communist
way of life can be obtained.
Once the capitalist/imperialist oppressors and its allies have been
stretched over the world, thinning out it’s security & structure,
then would be a time to take action militarily due to no proper defense
system. It is our job to ensure that the People everywhere are at a
conscious state at that time through revolutionary stages to properly
prepare & plan it’s strategic tactics within a People’s War.
Recently, rising Chicago rapper King Von has been shot and killed in
an Atlanta nightclub at the age of 26.(1) Born as David Daquan Bennett,
King Von was associated with the lumpen organization “Black Disciples”
and was close childhood friends with other notable Chicago figures such
as rapper Chief Keef and Lil Durk. While there were rumors that he was
the grandson of David Barksdale, the founder of the Black Disciplies,
there have been no notable proofs confirming this fact.(2) However, he
was given the nickname “Grandson” amongst older B.D. members while he
was in prison due to his demeanor reminding the older prisoners of David
Barksdale.
The shooting happened when King Von and Quando Rondo’s affiliates
started to confront each other in the nightclub. Sooner or later, a
fistfight occurred which resulted in guns being drawn. There was also
two off-duty police officers that were present in the shooting.(3)
Alongside King Von, two other men were killed with many others
injured.(4)
Due to the news and social media’s coverage of this shooting, both
camps – the Georgia L.O.s affiliated with Quando Rondo and the Chicago
L.O.s affiliated with King Von – have publicly threatened each other on
social media. Quando Rondo – who survived the altercation – has had his
concerts canceled while social media gossip has poured fuel into the
fire.
What we aim to do with this article isn’t to take sides on which
party was in the right or wrong. While our articles like to point out
that lumpen organizations have revolutionary potential, we also
emphasize the dual nature of the lumpen class and the reactionary side
of these organizations. “Gang” conflicts have done immense jobs in
sowing divisions among the oppressed. With Hip-Hop music and “Gangster
rap” becoming a nationwide phenomena, the music and culture of the
oppressed nation lumpen have added fuel to the fire. We encourage our
readers to go beyond the diss tracks while also not falling for the trap
of individual survival and apathy – ultimately, they will return the
oppressed back into chaos.
While serving as fuel of lumpen violence, these expressions also show
the righteous resentment to society harbored by the most lowest sections
of the oppressed – especially the youth. The fact that the amerikan
patriarchs are so adamant that mere music infecting white children into
delinquency and drugs shows an interesting trend in youth of all nations
in the U.$. expressing their alienation towards capitalism.
Drill Culture in Inner
Cities
Hip-Hop as a genre started in the east coast cities in the late 70s
and early 80s. It wasn’t just simply a genre of music like the amerikan
music critics would like to believe, but a mass expression of oppressed
nation lumpen youth who dominated the Hip-Hop Scene. From the clothes,
the hairstyles, graffiti, and dance all the way to the rapping has
become a form of expressing the fear, anger, and righteousness that the
Black/Puerto Rican youth who lived in the police state-like conditions
in the inner cities.
What was called “Reality Rap” reflected the early pre-scientific
consciousness of these lumpen youth. The bleak portrayal of amerikan
cities flipped the idea of the amerikan dream and the bourgeois
ubermensch making profit and “getting theirs” on its head. After all, if
the “founding fathers” and the “captains of industry” could become the
revered mega-rich through criminal acts such as slavery and thuggish
exploitation, why can’t the corner boy dealing dope one day become a CEO
of a mega corporation one day? Would it be so much more wrong to sell
drugs to get a head start compared to selling people?
This also sheds light on how the hip-hop industry is a big way for
the lowest section of the masses to become a national bourgeoisie or
even a comprador bourgeoisie in the oppressed nations. Former street
rappers turned CEO of record labels often end up being the one
exploiting the oppressed nation masses in the ghettos and barrios
themselves. In some cases, these musicians will end up exploiting the
international proletariat in the Third World.(5)
While hip-hop in general has been becoming a bureaucratized
multi-million dollar industry for the amerikans, the “drill music” scene
has arisen from urban areas – notably Chicago. Lumpen Organizations in
the country’s murder capital have often used music videos and rap lyrics
to diss their rivals and the dead. The lingo that was used only in
certain blocks and neighborhoods of Southside Chicago can now be heard
from all major cities in the United $tates from Atlanta to Los Angeles.
There is something to be said that social media and the internet has
made the culture of Oppressed Nation diaspora – in this case Lumpen
“drill” culture – more interconnected. New Afrikan L.O.s in Chicago now
have a strong hold in the deep south in cities such as Atlanta and L.O.s
who previously have never made contact with each other might start to
form beefs.
NGO Tactics
VS Building Independent Political Power
Peace treaties, alliances, and betrayals between lumpen organizations
have been going on forever. Organizations from the Nation of Islam to
the countless Non-Governmental Organizations have attempted to build
peace in the ghettos and the barrios. However, building treaties can
only go so far unless the root of the problem is attacked and made aware
by the masses. The conflict of the L.O.s are bigger than individuals and
sets. They are a bloody symptom of amerikan capitalism. Even if every
Blood and Crip individual goes through psychological rehabilitation and
shake hands with each other, more “gangs” will rise with the next
generation. Oftentimes, the “rehabilitated” individuals end up back to
the lumpen life within a year due to the political-economical
instabilities in these areas; and many “peace treaties” are more so
ceasefires to have the dope business in a more stable control.
Despite decades of these peace treaties, we are still in the very
early stages of being able to unite the lumpen masses. Leaders within
prisons working to push the United Front for Peace in Prisons can speak
to this from experience. The story of the state isolating the conscious
leader and the masses returning to oppressed-on-oppressed violence is
all to common. Others have tried to revolutionize their whole L.O., and
failed. While the leadership is there, we have not yet created the
conditions that make this a viable path for the masses as a whole. That
is the challenge we face as we continue to build revolutionary
leadership that has a plan to end capitalism, and find ways to offer
incentives for the masses to abandon the current system and risk their
lives for a new tomorrow.
Notes: 1. Alex Zidel, November 06, 2020, “King Von
Reportedly In Critical Condition After Shoot Out With Quando Rondo’s
Crew,” Hot New Hip Hop. 2.Olivia Olphin, December 01, 2020, “Was
King Von David Barksdale’s grandson? Rumour explained,” The Focus.
3. Emmanuel Camarillo, November 6, 2020, “Chicago Rapper King Von Killed
in Atlanta Shooting,” Chicago Sun Times. 4. Rebekah Riess, November
7, 2020, “Rapper King Von shot and killed outside Atlanta nightclub,”
CNN. 5. Sirin Kale, May 17, 2016, “How Much It Sucks to Be a Sri
Lankan Worker Making Beyoncé’s New Clothing Line,” Vice.
I filed a grievance on food service here on the Ellis Unit followed
by an Ombudsman complaint. I was put on lock down by the investigating
officer (Captain Wiggins) for no valid reason. Kept there for seven
days, while the “investigation” was done. After that I was threatened by
Captain Livas saying he would lock me up again, justify it by ordering a
psych eval on me and then move me around every two days to “fuck with
me.” He then forced me to sign a statement saying I had no
complaints.
I would like the Texas grievance packet and state-level
petition/grievance campaign info.
This is a galvanizing poetic call 2
action,
The Soledad Comrade, George Jackson,
Once declared: “capitalism is the enemy,”
Meaning: you and me,
The common man and woman of poverty,
Are more family than enemy,
Because we are poor,
Fighting a common enemy of imperial elite capitalism,
Not 2 allude 2 the day 2 day,
Systemic Amerikkkan racism,
There’s truly no time,
For us 2 be killing and fighting each other,
When in arms together,
We are sista and brotha,
Therefore we must come together,
In a clenched fist alliance,
A peaceful defiant display,
Of unity and excellence,
Unite or die,
Is a true rallying cry,
Wherefore, we must join forces,
And overthrow the corrupt, racist, imperialist,
Capitalist Amerikkkan government,
Ergo, the clenched fist alliance,
A resolute display of resistance,
And defiance,
There’s no time 2 pray,
March and cry,
It’s either unite or die,
Truly, unity is the most dominant,
In the face of all inequality,
We are living in a truly,
Provocative span of time,
So what is it going 2 be,
Unite or die,
And commit 2 memory: “Capitalism is the enemy.”
We must unite or die.
I am a citizen of Colombia. In 1993, I was sentenced to a 45 year
prison term, here in Texas. I was to serve 22 1/2 years before I would
be eligible for parole. While serving my time, I was summoned to an
immigration court, where an ICE judge informed me that upon release from
the custody of TDCJ, I was to be transferred to an immigration facility
where I would await deportation.
On 25 March 2016 parole denied my release for these reasons:
The record indicated that the offender has repeatedly committed
criminal episodes that indicate a predisposition to commit criminal acts
upon release.
The record indicates the instant offense has elements of
brutality, violence, assaultive behavior, or conscious selection of
victims vulnerability indicating a conscious disregard for the lives,
safety, or property of others such that offender poses a continuing
threat to public safety. (3 year set off after serving 22 1/2
years)
On 14 May 2019 set-off again, for the same reasons. (3 year set-off).
I committed a crime when I was 21 years old. I’ve been in prison for the
past 27 years, where I’ve never had a single
altercation. In 2007, while taking my GED a new law was passed,
prohibiting prisoners with immigration detainers from participating in
school activities; I was kicked out of school. (parole uses me not
having a GED against me each time I come up for parole). I’ve taken
Bridges to Life, Voyager, Peer to Peer, Job Skills, Over Comers,
Tutoring, and at the moment I’m finishing Cognitive Intervention. My
last infraction (case) was in 2014, six years ago.
The parole board here in Texas has its own agenda as far as who will
be released and who won’t. When a prisoner comes up for parole, the
prisoner can’t speak on his own behalf. No type of
evaluation is conducted to see if the prisoner is ready for society.
It’s all done through paper work. The board members review each folder
for no more than 3 minutes and come to a decision. How can a proper
review be done in 3 minutes? At the moment I’m on my second three year
set-off. I am being set off for the same reasons over and over again.
How can I be a continuing threat to public safety, if I’m not even going
to be in the United States?
How can the parole board state that I’m a violent person? In 27 years
of being in a violent environment such as prison, I’ve not even had a
single fight. I have no type of violent infractions (cases) towards
prisoners nor officers. That itself should show a pattern of change.
There’s a lot of prisoners (who will be deported) being held in Texas
prisons, under numerous set-offs, because we have no voice out there and
the state can abuse its power and claim we’re not ready for society or
we’re being rehabilitated, but what the public doesn’t know is that
there is no rehabilitation here, there’s more drugs and
corruption in this place than out there. The only reason we’re being
kept is for the federal funds these prisons receive.
I humbly request that our comrades at MIM please help spread the word
about the injustice that the parole board and its associates commit
against prisoners who will be deported and have no voice to help them
out there. I thank you very much for your attention to my letter. God
bless each of you.
MIM(Prisons) adds: Concentration camps for migrants without U.$.
citizenship are the one sector of the Amerikan prison system where
private prisons have been widely used. This puts another level of
financial incentive into the criminal injustice system as this comrade
points out. In a system built on profit, and not people, there will
always be injustice.
Meanwhile, the lack of rehabilitation is not unique to migrant camps.
At this stage, we build or Serve the People Re-Lease on Life program to
help our comrades transitioning out of prisons. But for many, like this
comrade, they just aren’t getting out because of financial incentives,
and the need to control oppressed people to prevent social change.
In every issue of ULK we indicate our alternative to this
system (see p.2). We propose a system where the real criminals are
imprisoned; the people who have stolen thousands of lives by locking up
hard working people, or bombing their homelands. And a system where
everyone has access to all the resources they need for rehabilitation.
Even those outside of prison need to transform themselves for a new
world based on a common humynity. We are all shaped by the current
system. Check out Prisoners of Liberation by Allyn and Adele
Rickett for a glimpse at what socialist prisons can be like. ($5
stamps/cash or work trade from MIM Distributors)
In early June, a book arrived here at this facility that was intended
as a birthday gift from my family. The day the book arrived I asked the
property officers if I had received any books and they responded “No,”
despite the fact that my sister confirmed that the book had arrived.
When I informed the staff that I had gotten my family to track the
package the staff acted even more standoffish, dismissive and
suspicious. I suspected this type of behavior from the staff was due to
the very controversial information contained in the book, but still,
knowing my rights and also the purpose of the First Amendment I would
not tolerate it without taking necessary legal action.
Almost ten days after the book had arrived the only thing I was given
was a ‘Notification of Publication Disapproval Form’ that was signed by
the Warden. But I was told the book wasn’t here, correct?
The Warden, property office and mailroom clerk all stated falsely
that the book contained “material that promoted violence, terrorism or
criminal activity that violated state & federal guidelines.” I know
this is not even remotely the case, being that I actually read the book
in 2014 prior to my incarceration. Knowing this I was highly offended
& saw the property officer’s actions and reasons for violating my
First Amendment rights as not only an attempt to impede on my freedom of
speech but also as an insult to my intelligence. The definition of
‘promote’ is ‘to advocate’ so I forced the staff to prove, legally, that
this book, entitled The FBI War on Tupac Shakur and Black
Leaders ‘promoted’ or ‘advocated’ ‘violent acts’ or ‘terrorism.’
Close examination of this book will prove anything but that.
The book actually promotes the opposite – principles almost identical
with those of the United Struggle from Within and MIM(Prisons). It
promotes Peace, Unity & Solidarity between tribes, gangs and lumpen
organizations. And it also depicts the violent, cold-blooded &
terrorist acts committed by the FBI, the CIA & local police forces
in Amerikkka. We call this domestic, or, homegrown terrorism, used to
reinforce the fascist policies of the capitalist social order.
My first action to get my book was to file informal complaints &
grievances for violation of my First Amendment rights as well as
Operating Procedures code 803.2 on the rights of prisoners receiving
publications. Operating Procedure 803.2 clearly states that if the
Warden or property officer found something ‘questionable’ about any
publication or literature sent to an inmate then the inmate is to be
notified and consulted before the officer in charge of passing out
property takes further action. Then the inmate is given three
options:
Have the book sent home.
Have the book sent to the Publication Review Committee.
Have the book destroyed.
The primary issue is that I wasn’t allowed the liberty to explain to
the staff what the book was really about & that I never gave them
the consent to hold or send the book to the Publication Review Committee
(or ‘PRC’), as they claimed they had done. So, in fact, code 803.2 was
violated by the property officer and the warden who signed the
Publication Disapproval form which lacked my signature of consent.
This is a perfect example of fascist style censorship and violation
of First Amendment rights within the Virginia Department of Corrections
(D.O.C.). As Operating Procedures Code 803.2 states, “Offenders at
D.O.C. institutions should be allowed to subscribe to, order, and
receive publications direct from any vendor – so long as the publication
does not pose a threat to the security, discipline and good order of the
facility and it is not determined detrimental to offender
rehabilitation.” As I mentioned earlier, Potash’s book would reveal to
the reader that it actually promotes peace, unity & solidarity
between tribes, gangs and lumpen organizations (very similar to the
Maoist-promoted United Front for Peace in Prisons policies).
I also talked to an institutional lawyer who was very helpful &
who also agreed with me 100% concerning the book. He looked up the title
of the book while I was on the phone with him and he quickly observed,
in his own words, that this was a very “historical” and “political”
work. Policy 803.2 clearly states “educational and historic publications
are not detrimental to offender rehabilitation” and that when it comes
to disapproval of literature, “this criterion shall not be used to
exclude publications that describe such [violent] acts in the context of
a story or moral teaching unless the description of such acts is the
primary purpose of the publication. No publication generally
recognized as having literary value should be excluded under this
criterion.”
Point of fact, the so called ‘violent acts’ or ‘terrorist acts’ that
the property officer tried to use to keep me from getting this book are
actually committed by none other than Law Enforcement and also
covertly ‘promoted’ by the intelligence community who controls the
mainstream media and who work in collusion with the local police who, as
we observe on the daily news, continue to beat, shoot and murder
innocent men, women and children, which can only be described as very
‘violent’ and ‘terrorist’ acts.
After constant confrontation & inquiry the staff finally gave me
my book on 3 September 2020, but still tried to use psychological
manipulation to make it seem as if I were the one who had done something
wrong. They said I had ‘raised hell’ and caused a lot of trouble about
the book when all they had to do was give the book to me to avoid all
this.
On
John Potash’s The FBI War on Tupac Shakur & Black
Leaders
The FBI War on Tupac Shakur and Black Leaders was written by
an activist and investigative journalist John Potash. He describes and
documents historic events in comparison with more current events and
describes, using documents & eye-witness accounts, how the U.S.
intelligence & FBI target, assassinate, harass and imprison all
individuals & organizations (Black, white, Latino, Asian, Native
American) that ‘promoted’ & practiced ideas that were contrary to
mainstream capitalist & fascist indoctrination that challenged the
social order and the establishment’s chokehold on 90% of the world’s
resources.
J. Edgar Hoover (former director of the FBI) once stated that the FBI
must “stop the rise of a black messiah or anyone who could radicalize
the civil rights movement”, “by any means necessary.” Meaning
harassment, imprisonment and trumped up charges, destruction of public
image or assassination. There are countless leaders; Black, white,
Latino & Native American who met this messianic description and all
of them fell under the cruel fate of COINTELPRO – including Mutulu
Shakur, Afeni Shakur, Tupac Amarau Shakur and many of his relatives.
Potash describes Mutulu, Tupac & Afeni’s efforts to create peace
between the Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, Black P.
Stone Rangers, Latin Kings & Young Lords and also to convert them
into political organizations that would serve the communities that they
exist in. This program is a direct influence of Huey P. Newton &
Bobby Seale’s strategy that was used to create the Brown Berets, Chinese
Red Guard and the Young Lords.
Potash also details the predatory and very cold blooded nature of the
‘Far Right’ neo-conservative, fascist & capitalist powers in the
U.$. and how the intelligence community utilizes informants and
undercover agents to harass, spy on, falsely accuse, set up, imprison
& assassinate leftist revolutionaries or any musician, actor or
politician as well as business person associated with revolutionary
organizations or movements, that promote peace & unity
rather than violence.
After reading & examining closely, for the second time after
seven years, I feel an obligation to quote and cite John Potash’s work
as well as all the revolutionaries he worked with before and after this
book’s publication.
In Chapter 21 (pp. 101-104) Potash describes what is called ‘Penal
Coercion’, which is a way to break down certain prisoners
psychologically, physically & spiritually.
“They found that the U.S. Department of Corrections had a ‘Special
Services Division’ to carry out operations on prisoners. Researchers
working from divergent groups, such as the Bureau of Prisons and Amnesty
International, described several particular prison tactics as akin to
both torture and brainwashing and referred to them as
‘penal coercion’.”
“A 1983 Amnesty International report on torture presented
CIA-designed techniques outlined in Biderman’s Chart of Coercion – 8
general penal coercion methods prison officials used to psychologically
tear down individuals in order to manipulate them. These methods are
isolation, monopolization of perception, induced debility, threats,
occasional indulgences, demonstrating omnipotence, degradation, and
enforcing trivial demands.”
One of the most tragic & ironic cases of this is that of Afeni
Shakur’s son – Tupac Amaru Shakur. Tupac was targeted the same way his
mother was – five assassination attempts, constant harassment from
so-called law enforcement and incarceration under false charges. He was
practically sentenced to ‘Death Row’ for his revolutionary work, forcing
him, after FBI ‘penal coercion’ into a corner after which he finally
gave in and went against his better judgement and signed with Suge
Knight on Death Row Records, a label whose symbol & trademark was a
man sitting in an electric chair. This label promoted drugs, sex,
violence and ignorance and no higher social causes whatsoever – going
against all Tupac & his family of activists stood for. Potash
writes, “Tupac’s jail conditions also helped influence Tupac to finally
sign with Death Row Records.”
Potash continues:
“Tupac finally stopped rejecting Time Warner’s request to sign with
its subsidiary, Death Row. Tupac had spent 10 months in jail. The
appeals court refused Tupac’s 1.3 million bail offer for those many
months that he waited for his appeal trial, but within days of Tupac’s
September 1995 signing with Death Row Records, the Court of Appeals
accepted virtually that same bail offer and released Tupac.”
“…Years of accumulated evidence supports that the FBI orchestrated
the murder of rap icon Tupac Shakur, and that they used similar tactics
to murder other leftist black leaders. Thousands of pages of U.S.
intelligence documents reveal how the FBI and other intelligence
agencies have waged a war on black leaders. The U.S. Intelligence
targeting of Tupac and his Shakur family provides a window into
intelligence targeting of leftist black leaders from 1965-2005. U.S.
Intelligence (Defense, CIA, FBI and police intelligence) historically
opposed leftists – those working to make changes in society to gain more
equitable sharing of wealth and resources. The CIA’s leadership, the
directors of intelligence agencies until 2001, were comprised of the
wealthiest American families. Their founders also saved thousands of
Nazis [after the end of WW2] and put them to work on intelligence
projects.”
Summing Up
So be watchful of all correctional officers, deputies, staff and
prisoners because the capitalists of the ‘criminal culture’ that is
fueled by drugs, sex and violence has captivated the minds of the 85%
(majority of oppressed masses). And they have no real loyalty to any
higher social causes and they will sacrifice anyone, and anybody, to
keep whatever they gained from capitalist society and for whatever
material or position they are trying to acquire. No matter how low they
are on the pyramid, as Paulo Freire writes, “the oppressed class
subconsciously emulates, imitates and identifies with their
oppressors.”
All conscious, political & revolutionary prisoners, within and
without, in prison & at home; the intelligence community has
perfected the art of utilizing the informant and the undercover agent
for decades and has been proven to be their most valuable asset, used to
assassinate (as in the case of the late Nipsey Hustle PBUH) and bring
down countless revolutionaries. Be wary of all people (inmates and
staff) who become super defensive and ultra-sensitive when you are
critical about the current social order and the establishment. Most
likely they are either active agents, informants or have friends &
family members who work for Law Enforcement, the CIA, FBI, or U.$.
Military – three institutions that are interlocked in the same criminal
network.
All of our great leaders and revolutionaries; Black, white, Latino,
Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern or Native American, have all pointed to
the same facts and for this, like Tupac Amaru Shakur, Malcolm X, Che
Guevara, Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale, Clarence 13X, Marcus Garvey,
George Jackson and Geronimo Pratt, they were harassed, imprisoned
unjustly, or assassinated for it. Peace be upon them, for they are the
true prophets and messengers of this age, and it is only men & women
like them who will lead us into the new age of Revolutionary
Transcendence.
In Under Lock & Key No. 71 we printed an ad for a free
copy of the book Punching the Air. We did so based on an
agreement we had with a Director at Harper Collins that we would provide
access to our readership to recruit readers for the book, and they would
cover the costs for them to receive the book while promoting our Free
Political Books to Prisoners Program on their Instagram.
Ebony LaDelle, Director of Teen Marketing for Harper Collins
Children’s Books originally reached out to us about the promotion to get
free copies of the book to people in prison, especially youth. We agreed
to the arrangement above, and went ahead and created and printed an ad
in ULK to find out who would want the book. We sent the final
version of ULK with the ad we printed at our cost, and asked
Ms. LaDelle about the ad they were going to post for us on Instagram. It
was at this point that she informed us that there was no ad because we
had missed a deadline a month ago. This was despite the fact that we had
sent her the art and url for the ad almost 2 months prior. And this was
the first time we had heard of a deadline or that we had missed it.
One reason we were open to this project is that the book was authored
by Yusef Salaam, who was part of the Central Park 5 as a youth, and who
had a story we thought would be relevant to our audience. So when
Ms. LaDelle made it clear they would not be promoting our Serve the
People program we reached out to Mr. Salaam, but received no response.
At this point we cut off relations with Harper Collins and this
project.
We say this was an opportunist error, because we accepted the
arrangement with Harper Collins hoping it would benefit us without being
vigilant about our politics being represented. We can also say that our
state of feeling a bit desperate for support played a role in our
willingness to jump on the promotion. Ultimately our politics were
completely left out of the promotion, and we stopped working with Harper
Collins in response. But we had already run the ad.
We are self-critical for this because we ended up using our comrades’
time and our money to print an ad, for free, for a large corporation,
while getting nothing in return to benefit the independent institutions
of the oppressed.
Certainly this is a small aberration on our history of managing
6-digits worth of funds over the years, which has gone directly to
serving the people through independent institutions of the oppressed.
Nonetheless, we should draw lessons from this error to maintain our
track record.
While donations of stamps from behind bars, and the occasional
donation from the outside is not nearly enough to keep our projects
running, this is where we should be looking to develop more support.
And it is not just financial support that we need. More than that, we
need people to do the work. We also depend on the masses and comrades
out there for ideological support. It is your ideological questions and
feedback that allow us to keep applying the democratic development of
theory and practice as we go through this precarious time. Certainly
there will be many more learning experiences like this to come as we go,
and we can’t do it without all of you providing criticism, support and
feedback.
Harper Collins did publish a small post listing some of the other
groups that they worked with on this promotion. What we do differently
is build independent institutions of the oppressed to serve the people.
We do not run charities. We are trying to change the world. And our
programs serve to help others join us in that project. That is why we
are explicit that it is a Free Political Books to Prisoners
Program. And we wonder if that is why Harper Collins was not willing to
promote it.
It is our grounding in the masses that led Harper Collins to reach
out to us in the first place. And to make up for our mistake in trusting
that they would promote mass work, we will be sending everyone who
requested the book an introductory book on the philosophy of dialectical
materialism. And like everything else we do, this will be done mostly
with money out of our own pockets. If you are reading this and want to
see more revolutionary literature making it into the hands of prisoners
of the United $tates, please do get in touch, or just send us a donation
(see our Get Involved
page for how).
As of today [20 November 2020] this is day 22 of this hunger strike
that [2 members of the local USW cell and one other comrade] have been
on at CSATF D-Facility. Reason that we’re on this hunger strike is for
CDCR, the state of California and the Governor of California Gavin
Newsom’s failure to protect us prisoners from any harm.
Our strike has been reported on by ABC30 through a group called
“Oakland Abolition and Solidarity.” Our 3 demands are as follows:
Universal, voluntarily applied testing and treatment for
COVID;
Return of safe program and basic necessities, namely: Law
library, telephones, showers, dorm cleaning supplies, hot meals and
canteen;
Create mechanisms of accountability by which independent family
and supporters on the outside have visibility on CDCR’s plans and
actions during and after an outbreak like this.
This facility is locked down and all means of congregation have been
canceled completely. The program has been such since early April 2020,
but has become more dire since July. Meanwhile, like other facilities in
California and across the country, staff regularly interact with
prisoners with no mask on and are the source of the virus for those of
us locked in these cages.
The overall population has been in a state of panic, fear and
complacency. But leaders have been on hunger strike since 29 October
2020; abstaining from all hard/solid foods. This includes meals offered
by the Department of Corruption and the institutional canteen.
The brothers here are still putting in work and continuing their
studies.