Federal Prisons

In Under Lock and Key 63 July/August I noticed the part of Colorado leaving Chicano activism. It is true and getting worse on censorship of books and any material that has to do with the concept of Aztlan, brown berets, native movements etc. With no good reason but the excuse of "stg" security threat group. STG is a homeland security term for a domestic terrorist and enemy of the United States. They are not too happy that all tribal violence has stopped and they can no longer have the ability to manipulate and get us up to get hurt or catch more time for violence. In the next couple of weeks I'll have a full detail report since statewide department of corrections in Colorado has us on lockdown for the only reason violence has stopped, which blows my mind.

This report is in response to Programming Facilities in CA to Decrease SNY Population in ULK 63, July/August 2018.

We are receiving a small but steady flow of general population (G.P.) prisoners on our yard. About 10 every week or two. It's not going well at all. SNY population is now jumping G.P. when able to. First time G.P.s arrived they attacked some SNYs in work out bar course. Four on five and G.P.s got scrapped. Next time SNYs were waiting, so guards had to escort G.P.s from R&R.

Next morning, 300+ prisoners were outside the building waiting for the G.P.s release. So guards decided not to release G.P.s and recalled the yard. Later guards released only 5 G.P.s and they were jumped by 20 SNYs. So this is the pattern. Only a matter of time before someone gets killed.

So now anytime in transit G.P.s and SNYs are in a possible dangerous situation. This SNY yard is super chill, with very few incidents to report. So I can only imagine how serious this issue will be on other more dangerous yards. OR when SNY prisoners are placed on a yard with the majority being G.P. Something needs to be done soon. CDC is basically staging these fights.

MIM(Prisons) adds: While family members on the outside have been petitioning to stop the integration, MIM(Prisons) has been supporting USW leaders who are trying extra hard to push the United Front for Peace in Prisons principles in these difficult situations. California prison staff have a long history of staging fights between prisoners. However, this massive integration is different in terms of the numbers involved. Comrades should search out opportunities to apply the principle of Unity, based on the fact that GP and SNY prisoners are now, more than ever, facing the same conditions.

I am writing to inform you the following has taken place here at Stillwater Prison. On 07/18/2018, a guard was killed in the industry building by a prisoner. According to the MN Star Tribune Newspaper, "a 42-year-old prisoner serving a 30-year sentence for murder attacked a guard with a hammer and two homemade shanks."

This incident has placed us on an indefinite status of lockdown 23 a day. All normal programming has stopped.

i have written to our local chapter here in the Twin Cities, IWOC, our union has been very supportive in this direct action movement. Our first step has been to notify the public of the humanitarian violations that are taking place in here. We are going to continue to actively push on the DOC for an end to this oppressive mistreatment. We went several weeks without clean clothes, linen, and hygiene necessities, toothpaste, soap and deodorant. After week two, they handed us one small plastic bag with a 3-1 Bob Barker bottle of soap, 2 hand-size soaps and a clear toothpaste, two pieces of lined writing paper and two envelopes. Since then, we have been provided the opportunity to spend $40.00 a week for a select list of items which include hygiene items.

I must admit that this incident causes us to stop and pay attention more closely to what is going on around us. It is my belief we will grow stronger after and during this experience. We welcome any advice, as it may help us build a stronger movement. This is a call for solidarity.

The days: they pass without a sound
The guards: they come to make their rounds
The food: it comes, but no one eats
The prisoners: they stay within their seats

The warden: he wonders what went wrong
Yet still he thinks "they won't last long"
They guards still come to make their rounds
But still we wait without a sound

The halls are quiet, the cell doors closed
The corruption conspired is surely exposed
The enemy soon gone to be tried and convicted
The power of sound, with not one finger lifted

Here's an essay on the question of recruiting tactics and methods. When it comes to people and you're trying to impress upon them a particular concept or an idea. Sometimes the direct approach isn't the best tactic. So #1. When having a conversation with them, we utilize the ask and answer approach to see how much they know, and how receptive they are to the topic at hand.

Because for the most part, uneducated people are negative and close-minded. They become argumentative and want to express their viewpoint in order to appear right and that they know what is correct. But the truth of the matter is they know absolutely nothing.

So, the question and answer approach, in a sense, will expose them. So, this will put you in a superior position to teach them without any opposition. And now they know that they can learn a great deal.

However, through this Q&A tactic, you've now piqued their interest in a profound way. Hence, becoming receptive and open-minded to knowledge and understanding about revolutionary change. This is the greater reality for us socialists who doesn't fear the movement of teaching what life is... a society without imperialism is possible.

MIM(Prisons) adds: Under Lock & Key 63 was focused on different methods used by organizers in prisons. Keep sending in your tips and observations from the field, and write in to get ULK 63 if you don't have it.

For this September 9th Day of Peace and Solidarity, I personally will fast, exercise, read and hold a study group, which will consist of 8 committed and conscious-minded individuals, who hold fast to the philosophy of peace and unity amongst prisoners. This day there will be no strife, conflict nor division amongst the prisoners here. It's not conducive to a healthy environment. Nor will it promote growth and development.

So, the study group's theme will be peace and unity and how we can best promote these themes within these prison confines. I will start it off by giving my interpretation on what peace and unity means to me. And then i will ask the eight comrades what does peace and unity mean to them individually.

And this will start the deep discussion about the continued peace and unity amongst the prisoners here. And at that, we can come together in solidarity to rid ourselves of the internal oppression that exists amongst us. And only then can we conquer and vanquish imperialism in all its forms. This is our object. We'll make this a successful effort by all means necessary.

I recently became involved with MIM (prisons) and wanted to write a report on some of the issues we are facing in prison. My state is Florida. There are some serious issues that are quite daunting but are able to be dealt with by true dialectical materialists.

The main issue is complacency among prisoners. Too many have become addicted to K-2 (synthetic marijuana) brought in by the pigs because they know it will make prisoners focus on getting these drugs rather than becoming united. The prisoners that work with the pigs by paying them for the K-2 then, in turn selling it to their fellow prisoners, are just as guilty and I also consider them pigs. It is to the point that twice a year for the past 3 years they have raised canteen prices and the prisoners have not said or done shit. A ramen soup costs $0.81 for one soup! While the food continues to be served in small portions or inedible (i.e. spoiled, uncooked).

I have already begun trying to reach individuals hooked on the K-2 and explaining what is really happening and how they are being fooled by chemical dependency to pay their oppressors giving them the means to further oppress them. While this works with maybe 1 out of 5 (I am not including people who relapse), I feel if I could truly reveal the truth they would shun the drugs. The pigs are smart. They make it seem like they don't want them smoking K-2 and the hard-asses that are "cracking down" are doing so just to sell it back to their inmate boot lickers.

They recently took all re-entry out of the budget for Florida prisons. So now all the people such as myself, who have been locked up for a considerable amount of time, do not have any means to a successful re-entry into society. For example, I have been locked up since 2009, from the age of 18 to 2022 (that's my early date), shortly before I turn 31. As you can imagine, there are many things I should be informed on. Some simple, some difficult. I have been doing my own research of my very limited resources trying to help myself and others like me and understand we (ex-cons) can get money from the government for different things. Obviously, I would love to exploit the exploiters and lead others to do the same. I am open to any and all suggestions.

All matter is in motion and so with this motion we will continue to find new ways to apply the proper response to new ideas, and of course new actions will create new reaction. Each of us has to find the strength and opportunity into any area in our life. In this development we become more capable of helping others with the same issues. Today's Chicano nation is at a crossroad. The Raza population is growing faster than any other. In a couple of decades we will be the largest population in the United $tates. We have to understand, whatever changes we experience holds opportunity. In other words, external events often happen as means to facilitate internal change and consciousness. Once the inner connection is grasped, all theoretical belief in the permanent necessity of existing conditions break down before the collapse in practice.

I believe that in the independence of each nation is a unity that will help mobilize broader masses, then we begin to understand the importance of windows of opportunity. Chicano power is not simply being in charge. We don't want to mimic capitalism, but merely exercise socio-political, economic power where socialist relations of production replace capitalism. Without the influence of imperialism, we know that imperialism defines crimes and pushes oppressed nations into committing the crimes. Knowing most minority already have nothing to lose, and are well armed, when revolutionized can serve as the fiercest fighters.

We were not created by the same social and material forces which govern Mexican life, but by the imperialist venture of the annexation of the Americas. Our existence is therefore not defined by the reality of the border, but by social and material forces that have influenced the way we develop since before and after its imposition. Aztlan represents the land which was invaded, occupied and stolen from the Mexican nation. The southwest is home to many Chicanos, and non-Mexican indigenous nations each with the universal right to govern themselves and exist as a sovereign and autonomous people. Thus the era of imperialism is the era of New Democracy where a democratic struggle must be led and waged by the masses of the popular class in a united front where the primary goal is national liberation.

This August we commemorate the Plan de San Diego, which was a plan for New Democracy for the internal semi-colonies of occupied Turtle Island. It is a time to study Chican@ history, and apply internationalism. Write MIM(Prisons) for informational fliers on the campaign and submit your own essays and art.

The unit/prison that I find myself assigned to now is what is referred to as a "Red Brick Unit." Built in the 1960s at the latest where the cells are a mere 5'x9' with two occupants, giving a paltry 22.5 square feet of living space for these two prisoners to share. Unacceptable dehumanizing conditions. I have found that the feds have ordered such dual housing to be stopped: yet the TDCJ agency continues and is (reported to be) paying fines [to the feds, as restitution] to be allowed to continue this violative, inter alia, 8th amend. treatment of prisoners. One would not house two 150 pound dogs in such diminutive conditions.

Not to ignore the fact that we prisoners are not the only ones suffering from the de-humanizing conditions disdainfully provided for all, on and in these TDCJ agency's units. The COs too suffer the lack of civilized conditions, which should shock the conscience of the citizenry. For instance, cooler temperatures afforded the administration, medical, education, and on Ellis One, a special wing for youths, which too is air conditioned (an issue for another day). Not to mention that the sewage systems back up, belching feces laden water up from the toilets, saturating the cells, and especially first floor walkways, too include the main hallways: with "one inch" deep bacteriological contamination residues just left in the cells to fester for two months before inadequate packets of "bipi" is distributed for clean up of the cells. While all the walkways are cleaned with bleach. Endangering the health of all.

All-in-all these prisons are so deteriorated as to sustain these noxious environs poisoning all who live and frequent them without conditioned (filtered) air and water. At times the water is orange with contaminates. Whereas the water supplied by the local municipalities by way of deteriorated pressure lines, are both so befouled and degenerated, respectively, with black flake particles of unknown origin and chemical composition. Prisoners without means have no options but to ingest this pollution, not apprised of what kinds of future chronic affliction, malady, infirmity, or complication, such oppressive exposure overtime will plague us all with. In juxtaposition, those on these units who are not prisoners can and are provided bottled and/or filtered water for their safe usage.

I am writing you this letter to inform you of some important issues that I am dealing with at this institution. I filed a grievance on 5/24/18 because my breakfast meal for Muslims observing the fast for the month of Ramadan was late. So I requested to speak to the Sgt on duty. That's when Officer White and Officer Harvey both came to my cell door in G-Dorm. And once again I requested to speak to the Sgt because my food was late. Both officres made a statement that they didn't care if I didn't eat, because they didn't like Muslims because of 9/11. And that they were going to make sure that I pay the price for the lives lost at 9/11. As long as I am at Santa Rosa.

On 5/25/18 I filed another grievance because the next day after the prior incident my bag was not served to me so that I can have a meal to eat after breaking my fast. So, once the Lt. Was called to my cell he told me that the kitchen was closed. And, being that it was late, he didn’t have a key to the ktichen. So he could not get me something to eat. So, the results of this incident led to me not eating, after fasting the whole day. They violate my rights as a prisoner. The institution is responsible for feeding me my due meals. And, this is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Along with religious discrimination. Both grievances are under investigation, by the inspector general.