Tracking Prison Censorship in the United States

I was sent a book (Chicano struggle...) which was denied by the texas prison system. We will concentrate our efforts to obtain this publication, yet the reason set by the "Directors Review Committee" was "promotes peaceful protest Hunger Strikes against Authority."

The book was received on 3-1. I got a notice of "Nuisance Contraband: used book." I found out this is a new rule and began fighting it asap. The Deupty Warden of Operations (DWO, second in command under the Warden) said we should have been give a 2 week notice. He sent the Institutional Investigation to check the book (for contraband - no used book rule is now in place because drugs have recently been found in used books) and he was going to let me have it.

Then I got a second "Notice Conraband - materials not conducive to prison policy" stating the title "The truth about the white nation."

I just wrote the DWO again stating retaliation by the investigator who told the mail clerk to re-write the contraband slip rather than put in the proper slip (any non-conducive materials can be appealed) that would allow me the opportunity to appeal first to the Warden, then to a committee in ODRC headquarters. He did this because I can't appeal used book rule. He tried to get around the fact that the DWO was going to allow the book. I'm still fighting and will keep you updated.

Dear Friends,

Today, March 10, 2016, I was denied your book Chican@ Power and the Struggle for Aztlan by the Gist Unit Mailroom for the following reasons:

(c) It contains material that a reasonable person would construe as written solely for the purpose of communicating information designed to achieve the breakdown of prisons through offender disruption such as strikes, riots or security threat group activity.

Remarks: Page 234 promotes peaceful protest, non-cooperation, hunger strikes & no labor.

This is non-appealable.

It goes on to say that the Director's Review Committee (DRC) upheld the denial on November 6, 2015.

It's funny because the unit library has books about the ilves of such notable people like Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, Nelson Mandella, Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers. All of them promoted peaceful protest, non-cooperation, hunger strikes and labor strikes to achieve their goals of freedom, equality, fair wages etc. I doubt it will do any good but I will file a grievance today.

The Mailroom Representative, C. Hodges, outright refused to answer legitimate questions and assumed a condescending attitude towards me. It saddens me to know that I could have asked for many novels that promote pimping hoes, or that glorify gangsters or that convey the message that prison is a right of passage towards becoming men in our inner cities and I would have had no problem receiving that.

"The mission of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is to provide public safety, PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE IN OFFENDER BEHAVIOR, reintegrate offenders into society and assist victims of crime."

That statement is straight out of the TDCJ Offender Orientation Handbook. Yet they denied me Chican@ Power because pg. 234 "promotes peaceful protest." Tell me, please, how do they get away with such obvious self-contradictions? Why would they rather I receive materials that promote violent protests? Perhaps so cause then the whole "they are animals, lock them up and throw away the key" argument would be validated, thereby justifying the expansion of the carceral state to fill their coffers.

In closing, I appreciate you sending the book. I asked that it be mailed home, let's see if that happens. I wasn't even told what to do next. I assume I am to sit down and shut up and be a good little offender because the state knows what's best for me. =)

I did not receive Nov/ Dec #47. No notices from mail room either.

I was denied July/Aug 2015 No. 45 because the mail room "claims" pgs 1 & 6 contain information detailing prisoner strikes! I appealed it, but it was upheld!

To: Mail Room

Subject: I want to know why you guy refuse my copy of Under Lock and Key No. 48, they said it had unable to find and return to sender on it no explanation was given.

Disposition: We did not receive nor reject "Under Lock and Key" #48. Inform company to send again. 3/5/16

see 3/4 text