MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
Under Lock & Key is a news service written by and for prisoners with a focus on what is going on behind bars throughout the United States. Under Lock & Key is available to U.S. prisoners for free through MIM(Prisons)'s Free Political Literature to Prisoners Program, by writing:
MIM(Prisons) PO Box 40799 San Francisco, CA 94140.
I’m considered an “enemy of the state” because I refuse to
participate so they incarcerate trying to manipulate and mandate
my mind state, solitary confined my mind refined but not
reformed nor refrained. I’ve maintained an intellect apart, with
the intent to never relent, staying relentless showing no
repentance, insistent that I be able to live life in the true
sense of liberty unequivocally. Allow me to enlighten I don’t
mean to frighten only to heighten your ability to see clearly I
only hope you hear me. Society projected whole communities neglected,
infected, mistreated, abused and used left confused I’m not amused
nothing more to lose so I spread the news of revolt a jolt to the
very foundation of this hypocritical nation they are enslaving I
have faith you can envision, listen and pay attention, their
invention of detention another form of oppression, take a lesson
start asking questions check my aggression due to their
arrestin’ instead of stressin’ I’m pressin’ forward, on and beyond
the class war straight to the core of this division life in prison
a manifestation the incarceration of a whole nation. They’ve got
us all under surveillance and if we show resistance we’re
silenced with violence repressed it’s stressed that we fall in
line and be brainwashed one at a time the status quo has got to go
a new format needs to be executed because in order for us to exist
we must resist, ready and equipped. They’ve got this country
voting on shows and topics that are superficial. But where’s our
initial on something politically official?! Their superimposition is
apparent and transparent with no comment, committed to
categorizing, the use of hypnotizing with lies refusing to hear
our cries. Time to rise everyone please stand and demand allow us
all to be indelible a considerable voice to expel, propel
and procure a promising future that will nurture and educate
instead of violate. The vice that will annihilate our
rights without question should be cropped and stooped!
Just recently we had an incident here at the prison. There was a boycott
from eating and a refusal to lockdown, leave the yard, or go to our
bunks. There were a few fires started and prisoners made it hard for
officers to do count.
As good as it might have felt to buck the system, this “two day” short
lived revolution seemed to be useless because there was no bottom line
or demands, and they ended up putting us on more restriction than we
were on before. They feed us 2 cold bag lunches for breakfast and
dinner, no visits, no church, no club activities, no yard, no one works,
no phones (now restored), no outgoing mail (now restored), no library or
law library, and officers give you disciplinary reports for every minor
thing you do (passing food, sharing books, talking after 10pm, etc.).
The outcome of this “lost cause” shows the importance of studying MIM’s
concepts and ideology. One thing it did do is show the oppressor that
the oppressed do have the will and intent to stand up. But a revolution
that’s lead by emotions will never win.
Another issue at hand here is the refusal to let prisoners out on parole
because one person who was let out murdered 4 people (he did his full
time, no parole, and he asked for mental health help before he was let
out but they refused him.) Now the system wants to make us do more time
on our sentence (80% instead of 50%), and make it a longer wait to go to
work centers. They haven’t taken into consideration all the successful
parolees and how broken the system is in preparing prisoners for
society.
One thing we must keep in mind is that “a man who stands upon the
corners of the paths and points the way, but does not go, is just a
pointer and a block of wood can do the same.”
MIM(Prisons) adds: This comrade raises a very important point
about how we must learn from our failures as well as our successes. And
in the case of this protest, as well as many other spontaneous acts of
resistance in prisons across the country, the lesson is often that we
need to do more to build our level of political knowledge and study
theory and strategy so that we can formulate the best approach to our
local situation. There is an organizing strategy called focoism that
attempts to promote and utilize the spontaneity of the masses to launch
a revolution. There is a long history of spontaneous attempts at protest
and the focoist strategy of revolution around the world that show us
this approach generally leads to more repression, not to victory for the
oppressed. We have a responsibility, as revolutionary leaders (and this
extends to all readers of Under Lock & Key) to learn from
this history and apply these lessons to our work today. MIM(Prisons) has
a lot of literature on spontaneity, focoism and organizing strategy.
Write to us to request study materials on this topic.
In Ironwood, apparently new regulations have come down from Sacramento
ordering staff to remove all signs from the doors depicting race. There
were signs on the prison cage door indicating race: blue was for Black,
red for Mexican, white for white and green for other. Now the
designation for race is Security Threat Group (STG).
There was a recent lockdown (a melee between Sureños and New Afrikans)
in one of the housing units. A status report stated that the
investigation has been concluded and prisoners who are not members of
the affected STGs will resume normal program. In the body of the report
the affected STGs identified were Bloods, Crips and Sureños. The next
day only whites and “others” were released for program. When asked about
the non-affected Afrikans and the non-affected Mexicans, we were
informed that because the non-affected prisoners shower in the same
showers as the affected prisoners that makes them associates. So
effectively all Afrikans and Mexicans are locked down (according to
“race”).
Up until the argument between a Mexican and an Afrikan on 30 November
2013, the nationalities on this compound got along. Communication has
resolved the issues and things are back to normal except for the
administration milking the lockdown. The influential people are reminded
of the word that came down from their folks up the way and have been
striving hard to maintain the peace.
MIM(Prisons) responds: Group punishment is one of the unjust
practices that prisoners who have been organizing around humyn rights in
California have demanded an end to. And it goes to show how the state
systematically oppresses people based on their “race” in 2013.
The last paragraph of this report is particularly important as it
exemplifies the hard work that has been put in by members and leaders of
various lumpen organizations across California to create peace and build
unity in the fight against the criminal injustice system. We are happy
to hear that even while the prison is trying to divide prisoners and set
them against one another, prisoners are working to maintain peace. We
encourage prisoners everywhere to get involved in the
United Front
for Peace in Prisons (UFPP) which was initiated in 2011 to build
peace and unity among prisoners to advance our struggle against the
criminal injustice system. This prisoner’s letter demonstrates the first
principle of the UFPP, Peace: “We organize to end the needless conflicts
and violence within the U.$. prison environment. The oppressors use
divide and conquer strategies so that we fight each other instead of
them. We will stand together and defend ourselves from oppression.”
Wild child running wild Got to find my way through this
darkness Got to find my way back to the streets Been living in
these hell holes for way too long
Wild child running wild Tired of these pigs having their foot on my
neck Tired of being locked in a cage within a cage Running back
& forth like a dog behind a fence Tired of being told what to do
and not to do
Wild child running wild Got the blood of my ancestors running deep
within my veins Harriet, Nat Turner, Denmark Vesey, Malcolm X and
many more Always got my feet planted and head held high
Wild child running wild Why do these pigs keep trying to tame
me? Why don’t they set me free into the wild? Because by nature
that is where I am supposed to be “Free & Unchained!”
Revolutionary state of mind has a place in all ages. I was born too
late for the 60’s so I found mine in these pages of Assata, Angela,
Huey Newton and George. They really opened up my mind and made me
pick up the sword.
Because this whole damn country is caught up and in turmoil. And if
you truly wanna know why too much African blood in the soil, These
people kidnapped us, raped us, stole our religion and heritage. And
ask why I’m so mad, nigga ain’t that a bitch!
So I keep my mind focused on the correct political line, Cause with
the right tactics and strategies these suckas won’t be getting
mine. The urban guerrilla front was built to last long. We’re
starting from the bottom so the cadre’s strong. A revolutionary state
of mind is what the people need. To stop the imperialism, and the
capitalist greed.
We can’t get anything done around here like getting a toilet or sink
fixed. There are 800 cells on this yard and in 5% of them these basic
amenities don’t work. We literally have to fill mop buckets of water to
flush down waste. Three of these pods leak water from the ceiling on to
the day room 24 hours a day. It’s always flooded and this combination is
physically and biologically hazardous.
MIM(Prisons) adds: As we explained in ULK 34,
prisoner
health is a systematic problem. We have documented cases of lack of
adequate nutrition or even safe uncontaminated food, brutality that
leads to permanent physical health problems, contaminated water, medical
neglect and other sources of health problems throughout the prison
system. This problem with toilets and other leaking water is yet another
example of prisons creating conditions that lead to significant health
problems for the captives. Sanitation is a basic problem that we
typically see in Third World countries, but this is just one of many
examples of poor sanitation in Amerikan prisons. While individual cases
like this could be addressed by the prison, we know that inadequate
medical care and lack of basic sanitation are conditions the oppressed
face around the world, and not something that imperialism has an
interest in fixing.
In considering the art of warfare and conflict resolution, many miss the
significance of how much an effect of one’s party winning on the
battlefield of propaganda has on that party’s victory in the war.
Throughout history, effective information distribution has been a major
factor in a nation or group gaining/obtaining power. It is essential in
the United $tate’s retention of its global position today. So one cannot
stress enough the importance of the efforts at educating people about
injustice.
One of the main ways in which the U.$.government, and the various
governments under its jurisdiction, are able to brazenly contradict
their stated laws, purpose, and principles, is by ensuring the
effectiveness of its personal propaganda machine - the corporate media.
For instance, it is well documented and basically established that the
CIA is responsible for the introduction of crack cocaine into the
streets of South Central Los Angeles, with knowledge and possible
complicity from the Executive Branch. Yet in this “war on drugs” none of
those mid-to-top level responsible CIA/Executive Branch officials were
ever made to face “justice.”
On the other side of that, the average Tyrone, in any hood U$A, is given
decades to life in prison for selling a minuscule fraction of what the
CIA introduced into his community. And by the media, Tyrone is portrayed
as the violent dangerous criminal, while George H.W. Bush, and the
Clintons are labeled as heroes. It’s an irreconcilable contradiction,
yet it is accepted as reasonable by the general public, which is mainly
due to its well-documented public opinion manipulation tactics.
And with the Amerikan public being so bombarded with pro-establishment
garbage, some people don’t have any exposure to any info other than what
the corporate media presents, and the U.$. establishment’s response to
the rise of Wikileaks shows that this is by design. Anyone who stands
against corruption, repression, oppression, social imbalance, and the
other vile things that this nation’s ruling class works to promote, must
put much focus on a counter-propaganda campaign to show the people
precisely what the effects of their support for the antisocial U.$.
establishment’s policies and actions are in real life circumstances.
This used to be an uphill battle due to the Establishment’s exclusive
hold on the corporate media, coupled with there being no real
alternative means of info distribution. But one of the advantages to
this information age is social media, which can give one access to a
whole world of people. Now people don’t have to rely on the corporate
media as their sole means of obtaining info on current events. The
establishment has lost its grip on info control and the opportunity for
you and most anyone else to be heard is at hand.
And with the daily displays of official lawlessness recently
transpiring, and with the corruption adversely affecting more and more
people, that’s more people with an ear open to your message. Knowledge
is power and education is essential to knowledge.
MIM(Prisons) responds: We agree on the value of alternative news
and the need to have media around which to build a movement. This is the
reason MIM(Prisons) prioritizes Under Lock & Key, both in
print and on the web, as a key responsibility of our organization.
However, we do not think, as this writer implies, that the Amerikan
people are so mis-educated that they only go along with the government
corruption because they don’t know otherwise. In reality the Wikileaks
exposure has not led to any new uprisings by Amerikan citizens. The
government fear about information release is mostly related to
international exposure. Within this country they do have to worry about
the youth in prisons and universities where there is much broader
political consciousness and interest in the real news about what’s going
on. Amerikans overall are complacent because they are bought off by
their government, paid to enjoy a petty bourgeois life at the expense of
the international proletariat. And so Amerikans generally are happy to
believe the lies fed to them by their government. With Under Lock
& Key we hope to reach those at the margins who do not enjoy
the Amerikan dream, or who have not yet bought into it. Having a
materialist understanding of the social forces in this country will
allow us to have a greater impact with our limited resources.
On 27 November 2013 the mailroom at Lovelock Corr Center received from
the U.S. post office mail that was addressed to me and sent from the
National Catholic Council on Addiction. It included a letter with a 2014
calendar and a catholic prayer book. I received an unauthorized mail
notification saying it was not from an approved vendor. On 7 December
2013, I was told to either pay to send it out or they would dispose of
it. I am an indigent inmate so sending it out is not an option.
How is the Catholic church not an approved vendor? When I approached the
prison chaplain all I was told was “oh it’s only a book”. I guess as an
inmate our faith has no meaning. I would love to see the free world’s
reaction if it were their prayer book and the government took it from
them and destroyed it.
MIM(Prisons) responds: While we don’t think that Catholic books
and calendars are doing anything positive for the revolutionary
struggle, we print this letter as an example of the ridiculous mail
policies found in Amerikan prisons. Censorship is generally targetted at
political organizations, particularly those like MIM(Prisons) which are
educating prisoners about the criminal injustice system and helping them
to organize to fight for their rights. But we have seen basic
educational material like dictionaries and law books rejected by the
censors. And so this rejection of religious literature further proves
that prisons are being used as tools of social control and punishment,
not centers for rehabilitation. For this reason, we oppose all
censorship of mail in the prisons and encourage prisoners to fight these
unjust policies by filing grievances, and taking it to court if needed.
Ask for our guide to fighting censorship in prison for more information
on this.
Thank you for the September/October issue of Under Lock &
Key(ULK). As you know, ULK readers are literally a
“captive audience.” You also know that their confinement seriously
limits their ability to access and study the vast body of
Marxist-Leninist-Maoist literature you claim to uphold, and also other
writings you’ve given your own interpretations to: which you either
claim to embrace or otherwise criticize.
In this latest ULK you
critiqued
my own recent article “Answering A
Revisionist Line on the Labor Aristocracy”. Point is, for your
readers to weigh the credibility of your interpretations and arguments
against what others have written pro and con, they must be able to read
not just what you have had to say, but what the other side has said as
well.
In your response to my article you said you promote honesty, and clarity
in polemics, however you appear yourself to practice deception by
omission by publishing only your side of the discussion for your
audience to read. And I daresay, your arguments do not accurately represent,
and puts your own spin on and omits, a great deal of what I wrote in my
article.
Whenever our Party engages in and publishes our polemics with others, we
publish both sides’
arguments, or if resources don’t allow, we try to make the other side’s
arguments available to our readers. That’s called being all-sided and
practicing democracy. It’s also called being dialectical, which Mao
promoted. MIM(Prisons) doesn’t do this. And it’s not that you don’t
recognize the need to do so.
Back in 2006 when your parent organization (the Maoist Internationalist
Movement) first began its efforts to influence us to embrace its line,
especially on the labor aristocracy question, we invited you to publish
our debates. MIM’s reply was they lacked space in its media – then
MIM Notes – and it no longer published its theoretical journal,
MIM Theory.
Apparently you’ve now found space to publish your side of the discussion.
Certainly you also have space to publish my own article that you were
critiquing and my forthcoming reply to that. I critically invite you to
do so, and ask that you print this letter in your next ULK.
Dare to Struggle Dare to Win! Rashid, MOD
MIM(Prisons) responds: The general point that printing both sides
of a polemic is a helpful way to educate the masses is a good one. Yet
we regularly read Marx, Lenin, Stalin and Mao talking about some
revisionist we don’t know anything about, and we learn from these
essays. And in the case of the article being criticized, we linked to
Rashid’s article for our online readers and have sent a copy to everyone
in prison who has requested one. We also included some direct quotes in
our response. That’s more than we can say of Rashid who did not print
any of our writings alongside his critique, or even cite our materials
where readers could find out more about our position. To our knowledge
the NABPP-PC has never published anything we’ve written.
Like the
recent
debate with Turning the Tide, we wouldn’t have published
this critique of Rashid if h had not written h article criticizing us
first. And we don’t have space to spare in Under Lock & Key
for articles that are so off the mark. Every issue we have good content
that does not make the cut. We are currently pushing USW comrades to
raise the bar for donations to expand the amount of content we can fit
into ULK for this very reason. For theoretical study we
distribute numerous books and have numerous study packs on this question
including our newly released introductory pack on the labor aristocracy.
We also distribute a couple study packs by Rashid hself, on topics where
we have unity. Finally, we distribute the classics by Marx, Engels,
Lenin, Stalin and Mao. So if our readers fail to grasp the essence of
this issue it is not for our lack of making materials available.
As the original review stated, we were underwhelmed by Rashid’s piece,
which was mostly empty rhetoric. We only responded because we know our
readers are influenced by the writings of the NABPP-PC. Rashid promises
a reply, which will hopefully enlighten us as to how we misrepresented
their line. Certainly we will print any corrections if we published
something incorrect. But it seems the NABPP-PC line on the labor
aristocracy is just as wrong today as it was in 2006, as they make the
same tired arguments the revisionists have made for decades.
