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.
Just so you know, I’m in support of any list of demands, regardless of
who presents them. And I support the ones you have outlined in your
February 8th letter, especially the one
that
calls for an end to our torturous conditions. In fact, this is one
of the issues I am about to under take with regards to our outdated and
disfunctional ventilation system.
Just to give you some insight, when I arrived here in June of 2012 with
temperatures that were averaging 90 degrees, which made for cell
temperatures that exceeded 95 degrees due to the disfunctional
ventilation. After conducting my own investigation, I learned that
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD) does not have swamp
coolers like most other prisons here in California have. No, they built
this place with low grade air circulators, which are now 25 years old
and are out of date especially in light of what is now called, “Global
Warming.” Last year we all experienced the highest temperatures ever
recorded!
Now I must explain the second portion of this equation, how when RJD
converted this yard to a level 4 Special Needs Yard, they covered the
bottom of our cell doors, which normally had a 2” to 3” gap to allow for
a natural flow of air; that gap is approximately l” now. Thirdly, RJD
was one of the 1st of the “270” [the name of the design style] prisons
built in California, and when they built it they did not put exhaust
vents in our shower stalls, this has allowed steam and humidity to
collect in our dayroom area, which in turn gets picked up and circulated
into our cells. Additionally, all of the newer “270” designed prisons
are equipped with three huge exhaust fans that are mounted on the
dayroom ceiling. In any event, this old and out-dated system is creating
a very dangerous living condition. I guarantee you, if everyone were to
knock out their cell windows, front and back, at a cost of $90.00 each,
they would get right and fix these air handlers! I’m going to assemble,
and file a writ of mandate in hopes of getting the courts to make them
replace these air circulators. In my exhausted 602, they admitted that
they need to replace them but, that there was no money in the budget,
and that statement alone might be the rope I need to hang’em in court!
If not, the only other solution is kicking out windows.
Alright, I won’t take up all of your time with the problems that we’re
experiencing here, but, I will tell you to take note of an article that
was done by Paige St. John from the L.A. Times, Dated March 19,
2013 9:41 AM, which clearly illustrates what’s going on here at RJD with
regards to our medical and mental health care, check it out, its a good
read. the article is entitled,
“Experts
say three prisons fail to provide adequate health care.”
I’m a prisoner at Calipatria State Prison in California. I’ve been
housed in this prison’s Administration Segregation Unit (ASU) for almost
five years pending transfer to Pelican Bay’s Security Housing Unit
(SHU), due to my alleged association with a prison gang, now called
Security Threat Groups (STGs). In recent days, Calipatria’s ASU
prisoners were given a 63-page instructional memorandum packet. This
memorandum announces the implementation of an
STG
pilot policy which serves as a notice of program, behavioral and
participation expectations in the new Step Down Program (SDP) for
prisoners housed in segregation units.
Prison officials here have told us that in the coming weeks CDCR
representatives from Sacramento will be reviewing the case
file/validation package of all those who have been validated as
associates of an STG here at Calipatria to determine their current and
future housing needs in accordance with the new SDP placement option
chart.
This new policy and SDP is a sham! It does not address the core issues
and only gives the illusion that if a prisoner jumps through all their
hoops he/she could escape these torture chambers. The fact of the matter
is that even if the prisoner is able to gain his/her release back to the
general population, s/he will be walking on very thin ice thereafter.
Any infraction could bring him/her right back to these torture chambers
for an additional six years minimum. If a prisoner has already been
through the SDP they will have to serve two years in step one, instead
of the one year for first termers in the program.
CDCR might as well place revolving doors at the entrance of every
segregation unit, because this is exactly what the new policy offers.
Maybe its going to take the sound of thousands of hungry rumbling
bellies before CDCR listens to reason and begins to write policies that
are humane and fair.
MIM(Prisons) adds: California has been housing prisons in
long-term isolation for years under the guise of gang (aka security
threat group) validation. The conditions in these units have provoked a
number of protests from prisoners, and this prisoner refers to the
upcoming
July 8
strike against torture in California prisons.
In 2011, when 12,000 prisoners went on hunger strike to protest
long-term isolation, the CDCR asserted that they were already working on
the issue. This SDP was what they were working on. Previously they
offered “gang validation” to prisoners deemed to be affiliated with one
of a handful of “prison gangs” within the system. This new policy
expands the gang validation, and therefore long-term isolation torture,
to all sorts of organizations that are deemed “criminal” or even just
“disruptive.” Keep in mind that if prisoners stand up against staff
abuses, this is considered “disruptive” behavior and such prisoners face
regular retaliation. While none of this is new, it is now official
policy. This is their idea of reforming the system.
While we know the whole system needs to be thrown in the trash, in the
mean time we can at least do better than this. But it depends on
prisoners organizing in unity to better the conditions of all prisoners.
Work with MIM(Prisons) to support prisoner education and organizing.
Here at California State Prison-Solano, California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation has started a campaign to rush prisoners
out to other states to be housed. As of last month, Inmate
Classification has been rubber stamping the illegal move to out of
state. The prisoner has no say in the matter whatsoever.
A few years ago Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California, called
for a state of emergency. Prisoners were shipped off to be housed in
other states because California prisons were
bursting
at the seams due to over crowding, and no more prisons are being
built here in California. However, last year the state of emergency was
lifted and the prisoners who had been out of state were ordered to be
sent back.
Governor Jerry Brown is under tremendous pressure by the three judge
panel to relieve and reduce the prison population. He hasn’t done
anything yet. Governor Jerry Brown and his cronies will lie, cheat and
even kidnap prisoners and ship them to other prisons out of state
illegally. He doesn’t want to release the terminally ill and sick lifer
inmates, who cost the state millions of dollars. In this capitalistic
country prisons are very big business, so this oppressive government
doesn’t want to let anyone out of prison. The situation is ripe for the
oppressed nations to protest the harsh injustices that exist in these
prisons.
Governor Jerry Brown and his cronies refuse to follow their own laws.
This only tells me who the real criminals are. This is why it’s
important for the oppressed prisoners to unite under one common cause.
We must apply the principles of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism in order to
defeat the criminal injustice system. We can do better if all races
unite, because united we stand, divided we fall.
Comrade George L. Jackson remarked: “settle your quarrels, come
together, understand the reality of our situation, understand that
fascism is already here.”
Hence, MIM(Prisons) can truly assist us in this noble effort. Giving us
the pertinent tools of knowledge (books) to combat the Amerikan
imperialist.
I send my greetings to the reader of this letter. Thank y’all for
sending me ULK 30. As always, it was easy, mind-broadening
reading. Although I understand and accept the realities presented by
your info, it is discouraging to see that we of this line of thought are
the minority. As obvious as all of the societal contradictions,
imbalances, and institutional hypocricies are, the majority of people
still hold on to the lie that Amerikkka is a fair, just, and free
society. It’s absurd and obscene.
I had filed a state court petition challenging the staff’s abuse of the
inmate appeal process here at California State Prison - Los Angeles
County. The judge has issued an order for the prison officials to
informally respond, and they in turn were granted an extension of time
on responding. The good thing is that the petition was not summarily
dismissed as is routine in the California state courts. Nevertheless,
the facts, law, and evidence are strong in my claim. If given a fair
shake in litigating I absolutely expect victory in the case.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade filed a state court petition
in the same vein as the
campaign for
the proper addressing of grievances which is now three years strong.
Many participants in this campaign are still circulating petitions in
their facilities and mailing them to their respective wardens, prisoner
support groups, etc. But others, like this comrade, have applied their
knowledge of the legal system to push the campaign even further.
We hope the state court petition this comrade filed does have its fair
shot at success in the courts, as these victories can contribute to the
larger struggle of the oppressed in this country. Sadly, we know this is
unlikely, and it is for the same reasons why Amerikans choose to ignore
the “societal contradictions, imbalances, and institutional hypocricies”
we report on in Under Lock & Key. Even though all Amerikans
have at least some general idea of the terrible things this country does
across the world and within its own borders, they receive so many great
things from being Amerikan that they are willing to accept and even back
those actions. We are in the minority in this country. Rather than stay
discouraged, we should do as this comrade does and take that as a cue
that we need to work that much harder and with more creativity in order
to pave the way for revolution. And always keep in mind that we are in
the majority globally.
14 March 2013 - Prisoners in California received a memo advising them of
the expectations placed on them by the state in regards to the new
expanded “Security Threat Group” policies. When thousands of prisoners
across California went on hunger strike to protest torturous conditions
in the Security Housing Units, the California Department of Corrections
and Rehabilitation(CDCR) asserted that they were already working on the
issue. This was what they were working on. Previously they offered “gang
validation” to prisoners deemed to be affiliated with one of a handful
of “prison gangs” within the system. This new policy expands the gang
validation, and therefore long-term isolation torture, to all sorts of
organizations that are deemed “criminal” or even just “disruptive.” Keep
in mind that if prisoners stand up against staff abuses, this is
considered “disruptive” behavior and such prisoners face regular
retaliation. While none of this is new, it is now official policy.
This new policy marks the continued decline of First Amendment rights
for prisoners in this country. The state wants it to be illegal for
prisoners to affiliate with each other for any reason. They want to keep
them isolated in little cages with no contact with each other or the
outside world. While many in this country still defend Amerika as
promoting freedom, prisoners and the oppressed nations in general know
that this “freedom” does not apply to everyone.
MIM(Prisons) joins in United Front with all prisoners in California who
are now actively building resistance to these policies through the
courts and through peaceful organizing and actions.
[Memo Passed out to prisoners 3/14/2013]
STATE OF CALIFONRIA(sic) CDCR 2260 (10/12) Attachment E
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION Advisement of Expectations
It is the mission of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to preserve public safety and provide offenders with opportunities to take responsibility for their lives and improve their chances of becoming productive members of the community.
The CDCR maintains a zero tolerance for gang and security threat group activities and behavior. Within the CDCR, prison gangs, street gangs, and disruptive groups are referred to as Security Threat Groups (STG). CDCR maintains a pro-active approach to STG management.
Offenders found guilty of violating criminal or administrative statutes shall be dealt with 'in a manner consistent with department policy. This shall include, but not be limited to, loss of privileges, increase in custody level, loss of work credits, segregation from the general population, and/or referral for criminal prosecution.
It is your responsibility to abstain from activities that assist, promote, or endorse any STG within or outside this facility/institution. Your responsibility includes familiarizing yourself with laws and regulations that govern STG activity including the Security Threat Group Instructional Memorandum, California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 15, Division 3, Sections 3000, 3023, 3314, 3315, 3323, 33,41.5, and 3378, and Department Operations Manual Chapter 5, Article 22. Some of which are outlined below.
CCR (Pilot), Section 3314, Administrative Rule Violations, states in part: (a)(3) Administrative rule violations include but are not limited to; (a)(3)(L) Security Threat Group Contraband: Possessing or displaying any distinctive materials, symbols, clothing, signs, colors, artwork, photographs, or other paraphernalia associated with any Security Threat Group; (a) (3) (M) Security Threat Group Behavior: Demonstrating or exhibiting any unique behaviors clearly associated with a STG that promotes, furthers or assists any Security Threat Group.
Examples of this behavior or activities include: *Active Participation in STG Roll Call; *Participating in STG Group Exercise; *Using hand signs, gestures, handshakes, slogans, distinctive clothing, graffiti which specifically relate to an STG; *In Possession of Artwork (other than self created and not original) clearly depicting recognized STG symbols; *In Possession of Photographs that depict STG Association. Must include STG connotations such as insignia, symbols, or other validated STG affiliates;
CCR (Pilot), Section 3315, Serious Rule Violations, states in part (a)(3) Serious rule violations include but are not limited to: (a) (3) (Y) Security Threat Group Directing or Controlling Behavior. Demonstrating activity, behavior or status as a' recognized member and/or leader of an STG, which jeopardizes the safety of the public, staff, or other inmate(s), and/or the security and order of the institution. (a) (3) (Z) Security Threat Group, Disruptive or Violent Behavior: Demonstrating involvement in activities or an event associated with a STG, which jeopardizes the safety of the public, staff, or other inmate(s), and/or the security and order of the institution,
CCR (Pilot), Section 3323, Disciplinary Credit Forfeiture Schedule, states in part (h) Division "F" offenses; credit forfeiture of 0-30 days. (h)(11) Harassment of another person, group, or entity either directly or indirectly through the use of the mail, telephone., or other means. (h) (12) Security Threat Group Behavior or Activity. (A) Recording/documentation of telephone conversation evidencing active STG behavior; (B) Communication between offenders regarding STG behavior or activities; (C) Directing Active Participation in STG Roll Call; (D) Directing Cadence for STG Group Exercise; (E) Wearing, possessing, using, distributing, displaying, or selling any clothing, jewelry, emblems, badges, symbols, signs, or other items with the intent to intimidate, promote membership, or depict affiliation in a STG; (F) In possession of self-created or original artwork clearly depicting recognized STG symbols; (G) In personal possession of STG related written material including membership or enemy list, constitution, organizational structures, codes, training material, etc.; (H) In personal possession of mail, notes, greeting cards, or other communications including coded messages evidencing active STG behavior.
The CDCR will review all criminal gangs and disruptive groups and assign a Security Threat Group level to each.
STG-I will consist of criminal gangs and/or historically based prison gangs that the CDCR has determined to be the most severe threat to the security of the institutions and communities based on a history and propensity for violence and/or influence over other groups. Based upon their individual threat, clandestine operations, and influence over other STG affiliates, inmates who are validated as STG-I members will be in segregated housing based solely upon their validation. Validated STG-I associates will normally remain housed in general population unless confirmed STG behavior or activities, some of which are described above, are present. If these behaviors or activities are present, the STG-I associate will be considered for segregated housing and placement into a five year step down program.
STG-II will consist of other criminal gangs such as street gangs or disruptive groups comprised of members and associates who may be determined to be in a subservient role to the more dominant STG-I type groups. Validated STG-II members or associates will remain housed in general population unless two or more confirmed STG behavior or activities are present. If these behaviors or activities are present, STG-II member or associate will be considered for segregated housing and placement into a five year step down program.
I have been provided a copy of this document.
Offender Signature CDCR # Date Signed __ | | Inmate Refused to Sign
Printed Staff Name Signature Date
Distribution: Original - Central File; Copy - Inmate
The fiance of a prisoner in Santa Barbara County Jail is leading the
call to oppose a new rule banning all letters to prisoners. The Sheriff
has restricted incoming mail to postcards only citing “security”
reasons, as they always do. They say this, despite the well-established
fact that ties to family and the outside world help prisoners
rehabilitate and reduces conflicts. This is why
we
question how prison authorities define “security.”
Nearby Ventura County Jail already has a ban on letters in place, and
has recently rolled out an email program that allows them to charge
prisoners.(1) One might think that they’re cutting out the U.S. Postal
Service because they can’t get a cut of the money. But as we recently
pointed out, another
advantage
to going digital is easier monitoring of all communications with
prisoners.
The rights of prisoners are limited in so many ways, making them a
vulnerable population facing increased risks of violence, rape, suicide
and many health problems. Even after release prisoners face increased
rates of poverty and shorter life spans. Education, communication and
integration with the outside world are important parts of any effort to
rehabilitate those who are rightfully imprisoned.
MIM(Prisons) supports this campaign to allow prisoners in Santa Barbara
County Jail to receive letters, just as we combat censorship in prisons
across the country. Those facing censorship from Santa Barbara can
provide public records to our
online Censorship in
Amerika Documentation Project.
Fifteen years of prison, so-called, life, and still I am surprised at
times by the way these pigs are willing to sink to new lows.
This 602 appeals system at Corcoran is extremely scandalous. Not only
have I received the 602 appeals of several other people, having to get
their mail back to them by a transporter and fishing line, in 2012, 5
appeals I sent to my “counselor” (nothing but a plainclothes CO) to be
referred to the appeals coordinator, had just disappeared! And yet the
pigs still ask you to submit evidence to them with your appeal. Why? So
they can throw it away? 2013 is not any different. We get a total
runaround and boldfaced filibuster.
In the past months I have been 602ing the issue of the pigs only
choosing English on these silly movies they play. They know I have an
issue with a few court rulings associated to it, and the game this time
was to wait a month with my 602 in their hooves and send it back to me
one month to the day, unanswered or stamped or even declared “rejected”
which they do for incredible “reasons.” Now, when I refile, they will
say I didn’t “take action” within 30 days, as if they didn’t sit on my
602 for a month. As if I didn’t do anything.
The other issues include trying to get SHU inmates to be allowed chess
and cards, like on the mainline. I have received 10 dirty trick
filibuster moves from them. One appeals coordinator says I attached
“inappropriate forms” in my appeal, my response was to show how the form
I got came from another appeals coordinator!!! Then they say I have to
resubmit the original appeal because the new one duplicated what they
stamped as “rejected.” So, I tore up parts of that and submitted them as
proof that the original is torn up, “can’t retrieve from sewers” I
wrote. They will reject that too for some ridiculous pretext. I am
collecting all of their confetti, to show to the new convicts and people
on the outside who don’t know yet, this system isn’t broken, it is meant
to work exactly as it is, that is against us, against our interests.
I am incensed and enraged that I am undergoing the same type of gimmicks
that I have read about describing the state craft of “Israeli
rejectionism” where only if you are an obedient Israeli can you get a
license to drive or build a home or work on a farm: they “reject” all
attempts at life outside their monopoly. They want to maintain
jurisdiction over me.
The same gimmicks were employed in South Africa, under apartheid where
we learn from studying the example of that tyranny, how it “thrives on
details.” Bureaucratic delays and technicalities employed ad
infinitum to deliberately runaround any application or petition or
appeal. The paperwork would not work if filed by a Black African. “I
can’t hear you, I can’t see you, I can’t say anything.”
The courts will reject you too if you don’t exhaust your administrative
procedures. It’s good for prisoners to get this runaround game out of
the way as soon as they get here, to learn that, wherever one class of
people is slave to another class whether in a colony or the pen, or on a
city street, such gimmicks have to exist alongside of the oppression.
And its vital to know the futility of trying to beat the pigs, at a game
played by pig rules. And it guarantees an explosive response.
MIM(Prisons) adds: We agree that it is good to work through the
administrative procedures for grievances even though they are set up so
that most grievances will fail. This does teach prisoners a lesson about
the game that is played by pig rules. But we can also use these
rejections to educate others to fight the system on their own terms.
This rigged grievance system is why United Struggle from Within
initiated the
grievance
campaign in California, which has now spread to many other states.
The petition is just one more way to put pressure on the criminal
injustice system to play by their own rules. Some victories have been
won with persistence. But we know that even with a systematic campaign
we can not hope to fundamentally alter the criminal injustice system
under imperialism. This is why the grievance campaign is just one small
part of our larger anti-imperialist battle.
Currently all group segments here in the SHU at Pelican Bay are
preparing mentally and physically for the upcoming peaceful hunger
strike/work stoppage scheduled for July 8th of this year. From what I
gather, most are committing to ten days for now, although the Short
Corridor Collective wrote a letter to the governor declaring an
indefinite hunger strike until all five core demands are met. I’ve read
that San Quentin’s death row “adjustment center” is on board and even
many female prisoners in California. So this one should be even bigger
than the last two combined with all outside the walls brothers and
sisters even more prepared than before.
Basically the prison administrators did not follow through with the
positive changes that they said they were going to do during the hunger
strike negotiations. Yes we were given beanies, allowed to order sweats,
and we are allowed to purchase art supplies and take one photo per year
if we remain disciplinary free. Plus they added a few food items to the
canteen list. Those were all positive changes. However, besides that,
the only thing that has changed is that they created the STG/SDP
[requiring prisoners to go through a Step Down Program (SDP) to get out
of STG, among other changes], which is not beneficial to anyone besides
the gang investigators and the prison administrators. It’s counter
productive for us as it gives the prison administration an even broader
range of prisoners who they will now be able to validate and place in
the SHU. These are prisoners who before were not validated due to it
being harder to tie them to a prison gang, like the whites and Blacks
for instance.
The vast majority of us did not participate in the hunger strike simply
to receive a bunch of miscellaneous crap, and since the prison
administration did not follow through with their end of the hunger
strike negotiations, the Short Corridor Collective has decided that
another peaceful hunger strike/work stoppage is necessary in order to
force CDCR to the table and make them follow through with their promises
of positive changes. This peaceful hunger strike/work stoppage is to
continue until they have met the five core demands or until the Short
Corridor Collective has negotiated terms that are satisfactory and/or
beneficial for all.
As far as the new STG/SDP is concerned, it’s a straight joke that CDCR
is actually attempting to push it out to the public that these are
positive changes when they are in fact not. They are trying to go on a
media campaign saying that seventy something people have been released
and so many admitted into the step down program, but it is nothing but
smoke and mirrors. It looks and sounds good to the public but in reality
it’s business as usual for the pigs.
Nobody is acknowledging the so called “SDP” so anybody that they say is
in it is actually not participating in anything. Nobody has been
transferred yet for step three or four to Corcoran SHU or Tehachapi SHU.
They have not raised the limit on canteen for anyone or given anyone a
phone call or anything. All they did was dedicate one channel on the TV
for a bunch of fake rehabilitation videos that are old and outdated and
that nobody even watches. So there is no step down program in our eyes
and in reality, just the prison administration’s story of one.
In regards to the so-called reviews that they say they are doing, and
the prisoners who are being released back out to the mainlines, this too
is a sham, a way to sugar coat the story and make it look as if they are
making changes when they are not. There is no reviews taking place here
in Pelican Bay SHU, where I’m at, it’s all just for show. All they are
really doing is conducting the inactive reviews/gang status updates for
those who have already been in the SHU for six years, that’s nothing
special. That’s something that we all already have coming to us no
matter what we do once we’ve been back here for six years.
The only thing that has changed is that Institutional Gang
Investigations is now approving more people for inactive status instead
of mysteriously coming up with bogus confidential memorandums. In my
immediate vicinity I’ve seen around six or seven people get approved for
inactive status, all southern Mexicans. I’ve also seen about four of
them get denied as well so not everyone is getting kicked back out to
the mainline. Those that were denied were given a new inactive review
date six years down the line, so that means that they have to be in the
SHU for six more years before they can again be reviewed for release
from the SHU. So where is the change in that?
Like I said, it’s all just for show, the only reviews that they are
doing are the ones that they have to do and that’s the six years
inactive reviews. As far as Contraband Surveillance Watch, aka “potty
watch”, they are still using this unconstitutional method as a means of
torture and intimidation. However, from what I’ve been noticing they
have been utilizing it less than normal in the last year or so. I’ve
only seen one or two people here and there when I pass by C Facility and
D Facility “potty watch” cells while en route to the law library so
that’s better than them being overflowed at least. Although it shouldn’t
be allowed at all, because it is wrong and degrading. I speak from
experience having been through it myself with my celly back in February
2011.
From what I’ve recently heard the “agreement to end hostilities” is
holding here on Pelican Bay A and B yards and everybody is programming
with no incidents of violence in a while. Yard visits, canteen and
everything else is up and on track and each group segment is giving each
other their respects. As a matter of fact northern Mexicans are starting
to go to A yard now. After about a five year period of not being placed
there by the prison administration, they are being housed in A3 from
what I heard.
One more thing in regards to the peaceful hunger strike/work stoppage,
you have to refuse food for at least seventy two hours before you are
even acknowledged as being on a hunger strike and you’re added to the
statewide count of those who are participating. Also you can’t order
food nor coffee from canteen in July, only hygiene and stationary
because if you accept food or coffee then you won’t be counted as being
on a hunger strike.
Recently the state of California has created what they call the step
down program which those of us at Pelican Bay SHU have rejected. The
strikes that swept Amerikan prisons in 2011 were initially kicked off
with the intention of obtaining
five
demands, and the State has so far failed to grant the five demands.
This July it will be two years since the prisoner population first
mobilized around the five demands and yet the State has been making
excuse after excuse to go in circles and drag things out while making
more promises.
We have reached way deep for what little patience may be left in us as
people who have suffered years and in some cases decades under the
brutal torture of the State. And yet this patience was taken as weakness
as all oppressors take patience or good gestures coming from the
oppressed. We have attempted to resolve this issue with the brutal state
through dialogue, and through agreements, to no avail. We now understand
that like all efforts for dignity and humyn rights it will take
struggle!
Everywhere in the world where the people fought oppression it was done
through struggle, with selfless acts of sacrifice in some way. The law
of dialectics proves that struggle, sacrifice and suffering produces
justice, freedom and peace. One relies on the other in a unity of
opposites and a perpetual contradiction and it is this contradiction
that prisoners today find ourselves in and which created the conditions
in which the 2011 strikes were brought to surface.
California, like all imperialist prisons and jails, has relied on brutal
treatment in order to control its prisoners. It is living within a
capitalist society that creates these prison camps, these concentration
camps that capture our people, capture our youth and have us living
under an occupied force, colonized not only physically but mentally as
well. The fate of our nations within prisons relies on what we do today.
For the past few decades the movement for prisoner rights has been in a
semi coma, many have been bought off with petit bourgeois ideology where
everyone is looking out to come up and get money, too many seeking
escapism in dope or alcohol, too many times do I hear prisoners talking
about ‘get rich or die trying,’ but like dead prez said we need to ‘get
free or die trying.’
The question is, do we continue to be locked in oppressive conditions or
do we finally stand up and demand our dignity? More and more of our
youth enter these concentration camps lining up right behind us and walk
in sync to the slaughter house known as SHU or hole. So many of our
“privileges” have been taken by the state. Many times our loved ones out
in society suffer from traveling to see us, paying outrageously for
phone calls or goods and yet we sit and accept it. This has gone on far
too long. Our patience has run out, we have grown old, our health is
beginning to fail us, our sanity under such cruel and decrepit
conditions is at stake and there is no end in sight, no light at the end
of the tunnel. So we must make a spark that creates our own light at the
end of the tunnel!
We have given the prison until July 8, 2013 to meet all five demands we
listed in 2011 and if they are not granted by July 8 then our hunger
strike will continue on that day. We will demand to be treated as humyn
beings, we will not be tortured any longer.
What we learned from 2011 was the repression that will come from such a
non-violent protest and many ideas have since come to the fore. Many
lessons were learned since the last strike, lessons that will make us
stronger next round. But we call on all those oppressed to use July 8 as
your rally cry and to use this historic day to bring attention to your
suffering, to your torture and to your oppression. And so we ask all to
join us on July 8 as once more we hunger strike in unity for all
prisoners, not just in the United $tates but around the world.
United we can accomplish anything, so long as we act as one. We need to
remember that our oppressors act as one when they create harsh laws and
throw away the key. They act as one when their sticks are breaking our
heads and when we are placed in torture conditions. It doesn’t matter
their background or nationality, their sticks and boots feel the same on
our bodies. So let all prisoners also use this unity in a united front
where every dungeon forms their own demands on July 8 to better
conditions wherever you’re at.
There are still a few months until this date comes, and it is better to
have time to get your mind right and be prepared. California has begun
to develop peace zones in all prisons and jails where no longer are
prisoners at each other, oppressing each other. Instead we are promoting
peace and creating peace zones in all facilities. Now, instead of
warring on each other, prisoners in California are beginning to find
ways to better their living conditions. They are looking to the true
oppressor and developing a more revolutionary culture in all prisons,
jails and youth facilities. It is only by creating a more revolutionary
environment that real change can come from not only our prison
conditions but also in our relations with one another behind these
prison walls. Let us create these safe zones and look to those who are
also held captive as struggling against the same oppressor.
I am writing to express my concerns with your paper. I am 100% for a
true United Front. I do not judge people by the color of their skin. I
am white and I’m proud of the fact. I come from Oakland CA and in school
was a target just because I was white. My family did not have money.
In
a
story in ULK 26 May/June 2012 you claim that poor whites searching
for identity turn to white supremacist and we find our identity in the
false belief of their supremacy in the color of our skin. Well my
friend, I refute your belief and you’re just way off the mark. I came up
in Oakland, CA in the 60s, 70s, 80s when Oakland was at war most of the
war was drug war, but in the 60s and 70s there were political wars and
protest from the Blacks. There was one movement after another.
I for one never claim that I am better than anyone because I’m white,
but growing up in Oakland, because of my white skin I was jumped. In
spite of that, to this day I do not judge people by the color of their
skin as you clearly do.
Now about
ULK
24, 2012 page 3 concerning Special Needs Yards (SNY). I came into
the system in the 80s and sure there was no such thing as SNY back then,
they called it PSU. CDCR has always housed child molesters, rapists and
snitches and they programmed on the GP yards for years, and for the most
part we ran them off the yard. SNY was not put in place for that kind of
people, SNY was put in place for prisoners who got sick and tired of
killing each other. The system back in the day was run by a bunch of
older guys who kept the youngsters in line. Well you had a bunch of kids
coming into the system, yes more Blacks and Latinos, who were in search
of an identity. They would join these prison gangs not knowing what they
were getting into. Then you had a lot of kids on the streets looking at
the drug dealers with all the money, cars, houses, women, so they joined
up with their gang, then they come to prison for drug charges and as
soon as they hit prison they have to prove themselves.
Now SNY came into play when people like myself said, wait why are we
fighting each other and letting the system take more and more of our
rights away from us, so they check in to PSU. But word got around on the
GP yard that you can do your time without fear of death so SNY was
formed. CDCR said OK that we now got these prisoners that want to drop
out of the gangs, that’s a win win for everyone. It took me until 2004
to check into SNY. I heard all races there stand as one. I said great. I
think SNY has about 65% of the prison yards now, and about 80% of SNY
prisoners stand as one voice, with 20% not ready or able to let go of
the GP ways.
I can state I never had to debrief, I never had to tell on anyone, I am
no sex offender. My position on sex offenders stands: they are still
considered seriously damaged people that I myself stay away from. This
person that sent you his BS about all SNY prisoners are weak and come to
this side for better treatment is wrong.
I was in Corcoran as an SNY in the SHU and we all engaged in the hunger
strike, we all signed numerous grievances and complaints to the
administration, and as you know we didn’t get all we requested but we
did change things for the better. Yes CDCR needs to change its stand on
SHU prisoners and I think this year will see more change.
Now when my SHU time was over they sent me to Ad-Seg pending transfer.
Ad-Seg is a mix of SNY and GP. It was SNY prisoners who took the stand
and boarded up, no GP took the stand but they enjoyed the outcome of our
SNY work. We got our 3 showers each week back, we got hot meals with
canteen.
We prisoners here in SNY do not get more privileges than GP. Our program
is the same as GP except that they’re locked down more because of the
nonsense they’re not willing to let go of. There has not been one
lockdown since I got here six months ago, and that’s because we still
have guys who have disagreements but we don’t try and kill each other,
there are fist fights but it ends there.
So the program is the same, but we get more of it because we stand as
one people and our fight is not with each other, our fight is to get out
of prison as fast as we can. The way to shut down prisons is to not have
prisoners to fill them. And the way that is done is for all prisoners to
change their thinking, change their outlook on life and become better
people no matter what color you are.
If prisoners would stop killing each other because of the color of their
skin or where they’re from there would be no need for SHU or Ad-Seg.
So before these so-called GP prisoners call all of us weak they need to
think about the real facts. SNY in the next five years will be the new
GP and these prisoners who want to hold on to the nonsense that keep
them in prison will be locked away.
On this side of SNY we ask to be treated like humans and in most cases
we are. When we stop fighting each other and put the paperwork in to
bring back the programs needed to better our lives, then change comes.
I think we have the same goal in mind, unity and peace. I am willing to
work to bring unity and peace to all prisoners no matter the color of
your skin or where you are from. With dedication and determination we
can change the system and make it work for us in a way to end business
as we know it today. We need to reach out to those that will listen and
work with us to bring down the number of people in the system.
MIM(Prisons) responds: First, we will address the question of
unity and the interests of whites. We have always maintained that whites
can be revolutionaries and can act in the interests of the oppressed.
But we make statements about groups of people and their material
interests. This individual white persyn may in fact really be willing to
fight for the interests of all people, but whites as a group in the
United $tates have demonstrated their material interests are aligned
with the imperialists. And historically they have gone for fascism over
revolution (See Sakai’s book Settlers: Mythology of the White
Proletariat). Examples of one white persyn in Amerika who claims not to
judge people by skin color is not relevant to this scientific analysis.
This is not about judging people for the color of their skin, it is
about understanding the history of nations and national interests. We
don’t like Obama better as a President because he is Black, he’s still
the leader of the biggest terrorist government in the world.
Nonetheless, we call on all white people to unite with the movement
against national oppression both in the U.$. and globally, and we know
some whites will be on our side.
On the SNY debate we have more unity with this prisoner. We agree that
there are many individuals in SNY who are part of the anti-imperialist
movement, fighting on the side of the oppressed, and not snitching or
betraying people. But this letter goes too far in posing SNY as better
than GP. Conditions are different in each state and even within states
in each prison. We need to judge the actions of individuals rather than
making sweeping assumptions about “all SNY prisoners are snitches” or
“all GP prisoners are fighting each other.”
We also do not agree that “If prisoners would stop killing each other
because of the color of their skin or where they’re from there would be
no need for SHU or Ad-Seg.” We maintain that
control units
are a tool of social control, not a legitimate punishment for prison
violence. And so we do not blame the prisoners for the system that
confines them and in fact encourages violence. We know that many
prisoners in the SHU are locked up for their political organizing, not
for violence. We should not perpetuate the myth of legitimacy around
these control units.