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.
As of right now the konvicts here at U.S. Penetentiary (USP) Big Sandy
are on lockdown due to a racial riot. This is what the pigs want. I
blame the pigs for setting up this atmosphere by creating tension
amongst the konvicts by applying oppression along with repressive
tactics. Instead of the konvicts challenging the pigs, they attack each
other. But I also blame us komrades here at Big Sandy for not agitating
and mobilizing the masses.
Those of us who are conscious with revolutionary theory should be
educating others. Teach the konvicts why they exist in the condition
that they are in. Help them to understand that they are victims of an
economic system. All crimes can be traced to socio-economic conditions.
We are at war politically, socially, economically and culturally. We
must educate the prisoners so that they will understand the true
function of the prison system and know why are we here. This is
especially true for the New Afrikans.
Black men comprise over 40% of death row inmates. There are at least 2.5
million people in Amerika’s institutions and over 50% are New Afrikans.
24.7% of New Afrikans live below poverty while only 11.4% of whites live
below poverty. New Afrikans serve 20% more of their sentences with
crimes similar to whites. Amerika is number one when it comes to the
world’s prison population, but is number forty-three when it comes to
the world’s education. Why is this?
We must figure out a way to reach the konvicts here so that we can begin
to challenge the injustices that are being inflicted upon us. I’ve met
komrades who use the excuse of getting sent to isolation if they take
the initiative. The revolution is not a dinner party. It’s supposed to
be suffering. We are at war with a vicious paper tiger. This is why we
call it a struggle. I understanding the meaning of a clandestine army
but damn! We can’t keep using this clandestine strategy as an excuse to
action. That’s some coward shit.
I understand being clandestine if you’re doing the people’s work, but
sitting around playing chess, smoking weed, drinking, and just being
idle and doing nothing isn’t clandestine. Jumping on other konvicts
isn’t the peoples work. That’s a form of individualism as well as being
reactionary, unless it’s in self-defense. That’s why the Black Panther
Party was first started: to defend themselves and the community. This
prison is our community and it’s our job as vanguards to defend the
community. We cannot forget the legacy of George Jackson and the other
komrades who fought and died for the people. Their spirit is in us and
we must carry on the torch. The dragon has awaken. Can’t stop! Won’t
stop!
MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade provides some important facts
about the reality of national oppression within U.$. borders. The
disproportionate lockup of oppressed nations is part of the system of
imperialism that continues to oppress internal colonies within U.$.
borders. And we echo this writer’s call for the oppressed to stand up
and take action. Even if it’s just forming a study group, or sharing
your Under Lock & Key with others. There is much education
and organizing work to be done. MIM(Prisons) can support your work,
write to us to get involved and put your time behind bars to good use.
MIM(Prisons)’s 2015 congress was marked by some major successes and
growth in our work over the past year. We reached our goal from 2013 of
doubling Under Lock & Key subscribers; helped write and
edit Chican@ Power and the Struggle for Aztlán; and we took up
the Strugglen Artists Association project and collected and distributed
some great art both behind bars and on the streets. We have continued to
support and build prisoner education, running both beginner and advanced
correspondence study groups, sending in many political magazines and
books, and supporting more than 30 prisoner-led study groups. Our focus
in the coming year will be in building on these successes: printing and
distributing the Chican@ Power book, expanding prisoner-led
study groups, and building more United Struggle from Within (USW)-led
campaigns.
All of this project-based work remains focused on our primary goal:
serving the oppressed in prisons within the United $tates, while working
from the vantage point of the Third World proletariat. We recognize that
imperialism is the number one enemy of the majority of the world’s
people, and we are fighting from within the belly of the beast in the
advanced stage of imperialism, where the majority of the people living
within U.$. borders have been bought off with the spoils of capitalist
profits. This petty-bourgeois population does not support our
revolutionary organizing, and we cannot rely on them for the finances or
labor needed to keep this struggle moving forward. So we focus our
public opinion building on prisoners, who have a lot to gain from an end
to Amerikkkan imperialism.
Growth and Finances
Over the past year we have seen a 70% growth in our Under Lock &
Key (ULK) subscribers. But with this success comes the new
challenge of paying for the increased printing and mailing costs. The
overall cost to send out ULK is up 60% in July 2015 compared
with July 2014. Subscriber funding of ULK increased by 64% over
the same period, a very good trend, but all of that money went towards
the cost of the 4 extra pages we printed in issues 39, 42, and the
forthcoming ULK 46.
While we were able to print three issues of ULK with 4 extra
pages of content, thanks to the funding from comrades behind bars, we
will no longer be able to use donations for that purpose. Instead we
need to focus all donations on the costs of printing and mailing to our
greatly expanded distribution list. We want to see ULK expanded
to 20 pages every issue, and we know readers are hungry for these
additional pages, but first we will need to greatly expand funding for
the publication. To answer the immediate need for more reading material,
we offer activists behind bars lots of extra revolutionary lit to study
in exchange for any sort of work they can contribute to the struggle.
Ultimately this shift is necessary to continue to expand the reach of
ULK as our subscriber list continues to grow. It was a
difficult decision to stop printing the extra content, but we are doing
it to prevent cutting down ULK content even more in the long
term.
We need your help to keep up with new subscriptions! At the current rate
of donations, prisoner funding for ULK covers only 4% of costs
(printing a 16 page publication). In addition to spreading the word,
sharing your ULK with others, and encouraging everyone to get
their own subscription, we need donations of stamps and checks. We are
setting a goal of funding 10% of each issue from subscriber donations.
This is an aggressive goal based on our history, but we are confident
that it is possible. To put it in perspective, we would meet the 10%
funding goal if 1 in 5 subscribers sent in just one stamp a year! (Tell
us if you want to send a check so we can send you instructions.)
“One important piece of our strategic orientation is the strategic
confidence we have from our global class analysis. Basically, our
analysis says that the vast majority of the world’s people, a solid 80%,
will benefit materially from an end to imperialism. This is why we
believe anti-imperialism is destined for success. Subjectively, this can
be important to keep in mind in an environment surrounded by class
enemies or by those with bourgeois consciousness. … One way i plan to
expand the international connections we make is to have a section in
each issue to print news snippets on events from the Third World that
demonstrate determined resistance and a broad class consciousness that
is opposed to imperialism. We hope that our readers find inspiration in
this information that you probably aren’t getting from other news
sources.”
In the course of writing these articles we realized that including
information highlighting struggles in other parts of the world without
going into details and analysis of the situation leads us towards
opportunism. It is easy to put out information about people taking
actions against their government, but if we fail to investigate the
underlying situation in those countries we can end up supporting
imperialism rather than national liberation. A good example of this is
our article on Burkina Faso printed in ULK 41.(1) While we
uphold the people’s protests against exploitation and oppression, we
can’t superficially uphold their President’s push into exile only to be
replaced by a military leader. The situation is too complex to be summed
up in a couple sentences, as it was in our Strategic Confidence feature
as we prepared to go to print. Fortunately we caught this error and
expanded the article before publication.
To correct this error we are re-orienting the international content in
ULK to include at least one internationally-focused article in
each issue, which includes more depth of analysis about the
situation/region. In these international articles we will favor topics
that lend themselves to strategic confidence by highlighting resistance
struggles against imperialism. It should also be noted that the
international content in ULK was of higher quantity and quality
over the previous year largely thanks to a number of United Struggle
from Within writers. So we call on their continued efforts to help us
meet this goal.
United Struggle from Within
This year we saw tremendous growth in our Texas subscribers, many of
whom learned about MIM(Prisons) through the Texas Activist Pack that was
created by comrades behind bars. The Texas Activist Pack was put
together to help prisoners in that state fight a variety of abuses
including the medical co-pay, the
indigent
mail restrictions and the
baseless
denials of grievances. This shows us that concretely addressing
prisoners’ day-to-day struggles is an important way to expand our
audience while getting vital organizing tools into the hands of folks
who need them. People who get in touch for these resources are staying
active with MIM(Prisons) at almost the same rate as those who write
directly to get ULK or otherwise get involved in our work.
We want to take this lesson from Texas and apply it to other states by
working with USW comrades to build activism packs specific to the needs
of prisoners in each state. This will require knowledge about the local
struggles and challenges, and work to create resources to help address
these problems. In some states like Florida this might be focused on
censorship as one of the biggest problems we are fighting there, while
in Georgia we know the tier system is a problem that overshadows the
lives of everyone locked up in that state. However, we want to be
careful not to assume that the biggest problem in a state is the one
that we can target with activism packs. These should be potentially
winnable battles, around which, through education and distribution of
resources, we can have a real impact on the lives of our comrades. Get
in touch with us if you have ideas about or can help create a campaign
for your state.
I went back to ULK issue 42 to sort out some disputes with the
other prisoners and gangs housed in this institution. The problem is
that we can’t seem to get it together. Mainly those claiming to be a
part of an organized entity. Some members say they are for the cause to
unite and fight against oppression (within the prison). What drew me
back to this issue was the topic of the issue
Building
Peace with the United Front which speaks about the base of bringing
the misled and disorganized together. Yet, in my situation, it’s a
constant contradiction. Nobody wants to play their part or abide by the
agenda and constitutions set out for them. So I am asking you: as a
current member of the contradictory organization, do I stay, proclaiming
my loyalty, or do I move on? Please help me with this issue. The only
thing that I can see me staying for is the true comrades, but I didn’t
become what I am for the few individuals. I chose my way of life because
of the movement. Now I am stuck deciding what is best for me. Well it’s
been nice sharing my issues with you. I just ask that you give me your
best opinion from what you have read.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This is an important question that many
folks who are part of lumpen organizations raise as their political
consciousness grows. There is often the possibility of educating and
building from within an organization, helping to bring the level of
political knowledge and organizing work up for the whole group. But
sometimes this is not possible, and you find yourself inside an
organization that refuses to advance whether this is because of
mis-leadership or the conflicting goals of the members. When this
happens it may be time to leave the organization and start something
new. We should not hold on to blind loyalty when this binds us to
reactionary organizations.
This is the difference between scientific leadership and cult
leadership. A cult demands blind loyalty and creates a situation that
allows for abuse and oppression within the group. In contrast,
MIM(Prisons) would tell people they should leave our organization if
they believe it has taken a reactionary path. Of course, one should only
do so after struggling within the organization to correct its errors. In
other words, push the contradictions within the organization to
conclusion before just giving up. And while doing so you might study
Mao’s “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People.”
This comrade asks “what is best for me?” But we would instead ask “what
is best for the oppressed people of the world?” If you are in an
organization that is not fighting on the side of the oppressed, and is
not willing to listen to you when you push them in this direction, then
you are wasting your time with this group. If you take action and break
with the organization in order to take up the revolutionary struggle,
any other progressive individuals inside of this group might be inspired
to join you. It’s important that you be clear that is it not lack of
loyalty that causes you to break with the group, but rather the
importance of your goals to serve the people.
I first became exposed to revolutionary theory in prison, although I had
been a reader my whole life. Prison has become my classroom for
revolutionary knowledge, not because the state ensures this, but because
I came in contact with politically conscious prisoners who helped
instill a consciousness in me. Groups like MIM helped to fuel my early
cultivation through liberatory literature and I was able to engage in
study groups throughout my prison journey, facility to facility and yard
to yard. Study groups were the key to my own development.
It is a fact that U.S. prisons are used for social control of prisoners,
who are mostly from the internal semi-colonies. Colonized people have
always been subjected to brutal prison conditions but dialectical
materialism teaches us that we can transform our environment, including
prisons. In order to revolutionize these modern day slave kamps we need
to study to revolutionize ourselves.
How Study Groups Help People
People are social beings, and as strong-minded and determined as we
think we are, the truth is we learn best through interacting with our
environment and especially other people. We learn best by discussion and
debate. Asking questions helps us get answers, and when we are having
trouble grasping a concept, studying with others allows us to learn.
Teaching others also helps the teacher to learn themselves. The study
group facilitates all of this.
In my own experience with study groups within U.$. prisons I have found
that besides developing one’s own political thought, study groups also
teach one how to interact with others and what are the best ways to
translate or explain our social reality to the people. We should
understand that in many ways those of us who study political science and
engage in study groups within prisons operate like political
organizations out in society that do outreach to the masses, only our
fellow prisoners are the masses.
Just as our counterparts outside prison walls constantly attempt to
learn from the masses in order to better help the masses, we should do
the same with our study groups. As prisoners, those of us who are
conscious must revolutionize these dungeons. We have boots on the
ground, and study groups within prisons should develop programs which
help educate all of the prison masses, not just those involved in a
study group. In this sense a study group can serve as the vanguard in
their facility.
Study groups have helped me understand my oppression and the oppression
of Aztlán, and through them I have become a better persyn. Understanding
politics and theory has given me purpose and has helped me to help other
prisoners to better their existence. In short I have not just learned
about hystory, as when I study alone, but I have learned different
methods of using the lessons of hystory to revolutionize the future.
How do study groups operate?
Depending on one’s facility, study groups take on various formations. I
have experienced many, from formal groups studying political science
while on the mainline where one can meet face to face on the yard and
discuss different aspects of society, to yelling through an air vent to
people I couldn’t see.
I was in one spot where every few days someone picked a different
country and we discussed all of the uprisings in that country. People
would search old magazines, books or newspapers to find anything on that
country.
Another study group I participated in was in a facility that was highly
restrictive with revolutionary literature. Since none of us was too
politically educated we got whatever newspapers or progressive magazines
we could, and we would discuss the articles, and attempt to apply them
to other aspects of society.
Prison Study Groups in Maoist China
If we look to Mao’s China, and specifically to the time of the Cultural
Revolution, we will see that every level of society was touched by
Maoism, even the prisons. When I read about prisons in Mao’s China I
learn why it is that Maoism is considered the highest stage that
socialism has developed so far.
Though frequently badmouthed in the imperialist media for their
re-education practice, these prisons focused on the political education
of inmates. Most people behind bars had committed serious crimes against
the people (landlords who murdered peasants, people who spied for
Amerika, government officials who abused their power), and so this
education helped prisoners understand how their actions affected others
and why they should want to work towards a society where people do not
have the power to oppress and exploit others.(1)
The study groups developed by prisoners during the Cultural Revolution
involved thought reform. This means understanding why one has particular
thoughts and finding ways of correcting incorrect ideas. This was
reforming one’s errors on levels that many of us cannot even imagine. It
was a process of dialectics where prisoners would study the essence of
their actions and behaviors. They would also engage in
criticism-self-criticism where they would look into their own errors or
the errors of others so that they all learned and evolved as a group.
The prison study groups in Maoist China did not conduct
criticism-self-criticisms in order to ridicule or bully people; instead
it was done to really point out the error and get the persyn to
understand their error. One cannot change a behavior if one does not
know or truly believe that they are committing an error in the first
place. What we must understand is every prison in Mao’s
China had these daily study groups, which were fully supported by the
people’s government. In this way prisoners learned and
became better people because of the study groups. They became people who
went on to help build the revolution.
In contrast to Mao’s China, here in U.$. prisons we are simply
warehoused. We are placed in a cell where we are taught
nothing, and this is done for years and decades. If we
are lucky we are released and come out the same or worse than we went
in. We don’t learn from the state because under capitalism they don’t
have any use for us other than filling a cell. And when we try to form
study groups we are punished and our studies are falsely labeled as gang
activity or security threat activities. This is the difference between a
Maoist society and a capitalist society; one heals people, the other
destroys people.
All of this was part of the political line of China under Mao which put
into practice the theory that people can learn from their mistakes and
become productive members of society if they take study and
self-criticism seriously. In Amerika’s prisons today we find the
oppressed rather than the oppressors, but there is still an important
role for self-criticism in the anti-people actions of many lumpen. And
the study of political theory is especially criticial to the oppressed
as we hone our understanding of how to fight back against the
oppressors.
When speaking about education Mao stressed: “Our educational policy must
enable everyone who receives an education to develop morally,
intellectually and physically and become a worker with both socialist
consciousness and culture.”(2)
Mao reminds us that education is to make us better people. In the above
quote he describes education being used to help people become workers.
Although we are lumpen, education can help us become lumpen with
socialist consciousness and culture.
What are the difficulties?
Forming or participating in study groups is not easy. There are many
obstructions we have to deal with. As most know, U.$. prisons unleash
political repression in the guise of upholding their laws. They
criminalize political organizing and revolutionary activity of the
imprisoned captives by labeling it “gang activity” or “security threat
group activity.”
There were times when I would get a good group of people together and we
would have a good study group going and then the prison, out of nowhere,
would move people out of the building or section, scrambling the housing
population and dismantling the study group. The study group is
disrupted, but this only means that we need to start over.
Sometimes I would be somewhere and gather lots of notes on political
articles or uprisings and I would use these for groups, only to have my
cell searched and all of my notes trashed, with a guard noting “gang
notes.” Likewise I would acquire a good selection of revolutionary books
only to be transferred to another prison and in the process all of my
political books would be “lost.”
Once I was in a control unit where the prison put me and a New Afrikan
next to each other and everyone else in the unit was juiced up on psyche
meds kicking their door all day. The prison did this to further isolate
us from our nations. So we formed a study group together and discussed
ULK and other books. When things get repressive we need to keep
studying and educating each other, no matter how hard it is.
Study groups can also be done through the mail. MIM(prisons) facilitates
some of the best study groups I have encountered. But this invites
censorship and sometimes harassment from the prison staff. We have to
understand that learning about our own repression and about communist
theory is something the state seeks to prevent. Prisoners learning about
revolutionary theory scares the state because it means we will learn and
turn theory into practice, against them.
What’s it all for?
We should understand that repression will happen regularly. This is why
studying is so important, so that when our mail is censored we have
books and literature to fuel our study groups. And when our lit and
books are “lost” we can remember our lessons and teach others key
concepts like dialectical and historical materialism. We can help other
prisoners understand why we need a united front or how the oppressed
within U.$. borders developed as nations. We will know all of this and
what kind of program we will need to liberate the people because of what
we learned in our study groups.
What we do today and how we spend our time in these dungeons will
determine what the future of these dungeons will look like. At the same
time study groups should produce theory and theory should produce
practice. We are not studying to be armchair revolutionaries, we are
studying in order to ultimately join the oppressed of the world in
smashing imperialism.
El movimiento de ciudadanos soberanos ha llegado a estar a la cabeza en
la lista del FBI como grupo domestico-terrorista en los Estados Unidos
por rehusarse a cooperar con el gobierno. Las personas de este
movimiento adoptan una independencia artificial como una nación y se
rehusan a presentar impuestos, llevar cualquier tipo de licencia, o
tener una tarjeta del seguro social. La pregunta es, ¿Donde coloca el
movimiento anti-imperialista a estos individuos y como se compara su
planteamiento de liberación a el del Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo?
Esta reportado que más de 300,000 personas se declaran ciudadanos
soberanos en los Estados Unidos, y está pronosticado a ser uno de los
movimientos con más rápido crecimiento en la historia de E.E.U.U. (1)
Así que esta es una cuestión razonable el preguntar si estas personas se
dirigen a algo o no.
Parece que el movimiento de ciudadanos soberanos es actualmente una
mezcla de grupos oprimidos de la nación, burgueses nacionalistas, y
mezquinas organizaciones burguesas a través de los Estados Unidos. Por
ejemplo, las organizaciones que afirman ser ciudadanos soberanos están
los grupos New Afrika, como la nación Moro, la nación Mawshakh de Nuurs,
y la nación Washitaw, ambas Islámicas y Hebraicas. Luego están allí los
Blancos nacionalistas, responsables por publicaciones y transmisiones de
programas para el movimiento: desde la Embajada del Heaven, el Grupo
Aware, La Republica de Texas, Rightway Law, Freedom Bound International,
Y Amen-Ra BTO Inc.; y personalidades como David W. Miller, Charles
Weisman, Alfred Adask, George Gordon, y Brent Johnson.
La Clase Torpe en Búsqueda de Respuestas
El rumor de ciudadanos soberanos en prisión fue escuchado primero por el
autor en el 2009, promovida por una variedad de torpes prisioneros
pretendiendo ser poseedores de carnet y miembros de abogados
encarcelados y del Gremio Nacional de Abogados. Ellos afirman poseer el
misterioso conocimiento, el cuál utilizado en cortes de E.E.U.U.
resultaría en riquezas de acuerdos financieros, también como el
potencial de una salida prematura para prisioneros quienes hayan
aprendido el oficio para descifrar el código descrito como redención.
Los torpes en los Estados Unidos, por lo general siempre están buscando
un surgimiento, pero raramente consideran a que costo resurgirán. Éllos,
en general creen que si pueden aumentar su economía clandestina pueden
liberarse a si mismos. Este punto de vista es producto de la relación
del capitalismo de los torpes perteneciendo a semicolonias internas. Los
torpes están excluidos de la próspera economía imperialista global,
dando todavía pruebas de esa riqueza por estas economías clandestinas
que además proporcionan una ilusión actuando afuera del sistema. Parece
que la popularidad del movimiento de ciudadanos soberanos en las
prisiones pueden ser explicadas de esta manera; con la diferencia de que
esta, actualmente pretende estar basada en la ley.
Con estas promesas de riquezas, estatus, independencia y dominio de sí
mismo, torpes prisioneros no son culpados por ponerse en fila para
recibir lo que ellos han sido mentalizados a saber, así siendo
liberados. Sin embargo, ellos son advertidos que no todo lo que brilla
es oro. Lo que vemos en juego, es la principal contradicción que define
la clase torpe en nuestra sociedad: las tendencias individualistas
surgen a costas de otros que son requeridos de una clase excluida dentro
de una economía capitalista, y la necesidad de una acción colectiva para
vencer estas condiciones y alcanzar una libertad verdadera. Aún vemos
organizaciones como New Afrika promoviendo las ideas de ciudadanía
soberana apropiandose de las ideas de movimientos de liberación nacional
también. Pero en vez de que peleen por liberación nacional de New
Afrika, ellos definen su nación en maneras oportunistas como si una
nación es algo que cualquier grupo de gente puede crear solo de aire
ligero. Reconocemos naciones como fenómeno científico, que existe en el
mundo real y son definidos como un grupo de personas con una cultura,
territorio, lenguaje y economía común.
Es importante que torpes prisioneros empiecen a escoger las cosas
correctas, las cuáles ellos personalmente hayan analizado examinado,
investigado, y reverenciado en realidad en el método de materialismo
dialéctico. Torpes prisioneros tienen una problema en las áreas de estas
ultimas cuatro palabras claves: analizado, examinado, investigado y
reverenciado. Este fracaso es la causa principal de las circunstancias
materiales que lleva a las divisiones entre torpes prisioneros
individualistas contra comunidades de prisioneros auto suficientes
luchando por liberación dentro del movimiento a la independencia
nacional. Además, con frecuencia los torpes prisioneros consiguen algo,
o se enteran de algo por otro prisionero y ellos solo corren esto
propagando algo que ellos desconocen y mal informan a otros. El
movimiento de ciudadanos soberanos se ha beneficiado de esta tendencia.
¿De qué se trata ciudadanos soberanos?
Torpes prisioneros en la nación opresora de origen blanco, probablemente
pueden describir una historia más clara de este movimiento, comenzando
en algún lugar en los años 60s para desafiar la legitimidad de las leyes
de impuestos y del mismo gobierno de E.E.U.U. Esto es incierto si la
mayoría de prisioneros oprimidos en la nación pueden describir los
grupos fundados de Oregon y California, como el Posee Comitatus, el cuál
esta basado en una rigurosa y absurda supremacía blanca.
La filosofía del movimiento de ciudadanos soberanos está basada en la
teoría de que el gobierno de E.E.U.U. está operando una fraudulenta
entidad comercial que esta insolentada y endeudada con naciones
extranjeras. Muchos grupos del movimiento de ciudadanos soberanos están
de acuerdo con esta idea en que el gobierno original de E.E.U.U. de la
America Colonial estaba basado en la ley común Británica como un
gobierno de ley. Después de la Guerra Civil supuestamente se desarrollo
un gobierno de facto secundario a estos gobiernos anteriores de
colonizadores, comunes en el estado.
Cuando ellos dicen de ley, ellos quieren decir legales y por lo tanto
legítimos. En contraste, de facto significa que existe, pero este no es
oficial. Esto es común, referirse a un gobierno de facto después de una
guerra civil para implicar que las cosas no han sido solucionadas, ni el
orden ha sido restaurado. Lo que esa orden es por supuesto, es una
cuestión política en símisma. La dictadura sobre los capitalistas en el
sur, por los capitalistas de los estados norteños después de la guerra
civil fue una era progresiva que marcó el fin de la esclavitud y forzó
la integración de colonizadores blancos, aunque mucho del progreso en
integración fue más tarde regresada al pasado por la fuerzas
reaccionarias y demostró un total fracaso. Por lo tanto, la cuestión de
legitimidad del gobierno de la post-guerra civil en los Estados Unidos
tenía una clara conexión a este movimiento reaccionario en desarrollo
por la supremacía blanca en Norteamérica. Mientras estas fuerzas ven los
derechos de independencia y estado como un medio para mantener su
privilegio nacional, las semi-colonías internas son atraídas a luchas de
liberación nacional (y por lo tanto otras políticas de control local)
como medio para terminar la opresión nacional que es el otro lado de la
moneda dialéctica. Para tener una nación opresora, tu tienes que tener
al menos una nación oprimida.
Muchos soberanos proponentes, como los Whitten Printers, violan la
Decimocuarta Enmienda hasta el más mínimo común denominador. Ellos
argumentan que ésta fue creada por el gobierno de facto en orden para
nacionalizar esclavos negros con derechos comparables a los derechos
constitucionales inalienables de colonizadores blancos y ciudadanos del
estado, llevándonos a la pregunta de que si ellos están leyendo los
mismos libros de historia como el resto de nosotros, luchando por
autodeterminación. Estos ciudadanos soberanos afirman que ellos no
están sujetos al proceso de nacionalización para llegar a ser ciudadanos
federales bajo le Decimocuarta Enmienda del gobierno de facto, porque
ellos no fueron esclavos, ellos no son negros y ellos nunca firmaron
algún acuerdo o contrato con el gobierno de facto. Básicamente, ellos
son reales ciudadanos sujetándose a los tiempos pasados de las colonias
Británicas. Eso no es inteligente!
Críticos de la teoría de ciudadanos soberanos afirman que esto fracasa
suficientemente para examinar el contexto de la jurisprudencia de la
cual ellos citan e ignoran la desfavorable evidencia, tal como la
Federalista #15, donde Alexander Hamilton expresó la opinión de que la
constitución puso a cada uno personalmente bajo la autoridad federal. Y
como la Decimocuarta Enmienda misma dice, en parte:
“Todas las personas nacidas o naturalizadas en los Estados Unidos, y
sujetas a su jurisdicción, serán ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos, y
sujetas a su jurisdicción, serán ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos y del
estado en que residan. Ningún estado aprobará o hará cumplir la ley que
restrinja los privilegios o inmunidades de los ciudadanos de los Estados
Unidos; ni ningún estado privará a persona alguna de su vida, de sus
libertades o de su propiedad sin el debido procedimiento de ley; ni
negará a alguna persona dentro de su jurisdicción, la igual protección
de las leyes.(2)”
Adicionalmente,
La validez de la deuda publica de los Estados Unidos, autorizada por
la ley, incluyendo deudas contraídas por el pago de pensiones y
recompensas por servicios prestados para sofocar insurrecciones o
rebeliones, no serán cuestionadas.(3)
Todos los prisioneros oprimidos en la nación tienen que estar enterados
de estos hechos antes de que ellos mismos permitan ser reunidos en apoyo
para un movimiento como el de ciudadanos soberanos. El movimiento de
ciudadanos soberanos es un movimiento de la nación blanca opresora cuyo
interés esta directamente en conflicto con ellos mismos. Ellos quieren
preservar el imperialismo a costa de tu independencia y tu autonomía.
Liberación nacional de los estados imperialistas esta en el interés de
todos los torpes prisioneros, y la mejor manera de llevar a cabo este
objetivo es el que todas la semi-colonias de los Estados Unidos apoyen
las luchas de liberación nacional de los oprimidos.
Tenemos además que recordar camaradas, que el movimiento fascista en
Italia y el movimiento Nazi en Alemania estaban atrayendo principalmente
la mezquina burguesía como también a grupos y parte proletaria con
retórica contra el estado, los banqueros y grandes negocios y a la vez
con algunas absurdas ideas religiosas que son mezcladas y confundidas
con mucho patriotería. En el evento de más crisis imperialista, si los
imperialistas son presionadas a tomar un enfoque fascista para dirigir a
la gente y a la economía, los ciudadanos soberanos y movimientos
similares estarán listos para hacer masivos movimientos que suministra
soldados de pie para tal proyecto. Las personas oprimidas del mundo
tienen que combatir esto con internacionalismo proletario y materialismo
dialéctico y salir libre de la ignorancia que nos permite ser absorbidos
por las falsas pretensiones de tales grupos.
MIM(Prisons) agrega: Queremos dar a Loco1, apoyo por trabajar en
esta critica del movimiento de ciudadanos soberanos (El o Ella) fue uno
de un número de compañeros quienes nos han escrito acerca de esto. Y
como un líder muy activo en USW le pedimos al principio por falta de
información y conocimiento por donde empezar.
Aunque limitando el acceso a información ayuda a prevenir unidad
ideológica a través de grupos encarcelados, este articulo va a mostrar
gran importancia en el sistema. Loco1 fue capaz de encabezar esta
critica recursos limitados al alcance de sus dedos, pero usando un
enfoque analítico.
Algunos de los recursos de los ciudadanos soberanos y movimientos
similares de anti-gobiernos derechistas están basados en un recurso de
autoridad, donde ellos citan un montón de casos de ley en un esfuerzo
para convencerte de que ellos saben de lo que están hablando. Pero esta
dependencia en jurisprudencia misma es idealismo. Esto es similar a
quienes buscan respuestas en antiguas religiones, como si hay un secreto
allí que justo necesita ser encontrado y que resolverá todos nuestros
problemas. Esto es tentador, es un tema que vende muchas películas y
libros, pero esto no es realidad, las contradicciones que hacen esto y
como las cosas están en movimiento, es así como podemos entender la
realidad. Ninguno ha sido liberado por el papeleo de los ciudadanos
soberanos, porque esto son solo palabras sobre el papel, y palabras en
papel no pueden liberarte mágicamente de un sistema real que esta hecho
de millones de personas.
The study group that I started and lead is a very small one – only three
of us. The most challenging aspect I have encountered thus far is
attracting members. In Florida conditions are somewhat different from
what I have read about in other states. First, our prisons are highly
integrated, but as prisoners we are not, with like nations hanging out
with each other. However, there is virtually no gang activity and any
activity there is is highly localized and disorganized. Secondly, I am
at a “re-entry” camp where 80% of the population has less than five
years left to serve and the bourgeois brainwashing is in overdrive. And
lastly, I am euro-Amerikan (which necessitates class suicide).
I found that by openly acknowledging that I am a Marxist/Communist,
dialogue is opened with others. I have been branded “that godless
Marxist bastard,” an epithet I wear as a badge of honor. As a White
revolutionary I must be especially fearless in this regard. The majority
of prisoners that open dialog about Marxism-Leninism-Maoism (MLM) with
me are so conditioned with misinformation and myth that they eventually
give up rather than consider that what they have been told all their
life is a distortion or outright wrong. Once they are able to consider
what I say and/or the MIM literature I show them, then comes their
metaphysical ideology.
In my experience gaining a study group member comes down to a three-step
process. I make myself known as a MLMist. Then I must be able to
overcome the hystorical myths and mysteries of communism – particularly
as they concern Stalin and Chairman Mao. To this end the article “Myths
About Maoism” published in Fundamental Political Line of
MIM(Prisons) (pp. 20-28) is a good start. If they are willing to
consider this different view of hystory then the third step is to move
into an understanding of materialist dialectics (Marxism) to counter any
metaphysical ideology.
MIM Distributors supplied me with the books Fanshen and
Settlers. For my study group a new member reads
Fanshen first. This is to give a sense of the meaning and power
of political consciousness as opposed to simple “unity,” and to further
dispel hystorical myths about the role of the Communist Party in China
under Mao. Next they read Settlers. This puts Amerikkkan
hystory in a materialist dialectical perspective and demonstrates what
is meant by a settler nation. It is an extremely powerful text for
euro-Amerikans who have come this far in the study group.
Our group meets three times a week to discuss any questions on a topic
that a member might have. We like to take current world events and
discuss them from a MLM/Third World viewpoint. For us, the ULK Writers
Group supplemental reading is very helpful. For example, the rise and
gains of Maoism and the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) in
India has been a current focus.
If I had to name the major hurdle I face in educating a study group then
it would be what MIM has called lumpen metaphysics – that conditioned
ideology that continually rears its ugly head in debates, discussions,
etc. In leading a study group one must be wary as that is a subtle path
that leads to many wrong and irrational conclusions. As a project we are
currently working on an essay for the ULK Writers Group on how to
identify a lumpen metaphysical argument when it is posed so that its
irrationality can be exposed via materialist dialectics. I only hope
that all comrades will take an active role and critique it, helping to
push its development further.
“Theory without practice ain’t shit” and that practice starts with an
action. My most fearless action, the action that started my practice of
forming a study group, was to proclaim myself a communist and believer
in Maoism as a better way of democracy. From that point forward I had
joined the Struggle.
MIM(Prisons) adds: Everyone should keep in mind that the tactics
used by a comrade in one facility might not be what’s appropriate for
the conditions where you’re at. While it seems useful for this author to
be very public about their political views, for many other subscribers
to ULK, that same act can easily get them validated as a member
of a “security threat group” or otherwise harassed by prison
administration.
We appreciate how this author laid out how they structure their initial
recruiting, and how they are making use of materials we’ve sent to them.
The “supplemental reading” they refer to is a packet of articles from
the web on various news and theory topics, which is sent regularly to
participants in our advanced correspondence study group, the ULK Writing
Group. In order to join the ULK Writing Group, you must complete both
levels of our introductory study group, have a high level of political
unity with MIM(Prisons), and be a regular contributor to ULK.
We encourage everyone who can’t set up a study group wherever they’re at
to join our introductory study group – or do both!
Revolutionary greetings to all kaptives inside the gulags of the united
snakes of a-murder (U$A). Because of the constant oppression we face by
the fact that imperialism won’t let up as long as capitalism exists, we
must continue to create effective ways of fighting capitalism,
ultimately bringing an end to all forms of oppression and the system
(capitalism/imperialism) in its entirety.
Prisons and prison guards (pigs) are mere extensions of the system and
operate as a form of social control against the upward mobility of
oppressed nations. However, kaptives here, in the past, have done quite
a bit in the way of agitation and resistance to some of the injustices
carried out by these pigs. I have personally been surprised at what even
the slightest bit of unity amongst kaptives can/has gained in the form
of concessions from the pigs. But i have also been dismayed at how
quickly unity can dissolve back into parasitism and apathy, when not
nurtured, and followed up by those kommitted and dedicated to educate
and uplift.
Again, September 9 is soon upon us. Three years ago a lumpen
organization (LO) that was a part of United Front for Peace in Prisons
(UFPP) initiated the September 9 Day of Peace and Solidarity. This is to
coincide with 9 September 1971, when pigs and their overseers stormed
Attica and slaughtered 32 kaptives (and 10 of their own pigs). Kaptives
had besieged the prison after demands to improve living conditions had
not been met, and the murder of comrade George Jackson at San Quentin on
21 August 1971. Comrade George was a formidable force in pushing the
anti-imperialist movement amongst kaptives, all the way up until the
moment he was slaughtered.
Organizers call on kaptives to take this day to promote the UFPP by
building unity with fellow kaptives, and to demonstrate resistance to
the criminal injustice system by fasting, refraining from work, engaging
only in solidarity actions, and ending kaptive-on-kaptive
violence/hostilities.
MIM(Prisons) said the number of reports were down in 2014 compared to
the previous years, where they’d seen a growing interest and more
involvement by kaptives on this day of protest. It is due both to the
significance of the work put in by our comrades at Attica (and
elsewhere), and the fact that imperialism is still krushing the upward
mobility of the lumpen and oppressed nations, that we can not slack off
on our duties organizing, agitating, campaigning, educating and building
our own independent institutions to remedy our problems.
We are 44 years and many kaptive uprisings later, but the oppressive
conditions remain the same. And, as back then, Maoist study groups are
being formed; calls to unite kaptives are being heard; and of course
oppressors are still oppressing. So let us both memorialize this day and
use it as a catalyst to push leaders forward – as we “seize the time”
because we have had E-NUF.
MIM(Prisons) adds: Write to request a September 9 study pack to
help understand the history of this day of struggle and build for Peace
and Solidarity in your prison.
At the end of 2012, Tecumseh State Correctional Institution (Tecumseh
SCI) made a drastic change. The administration decided to use a very
poor excuse of violence to lock the entire yard down. I believe five
fights happened in 24 hours, nobody got stabbed, cut or really messed
up. They used this as a reason to lock the entire yard down. Everyone
was only allowed to come out of their cells to eat meals, shower, and
make one phone call per day. After months of this and many grievances,
day room time became available, but any outside facilities like gym,
ball courts, or ball field were slowly added on a rotating schedule. One
hour you could go to the gym with your unit, then come right back; a
couple days later maybe an hour at the ball fields then back. We no
longer were confined only to our cells but could pretty much be in the
day rooms all day except of course during count. Eventually it shifted
to let us use the recreational facilities once per day, like ball field
Monday morning, gym Tuesday afternoon, ball courts Wednesday morning,
ball field Thursday afternoon and so on.
Recently they started a “wellness league” in which people who stay out
of the hole for one year, and refrain from misconduct reports for 6
months to a year could be allowed to “walk the yard” for a few hours
each day. This sounds good but there are administration loopholes. Like
if their snitches got in a fight and went to the hole, as soon as the
snitch got out of the hole they would be back out walking while the
other person would be in the hole another half year and then have to
wait another year just to be qualified to be on “wellness league.” Of
course any petty write-up would keep you off wellness league, and it was
a cold day in hell if any homies could make it onto wellness league. And
everyone else not on wellness league was stuck on dayroom and could
access a “mini yard” attached to their building which was basically a
fenced in half basketball court. That was life for a while.
Well Mother’s Day this year the shit hit the fan. A last minute
non-violent protest was set in motion. I say last minute because if a
protest has any planning here the yard gets locked down cause snitches
tell administration. So the protest started, simple walking around the
yard refusing to lock down until our petitions and major complains were
heard. However near the start of this a few prisoners got into it with a
couple pigs. Of course we all complied when they said “get down.” We
cooperated when asked to show our IDs and when we were told we could get
up we got up and continued marching to our protest.
Some protesters got locked in the gym so a plan to break them out to
join the protest was set in motion. A short while later staff fired a
live round with no warning into our group, going through one captive and
hitting my good friend, and they both fell onto me. Our group was
totally shocked. No chemical agents were used first, no “less than
lethal,” no pepperballs, and the guy who had the shot go through him was
bleeding bad. We put a tourniquet on his wound to slow the bleeding,
then as one huge group we carried him to medical, left him in front of
medical and moved halfway across the yard so they would come out and get
him.
Once he was safe the tension broke, the call went out, and the prison
literally started to burn. Every single faction was on the same team, us
versus the pigs. Staff got chased to the tower, everything that could be
burned was burned, bulletproof glass burned, fences came undone, people
got shot with less-than-lethal and lethal ammunition alike; only one
more live round was fired that I know of. The entire prison banded
together, offices burned, treatment files burned, office desks burned.
If the glass couldn’t be broken it was melted to allow access for other
captives. We had total control of a whole housing unit, the gym, and
half of another housing unit. We had the facility until the next morning
when finally we surrendered.
Now, for the press, the administration is trying to say this was planned
for months, because it was so exact in its execution, and that we burned
down walls only to get “targeted individuals”. Yeah right, they are
saying we did all this so we could get two people? How ridiculous!
Our new director is from the Washington state prison system. He is the
only one with a clear head. He says (in a memo sent to the whole prison)
that he couldn’t believe we didn’t do this sooner with the lockdown and
all, and never in his life has he seen such unity to get something like
this done. The warden and even the governor now believe that the
facility should permanently stay on lockdown, forever, allowing at most
minimal day room time and mini yard time if you qualify for wellness
league. Everyone else is to remain locked 2 per cell (was 3 per cell for
a while until housing unit 2 became livable again) for 24 hours a day
getting 20 minutes, twice a week for showers and telephone calls. I mean
20 minutes total, to shower and use the phone, once every 3 days. It’s
so fucked up out there.
Down here in the hole we live better than the people on the yard. We get
at minimum 3 showers a week and at minimum mini yard 5 days a week. I
assume I will be down here for a few years, hell a simple fist fight (my
first in the prison) back in 2012 landed me 13 months in isolation. This
one’s gonna be years. And I’m not the only one. Some 240 people are
getting charged. I don’t even know how many of us are now stuck in the
hole but we won’t be going anywhere any time soon.
MIM(Prisons) responds: Prisons in the United $tates are populated
with an inherent contradiction. As tools of social control targeting
oppressed nation lumpen, the people locked up are easily shown the need
for resistance and organizing against the criminal injustice system. The
powder keg of oppression and abuse in many lockdown units is easily set
off when people get together to turn their anger and pain into
resistance. This contradiction between the imperialists’ desire to
control oppressed nations, and the actual conditions of confinement
breeding resistance is just one example of how oppression creates
conditions for social change.
Protests like this one in Nebraska are steps forward in unity and
resistance. But as this comrade describes, no real change resulted, and
the active folks are now in long-term isolation. As revolutionaries we
need to figure out how to turn the righteous anger of the masses into
organized protests that can help achieve meaningful change. Sometimes in
prison we won’t get anything more than a bit of publicity and a
temporary outlet for anger, but we can do some things to increase the
chances for success. This starts with building unity and educating
people well before actions are initiated. We can run study groups behind
bars, discussing the basics of political theory and then applying what
is learned to conditions in the prison. And we need to build independent
media to report on actions in prison from the perspective of the
prisoners, so that we don’t leave it to the pigs to interpret our
actions to the public as “riots.” This preliminary work will also help
with follow-up after a protest. Even if something like what this writer
describes is set off spontaneously, it will be important to have
discipline and unity both during and after the action if we’re going to
effect any change within the system.
And for revolutionaries it is important that we help people see that we
won’t ever win this battle until we dismantle the criminal injustice
system entirely. We need to draw the connection between the prison
system and imperialism. While our current work focuses on prisons, we
can’t lose sight of the system that is behind the criminal injustice.
Our education work needs to include these connections as we help raise
the awareness of all potential future protesters and revolutionaries.
August is approaching rather quickly and before I address the September
9 Day of Peace and Solidarity, I want to address the making of such a
day of global recognition.
Black August is the representation of struggle. Black August is a clear
representation of the resistance exhibited by the oppressed who fought
not to return the deed of enslaving their unfortunate captors, holders
or those who sought their demise; but, rather, to end the slave economy.
Black August is the awakening of the poor of all nationalities to stand
up and fight to end the oppression we encounter on all levels.
This fight doesn’t entail the necessary requirement to pick up guns.
Violence only begets violence. To bring peace, unity, growth,
internationalism and global independence, we are to share our
experiences to come up with a solution to prevent these unfortunate
encounters from being transferred to our youth. The key is communication
and patience. Black August is for all who seek programs of productive
change to participate. We welcome all who are indeed sincere in change
to engage in this growth.
Our commemoration of the 9 September 1971 Attica uprising should be a
somber day of triumph and, more importantly, solidarity. The Attica
uprising ignited not too long after the untimely demise of our beloved
revolutionary comrade George Jackson, who was shot to death by tower
guards in the San Quentin maximum security prison on 21 August 1971 –
one year and two weeks after the death of his little brother Jonathan
“Manchild” Jackson who was gunned down on 7 August 1970.
Much sorrow is attached to the Attica uprising, for the physical loss of
so many brothers. The purpose of the Attica uprising was for better
conditions of prisoners (i.e. education, cleaning areas, an end to
racial discrimination, etc.). The courage these comrades displayed never
will be forgotten. It is up to us to see that their memories are
honored, and the first step to this effort is learning and then teaching
those who wish to learn.
I currently reside in Attica and I teach as much as I possibly can
regarding the law and history. It’s the key to our liberation and only
us (united soldiers) can be held responsible for the new surge of our
youth entering the prison system at such young ages. We are their keys
to betterment, provided we aim for better conditions ourselves.
During Black August fast till sundown. From September 9-13 fast as well
from sun up to sundown in true solidarity of our comrades.
MIM(Prisons) responds: As we see in other articles about the
September 9 Day of Peace and Solidarity, there are many ways to organize
and recognize this day. Some will choose to fast, others will choose to
engage in education towards greater unity, still others will spend the
day in quiet contemplation and study. What you do will of course be
determined somewhat by your conditions. But whatever your action, be
sure to emphasize the building of peace and unity. In general, we don’t
agree with this writer that “violence only begets violence.” We know
that the oppressors won’t put down their guns and stop killing those
they oppress without physical force. But our current stage of struggle
is a peaceful one. We echo this comrade’s call to cease all violence on
this day, and instead build between the groups that might otherwise stay
apart. Talk about ways you can work together against the common enemy of
the criminal injustice system. However you commemorate the Day of Peace
and Solidarity, send in a report on what you did to Under Lock &
Key on September 10 to be included in the next
issue.
The protected, favored race here at Belmont Correctional Institution in
St. Clairsville, Ohio is black, especially Muslims. Racism is against
whites, light-skinned Hispanics, Jews, etc. A large part of the reason
for this unusual situation is the rural nature of the prison and thus
the staff employed by the prison. The catchment area for employees is
97% white, encompassing rural Belmont and surrounding Ohio counties and
the bordering WV county visible from the prison yard. While it is
counter-intuitive that an overwhelming white staff favors black inmates,
it is easily explained: they are scared of dark skin, of people with
whom they have had little or no interaction other than in the prison.
The mainstream media’s portrayal of blacks terrifies them. Because of
this fear, blacks get a “pass” on behaviors quickly causing disciplinary
action for whites, light-skinned Hispanics, etc. The few black staff
overtly favor blacks as well. Due to this, and the inadequate
socialization and education of the overwhelming majority of blacks here,
has led them to become oppressors of these same “white boys” groups by
the black majority. Official prison policy is “equalization” of blacks
amongst the eight kennels of 272 per kennel, that insures this
oppression in every kennel. (We also have the same dog program as in the
“Prison
Dog Rehab Program Underscores Inhumynity to Humyns” article of in
ULK 44, and yes, the dogs are better treated than inmates.)
This leads me to address the racism in ULK 44, that clearly
contradicts point #3, “We promote a united front with all who oppose
imperialism.” An example is contained in the response from MIM(Prisons)
on the article
“Ohio
Guards Instigate Beating, Lock Down Prisoners as Punishment”: “a
systematic oppression of certain nations (New Afrikan, Chican@, First
Nations) by the nation in power (the white nation).” This is overtly
racist, incorrect and divisive! Power being defined in terms of
political, social and economic power, that exploits the national and
international proletariat, the oppressors are not all white. A thorough
look at the exploitation of non-whites by non-whites in the First World,
especially in the United States, Western and Eastern Europe and Asia can
be elaborated upon in a full article within any upcoming issue of
Under Lock & Key. Though where it would fit in the listed
themes for issues 45-48 is a question, I could do so if MIM(Prisons)
would be agreeable to my becoming a ULK Field Correspondent.
Incorrectly defining the oppressor class as white disenfranchises 100’s
of millions of the oppressed “majority” in the U.S. and Europe from the
struggle rather than being inclusive. In Dialectical Materialism, Mao
said, “Because the oppressed class [an economic class, not racial
groups] fails when it adopts the wrong plans and succeeds by correcting
its plans…” The wrong plans are to divide the proletariat along racial
lines, causing the exact divisions necessary for oppression. The correct
plans include all the proletariat; white, brown, black, yellow or
purple. Only then, in unity, can there be the equality necessary to end
oppression.
MIM(Prisons) responds: MIM(Prisons) distinguishes ourselves from
other groups on six key points and this writer cites our point #3,
promoting a united front with all who oppose imperialism, but then
ignores point #4 which clearly states that we disagree that there is a
proletariat in the First World, especially within the white nation:
“A parasitic class dominates the First World countries. As Marx,
Engels and Lenin formulated and MIM Thought has reiterated through
materialist analysis, imperialism extracts super-profits from the Third
World and in part uses this wealth to buy off whole populations of
so-called workers. These so-called workers bought off by imperialism
form a new petty-bourgeoisie called the labor aristocracy; they are not
a vehicle for Maoism. Those who work in the economic interests of the
First World labor aristocracy form the mass base for imperialism’s
tightening death-grip on the Third World.”
The quote above about systematic oppression is not “overtly racist,”
rather it is specifically addressing nation and not race. Certainly
“white” is a racially loaded term, and one could argue that
“Euro-Amerikan” is preferable. Yet, “white” remains a term that people
can relate to and that often has more negative connotations among the
oppressed. We want to stress the negative and encourage the oppressed to
not identify with Amerikanism, which is the number one enemy of the
world’s people. We are not encouraging people to be anti-white because
of some racial attributes (racism) but rather we are opposing the
reality of the white nation oppressing other nations (national
oppression).
This letter is from a first-time reader, so the above is old hat to our
regular readers. But what made this letter more interesting to us was
within the context of other things going on in Ohio. We can say with
certainty that what the writer above reports is the exception to the
rule in both Ohio and throughout the United $tates prison system. While
this could just be one persyn’s subjective experience, it is feasible
enough that we will assume for now that what s/he says about New
Afrikans playing the oppressor role in Belmont is true at this time. Now
let’s look at a report from a USW organizer in a different Ohio
prison:
“A lot of the individuals professing white supremacist beliefs also
contain some underlying socialist views. Whether enough of a test to be
an indicator of ‘all’ or not, i’ve decided to halt attempts at
developing their consciousness at this time. i’ve opened up my study
group to more than a few of them, usually after they’ve continued to
join in open conversations over the range. However, once they see
materials that expose Amerika as an oppressor nation they go
‘subjective’ on me, getting extremely defensive and also protective in
claiming the united $tates as their rightful possession.”
Our comrades at this prison have decided to focus on single-nation
organizing due to their experiences. We want to commend both their
efforts to be open to all potential allies, as well as their scientific
approach to the situation. Taking a scientific approach requires dealing
in probability. This comrade acknowledges that h limited experience does
not prove that all white supremacists are pro-imperialism, but that
combined with our theory of the labor aristocracy it supports a practice
of focusing on organizing New Afrikans. Clearly this single-nation
strategy is not coming from a racist political line, but a scientific
assessment of national alliances in practice. This practice will
ultimately prove more successful than if these comrades had hidden their
critique of Amerika in an effort to unite with these white supremacists,
which is why this is a dividing-line question for us.
In some writings on the First World lumpen we’ve specified that we are
talking about the oppressed nation lumpen only. This is because we see
nation as the principal contradiction, leading to the vast majority of
whites allying with imperialism, even at the lowest economic classes. In
other writings we talk about uniting the imprisoned lumpen as a whole.
This is because the conditions of imprisonment put all nationalities in
the same position, living side-by-side, where there is greater potential
for them to recognize their common plight. And there is history of this
being true in Ohio itself during the Lucasville uprising, as well as in
California. In both cases, it was not just white prisoners, but the
Aryan Brotherhood who stood with oppressed nation lumpen organizations
to demand concessions from the state. It is for this reason that in
point #3 we say, “Even imperialist nation classes can be allies in the
united front under certain conditions.”
On the other hand there are countless examples of oppressed nation
lumpen organizations working against the people, even playing the role
of organizing violence in alliance with the state, as the first writer
above alludes to. This is the dual nature of the lumpen class overall
that makes it a potentially dangerous and revolutionary class. Yet, the
national contradiction in the United $tates favors the revolutionary
potential for oppressed nation lumpen in the long run, while making it
more likely for white lumpen to become the foot soldiers fighting for a
fascist state to rise. At the same time, we believe the probability of
anti-imperialism to develop among white prisoners to be higher than
white Amerikans in general. It is not that black=good and white=bad in
an absolute sense. It is about percentages. And as our USW comrade found
while putting h theories into practice, while there is a high percentage
chance of white prisoners opposing the state, and even favoring
seemingly socialist ideals, there is a very low percentage chance of
them opposing Amerikan exceptionalism and hegemony. Such people are
allies in the prison reform struggle, but rarely in the anti-imperialist
struggle.