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.
by a South Carolina prisoner September 2019 permalink
I’m glad I haven’t sealed this scroll yet because I have something to
bring to the table that I keep hearing and it is driving me nuts! We as
“revolutionaries” are supposed to know and understand that one of the
basic stratagems of the oppressor is the divide-and-conquer tactic. They
highlight our differences and want us to think that we are all
different. While differences do exist among people, those of us locked
behind walls and convicted of felonies have only superficial
differences. We are all under the foot of the downpressors, the destroy
powers, the divine evils!
The “divide” can be so subtle and simple in its application that we
sometimes fail to recognize it. If we listen to our speech and take note
of how often we use the words “they” and “them” when referring to other
prisoners we might be shocked.
Here in South Carolina, the administration will withhold a necessity and
then make/ force/ coerce us to fight over it. For example, on
Restrictive Housing Unit (RHU) there are supposed to be 2 roll-around
phones, yet “y’all” can’t get the phone upstairs because “y’all” broke
it last time. Or on the yard, each wing is supposed to have a
basketball, but of course we get only one and now the confusion begins.
A lot of times this so-called “other” may be one of your religious or
organizational or ideological brothers. Even more, if we are looking to
recruit, aren’t “they, them, and y’all” potential comrades? We are
beating ourselves. They divide us in a million different ways and we
defeat ourselves because we know all conflict back here is a potential
disaster.
Remember, before you became aware, enlightened, educated, reformed, etc.
or whatever designation you choose to put yourself in, you too were once
unaware, ignorant, deaf, dumb, blind, and a savage in pursuit of
happiness. You were the “other.” If there are any brothers in South
Carolina reading this I ask that you live up to the principles you
proclaim.
Respect!
MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade calls for exactly the unity
we need to build the prison movement. And so we ask the logical next
question: how can we build this unity in practice? Calling on others to
see the importance of unity is one way. Are there campaigns we can wage
that will bring people together? Study classes to hold? Cultural events
to host? We look for ideas from others behind bars. What has worked for
you to build unity?
I hope these words surmount the many communicational barriers that have
been put in place to suppress my voice. I’m currently being held at
North Carolina’s supermax facility. I came across issue 66 of ULK
and I read where the
prisoners
of Pender razor-wire plantation are being exploited and seeking
guidance and assistance in redressing this issue.(1)
North Carolina is home to 32 Correctional Enterprise plantations that
exploit prisoners for their labor in the name of rehabilitation. As the
komrade mentioned, these plantations are profitable enterprises that
range from producing janitorial products to a metal plant in Polkton,
North Carolina that makes industrial sinks for schools and contraband
lockers for the police. Each of these 32 plantations produces goods to
be sold to tax-supported entities such as municipal and county
governments. So yes it’s a fact that prisoners are being exploited and
you seek guidance on how you and others can organize to redress this
issue.
First and foremost, you must purge the fear you admitted to having,
komrade. As the beloved komrade George Jackson stated, “Don’t fear the
specter of repression, for we are already repressed.” The fear of
reprisals is what keeps us in bondage. Yes we’re held captive by
concrete and razor-wire barriers, but it isn’t the physical chains that
keep us oppressed and exploited. It is the mental chains of ignorance
and fear that impede us from liberating ourselves from under the rule of
the enemy. Fear is our greatest hindrance. We have been conditioned to
believe that the enemy’s retaliation will be so brutal that any thoughts
of standing up are neutralized by this fear. Nelson Mandela said it
best: “In prison, no improvement happens without a reason.”
However, you are correct that you must have assistance. You cannot fight
this Hydra alone. North Carolina isn’t known for its progressive
political activity within these razor-wire plantations, nor are there
any notable revolutionaries or political prisoners. Being the deputy
minister of defense for the White Panther organization, which is an arm
of the New Afrikan Black Panther Party - Prison Chapter, under the
umbrella of the United Panther Movement, we have been on the front lines
and working diligently to transform these slave pens of oppression into
schools of liberation.
There are outside supporters here that are very loyal to the prisoners
of North Carolina. They provide us with a local newsletter,
FloodGates, to serve as a platform for us to network with others
and express ourselves. They also organize outside protests and mass
call-ins. As of now, we are focused on redressing the new JPay
restrictions. You can receive the FloodGates newsletter by
writing:
FloodGates Publishing PO Box 15401 Durham, NC 27704
MIM(Prisons) responds: In ULK 66 we asked for input from
other folks in response to the writer from North Carolina who asked what
they can do to fight back against the extortion of money, both through
their labor and petty fees. This writer offers some good thoughts about
building a network both behind bars and on the streets. We work for
Under Lock & Key to also serve as a resource to help with
this organizing.
As we’ve discussed in our recent updated
“Survey of U.S Prisoners on Prison Labor” in ULK 62,
prisoners are mostly working for the state.(2) The examples given by
this writer confirm that this is the case in North Carolina as well.
This labor is subsidizing the state budget, but it falls far short of
covering the cost of imprisonment. So we don’t describe prison labor
with the term “exploitation” which, in Marxism, means transforming labor
power into goods to be sold for a profit. The goods being produced are
for state institutions, and just offset the costs to run these
institutions. There’s no profit involved.
Instead, we say the prisons are extorting this labor. Basically the
prisons are stealing it from prisoners, not giving them a choice about
work, and paying only a pittance. Still, there’s no profit.
Prisons are about social control and national oppression, not profits.
The prison movement needs to focus on the anti-colonial battle, and the
struggle against prison labor can be a part of this. We support the
struggles many of our comrades are fighting against prison labor,
because we are against extortion and imprisonment of the lumpen class
and oppressed-nation peoples. This is one of many ways to weaken the
criminal injustice system.
By Rassafidz of NCICO United Front & 5% N.G.E. Community Corcoron
Copied by Narobi Antori
It has been a hot few months for the prisoners of Corcoran Substance
Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF) California Department of Corrections
& Rehabilitations. After struggling against administrative
corruptions, to no avail, in local courts, over toxic prison conditions
that involve prison populations. Being forced to eat in dining hall
spaces that are infested with fungus/mold, in both serving and dining
areas. Prisoners still suffer in the environment that over looks the
presence of maggot containing prisoners food; However, a group of New
Afrikans, who organize under the flag of Natural Islam, Nation of Gods
& Earths, were able to come together to celebrate the birthdate of a
principle party of the New Afrikan liberation movement.
On August 17, 2019 approximately ten members of the N.G.E. community,
with guests, united in assembly to celebrate the life of Honorable
Marcus M. Garvey Sr. Though there be so much hate & false hope being
spread within the imprisoned New Afrikan community, & some of the
most powerful platforms developed to liberate New Afrikans are being
used by members of the amerikan society, who blood suck & exploite
the un-tapped mind resources of New Afrikans, all power to those who
struggle.
The men of CSATF, N.G.E., Carthage Community shared in a lecture
dialogue covering the birth of Marcus Garvey, his organizing of the 11
million Afrikans of the black diaspora into the Universal Negro
Improvement Association & Carribeans League, commonly referred to as
the U.N.I.A. There was live musiq played by one of the Rasta G-O-Ds
& discussions held on the subject of New Afrikan unity both inside
and outside the prisons in the U.S.
As we all suffer from a sort of social un-justice that disconnects
the New Afrikan man, woman, and child from any degree of social
equality, the movement of prison liberalist reform has begun to drown
out the voices of prisoner leadership who held a more un-popular
position as it relates to Justice for more than 2 million plus prisoners
in the custody of the amerikkkan prison system, not to mention all of
those of facilities & mental health hospitals. The G-O-Ds of
Corcoran decided that there was a need to develop a self-determined
event that drew attention to the New Afrikans getting back to the basics
of Nation building by the concept of:
One Love. One Nature. One Way.
There was open discussion on the need of more New Afrikan mentorship
programs led by the strong Brothers & Sisters who have determined
that the only change that should come to New Afrikans imprisoned is the
change WE ourselves cultivate, with or without the help, approval or
permission of the police & when WE say police, we mean the police in
all it’s forms, including the high rolling church peoples who want
nothing to do with US who have been marked with the triple brand of
Satan.
There was a simple meal of chips and burritos offered to all who
attended, the group went un-harassed by facility officers, who have
become accustomed to nicknaming the 57 N.G.E. community as the “Earth
Wind & Fire Group”.
One particular God made knowledge known on the need of New Afrikans
& all asiatics to be wise in the high sodium levels hidden inside
our food as a means to kill off our, “Third eye” capabilities, while
another God from Detroit & organizing a member of the NOI opened a
rap session performing a conscious rap song that he wrote in his early
years in the 90’s.
With all the talk of Juneteenth & Black August within the
California prison system, these New Afrikans did a great job of honoring
the living life objectives of Black Liberation. Concentrating on Peace,
Unity, Growth, Internatonalism & Independence, they used resources
at their disposal for the right reason, & many beautiful plans came
from the build of righteousness & destruction of evilness.
Though the Nation of God & Earth (N.G.E.) community, properly
referred to as the, “N.G.E., Carthage of el’Moraco New Afrika”, has
established much for itself with it’s weekly General Cipher of Saturdays
from 9:30AM-11:45AM, & the N.G.E. civilization class held on
Thursday 2:30PM-4:00PM where these New Afrikan Asiatic Study the Nature
of Moabite Ancestry & Islam as the culture of mathematics with the
guidance of “The Final Testament Quran,” Published by Rashad Khalifa
& the Masjid Tuscon International Community of Submitters. Gods
adopted plans to launch an Egyptian yoga group developing the principles
of the Maat, introduced by Dr. Muata Ashby, while also supporting a
facility gardening project that the youthful G-O-Ds figure that there be
no better way to celebrate the lives of our murdered Freedom Fighters
than to plant love, so G-O-Ds took part in de-weeding a particular patch
of the yard for their own civilization.
In closing, we invite the N.G.E, N.O.I & Moorish communities of
California & the west coast to reach out to our leadership as WE
organize for the Kwanzaa celebration in December with all praises be to
the Originals, Being the change we wish to see.
First and foremost, we would like to thank ULK for being a
platform to spread the message of prisoner united fronts and solidarity
within these dungeons. ULK has been a big part of helping in
reeducation and enlightenment. To us revolutionaries, who are the tip of
the spear here in Colorado, ULK is a great tool. We hope this
brief update gives encouragement to all of us conscious of our battle
against capitalism, its social-control mechanism – mass incarceration –
and use of prisons as modern day slave camps.
Here in Colorado, with hard work and much determination, many different
groups have come to the realization of subversive tactics the state and
badge engage in to divide and conquer. Exploiting gang rivalries,
perpetuating violence by manufactured conflicts through “set-ups” of STG
members, and at times, nation unrest. After years of watching the badge
laugh it up, get pumped off the live action, replaying videos of their
puppet mastery, enjoying their own pithy commentary for amusement,
pursuing judicial redress (criminal convictions) for violence they made
possible and encouraged, freely and gleefully using chemical warfare,
tazers and non-lethal weaponry (for some reason these always seem to be
headshots, although this is strictly against written policy!) – with the
help of many different group leaders, violence between rivals, L.O.s has
stopped, almost state-wide.
For us at the spear’s tip, some critics recriminate and admonish – we’ve
gone down in flames, being removed from population to areas sufficiently
isolated; all our privileges (telephone, canteen, TV, visits, etc.)
removed, subject to out-of-state transfer. The badge resort to textbook
“cointelpro” tactics: spreading misinformation, rumors, delaying or
stopping mail. Worker pigs, “porkers,” trying to revitalize dessicated
STG-conflicts to take the spotlight off of them. Any means necessary to
escape the repercussions. But, out of the ashes has risen a mighty
phoenix, one that has sent a cold chill down our oppressor’s back.
We’ve demonstrated that real leadership is based in action, not
handicapping our people, but rather in providing the knowledge, tools
and freedoms to act. Setting examples of sacrifice, tenacity and hard
work. Understanding that the struggle to change minds is hard even with
the truth staring some in the face; some would rather desperately clutch
at what’s most familiar and be a stubborn hindrance to those of us
conscious and progressing the movement. That is human nature, it will
take patience. No matter how many obstacles, as long as you keep the big
picture in your mind nothing else matters. Those of us answering the
call must cherish that we will never know the comforts of the meek. It
is a long, hard road, but we can be proud we are doing our part and did
not look away. If we are not willing to risk the usual, we will have to
settle for the ordinary. This would very much please capitalists and
their contributors, were we to become subjugated.
Self-determination is our only path. Take up one cause (i.e. removing
capitalism), make that one cause your life, think of it, dream of it,
live on that cause, let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your
body be full of that cause, and just leave every other idea alone. This
is the way to success. Success is walking from failure to failure with
no loss of enthusiasm. One or many defeats in battles do not constitute
loss of the war; remember the big picture. Great minds discuss ideas,
average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people. Of the latter
there are two kinds who will tell you that you can not make a
difference: 1) those who are afraid to try; and 2) those who fear you
will succeed where they can not. (1)
We suggest, start where you are, use what you have, do what you can. It
is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong
stumble, or where and how a doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marked by
dust, sweat, blood; who strives valiantly, who knows the great
enthusiasms, the greater devotions, who spends himself in a worthy
cause, who at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who, at worst, if he fails, at least, fails while daring greatly, so
that his place shall never be among those cold, sententious, timid souls
who have never known victory nor defeat.
To those who, like us revolutionaries here in Colorado, understand and
struggle for a united prisoner movement: We tip our hats to you all. The
fight is hard, and well worth the effort, sweat, blood, deprivations and
temporary setbacks. Change is happening, change is coming.(2)
In the past several weeks propaganda actions have been carried out by
revolutionaries in several cities as a response to massive immigrant
round-ups and abuses against both interned migrants and prisoners by the
imperialist u.$. state.
Several weeks ago in Atlanta, GA, local Maoists associated with the
Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Movement (RAIM) attended a march in
solidarity with prisoners at the Dekalb County Jail facing extreme
abuse. Prisoners were being denied proper food, beaten and tortured by
guards, and barred from communicating with those outside to prevent a
leak of information on abuses. The event was called by the Anarchist
Black Cross after the public circulation of an image of an inmate
holding a plate with the message “Please help, we dying, need food”
written on it, along with complaints from the mother of an inmate at the
jail. Due to anarchist leadership, the march was poorly organized and
vulnerable to police violence, but demonstrators persisted and the
marchers made it to the prison in spite of police pressure. Maoists
distributed issues of Under Lock and Key to demonstrators and
discussed the capitalist-imperialist roots of prison conditions. Once at
the jail, demonstrators were attacked by police while burning an
amerikan flag and attempting to communicate with prisoners in the jail.
One prisoner broke a window and attempted to throw an object with a
message written on it to protesters, but it was seized by guards. Police
acted swiftly to disperse protesters with batons and excessive violence,
arresting 4 demonstrators.
More recently in Atlanta, comrades attended another demonstration in
support of immigrants harassed by ICE in a new sustained campaign of
raids and deportations launched by the imperialist Trump administration.
Specifically, the protests were sparked by the plans to build a new ICE
detention facility in the city, and demonstrations had been planned to
take place for several weeks to prevent it. Maoists distributed
agitational materials in both english and spanish that summarized recent
events from a Maoist perspective, and urging opposition to reject
liberal so-called progressives such as those in various NGOs and the
Democratic Party, proven enemies of the people, for their treacherous
and pro-imperialist politics. Comrades also carried signs that read End
to Ice, Power to the People, Hasta La Victoria Siempre! Other protesters
held signs that read No one is illegal on stolen land! and Ice Freezes
out Humanity!
In Binghamton, NY, Maoists attended a demonstration at the Broome County
Jail, where prison officials were denying medical care to prisoners
resulting in the deaths of at least 10 individuals since 2011. Comrades
spoke with fellow demonstrators about jail conditions and distributed
issues of Under Lock and Key, most of whom responded positively
and were excited to see content written by and for revolutionary
prisoners. Additionally, comrades discussed the plans to utilize the
jail as a detention facility for migrants on their way to larger ICE
facilities.
Later, comrades in Binghamton distributed issues of the Progressive
Anti-War Bulletin around the local campus and elsewhere in the city,
which covered u.$. imperialist aggression abroad as well as the war on
immigrants and network of concentration camps currently run by ICE. At
the university many showed interest in the content of the bulletin, but
one “radical” liberal student group dismissed its content in a focused
anti-communist campaign, demonstrating the liberal contempt for peace
and support for imperialism. Off-campus, another bulletin was
vandalized, but generally its message was well received, especially when
delivered directly.
In Springfield, MA, Maoists agitated against ICE raids and the network
of spies that assisted them. Flyers criticized liberal capitulationism
and pro-imperialism, while pointing out Maoism as the only conceivable
path to liberation for the masses held at gunpoint by ICE and the
neo-fascist thugs that aid them. Flyers detailing amerikan abuses in
Puerto Rico were also distributed, criticizing both u.$. imperialism and
their lackeys on the island and in Puerto Rican communities on the
mainland. The flyers, as well as the comrades who had distributed them,
were mentioned on the local radio station on two separate occasions,
including in a discussion with a man from the Sheriff’s office, who
chided Maoist propaganda as “misguided youth” that will “soon come to
understand how the world works” and presumably give up their task. In
spite of reactionary sentiments aired on the radio, none are willing to
give up their task to agitate for revolution, for they already know “how
the world works” and it is precisely this which motivates them to
continue.
by a North Carolina prisoner August 2019 permalink
In 2018, North Carolina prisoners answered South Carolina prisoners’
call out coordinating amongst each other in multiple states alongside
outside supporters, agitators and Anarchist Black Cross by organizing
their POW movement (prisoners of the world).
Three prisoners [names removed] staged a peaceful protest with the
support of over 300 prisoners and outside public supporters. They even
hung signs on the prison fence made out of sheets. Meanwhile nearly 100
public protesters piled out of dozens of cars, vans, and SUVs, armed
with bullhorns, signs, and drums in solidarity with the prisoners while
perimeter guards trained loaded firearms at the prisoners and the
supporters. Then prisoners submitted a list of demands:
Establish parole for lifers who demonstrate rehabilitation
End life sentences
End all 85% mandatory minimum sentences
End long-term solitary confinement
Abolish article 1, section 17 of the constitution of NC which permits
slavery to those convicted of crime through the 13th amendment of the
U.$. constitution
End $10 administrative fees for the guilty disposition of a write up or
rule violation
Better food with real beef
Better health and dental care
Allow prisoners to purchase JP4 players/notebooks
End security threat group policies that restrict contact visits with
their wives, children and fiances
Fair wages for our slave labor
End exaggerated censorship policies
More meaningful rehabilitation and educational opportunities
The following day, on 21 August 2018, prisoners at Fluvanna Correctional
Center for Women in Raleigh went on strike, refusing to eat our work,
followed by prisoners at Craggy Correctional Center. Then reports began
flooding mainstream media that thousands of prisoners across the U.$.
were joining the international prison strike in solidarity with the POW
movement.
The organizers were then each transferred to separate super maximum
security prisons and charged for inciting a riot with the exception of
[name removed] who was sent to Butner, NC to a prison that is so violent
and popular for 5-on-1 fascist beatings that prisoners call it “baby
Guantanamo Bay.” After 8 months of cruel and harsh treatment with
reports of fascists putting glass in food and feces in another,
prisoners [two names removed], with the help of public support,
organized their national grievance day calling on all NC prisoners and
any similarly situated prisoner in other states who are affected by this
oppressive rule to join them and file grievances against their director
in their state to end the oppressive rule that prohibits anyone in the
public from sending a prisoner money unless that person is an approved
visitor on the prisoner’s visit list.
As a result of this new restrictive discriminating policy, many
prisoners whose families are poor and of color, who don’t have
identification or transportation to visit a particular prisoner to show
em support, now cannot send the prisoner any money. This has resulted in
a scarcity of funds to go around resulting in an uptick of gang violence
and rule violations. For example, prisoners who can’t hustle for money
due to no artistic skills or other lacking reasons and whose family
can’t send them any money for hygiene, food, stamps or phone time now
are forced to have their families send money gram, western union, square
cash app or greendots to pay inside drug dealers for K-2, CBD,
marijuana, suboxone, heroine, or other drugs that they can easily sell
in order just to survive.
So in response to this intrusive rule, on 21 May 2019 both men and women
prisoners stood together in solidarity and sent in more than 15,000
administrative grievances against the NC prison director. Then on 1 June
2019 North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) reported
receiving more than 100,000 phone calls and emails from angry families
and supporters internationally backing up email servers and phone lines
nearly causing their site to crash, urging the director to repeal his 5
February 2019 Jpay rule. One outside organizer spoke with the public
affairs office and reported that “there was an ongoing investigation and
the director will be looking into it.”
Outside activists and supporters are reporting good feedback from the
NCDPS, and folks behind bars. Also an art gallery in New York contacted
organizers from itsgoingdown.org and is asking for NC-specific art
around this extension of our POW movement and wants to get behind NC
prisoners to support them.
With the 21 May 2019 national grievance day, in addition, prisoners are
beginning to coordinate amongst each other in multiple states, and
working with outside supporters; word of the coordinated action has now
spread all over the country.
Supreme Court shut down Prisoner Organizing
For nearly 40 years, prisoners in North Carolina have avoided the
political arena surrounding prisoner rights ever since the United $tates
Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Jones v. NC
prisoners labor union, inc. 433 u.s. 119, 129 97 S.ct 2532, 53 L.Ed 26,
629 (1977), preventing NC prisoners from unionizing, meetings and
solicitation of membership.
The union formed in late 1974 with a stated goal of “the promotion of
charitable labor union purposes” and the formation of a “prisoners labor
union at every prison and jail in NC to seek through collective
bargaining… to improve… working… conditions…” It also proposed to work
towards the alteration or elimination of practices and policies of the
Department of Corrections (DOC) which it did not approve of and to serve
as a vehicle for the presentation and resolution of prisoner grievances.
By early 1975 the union had attracted some 2000 prisoner members in 40
different prison units throughout NC.
The state of NC, unhappy with these developments, set out to prevent
prisoners from forming or operating a union. While the state tolerated
individual “membership,” or belief, in the union, it sought to prohibit
prisoner solicitation of other prisoners, meetings between members or
the union, and bulk mailings concerning the union from outside sources.
So on 26 March 1975 the DOC (now North Carolina Department of Public
Safety - NCDPS) prohibited that activity.
Since prisoners were on notice of the proscription prior to its
enactment, they filed suit in the U.$. Federal District Court for the
Eastern District of NC. That was on 18 March 1975, approximately a week
before the date upon which the regulation was to take effect. The union
claimed that its rights of its members to engage in protected free
speech association and assembly activities were being infringed by the
no-solicitation and no-meeting rules.
The district court felt that since the defendants countenanced the bare
foot of union membership, it had to allow the solicitation activity,
whether by prisoners or by outsiders and held “we are unable to perceive
why it is necessary or essential to security and order in the prisons to
forbid solicitation of membership in a union permitted by the
authorities. This is not a case of a riot. There is not one scintilla of
evidence to suggest that the union has been utilized to disrupt the
operation of the penal institution.” The warden appealed to the fourth
circuit who also agreed with prisoners. The warden appealed to the
Supreme Court of the United States who reversed the 4th circuit’s
decision.
The court deferred to the warden’s conclusions that the presence and
objectives of a prisoners’ labor union would be detrimental to order and
security in the prisons. The court held those conclusions had not been
conclusively shown to be wrong in this view, and that when weighed
against the First Amendment rights asserted, these institutional reasons
are sufficiently weighty to prevail. In sum, the court’s decision
established that the institutional interest of the prison outweighs a
prisoner’s constitutional rights. The rulings in Jones, in
hindsight, defined prisoners’ status as “prisoners” and eliminated
prisoners’ rights to free association and essentially paved the future
for correctional czars to place iron curtains between the First
Amendment and prisoners with impunity.
Punished for writing a letter to organizers
Update: On 12 June 2019 and still claiming actual innocence as to why
ey’s in prison. Prisoner [name removed] was in eir cell writing
organizers when a sergeant and two prison guards entered eir cell for a
search. During the search one of the prison guards picked up the letter
and began reading it. The prisoner was handcuffed and charged for
inciting a riot for simply stating in his letter to outside supporters
and organizers “thank you for helping put NC prisoners on the map and
for giving prisoners a voice on May 21, 2019 and June 1, 2019 as we
continue to bring our collective struggles to the battlefront. I look
forward to the 2020 strike calling on all us prisoners to stand in
solidarity to demand an end to slavery in prisons and to restore our
freedoms.”
At this time, this prisoner was scheduled to receive eir first visit in
11 years from eir sister who has no criminal record and who had been
unapproved for no reason and was finally approved. Unfortunately, eir
sister drove over 8 hours to visit and took vacation time plus a portion
of eir husband’s disability money to cover the expenses. What’s worse is
that eir son was just accepted at university which puts an even worse
financial strain on the family. Meanwhile this prisoner remains in
administrative segregation and faces another 8 month long-term lock up.
While in lock up ey accused prison guards of putting feces in eir tea
and poisoning eir food. Ey reported having diarrhea, vomiting blood,
inability to hold down food, weakness, shakes, hallucinations, hot-cold
sweats, stomach pain and dry heaving. Ey has since recovered after two
weeks on a self-induced diet of milk.
MIM(Prisons) responds: There are some important lessons in this
report from North Carolina. First, the restriction on organizing and
even just basic free speech of prisoners is pervasive. It takes the
format of transferring or charging with crimes prisoners who initiate
protests or even complaints against conditions behind bars. But it is
also codified by the courts in rulings like the prohibition of union
organizing. These laws and actions amount to telling prisoners that they
must accept any and all oppressive conditions, that the so-called
“rights” of U.$. citizenship do not apply to them.
We can take inspiration from this oppression. While the threats and
retaliation will scare some out of taking action, revolutionaries will
understand that our actions must be effective if we have frightened the
prison and legal system into enacting rules and policies to stop our
organizing work. And so we must continue! These organizers in North
Carolina are continuing in the face of serious repression, and providing
an example of determination and perseverance for others.
Whether your work is focused on educating others, or directly taking on
repressive actions by the administration, it can all contribute to
building the United Front for Peace in Prisons. This United Front
challenges the criminal injustice system through the unity of the
oppressed behind bars. We need more stories like this one about the
battles being waged. And for those looking to get involved, write to us
for resources, educational materials, and support for your struggles.
Today a lieutenant pig walked to the cell next door and the prisoner
explained to the pig that ey was in Ad-Seg for assaulting another
prisoner. The high ranking pig said “as long as you don’t assault staff
we’re cool.” And then ey walked away. I had to use much mental
discipline to overcome emotion; understanding that this same misguided
emotion has kept me and my comrades in these Missouri Department of
Corrections (MODOC) Ad-Seg torture chambers for years.
Our kites are ignored, we have practically no access to grievances and
it is only those strong in self-discipline who abstain from physical
retaliation. Tactics I have often used to no avail.
There is a strong revolutionary presence in this Jefferson City
Correctional Center Koncentration Kamp. Young comrades who, like myself,
are gang affiliated yet well-studied and ready to stand up for a change.
All we lack is an effective strategy that can truly unite us all. All I
lack is the knowledge to properly form a United Struggle Within.
I am open to corrections, ideas and strategies from comrades and
political prisoners more experienced and advanced than myself.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade is providing an example for
all, by contributing regular work writing and producing revolutionary
art. We have sent em lots of letters and other material, but it appears
to be largely censored. So, much respect for staying active in spite of
this censorship. We print this letter to encourage others to speak on
this topic. By sending in regular reports on your organizing you can
contribute to United Struggle from Within’s knowledge of conditions on
the ground and strategizing efforts. There is much to learn through
practice in action.
On our side of the bars, MIM(Prisons) offers revolutionary education
classes (study groups), political literature, and resources to help form
study groups behind bars, and other organizing guides. But this support
isn’t that helpful if we can’t get it past the censors. This underscores
the importance of our battles against censorship.
Transforming the gangster mentality into a revolutionary one is possible
because they are two sides of a coin. As an intermediary class the
lumpen can act out both bourgeois ethics (in the form of gangsterism) or
proletarian ethics (as revolutionaries).
The lumpen implementation of bourgeois ethics is the gangster. The
gangster in many ways imitates the most ruthless aspects of bourgeois
behavior, allowing them to be potential tools of the imperialists. Yet
there are aspects of the collective identity, the discipline, and
perhaps most importantly the connection to an oppressed nation, that you
see in both the gangster and the revolutionary. This is what
distinguishes the lumpen organization (L.O.) from the criminal gangs
made up of correctional officers and police departments.
The lumpen implementation of proletarian ethics is the revolutionary.
The lumpen revolutionary may be more adventurous and tend more towards
left errors than the proletariat. Regardless, choosing the proletarian
road, means reforming oneself to take on proletarian morality. The
collective action and rebelliousness of the lumpen organization must
mature into pure dedication to the people and a strategic approach to
protracted peoples’ war against imperialism.
We discussed these two roads in our review of J. Sakai’s
“The
Dangerous Class and Revolutionary Theory”.(1) As we said then,
there are two roads today, the communist and the capitalist. The
capitalist is the old road, the decaying road.
So when comrades keep bringing up this question of “how do we overcome
the gangster mentality,” it is essentially a question of how do we move
the lumpen off the old capitalist road and into building the new
communist one.
Our critics might counter, “wait a minute, plenty of people give up a
violent gang life without becoming proletarian revolutionaries.” And
they are correct. But this also has not put a dent in the presence of
the gangster mentality in our society, has it? Individuals aging out of
gangs and integrating into bourgeois society does nothing to combat
gangsterism because the motivation, the causes are still there. Even
those who reach out to dissuade youth from taking the same path only
provide a band-aid. A class of people, excluded from the means of
production and distribution, living in an economic system driven by
profit, will keep reproducing the gangster mentality. Until we can
replace capitalism with a system where everyone has a productive role to
play and peoples’ needs drive our society, instead of profit, only then
can we truly overcome the gangster mentality.
A few years back, in ULK 51 a comrade summed up some
discussion around this topic among USW comrades:
“Today’s youth show the same apathy, indifference and nihilism as the
youth of 1955. It was the civil rights movement that awoke the youth of
that era. USW comrades struggled over what today can take the place of
the civil rights movement. War, environment and imperialist expansion
were three good starting points to organize around. We lumpen youth have
more stake in the future environment and it is us who fight the wars. It
helps to understand that those starving to death and suffering/dying
from preventable diseases are our people. We must fulfill our destiny or
betray it. All this nitpicking and betrayal between sets/sides
contributes to humankind suffering. We must overcome this flaw.
“The principal enemy we must defeat is the glamorization of gangsterism.
A revolutionary or a gangster? What are we? Can the two coexist in a
persyn and still be progressive? Gangsterism plants fear by oppression,
and revolutionaries are in struggle against oppression. This internecine
violence we perpetrate between sets is what the pigs want us to do. They
sold us this shit in Scarface and we’ve built on to it and made
it our own. Overcoming the glamorization of gangsterism will take
proletarian morality, conscious rap, exposing the downsides and ills of
gangsterism, the glamorization of revolution, revolutionary culture, and
possibly to redefine the word gangsta. Gangsters are parasites and
revolutionaries are humankind’s hope. It’s as simple as that. We need to
leave the lumpen mentality for a proletarian one. Many true
revolutionaries were once gangsters. Gangsterism is a stage, basically.
“Self-respect, self-defense and self-determination define transitional
qualities of a revolutionary. Bunchy Carter, Mutulu Shakur and Tupac all
transcended the hood and grew into progressives. What we are seeking as
USW is opening up the spaces for gangsters of all walks of life to enter
the realm of anti-imperialism and begin a transformation of mind,
actions and habits to develop into the model of a revolutionary gangsta
with the capability of forwarding the cause of the people. We must
understand our potential. It is us, we reading these ULKs, that hold
imperialism in our fists. A real gangsta is one who has gone
revolutionary and has kicked off all the strings of social control -
mental illness, drugs, fantasy, despair, escapism, etc.”(2)
A program for overcoming the gangster mentality involves a multi-pronged
approach. We must expand and develop the membership of the vanguard
cadre organizations. Simultaneously we must organize the lumpen masses
around a minimal program of unity. As K.G. Supreme of USW stressed in an
article on this topic, it is revolutionary nationalism and
anti-imperialism that provides a viable group identity and movement to
rival that of the current L.O.s that dominate the terrain.
“Cultural Freedom is the best weapon for defeating the gangster
mentality. Cultural freedom that is geared in nationalist liberation of
oppressed nations, and exploiter nation suicide for members of the
euro-amerikan oppressor nation. As Marcus M. Garvey of the African
nationalist organization, UNIAACL said, ‘Power is the only argument that
satisfies man.’”
And as Pilli discusses in
“Love
Your Varrio by Liberating Your People,” we must embrace the
oppressed people, communities and organizations. And we must encourage
growth within them. Communists are not here to attack the gangsters or
the addicts, that is what the bourgeois state does. We are here to guide
others down the same path of education and growth that we have found.
United Struggle from Within has long put forth the slogan, “Unity from
the inside out.” This embodies the dialectical process of developing
unity within one’s own thinking so that one can better build unity with
others; that an organization must struggle within its membership to
build unity before it can unite with others in the nation; and that a
nation must build unity before it can properly unite in its own
interests with other oppressed nations.
“Unity-struggle-unity” is a related slogan that depicts how we should
approach building unity among the people, addressing contradictions
amongst the people. We can’t be all unity, we must challenge, question
and struggle. But we start and end with unity, so that we can grow in
that direction.
“Each one, teach one” is a slogan that stresses the role of education,
especially in these early stages. It also embodies the truth that we all
have things to learn from each other. Education and learning are a
central part of our program for building the cadre and the masses.
These slogans, and others, should be actively built around. Comrades
should study and popularize the 5 points of the United Front for Peace.
We should organize events and study programs around Black August, the
Commemoration of the Plan de San Diego and the September 9th Day of
Peace and Solidarity. MIM(Prisons)’s Free Books to Prisoners Program
offers study materials around all of these topics. We also offer
correspondence study courses, which all comrades wishing to work with
USW should join. We offer a wide array of revolutionary literature for
your own independent study and for prison-based study groups.
While uniting around study groups and education is important for
building cadre, most people will only be able to unite with us around
concrete battles. It is up to comrades on the ground to determine what
winnable battles exist where you are. What are the masses’ righteous
demands and how can we mobilize them to achieve them? How can we build
Serve the People programs locally by pooling resources and helping
others out? It is in these concrete battles that we gain mass support,
and we learn to organize, lead and challenge injustice.
We believe we have the correct theoretical basis and the framework of a
program for this stage of the prison movement. But there is much to be
done to experiment and learn from. As K.G. Supreme stresses, the lumpen
masses must get deep into the gangster mentality, understand it so as to
transform it.
“It is important, in defeating the gangster mentality, that those
serious about raising the consciousness of the subjects of gangsterism,
first come to terms with the mentality as a lifestyle from the vantage
point of inside the mind of a first world gangster. Approaching the
subject from any other angle would be an inferior method promised to
fail in producing any significant impact in the social behavior of those
that are the target. The investigation into this gangster mentality
should be led by those who are infected with the mentality. This isn’t
to say petit bourgeoisie nationalist groups cannot support the
leaderships of those struggling against the gangster mentality. It is to
say that the petit bourgeoisie nationalist must not seek to dictate the
leaderships that struggle to defeat the gangster mentality, as to not
contaminate the nationalist liberation objective, spreading culture
indifferent to the destructive culture, spread by the bourgeoisie.
“…As more and more ground level leaderships disconnect themselves with
the lifestyles that encourages behavior motivated by the gangster
mentality, there becomes a need to replace the un-natural behavior with
disciplines motivated by reconnection with natural lifestyles that are
in harmony with the growth and development of a parasite outkaste of
society, matured into a productive component of the internationalist
objective to end national oppression by the exploiting nations in
independent nations. Only culture that promotes national liberation
struggles, applying political methods in interest of the oppressed can
be relied on to replace the mentality of gangsterism… Emotions do not
dictate the course of action in gradual transformation from unconscious
behavior to conscious population. Instead the culture of educating
against defeatist mentality, borns the scientific approach of the
analytical prisoner, who in turn of reversing the gangsterism pop
culture for a popular culture of upliftment in nationalist liberation
objectives that free the available remedies of exploited and nationally
disadvantaged, free themselves. The key to defeating the gangster
mentality is investments in engineering techniques that make
anti-imperialist culture popular.”
“We find ourselves today forced into a re-examination of the whole
nature of black revolutionary consciousness and its relative standing
within a class society steeped in a form of racism so sensitized that it
extends itself even to the slightest variation in skin tone.” - Comrade
George (B.I.M.E.)
Almost 50 years after the assassinations of our comrades W. L., George,
Khata-Ri, etc, etc. and the enemy has totally disseminated our party and
reinforced their system to potentially negate our future revolutionary
movements! What do we do now?
Our demand for narcotics to temporarily numb the pain of half life in
capitalist U.$. is helping to fuel our distraction. Half of us sell dope
and the other half use it!! Killing our unity and revolutionary
potential! Now here we are, in capitalist U.$. torture chambers! Many of
us are addicts, chasing a high right now! Some of us “claim a set” and
from this identity cannot see being cool with the brotha of another
“set.” Some are lifers, who are weary of sacrificing themselves for the
reactionaries to benefit! Some have already fallen too far (i.e. KKKop
collaborators), and in turn, work covertly to undermine our movement!
Others are poltroons, and out of their fear(s), they knowingly sabotage
our progression as a U.$. disfavored minority. Many of us are “armchair
revolutionaries” in that our practice(s) never match our stated militant
goals. Others see control of the “underground economy” as being
revolutionary. I do not have the answers. I am simply a New Afrikan man
seeking community input as I continue to stride firmly. My questions
are:
How is the “revolutionary consciousness” developed in a time of
reactionary gangsterism?
At what point does this so called “revolutionary theorist” have
to put his theories into practice?
How can we ever trust a cat who has ever worked as an informant
or jail house rat? By his very obvious individualism he has demonstrated
his priority is ideal of “me first.” Which, to us, says that once the
pressure(s) of isolation, pig abuse(s), additional time, etc. comes into
play, he will tell again. Setting us back even further!
MIM(Prisons) responds: This comrade and eir questions posed was
one of the inspirations for the topic of this issue of ULK. And
we hope we have at least begun to provide some answers and guidance for
those of us struggling with these questions.
This comrade also mentions a serious side-effect of the current gangster
era, which is propped up by the drug economy. This reality serves as a
material incentive in the form of profits for the seller and in the form
of chemical triggers in the brain of the buyer. We addressed this
situation in more depth in ULK 59 where we recognized the
challenges in even questioning the drug economy in today’s prison
environment. It will require progress on other fronts to make a dent on
the struggle against the poisoning of oppressed communities.
So what is to be done today?
Build a Revolutionary Culture on the Streets
USW30: Recently I heard of my older brotha/comrade’s passing and
it has me wondering… how do the brothas/sistas, who’ve embraced
revolutionary consciousness inside, transition to outside struggles?
Taking into consideration that the lumpen are in a state of defeatism
and quite fratricidal!
I personally exited Federal Bureau Of Prisons after 17 calendars. I
jumped right into local progressive politics and organizational
volunteer work, serving the lumpen! Yet, seemingly at every outing one
was forced to repel some form of gang reactionary threat(s). Most of
which, stern chastisements sufficed. However, all B.S. aside, I guess
what I’m saying is, without a “progressive culture” in play within the
“hood” We are at risk of A) being victimized by our misguided lumpen,
conditioned by capitalism to fratricidal violence, B) or we ourselves
react to reactionary threats and in turn reinforce the lumpen’s
perceptions of us, “prison revolutionaries” that return to “gangster”
conduct once out.
In truth, the only communities I saw which had requisite support
systems; minimal threat of intra-national violence, and universal code
of community morality were Islamic. I continually read pieces in
ULK, where cats profess to be “materialist dialecticians” and as
such, against “spirituality.” What I suggest to those living in New
Afrikan areas in particular is to analyze the impact of Islam on it.
Contrast that with that of the so-called revolutionaries. We must figure
out more effective ways to bring unity, as we methodically strive to
bring Babylon down. Rather than spit unproductive rhetoric which
services interests of the pigs by dividing militants from one another.
Those who are truly analyzing the body of facts (i.e. U.$. history)
would have to acknowledge that those of Afrikan ancestry have always
held spiritual connections and/or beliefs in a higher power/creator.
Upwards of 40% of enslaved Afrikans were Muslim. Leading many slave
captors to recommend traffickers firstly “break” them (i.e. torture
Islam out of them) prior to bringing these known rebels to the United
$tates and England. My point being those who truly work to build
revolutionary culture must work with Muslims and in turn find common
ground to then gain traction in revolutionary culture building.
Materialists must dialectically look at U.$. history and correspond
tactics to today’s realities confronting historically oppressed peoples!
Teach Christians examples of Nat Turner, Denmark Vesey, etc. Teach
Muslims about El Hajj Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X), etc. That even though
we may come from varying socio-cultural backgrounds, we have the very
same oppressors and system. That the Muslims, Christians, Buddhists,
Atheists, Communists, etc. who live within U.$. borders all share the
same injustices, inequalities, and pig brutalities on a daily basis. As
such, we must cast side the divisive rhetoric and build class unity or
die. As a Muslim of New Afrika, I am obligated to fight all oppressors.
Personally, I could care less if the askari at my side believes or not.
Long as he/she is committed to struggle…to death or death row. Does it
matter if I must make Salah, before we run towards our oppressors? Well,
that’s my take and regardless, I will continue fighting, organizing, and
striving! Peace.
MIM(Prisons) responds:We agree with this author’s point that
we should be working with the left wing of the Muslim movement, and
other religions. We addressed this question in depth in ULK 48.
As communists we embrace materialism and encourage scientific thinking
about the world. But this does not prevent us from uniting with all who
can be rallied against imperialism. And the rabid anti-Muslim sentiments
coming from the Amerikan imperialists creates fertile breeding ground
for anti-imperialism.
Although we cannot find evidence of such a high percentage of Muslims
among enslaved Africans. At the time that slaves were captured from
Africa indigenous religions were the most common practice. But
traffickers (and slave owners) attempted to break slaves of all their
practices that tied them to their homeland, regardless of what religion
or other cultural norms.
While we often talk about the imprisoned lumpen as being one of the most
revolutionary populations in the United $tates, it is also in a
backwards state of affairs. Meanwhile, the last time we saw a strong
revolutionary consciousness penetrate the prison population was when
there were strong vanguard organizations in the oppressed nations on the
streets. We must recognize that part of building a strong revolutionary
movement in prisons is building an even stronger one on the outside.
United Struggle from Within serves as a conduit for connecting the two,
via prisoners who are released. MIM(Prisons)’s Re-Lease on Life Program
attempts to provide support to those who are struggling with these
challenges after release. But we have a lot of work to do to build
strong revolutionary communities for comrades around the United $tates.
Revolutionary Theorists or Revolutionaries
USW30: Within the context of criticism-self-criticism, I am
wondering when we as revolutionary theorists on the inside, shall
righteously analyze the definition(s) of “revolution”/“revolutionary”?
And in turn, be honest with ourselves (within the New Afrikan community)
about if we are truly on that path that Col J (RIP), W.L. (RIP) etc.
strode. I am questioning myself as well?! As the
Kentucky
comrade pointed out on p. 8 of ULK 65.(1)
Many of us claim to be revolutionaries, but have yet to truly embrace
the reality of revolution! Or, shed the ethos of Gangsta. We create
plethora of revolutionary documents in prisons, only to return to
society and criminality. Recently a young New Afrikan referred to a
fellow rad as “homeless dopefiend!” This made me think back.
The economy of capitalism murders millions daily. We have seemingly been
co-opted by enemy cultural tenants! We have comrades embracing drug
dealing as acceptable conduct! Poisoning our communities, profiting off
of the destruction of our underklass citizenry! Then, returning to
prison in turn advocating for addicted rads to be cast aside! We have
rads claiming revolutionary authenticity, that have yet to stand against
the real enemy, yet take pride in shopping blood of their own! The
contradictions are glaring and I believe these are just a few of the
things which have a real progressive and revolutionary movement
stagnating!
Perhaps a retracing of steps is needed? As in… acknowledgement of
enemy’s defeat of the revolutionary movement in the 60s! That the “Black
Power” of the 70s was a reformist attempt(s) to somehow safeguard some
aspect of sociocultural pride, while rejecting the dominant amerikkkan
kapitalist culture! Which in turn, led to the 80s crack epidemic and
subsequent abandonment of all things revolution. For a “piece of the
pie!”
These cats coming into prison today… fratricidal, apolitical, and
addicted! Are the effects of our failures as leaders, in our
communities! How can he claim Col J (RIP), when our day to day conduct
is a reactionary affirmation of “Superfly” and “the Mack?” These youth
see the hypocrisies, and this is why we cannot gain their support! To
speak about revolution and yet not live a revolutionary example is
unacceptable! And fraudulent in the 1st degree! I am no longer going to
refer to myself as a revolutionary until I engage in revolution! Nor
will I reference Col J(RIP) as my “comrade,” until I follow his
examples!
I thank the Kentucky comrade for eir critiques in the last two
paragraphs, as they struck home for me! We must reform the “gangstas”
within our movement… or destroy them! As their overt materialistic
individualisms will destroy us… or, turn the progressives back into
elements of reaction!
MIM(Prisons) responds: There is a bit of an existential crisis
for the revolutionary in non-revolutionary times. We don’t take on the
term “revolutionary” as if we were superheroes, but merely to describe
our political goals and ideology. But, it does bring us back to question
2 above. And we’d say that a revolutionary must always be putting eir
theories into practice. And that includes not waging revolutionary war
in a non-revolutionary situation. That is a basic principle of the
guerilla.
As USW30 says, the youth can detect the phony revolutionaries who just
talk the rhetoric while acting out the negative aspects of the gangster
role. We can act as revolutionaries, as individuals, in our day-to-day
behavior in interacting with, serving, and standing up for the people.
There’s a reason we get letters regularly mentioning the comrades who
died in the struggle 50 years ago. Their legacy lives on because they
stood up as examples. And even if our names don’t become legendary, we
will inspire the youth and the masses around us through our correct
actions.
Here in California, the Agreement to End Hostilities has ushered in a
new era for all of us behind bars and on the streets. Prison yards in
California are a laboratory for society at large. If we can do it here
then so goes the rest of the country. It’s not easy to undo racial
antipathy, but we are doing it here in California. Every time we forge a
new friendship or business association with those of other races it is
one more bridge across what divides all of us.
“The pig system” has tactics to separate us so we are weak without
unity. But those of us with an open eye toward the future work to
minimize what can be used against us. I myself am nearly 50 years old
and have spent over 30 years as a serious hater as part of a well-known
street/prison gang. The 21st century will be one of great change for us
all. The best advice I can give my fellow humans is to let go of the
dogmatic ideology of the 20th century and evolve in a constructive
manner. Our fight is not between one another but between the “haves” and
“have nots.” We are the “have nots,” no one will give anything to us; we
will have to take what we need for our people.
Educate yourself in history, politics and economics. The United Front
for Peace in Prisons (UFPP) Statement of Principles is a good place to
start. Peace, Unity, Growth, Internationalism, Independence is a sound
formula for success. If you are reading this it is not by accident.
Mankind, in order to survive, will have to reach for the stars at some
point. But first we must refine ourselves in the furnace of evolution.
If we humans as a species can cooperate with each other, in time we will
cross the threshold. It starts with the man in the cell next to you or
across the way. Peace.
In Struggle, A reformed Nazi
MIM(Prisons) adds: We print this as a testament to the strength
of the AEH, the UFPP, and especially the anti-imperialist prison
movement that inspires those who’ve held all sorts of backwards lumpen
mentalities to become arbiters of revolutionary unity and change.
However, it is easier to win over those who have matured and learned the
errors of their ways over time. To be successful we need the
20-somethings, the youngsters, the up-and-comers to take the
revolutionary road. We must develop tactics to accelerate the education
and maturation of the young lumpen leaders and would-be leaders in our
midst.