MIM(Prisons) is a cell of revolutionaries serving the oppressed masses inside U.$. prisons, guided by the communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.
Under Lock & Key is a news service written by and for prisoners with a focus on what is going on behind bars throughout the United States. Under Lock & Key is available to U.S. prisoners for free through MIM(Prisons)'s Free Political Literature to Prisoners Program, by writing:
MIM(Prisons) PO Box 40799 San Francisco, CA 94140.
by an Oregon prisoner April 2016 permalink
U.$. elections are a pig circus, a tactic to keep people distracted
while the U.$. military bombs the world.
Hark now all you merry souls and listen as the drumbeat rolls oh
what sounds, and sights abound come one and all, let’s gather
round no worries friends, no danger here no cause for panic,
fright or fear we’re all friends, make no mistake don’t mind
these guards, guns, dogs and gates just follow me yes, right this
way cause in this tent you’re here to stay
Now step to the right folks, here you’ll see stacks and rows of new
TVs! such a thrill to sit and watch these flashing pictures as
you rot now pay attention, here comes the end as you smile and
nod at the message they send, as they tell you what to want and
wear, on what to spend and when to care, on whom to hate, and
emulate and who should run this police state it’s all for your
own good you see cause freedom of thought saps your energy yes,
that’s it, makes perfect sense now sit and stare and lets
commence
Now once you’re done with program phazing we’ve something else
that’s just as amazing a feast for the mind now, if you will
euphoria! in just one little pill yes prozac, yes oxies, yes sweet
ridalin! and xannies, and valium and yes vicodin! we’ve got
benzos and dexos and zicobilafral we’ve got shit you can’t pronounce
at all! we’ve got your poison, whatever your vice opiate
derivitives and pharmaceutical ice we’ll fix your brain, your
chondriatic disease your moods, your stress, even your shakey
knees with only the sagest in new medications designed by
private health care corporations profiteers in big business
competition for capital gain and political position so pay no
mind to that small print warning pay for your pills and take two
every morning
And now that you’re passive on new medication let’s move right along
to the next demonstration onward we go into the main tent just
purchase your seating arrangement for rent oh yeah, almost forgot to
tell you we also reserve the full right to sell you and to buy
you, and steal you and to enslave you, even to kill you but
never you mind all of that just yet I’ll explain it all later (once
you forget)
Now come one and all, to the main demonstration! it’s about to
begin, oh what a sensation! oh what brilliance, oh what drama!
the procession is even being led by Obama! it’s the greatest of
shows, the biggest one ever! the world’s never seen such a grand
endeavor you see, the producers and directors who hid in the
shade have learned from mistakes that through history’ve been
made from Rome to Germany, and even from Stalin we’ve studied
the pitfalls in which they have fallen plus with post-industrialist
balloons, toys and clowns, and gadgets and gewgaws, distractions
abound in this consumerist culture, it’s a glorious ride! but if
you resist - force will be applied. now sit in your row, your
correct social class station with your face to the front for the big
presentation pay no attention to the stage hands behind who are
locking the exits and changing the signs
Now the music fades, the lights have gone low and the ringmaster
enters to start off the show oh what will he do? what will he
say? for what grand gala did we come all this way? such
anticipation and so much suspense but his smile drops, and now he
comments, “we’re sorry folks, but there’s been a mistake truth
is, you get jack for the tolls we do take you’ve read the signs
wrong, yet now they are gone but since you’re all here, the show
must go on so you there” he points to the bottom rung seating,
cracking his whip at those few retreating “Black folks, Chican@s and
freaks with mohawks! into the freakshow cages with locks! now
don’t waste your time and try to resist cause our bullies are on
roid and you DON’T want them pist! as for the third world ladies and
gents you’ll be the labor to prop up our tents you best not
complain, get your asses in gear as we control you with tactics of
fear don’t worry kind Amerikans, no cause for alarm, just
cooperate, I promise, we’ll bring you no harm have a laptop, a
smartphone, a”binky” of sorts a gesture of thanks for being such
good sports we’ll keep you medicated and very well fed we’ll
play your favorite cop shows and then send you to bed but don’t get
empathetic with those in our cages or we’ll send in the drones to
drop pies in your faces can’t you see the benevolence of our
militarization? it’s all just for you, such insane exploitation
such death to our slaves in third world countries such death to our
ecosystem and our cute little monkeys and death to you dissenters
who don’t like our shows and death to nature, care of money-hungry
CEOs and death to our search for meaningful progression and
human progress itself, by way of oppression and death to all those
that we can’t squeeze for money and death to all those who even look
at us funny as we pump millions in tons of poisonous fumes into
the atmosphere in visible plumes all so your luxurious leisure can
grow thank you for voting, now on with the show for the biggest
one ever, too big to be stopped come one, and come all to Uncle
Sam’s Big Top!
I write to deliver an update as promised concerning the
recent
hunger strike which took place the 23 March 2016.
Currently as of today the final two hunger strikers are relieved of
their duties with a victory in hand!! As I was told, “it was a rough
fight,” and “a long long 16 days!” Not all, but the majority claimed
victory along the fight. A lot fell off before the battle began. But a
victory for one is a victory for all! We will continue to stay unified
and fight each unjust act with every and all remedies we can muster up.
As far as my knowledge, Dr. Fiscal, who was working for the
administration and refusing to send anyone out to receive outside
medical treatment, was walked off and fired. A hunger striker demand!
Religious accommodations are now being reviewed. But the food is still
short. The discrimination has slowed down but I’m sure it will be back
once the heat dies down.
In the beginning I would conduct a phone call to each brother’s families
(the ones provided) and provide them with all the phone #s they would
need to call and apply pressure, including the Deputy Warden, Warden,
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) Director, Ohio
State Patrol, and any news station willing to listen and investigate.
The prison would lie to the family and Ohio State Patrol until we
started recording all conversations. Then things changed! For the most
part everybody was persistent and in the end it all paid off.
Thank you for your support. I depart as I came.
MIM(Prisons) responds: We are not as optimistic as this comrade
that this struggle has ended in a victory. It’s unclear from this
report, but we hope that the strikers who were seeking medical attention
received more than just a firing of the facility’s doctor. Adequate
medical care would certainly be a victory. But the other loose demands
of religious accommodations, adequate food, and national oppression
(discrimination of “minority groups”) are far from resolved. The
oppressors have been showing us for centuries that expecting them to act
in good faith is a losing strategy. There are no rights, only power
struggles, and unless the oppressed are making clear demands and
enforcing their rights, we expect no improvements.
On the up side, this is a good exercise in how to conduct a campaign. It
was advantageous to designate a point-persyn to keep the public informed
of the progress of the strike. It sounds like the unity of the
participants in the strike remains intact, and they can draw on this
unity for future campaigns. So there were certainly victories in this
battle, but more related to prisoners organizing, and getting their
outside supporters involved, rather than getting the administration to
concede to the demands of the captives.
[In December 2014 MIM(Prisons) received this petition against the Tier
II program from two different comrades, with almost thirty signatures.
Considering these prisoners are organizing in extreme conditions of
isolation and sensory deprivation, that number of signatures is
impressive. We publicize this petition as part of our overall struggle
to shut down Control Units in prisons across the country.]
We the People petition
We the people (jointly and severally) come together to petition the
government for a redress of grievance, pursuant to the Bill of Rights,
“Amendment I” of the Constitution for the United States of America.
Furthermore, we the people assert the rights set forth in “the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights” (UDHR), adopted by the UN General Assembly
on December 10, 1948. More specifically, we assert the rights set forth
at Article 1-8, 18-22, 26 and 28 of the UDHR.
We the people now move to set forth the factual basis for this petition.
Fact, on December 7, 2014, at approximately 10:45pm, a man [inmate]
“died” inside of the J-1 dormitory (cell #124) at Smith State Prison. It
is stated that the man/individual committed suicide. The examiner and/or
coroner pronounced the man officially dead between 11:30pm and 1am.
We the people believe (with strong conviction) that the Tier II Program
(behavior modification program) is the root and cause of the death.
During our examination it has been determined that there are numerous
“factors” that must be evaluated, and has been evaluated in reaching our
conclusion that the tier II program is the “root and cause” of the
“death.”
Factor #1: The Tier II program is a mind and behavior control
program for prisoners, via long term deprivational isolation and
segregation, which is a form of psychological, mental and emotional
torture/suffering.
Factor #2: The Tier II program is intellectually, mentally and
creatively stagnating. People/human-beings [prisoners] are prohibited
from receiving any and all books, magazines, newspapers, novels,
articles, etc. We are forbidden to read any and all books, magazines,
newspapers, novels, articles, and all other forms of reading material
[the only exception being a bible or Qur’an; either or, but not both; we
may choose one or the other]. This prohibition on reading causes
“stagnation” of the mind, which in turn, turns man back into what men
were before civilization [barbarians, cavemen, and savages]. To not want
people/human beings to read and or have access to divers reading
materials is self evident that the goal of this program is not
progressive and rehabilitating, but instead, by design it is regressive
and debilitating. Reading is fundamental [fundamental to growth,
improvement, learning, success and life itself, etc.] No one can put
forth a logical explanation for prohibiting reading and forbidding
reading. No one can provide evidence that prohibiting reading serves
some good cause or rehabilitation. All evidence is contrary to that
thesis/theory.
Factor #3: The Tier II program isolates and separates us from our
families and loved ones. Most individuals/people placed on the program
cannot receive visitation because of the way the program is designed.
Most people cannot use the telephone because of how the program
operates. For a vast majority of us, the “only way” to contact and or
connect with our families or loved ones is the letters. We must write
letters; we correspond through the mail back and forth. Mail
correspondence is the only form of communication for the majority of us.
Factor #4: The Tier II program is a health hazard. The conditions
of confinement are a violation of the 8th amendment (cruel and unusual
punishment clause) of the Constitution for the United States of America.
The food that is served is nutritionally inadequate. Everyone (all of
us/all the people) that are on the Tier II program has and/or is losing
weight. Some of us have lost a lot of weight, while other have only lost
10-15 pounds (since being on/in the Tier II program). But all of us are
losing weight, and have lost weight. Also, the food that is served is
often unclean and thus unhealthy. The milks are often spoiled. The
“meat” is often raw or old (spoiled). The food in general is old (half
of the time). The trays that the food is on are always filthy/nasty, as
if they have not been washed. The filthy ways contaminate the food that
is placed on them. We have no choice but to eat it or starve. (On phase
1 and 2 of the program we cannot purchase any food items from the
commissary/store.) No clean water is passed out or given to us. We are
forced to drink out of old, nasty sinks, with rusty spicket/faucet.
Sanitation: The showers are always filthy and disgusting. When I/we
enter into the showers, often there is hair (shavings), urine, semen,
(sometimes) blood, feces and other bodily filth. Cells have bugs, rats,
roaches, ants, spiders, and other unknown species of insects or bugs. In
the summer time the flies and gnats are overwhelming. We are only
allowed to clean out the cells 1 time a week and sometimes 1 time a
month. (But according to GDOC standard operating procedure cells are
supposed to be clean at all times.)
Exercise (yard call/outdoor recreation): We are denied and or deprived
the opportunity to go to outdoor recreation and exercise (which is a
judicial-constitutional guarantee - for prisoners; see Spain v.
Procunier, 600 F. 2d 1490 (9th Cir. 1984) and a plethora of other
federal cases). Yet and still they deprive us of outside
recreation/exercise for months and months at a time (case to case
basis). Some of us are deprived for days, and some for months and/or
years. The bottom line is, they deprive us of exercise. On phase 1 (of
the Tier II program) we are not allowed to buy any hygiene from the
commissary. We are prohibited form buying hygiene for months at a time.
Yet, they take all our hygiene items. The list on conditions of
confinement goes on and on, so for time sake we must proceed.
Factor #5: Many of us are put on the Tier II program without due
process of law (procedural due process of law, as set forth by the
Supreme Court on Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539, 563-655 (1974)). We
were put on the Tier program without receiving written notice; we were
not given a constitutional hearing; we were not allowed to call
witnesses; we were not provided an opportunity to present documentary
evidence or any other form of evidence; we were not provided an
opportunity to be heard/to speak; we were not provided an “advocate” to
assist us, or to put up a defense (of any kind) or to investigate (into
the alleged matter); thus, no due process of law.
Factor #6: When we were put on the Tier II program, all of our
property was confiscated illegally (confiscated without due process).
Property that was taken include: all our CDs, CD players, headphones,
earphones, all pictures and/or photos, all books, magazines, novels,
articles, newspapers, and all other reading materials (except a bible or
Qur’an), lotion, deodorant, soap, toothpaste, grease, toothbrush,
hairbrush, nail clippers, comb, dental floss, soap dish, photo album,
free world clothes (tshirts, socks), pajamas, wave cups, thermals, etc.
All food items purchased from commissary, be it soups, honeybuns, buddy
bars, chips, drinks, etc. The property/items they took/confiscated
include the above mentioned things, but are not limited to those
things/items. Other personal property was taken that is not on this
list.
Factor #7: Some people are on the Tier II program for an
indefinite period of time which could last many years. Others will
remain on the Tier II program within the time line specified in the SOP
(ITB09-0003), which is 9 months - 2 years.
Factor #8: Whenever we are taken out of the cells, we are
mechanically restrained (handcuffed and/or shackled and/or waist
chained) and escorted by two or more guards.
Factor #9: If there is an emergency, such as death in the family
(or something of that nature), we are not allowed to attend the funeral
or memorial services, because of the Tier II program.
Factor #10: Because of the Tier II program, we can not look at TV
or listen to the radio. For some of us it has been over 22 months since
we last seen TV, seen a movie, or even seen a commercial, or heard the
radio.
Factor #11: Some of us, they will not let out the hole
(segregation/isolation) even when we may have earned and received a
certificate (and or receipt) stating “successfully completed the Tier II
program.
Factor #12: We are deprived of almost any environmental or
sensory stimuli and of almost all human contact.
Factor #13: The conditions of confinement are an “atypical and
significant hardship” upon us.
Factor #14: The above mentioned deaths, is not the 1st death this
year, that was caused by the Tier II program. Earlier this year (on or
around February 12, 2014) in J-2 dormitory, cell #240. On 2/12/14,
another man dead on the Tier II program. This man was killed by his
roommate. Currently his real name is unknown but he was known as
Sa-Brown. Sa-Brown was murdered, stabbed to death by his cell mate. We
believe and/or it is believed that the Tier II program drove the man
crazy/insane, then he murdered Sa-Brown.
Conclusion:
According to the Georgia Department of Corrections Standard Operating
Procedures (SOP) II B09-0003, Section I, Policy (page 1) states: “This
program is an offender management process and [supposedly] is not a
punishment measure… The Tier II program is a behavior modification
program.” The truth is - this offender management process/behavior
modification program induces death (whether directly or indirectly). And
we believe those that are responsible for the deaths are the creators,
maintainer(s), operator(s), and manager(s) of the Tier II program; that
would be: Brian Owens (GDOC commissioner) and Randy Tillman - the
authors/creators; and Stanley Williams (Warden of Smith State Prison)
and Eric Smokes (the unit manager of the Tier II program). These
individuals (Owens, Tillman, Williams and Smokes) are responsible for
the Tier II program and are responsible for the deaths (whether directly
or indirectly).
The above mentioned factors are not the only relevant factors to be
examined and evaluated in determining our conclusion. The above
mentioned factors are included (in the examination and evaluation
process), but are not limited to those factors (mentioned above). But
for time sake, we will cease to elaborate on the numerous factors.
The Declaration of Independence (in relevant part) We the people
inhabiting the North American continent, freemen, “…hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…” having been granted by our
creator dominion over all the earth, reserve our right to restore the
blessing of liberty for ourselves and our posterity, under necessity,
that I/we declare, “that, to secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the
governed…” and as declared in many states constitutions; “we declare
that all men, when they form a social compact are equal in right: that
all power is inherent in the people” … and “that, whenever any form of
government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the
people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying
its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such
form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and
happiness.”
Therein, the greatest rights of the people is the right to abolish
‘destructive’ government, those administrating as trustee, or those
institutions that have become destructive and/or corrupted.
We the people call for an end to the Tier II program!
La recurrencia de la brutalidad policial y los prejuicios raciales
contra grupos nacionales oprimidos en los EE UU ha capturado atención
general y elevado la cuestión nacional. Cada vez más, grupos y
comunidades nacionales oprimidas están expresando su descontento con un
sistema de opresión que los deshumaniza y marginaliza. Se han realizado
protestas masivas, la incertidumbre se ha apoderado de las ciudades, y
se han formado movimientos organizados como respuesta directa a estas
injusticias. O sea, los reclamos por parte de las naciones oprimidas en
los EE UU comienzan a definir la cuestión nacional.
Estos eventos señalan una conciencia entre los grupos nacionales
oprimidos en los EE UU de que el sistema actual no representa sus
intereses, y que de hecho, funciona en su contra. Aunque los indicadores
socioeconómicos revelan iniquidades en las comunidades donde residen los
grupos nacionales oprimidos, estos indicadores no pueden comunicar las
dimensiones de miseria y sufrimiento que resultan del racismo
institucionalizado y la discriminación. Así como la conciencia de clases
comienza a echar raíces y a crecer entre los trabajadores explotados al
cuestionar y compartir sus experiencias unos con otros – dando lugar a
organizaciones y movimientos diseñados para combatir esta realidad — de
igual manera la conciencia nacional sigue este proceso a medida que las
naciones oprimidas lidian con la realidad de la opresión nacional.
El movimiento Black Lives Matter (Las Vidas Negras Importan) o BLM, es
una indicación de este proceso. Este activismo reanudado se ha dado, no
solo por los asesinatos sancionados de jóvenes de naciones oprimidas,
sino por la acumulación de opresión nacional que ha ocurrido por años.
El desarrollo cuantitativo de la cuestión nacional en relación al
imperialismo social en los EE UU ha alcanzado un punto crítico. Las
semi-colonias y naciones oprimidas en los EE UU tendrán que disputar su
liberación o buscar un camino de reforma y mayor integración. Entonces,
la pregunta importante es, ¿Cómo es que nosotros, los Maoístas, vamos a
alimentar esta semilla emergente a través del nacionalismo
revolucionario?
En última instancia, el punto de este artículo es el explorar brevemente
como la opresión nacional informa la conciencia de las naciones
oprimidas dentro de las condiciones únicas de una sociedad imperialista
en los EE UU e identifica las implicaciones claves que resultan del
movimiento BLM y que son relevantes al movimiento de liberación nacional
a mayor escala. Es importante notar que el movimiento BLM no es una
organización revolucionaria. Aun así, BLM es una enseñanza para nuestra
causa, ya que demuestra el potencial de las semi-colonias internas y las
naciones oprimidas internas en los EE UU de poder organizarse en base a
los problemas relacionados con opresión nacional.
La opresión nacional y el derecho de una nación a la auto-determinación
En cuanto a las semi-colonias internas y a las naciones oprimidas de los
EE UU, la cuestión nacional debe de basarse en reconocer sus derechos a
la auto-determinación. Las naciones oprimidas están sujetas al
semi-colonialismo, y por lo tanto, no pueden controlar su propio
destino. Debido a que la supremacía de los blancos domina cada aspecto
de la nación oprimida, la existencia material de dicha nación toma un
plano secundario dentro de la estructura de poder regida por la raza
blanca.
Más aun, la nación-estado blanca-dominante ha creado mecanismos de
control social para mantener el dominio de las naciones oprimidas.
Encarcelamiento masivo, la disfunción comunitaria y de familia, la
cultura de estereotipos y estigmas, entre otros, son algunos de los
medios que utiliza para no perder de vista a dichas naciones oprimidas.
Un ejemplo relacionado con el punto anterior son las restricciones
sistemáticas que impiden el acceso a una educación reconocida y que
limitan el acceso a oportunidades de empleo significativas. La falta de
trabajo significa pobreza y los males sociales que la acompañan. Además,
el racismo institucionalizado y la discriminación promueven actitudes y
comportamientos que continúan formando una cultura de inequidad dentro
de las comunidades de las naciones oprimidas. Como resultado, algunos
miembros de las naciones oprimidas se ven obligados a perseguir un
estilo de vida criminal, exponiendose al represivo sistema de injusticia
criminal.
Aunque la situación descrita no es una representación de la nación
oprimida en su totalidad, si nos presenta la necesidad de una liberación
nacional y la ejecución del derecho de una nación a la
auto-determinación. Es cierto que las semi-colonias internas en los EE
UU y las naciones oprimidas gozan de estándares de vida y privilegios
que sus compatriotas del tercer mundo morirían por tener. Aun así, la
realidad de la opresión nacional no es menos perjudicial para la nación
oprimida estadounidense. El dolor y sufrimiento asociados con las
injusticias a causa del semi-colonialismo no dejan de ser menos reales.
Estas experiencias sociales de opresión nacional afectan emocionalmente
a las naciones oprimidas. Cada día y cada instante de opresión nacional
que los miembros de dichas naciones tienen que soportar deja una
impresión en su conciencia. Eventualmente, los mismos empiezan a
conectar los puntos y a reconocer lo injusto de su situación en la
sociedad estadounidense.
¿Qué significa la conciencia nacional?
El punto central de este artículo es el ayudar a que las naciones
oprimidas desarrollen una conciencia de su situación debido a la
opresión nacional. Esta conciencidad no es revolucionaria ni es
substantiva. Para aclarar, cualquier situación material que los humanos
viven provoca la conciencia correspondiente y refleja su situación de
vida. Rashid Johnson nos dice en su libro, “Historical and Dialectical
Materialism: The Science of Revolution points,” que la conciencia es un
producto de la materia; del mundo físico. La casa-prisión que resulta de
una sociedad imperialista en los EE UU es el mundo físico, y las
relaciones e interacciones económicas, políticas, y sociales que lo
forman envuelven actividad física.
En este sentido, las naciones oprimidas en los EE UU están sujetas a
este proceso dialéctico a medida que estas relaciones e interacciones
acondicionan su conciencia. La actividad en la vida diaria dentro de la
sociedad imperialista en los EE UU deja una impresión en el estado
mental. Y como demostramos anteriormente, la opresión nacional es una
parte fundamental de la vida diaria de las naciones oprimidas en los EE
UU. Además, la conciencia nacional es similar a la clase nacional en que
durante el ajetreo de la vida diaria las personas intercambian y
comparten ideas en cuanto a su situación material, sus condiciones de
vida. Comienzan a buscar maneras de resolver los problemas a los que se
enfrentan. Los intelectuales se reúnen a discutir, teorizar, y buscar la
solución a problemas comunes. Pero más importante aún, se fundan
instituciones y organizaciones para ayudar en el empuje de sus agendas.
Todas estas acciones toman lugar a medida que las personas se reúnen
después de reconocer el problema.
Entonces, cuando los marxistas de antes hablaban en cuanto a construir y
profundizar la conciencia de clase entre los trabajadores explotados, se
estaban refiriendo al proceso por el cual la gente comienzaba a darse
cuenta del predicamento en que se encontraban, pero de una manera
revolucionaria. Para nosotros, los Maoístas, nuestro trabajo en este
punto histórico es el de mover hacia adelante las luchas de liberación
nacional dentro de las naciones oprimidas con nacionalismo
revolucionario. Debemos construir conciencia nacional entre las naciones
oprimidas para que estos grupos entiendan que los conceptos tales como
raza son falsos y que Amérika no vela por sus intereses. Estos grupos
tienen que llegar a entender que las naciones existen y que su
respectiva nación se merece el poder ejercer su derecho a la
auto-determinación.
¿Por qué las vidas negras importan?
El movimiento BLM no es nada diferente al compararlo con el movimiento
chican@ que exigió la revocación de la legislación chauvinista, racista,
dura-contra-inmigrantes en Arizona unos años atrás.
En las comunidades chican@s, la inmigración es un problema
extremadamente decisivo. Las pólizas chauvinistas de Obama han deshecho
familias, el maltrato de los trabajadores migrantes en el campo laboral
se ha hecho demasiado frecuente, y en general, las comunidades chicanas
sin servicio ni recursos continúan creando iniquidades y pobreza. El
hecho de que Arizona estaba tratando de pasar—y eventualmente pasó—leyes
anti-inmigratorias, fue la última gota que llenó la copa, lo cual
movilizó a la comunidad chicana. De igual manera, la opresión nacional
ha causado estragos en la comunidad Nuevos Africanos (New Afrikan o NA),
siendo dicha comunidad la cara de la inequidad y la injusticia en los
Estados Unidos. Los NA, particularmente los jóvenes, están cansados del
maltrato. El movimiento BLM, aunque surgió como resultado de la
brutalidad policiaca, personaliza el rencor y la angustia de la nación
oprimida de NA ante la marginalización y represión que han sufrido por
años.
Debemos tomar ventaja de movimientos como estos ya que demuestran la
frustración de las personas oprimidas con el sistema, como también su
disposición a comprometerse y cambiarlo.
Una implicación clave que surge de esto es la recurrencia de las
naciones oprimidas a querer superar la opresión nacional. ¿Competirán
las naciones oprimidas en los EE UU por su liberación o se conformarán
con una reforma, y por extensión, una asimilación e integración parcial?
Los medios convencionales proveen cobertura de estos eventos para
controlar un grupo que de otra manera seria una amenaza a su situación
vigente (status quo). Por lo tanto, actúan como supervisores en vez de
reporteros objetivos con el propósito de formar una opinión pública y
debilitar la idea de una revolución organizada. Esto tiene consecuencias
serias para el movimiento de liberación nacional en los Estados Unidos
en conjunto. Por eso es que el movimiento BLM es tan crítico, porque no
podemos permitir el mismo resultado que ocurrió al final de la era
radial en el año 1960.
Conclusión
En pocas palabras, el impacto de la opresión nacional en las
semi-colonias internas y naciones oprimidas de los Estados Unidos ha
comenzado a empujar hacia adelante la cuestión nacional. Hemos comenzado
a ver una realización emergente entre las naciones oprimidas de que la
sociedad imperialista en los EE UU esta cundida de inequidades e
injusticias. Solo el nacionalismo revolucionario puede nutrir y ayudar a
crecer la semilla de la conciencia. Y si nuestra meta es la liberación
de las naciones oprimidas dentro de los Estados Unidos, entonces debemos
de formar nuestra conciencia nacional como preparación. Los movimientos
como el de BLM ilustran el potencial y el activismo que está vivo dentro
de las naciones oprimidas. La responsabilidad cae sobre nosotros quienes
debemos de capitalizarlo.
Agent provacateurs’ glued to my cell door i can smell they stench on
my vents They strategically placed snakes Opportunist of the
information age Institutional Gang Investigators screening my
mail For intelligance files on Maoist Study Group cells
Screening my phone calls, collecting my convo FBI spy satellites in
the heights i hate this “Matrix” we enslaved in Communalist
ambitions got them worried 5.62 mm rounds thrown in flurries So
they plans to get us buried Liberation in a hurry; about to
Enlighten my mind In amerikkka it’s a crime and a fine Doing
little petty shit to make me push up my time Not even aware of our
destiny to tear this shit down!
Other publications routinely and completely banned are: Black and Pink
(newspaper), Community Church of Boston (we grieved the rejection, now
get 1 or 2 then start over again), and Prison Legal News newsletter is
banned outright.
Although ULK48 is still officially rejected, it was delivered to
me today. Note: the petition about Florida grievances you provided to me
was sent to all provided addresses and have been ignored. Any hints as
to what’s next?
MIM(Prisons) responds: We appreciate this update from one of the
many comrades in Florida who have tried to use the petition to demand
their grievances be addressed. We are unfortunately not surprised to
hear that there has been no response to these petitions. There is no
real justice in an imperialist system that locks up oppressed nations
and resisters while giving big payouts to the criminals who run the
government and corporations. The system is not set up to provide rights
to prisoners. However we can sometimes gain small victories by using the
imperialists’ laws and regulations against them. And in this case, with
campaigns like the demand for grievances to be addressed, we can also
use this opportunity to educate people about the system that we are
fighting.
Because of this we do not expect instant results, and in fact can not
expect that campaigns such as this one provide relief to people after
just sending in a few protest letters. However, the collective force of
many people sending these to the same addresses might have an impact on
conditions prisoners actually face. We ask our comrades to send us an
update in every state where we have a grievance campaign so that we can
assess if there is further action that can be taken. If anyone else in
Florida has had success, write in and tell us what you have done so that
this comrade and others can learn from your experience. If you have
received no response, let us know that as well. And if you have other
ideas about next steps for this campaign, please share them with us so
that we can continue this fight.
It has been over 90 days since I filed an appeal over ULK 47 and
I have received no reply. I filed the appeal for ULK 48 on 29
February, also receiving no reply. As for the theory journals, they have
not been delivered nor have I been notified of their rejection. It seems
that at this facility communism of any form is heavily censored.
I did get your guide to fighting censorship and I reference the case law
and the gang definition in each appeal I file over a rejection of
ULK. It has been most useful, however, it has done little to curb
the level of political and religious censorship happening here at River
North Correctional Center.
I was told that ULK 48 was rejected due to gang material being
found on pages 8 and 18 but no further description has been provided.
Being that gangs are typically imperialistic in their actions where
related to violence and criminal actions I suspect that any
anti-imperialist group wouldn’t promote gang activity.
MIM(Prisons) responds: This censorship of Under Lock &
Key in prisons with the justification that it promotes gang material
is becoming more common. And of course it is very difficult for
prisoners to appeal this censorship when they have no access to the
material to disprove the “gang material” claim. This comrade is correct
to point out that the biggest gangs are the imperialists, who carry out
organized violence and criminal actions around the world. What the
prisons claim is promoting gang activity is in fact MIM(Prisons)
promoting a United Front for Peace in Prisons, urging lumpen
organizations and their members to come together and end the struggle
between prisoners in favor of unity to fight the injustice system. Those
in power will always come up with labels to put down those who resist,
whether it is “terrorist” or “gang member” or “criminal.” But we know
that the real terrorists and criminals are the imperialists. Write to us
for a copy of our guide to fighting censorship.
On 13 February 2015, the books Wretched of the Earth by Frantz
Fanon, The Souls of Black Folks by W.E.B. Dubois, The
Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson, and Blood In My
Eye by George Jackson arrived at the Louisiana State Prison in
Angola. They were sent to me by a family member directly from the
Amazon.com as per the requirements of this institution. However, I
wasn’t notified of their arrival until six months and two weeks later.
Added to that outrage was the rejection of the absolutely essential,
must-read piece of literature for the New Afrikan Guerilla, Blood In
My Eye.
The institution, perhaps on some “legitimate self-interest” grounds,
could have possibly raised a plausible objection to the book. For it is
known throughout the corrections racket that the book “Blood In My Eye”
has been known to elevate the consciousness of the oppressed captives
subsisting behind its walls. And of course conscious elevation equals
prison population deflation, I get that. What I didn’t get was this
institution rejection the book on the grounds that it contained nudity
or sexually explicit material. Yes you read that right. The book by
Comrade George was rejected, according to this institution, because it
contained nudity or sexually explicit material.
I of course immediately appealed the decision through the administrative
remedy procedure. Three and a half months later - mind you that policy
only allows 40 days for a response - I received an answer. Amazingly the
book was now being rejected because it “contains material that could
lead to inmate unrest for racial reasons.” Not the nudity issue I
addressed in the appeal! If it wasn’t for the fact that I understand how
the administration does battle, they would have totally thrown me off
course with that move. But they didn’t so I continue to fight on. Just
another episode in the never ending series of “Administrative Justice”.
A Luta Continua.
MIM(Prisons) responds: We commend this comrade for continuing the
fight in face of the prison changing rules and reasons, failing to
follow their own policies, and unjustly denying em educational material.
We should all strive to have this same attitude of perseverance when we
are repeatedly put down by those in power. We will lose most of our
battles right now because we do not have power. This is why our tactical
battles, like the one against censorship, must always be in the context
of the larger struggle to overthrow imperialism. Only when we have a
government that is serving the interests of the majority of the world’s
people, rather than one serving the minority of wealthy people, will we
be able to implement real justice. This power will not come with a few
petitions and legal battles, but these campaigns are part of the long
hard work we do at this stage of the struggle.
Click the PDF to download a copy of the Missouri petition to allow
prisoners in Administrative Segregation to receive cases from the law
library. This petition can be used on any security level where the law
librarian is arbitrarily denying prisoners access to legal materials. It
is meant to be rewritten by prisoners in Missouri and sent to State
Representatives and the Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC)
Inspector General.
While we struggle to build public opinion for socialst revolution in the
United $tates, we use the courts to fight winnable battles – battles
that will help make space for our overall anti-imperialist movement. The
denial of legal assistance to prisoners without active cases prevents
our comrades from even beginning an active case, or studying law in
order to prepare for a case. We know that most cases will not be won in
our favor, but maintaining the right to challenge injustices in court
try is an important part of our struggle at this stage in the game.
I write this piece as a result of a conversation I had with a brother,
who I consider, an intellectual equal and new friend. The conversation
was about action, or should I say the lack of action, in a movement to
curtail the imperialist society of capitalism, slavery and oppression.
Now, just to clarify the brother I’m referring to is not only an active
participant in the political revolutionary movement, he also supplied me
with priceless literature on the cause. However, he choose to play the
role of devils advocate in order to spark my creative mind.
In general, the conversation was based on a full-scale, non-violent
movement against the financial interest of the oppressor, and called for
all fellow POWs to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with one common goal:
Victory! However, throughout our conversation I realized that there are
several issues still holding a complete unification for this type of
movement, at a stand still. I personally believe it’s possible, and
honestly I think it’s the only way to effect change and bear the fruit
of the movement. So I write this piece to bring these issues to the
surface, and inject them into like minded conversation in pursuit of
overcoming these sub-conscious inhibitors.
The simplest issue to address is the defeatist attitude carried by some,
not all, of my fellow brothers behind enemy lines. One must understand
that a pessimistic attitude deeper than just thinking negatively. It’s
allowing that negative thought to impact your ability and actions, in
the cause for change. What I mean, and I’m sure some of you have
experienced this, is the person who says, “Don’t put your name on that
petition, you’ll only cause problems for yourself” or “I would join the
movement but…” or “The officers don’t bother me.” These are all sorry
excuses for tolerating the abuse and oppression from these barbaric
animals who claim to uphold the law. Now, I understand that some of my
fellow POWs have Stockholm Syndrome and attempt to identify with their
captors as a form of survival. However, it is the actions of our captors
that isolate us from our families, enslave us and oppress us, until we
die or submit to their capitalist ways. If you don’t or won’t stand up
it will never change! Dr. Martin L. King Jr., Malcolm X, Cesar Chavez
all initiated a movement with the knowledge and understanding that the
road would be tough. However, they all focused on the destination not
the trip itself. There’s a Buddhist saying that says, “no one drop of
water wants to be the cause of the flood,” and that’s exactly what we’re
faced with when fellow POWs carry this defeatist attitude.
The next issue that needs to be addressed is our inability to move as
one! As I read ULK, the Bayview and all other literature geared towards
the movement, I see from the many different groups listed in the
literature that sub-consciously we are unable to combine and move under
one front or one flag. To divide and conquer has to be one of the oldest
military and war tactics known to man, and has a cumulative effect on
any movement or political power. Furthermore, it’s so effective that
it’s still being taught at Westpoint military academy as I write this.
One must understand what it’s doing to the success of the movement.
First, strength is in numbers and if you’re oblivious to the fact that
POWs have the numbers then here’s the facts. There’s currently 31,000
correctional officers in the state of California (according to
MIM(Prisons) December 2007 ULK2) and 110,000 to 120,000 men and women
incarcerated in the state of California (per federal population cap
issued in 2013). With that being said it is common knowledge that it’s
easier to control several small groups then a large one. Furthermore, if
those smaller groups are fighting amongst themselves for the illusion of
ownership of objects that will never truly belong to them (i.e., phones,
pull-up bars, tablets, etc.), that only makes it easier to oppress,
control and enslave. We as a group must break all seemingly innocuous
forms of segregation and unite as one! All racial and ethnic barriers
must be broken, followed by all of the small pockets of revolutionary
soldiers flying one flag. Symbolizing the unification of one movement,
sharing the same political and ideological views. We allow capitalist
oppressors to dictate where we draw the lines in the sand and divide us
into controllable groups. We have the power, and the time is now. It’s
time to follow the example of
Hugo
“Yogi Bear” Pinell and George Jackson.
To the main issue of this piece and the most important. Is the lack of
effective action. When I say effective action I mean a non-violent
protest not only done by POWs, but also by the family and friends who
support us in our cause. As of now all I see is a massive amount of
information being passed around with no action. Information is
knowledge, knowledge is power, now that we have the power we don’t
utilize it. Now, I understand that moving prematurely will only work
against the desired effect. However, the same is to be said for not
moving and allowing the enemy time to prepare a counter. Most
importantly our movement lacks a figurehead. For example, without
putting any emphasis on what he stood for, yet highlighting his ability
to lead, Adolf Hitler is a prime example, or Alexander the Great, or
Malcolm X, or Dr. M.L. King Jr., or Cesar Chavez, or Huey P. Newton just
to name a few. However, I want ot reiterate it’s not what they stood for
its their impact and motivation of their particular movement. In my
opinion, that’s what all the brothers and sisters enslaved behind enemy
lines are missing to propel this movement into national spotlight and
over the hump. So I, as an enslaved prisoner of war, surface these
issues not only to my fellow enslaved brothers and sisters, but to all
those who support our cause form the other side of the razor wire. Let’s
stop being that one drop of water, and become a wave!
MIM(Prisons) responds: It is true that charismatic leaders can
inspire people to overcome defeatism. That is why the J. Edgar Hoover
gave the FBI the mission of preventing the rise of a “Black Messiah.”
The problem was, they were successful. While some “messiahs” rose to the
occasion they were shot down, imprisoned or otherwise neutralized.
It is a contradiction we face of how to motivate the disempowered to
feel empowered. Many peoples’ have faced this situation before. And
while we all want action sooner, rather than later. It is the careful
study and education of the masses that builds a truly powerful movement
where we are not dependent on charismatic or well-studied leaders.
Especially in the prison environment, where conditions are closer to
fascist repression, it is too easy to isolate our leaders. So we must
keep up the slow and steady work of building unity through struggle and
education. Just as this comrade experienced with eir new friend above.