Under Lock & Key

They say that da left side is da true side
But I bang da right side with much pride
I don’t knock your struggle, walk it like a real C
Blood or Crip, I respect the life that you live as a real G
I live in da struggle so I recognize da real from da fake
Dat Blood vs. Crip don’t determine our fate
This kind of overstanding produces real niggas
who think like I thought…
A pointless war dat we all fought!
With fragments of unrelated feelings and no logical patterns
Trappin’ in a concrete jungle dat preys
on da mind frames of young savages
I bleed Crip from my bloody heart
You Crip walk blood from a gangsters walk
Stuck in psychological confusion, created by poverty’s conditions
Black pride and New Afrikan revolution destroyed from da impact
of pointless missions
I keep it poppin’ for all niggas drippin’ red and staying true
You keep it crackin’ for all souljahs
Cripp’n Loc and bangin’ blue
So stay true to yourself
cause you’re a real nigga even though
you’re reppin’ dat strange color blue

There’s something I’d like to bring to your attention in hopes that you can possibly provide help in stopping and exposing Oregon’s long term isolation scheme. In late 2010 Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) started a program called “Long Term” (LT) that has 24 beds/cells. Administration can place someone in LT upon completion of a Disciplinary Segregation sanction and Intensive Management program. LT is permanent lockdown. There are no special criteria that get us placed there, nor any time limit to how long we can be kept on that status. Administration does what they want. Annual evaluations are done with no guarantee we’ll be released back to mainline.

From its implementation until the summer of 2013, the 24 LT cells were never completely filled up with LT status prisoners. I was placed there in May 2013 and only about half that section were on LT status. The rest were Intensive Management Unit (IMU) overflows transitioning back to mainline. From May until about January 2014 the Inmate Program Committee (IPC) were long-terming a group of prisoners for their first IMU shot for a fist fight. They had no misconduct while in IMU and they “successfully” completed their LT. It’s an admission that they know their IMU program doesn’t work, and by failing to release those prisoners back to mainline they never gave it a chance to work. One vato there is paroling within months and IPC didn’t want him to parole from mainline. There was no other reason for that decision.

By March 2014 every cell was filled up with LT status prisoners plus about 7 LT overflows who sat in a regular IMU cell, waiting for an LT cell to become available. Well, with annual evaluations only happening in October, the only way an LT cell will become available is if someone gets kicked out and sent back to an IMU unit for disciplinary reasons. In the last annual only 3 people were released back to mainline. So it raises the question: why are they all of a sudden long-terming so many people if there’s no room?

By May 2014 they were up to 14 LT overflows. Well, one of the counselors admitted what we were already suspecting: It’s all a scam they’re pulling with their head honchos in the Dome Building to expand the LT isolation housing. Their intent was to fill up every cell so they can go to their bosses demanding more cells and funds. But they got denied. However, people are still getting assigned to LT. Maybe they feel that as long as they keep the numbers up the Dome will eventually have to relent, which explains a lot of the trips the counselors here have been taking to Salem to push their manipulative agenda. Oregon is turning into a permanent lockdown state. And all this is at the expense of simple decent humanity and civil rights. Many prisoners in LT right now are victims of these pigs’ schemes and do not belong there.

Three codes of ethics all DOC employees are supposed to abide by are honor, respect, and dignity. This scheme contradicts all three. I would like to get activist and civil rights groups involved to hopefully shut the program down, or at least to prevent it from being expanded as part of some game these pigs are playing.

MIM(Prisons) responds: This program is similar to what we see in the criminal injustice system across Amerika, where prisoners are put in long term isolation cells for no particular reason, and given no opportunity to appeal this placement. In many places it is used as punishment for political organizing. This isolation is a form of torture, and counter to every supposed aim of rehabilitation. We look forward to working with comrades in Oregon to expose and fight this program.

There are many instances of postal fraud/institutional strong arm robbery occurring here. In the canteen , when purchasing a large sized envelope (6x9 or larger) the facility requires the purchase of two first class U.S. postage stamps or three first class U.S. postage stamps, two for 6x9, three for larger.

In the event that someone desires to mail fewer than the two or three ounces permissible with the two or three stamps and removes a stamp in order to not overpay for postage, he receives a misconduct report from the mailroom and often the mail is returned to the brotha’s cell. The envelope is usually sealed and then cut open rendering it unfit to be utilized again.

Essentially, they’re forcing us to overpay for postage under the auspices of Title 68 of the Nebraska Administrative Code. Specifically, Title 68 Chapter 5 Section(2) III (N) and III (C) “violation of regulations” and “possessing or receiving unauthorized articles.” Of course they write the misconduct report so that removing the extra stamp is considered alteration of a canteen item and thus becoming an “unauthorized article.” The “violation of regulations” is a result of the dubious unauthorized article.

What, if any, information or experience do you all have with this type of institutional criminality? Postage stamps are highly regulated. How can a state institution, or anybody for that matter, force an individual or collective to overpay for postage? And, how far reaching is this practice? How high does it go? How can we stop this?

MIM(Prisons) responds: This is a good example of prisons denying prisoners’ freedom of speech. It is difficult for prisoners to pay for stamps, and by forcing them to overpay, the prison denies valuable opportunities to send out mail. It is censorship before the mail is even sent out. We encourage Nebraska prisoners to get together to fight this policy. Send in your thoughts on how to best take this up as a campaign.

During the night of darkness, between da midst of a storm, there stood a warrior, thus a gangster in rare form. Black as soot, skin such a beautiful hue, he lived by da five, da almightly Damu. Constructed by struggles, created in poverty, da soul of realness with my komrades behind me. Standing firm for da cause, fighting through da oppression, 2 hearts, 1 soul. Liberation’s my mission. Understand my position, don’t judge me by my structure, comprehend my motives, it’s filled with more than corruption. I live for my brothers and I’ll die for my family, never slow to take a stand, for my love is my loyalty. To conquer all that’s in my way, to rebuild my broken destiny, too far from reality, my ambition ran empty, such strength that’s unbreakable. I’ll fight to the end, I was born against da odds, da undisputed champion.

I am fighting this Washington Department of Corrections policy “c) Publications in a foreign language will not be allowed with the exception of religious publications.” They let letters come in in a foreign language, up to 10 pages. Before 2010 they used to let me get books and magazines in Spanish, but then they changed the policy.

I’m familiar with the censorship pack from MIM(Prisons), but there is nothing that applies to this issue. I exhausted the grievances. Their last response was that they had security interests and that it was a threat to the security of the institutions.

I’ve heard that there are states that let foreign language literature come in, also I heard that the federal system does too. These clowns told me that there is no state, federal or constitutional law that supports me to get books or magazines in a foreign language. I’m asking for the help of ULK readers around the country to advise me with a case or law that I could use in an argument or lawsuit. I don’t know how to file one but I have to learn somehow. I wrote the ACLU and other organizations, but they never gave me a response.

If you do have some advice please sent it to MIM(Prisons). And finally to all those in Washington state, it would be good if we can come together in this and many other issues.

MIM(Prisons) adds: This is an important battle because it is clear denial of access to educational materials for all Raza, and is particularly important for those Spanish-speaking prisoners who are not fluent in English. This blatant national oppression must be fought. We look forward to hearing from our readers with suggestions for how to best approach this campaign.

The ever-growing bureaucracy in Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC), and the interpretations that are following from ego-filled guards is appalling. Rich Ramicsh, our new DOC director, has made strong statements regarding closing down the use of solitary confinement, more commonly known in Colorado as Administrative Segregation. Yet the implementation of these measures and the enforcement of policies is left up to the creative imaginations of the individual prisons’ administrators. With no monitoring systems in place, everything that takes place beyond each prison’s razor wires and concrete walls goes unnoticed.

A new form of punishment is known as the “Austere Living Environment.” They take disruptive, aggressive and often mentally ill prisoners and house them in 12-man housing units, locked in single cells 23 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are no TVs, radios, books or any form of stimulation. This means of oppression is just the beginning. Ad-Seg now is used as a means of retaliation, suppression, and rendition to those who are not just gang members, but those who speak out against DOC.

Prisons are public institutions, not fiefdoms. Why can’t there be inquiries into the use of prison in non-violent crimes and investigations on the environments of prisons? Instead of tough on crime, let’s get tough on human rights and abolish prisons.

Standing in solidarity with fists held high. Keep fighting my comrades.

MIM(Prisons) adds: This attempt to build new long term isolation units under different names is a game employed by prisons across the country to conceal their brutality and abuse. This Austere Living Environment in Colorado will do nothing more than degrade the mental and physical health of prisoners. We call on all prisoners to send us documentation like this on control units in your prisons and/or state. Write to us to request a survey you can complete. We compile this data for use by those in the movement to shut down these control units, but we also take this message further and point out the value of isolation units that target activists to the imperialist system. We work to free anti-imperialist voices so that we can organize a movement that will overthrow the criminal injustice system.

I ask that you embrace
the tides of the times
We are no longer confined
with binds on the mind
Once we embrace
united front, scientific thought
and study for line
the long arm of imperialism’s
law
is no longer strong
When through theory and practice
we arrive at the decision
to take up arms
which is a must
if we are to defeat
imperialism’s parasitic
lust
with too much greed
for that which we don’t need
We fail to heed
even the most basic of humyn
needs
As the Third World suffers
because of our greed
So turn the tides of the
times
Study for line
and overthrow imperialism…
Hystory is on our side.

Los Amerikanos deberían de condenar a su gobierno por estar involucrado en lo que esta tomando lugar en el patio trasero de Rusia. Partidos politikos con ambiciones nucleares en el bordo de Rusia es una receta de muerte y gran desastre.(1) A incrementado el derramamiento de sangre y todo es resultado de la maniobra imperialista por la cual docenas han muerto en confrontaciones entre los protestores/fuerzas opuestas, y la fuerzas de seguridad en Ukrania que son controladas por los partidos que entraron en poder en el golpe de estado de Febrero (el segundo, de parte de los EE UU en los últimos 10 años). Interesantemente no hemos escuchado a John Kerry hacer un llamado de sanciones en contra del gobierno nuevo de Ukrania como fue visto el pasado otoño cuando el gobierno anterior asalto a los protestantes, una vez más exponemos su hipocrecia (eso va sin disculparse por el ahora derrocado régimen de Yanukovic, el cual después mato a docenas de protestantes en las calles de Kiev). Los Europeos deberían de estar aun mas preocupados por la violencia que se esta fomentando en Ukrania. Mientras la Unión Europea espera beneficiarse del militarismo de los EE UU en forma de relaciones de intercambios con Ukrania, les podría llegar guerra a su propia región por ese mismo militarismo por el que tanto esperan ellos beneficiarse.

Las declaraciones del presidente Vladimir Putin en Mayo 7 del 2014 indicaron que Rusia se la llevara calmado cuando se trate de este conflicto, las platicas de que Ukrania se una a la Tratado Atlantico Norte (NATO) es una gran amenaza a la seguridad de Rusia. Los Amerikanos expertos en poliza extranjera, incluyendo a Henry Kissinger, han condenado la idea de unir a Ukrania con nato. NATO fue formada al fin de la segunda guerra mundial como un pacto militar entre paises opuestos a los entonces comunistas de la Union Sovieta. Desde la disolución de la Union Sovieta en 1991, poco a poco la OTAN ha estado entrando al este de Europa dirijiendose hacia Rusia.

Las palabras calmadas que expresó Vladimir Putin indican que las muy limitadas sanciones del Oeste han sido exitosos en no añadir mas flama a la rivalidad del inter-imperialismo. Con atacar y enfocarse en individuos, EE UU y Alemania previnieron los tipos de barreras comerciales que terminaron en guerras abiertas entre países imperialistas a principios del Siglo XX. Y aunque los mercados financieros de Rusia han bajado frenta a esta amenaza, el golpe permanece moderado.

Otra razón por la cual preocuparse es que el régimen - apoyado por los estadounidenses tiene participación significante de partidos fascistas de la ultra-derecha. Es irónico que hoy el fascismo encuentra gran cantidad de apoyo con la gente que destruyo el fascismo en los 1940s. Pero nuestro entendimiento del fascismo explica porque. Fascismo es dirigido por una clase imperialista que siente que su existencia es amenazada y/o aspira surgir y avanzar en contra de otros poderes imperialistas. Su gran apoyo es el de los aristócratas laborales los cuales quieren que su nación sea levantada y poder segar grandes superganancias a costos de otros países (lee nuestro paquete de studio del fascismo). Rusia permanece un poder imperialista con desigualdad al oeste, que no puede proveer los mismos beneficios a su gente como por ejemplo los EE UU y esos del oeste de Europa. Mientras que Ukrania no es un país imperialista, hay una pequeña clase de financieros capitalistas que apoyan el avance fascista dentro del régimen actual. Los fascistas se están movilizando entre la guardia nacional y están detrás de las recientes muertes de policías locales y civiles en el este donde la oposición al nuevo régimen es fuerte.

Con toda la ayuda y préstamos ofrecidos a Ukrania departe del Oeste, sabemos que gran parte del dinero dado en el pasado se ha hido a diferentes partidos politikos, “reforma de elecciones” y avenidas de información (2); algo que debemos tener en mente al tratar de entender lo que sucede durante eventos politikos en estados clientes. El USAID, constantemente comercializado por el gobierno como agencia humanitaria, está detrás de esta campaña y fondos politikos. Los EE UU y Alemania se alistan para la planeada elección presidencial que debe tomar lugar en Mayo 25 mientras trabajan detrás del esenario para asegurar sus resultados.

El militarismo Estado Unidense, el cual es definido por la economia Amerikana dependiente de la guerra y producción militar, tiene que ser llevado a un fin para parar todas esas muertes innecesarias como las cometidas recientemente en Ukrania y en diferentes partes del mundo. USAID tiene que ser expuesta y todos tenemos que estar en contra de USAID por ser la herramienta que se opone a la auto-determinación de la gente alrededor del mundo. Los sentimientos anti-Rusos que se levantan entre Amerikanos y el apoyo que Putin esta recibiendo en Rusia no es una buena mezcla para prevenir conflictos en el futuro si es que de casualidad los imperialistas deciden subirle un nivel mas a todo este problema. Esto es la advertencia que nos dice y grita que debemos fortalecer el movimiento acontra el militarismo Estado Unidense.

Pigism has no color
As we adjust they adapt
So we must remain abreast
by choosing
not-to-wait-to
have-to-react.

Pigs are Black! Wearing afros
or hats to the back
yelling KAPTIVES! hands
in the air! as they attack.
Attack! Attack!

Pigs are white
old “Raiders in the night”
Imperialist goons with guns (oink)
Blue and grey uniforms (oink)
forcing kaptives to LIE DOWN!
and conform conform conform.
Imperialism is pigism and has too easily become the
accepted norm.

Somebody Sound the Alarm
as we storm! Storm! Storm!
and tear down the norms
and no longer conform
to pigism

I am writing to inform about the tier II program Georgia has started at all level 5 security institutions. This program is suppose to be a disciplinary management program, but in reality it is a cover up to keep prisoners on lock down.

There are 13 criteria that identify prisoners to be placed into the program, but since they’ve started this program there are prisoners who do not qualify but who have been placed into the Tier II program. The real reason the program was started is to keep certain organizations on lock down. The majority of prisoners in this program (90%) are African Americans. The other 10% are ones who have rebelled agains their system somehow so they were placed into the program.

You can be in the program up to two years at one camp and even if you complete it at one camp they’ll send you to another camp that has the Tier II program and place you back on lock down.

At Hays State Prison inmates constitutional rights are being violated, they are refusing us recreation, our procedural due process has been violated, they are not feeding us 2800 calories a day, and they serve us cold food at all meals. Recently Hays State Prison guards have started carrying tasers. The officers let a prisoner kill himself, and if you piss one off they’ll neglect feeding you or put something in your food.

In addition, the grievance system they have is bogus. Even if you word your grievance correctly and you have them dead to wrong, their reply will always be ‘your grievance has been denied due to the fact upon investigation of this matter such and such say or nothing was found to be out of order.’ When really no investigation was run, because they never talk to your listed witnesses or talked to you personally.

This is one institution that needs to be closed down. There is so much going on. The only reason certain things don’t take place for now is because of the tactical squad that’s running the institution, but when they leave it’s back to beating on prisoners and other such cruel and unusual punishment.

The prisoners here are filing lawsuits but it’s a process that takes time. Hays State Prison is practically starving prisoners and they violate constitutional rights as well as standard operating procedures of the Georgia Department of Corrections.

MIM(Prisons) responds: It’s important that our comrades report on new programs like this Tier II system in Georgia because this is the sneaky way that states are now renaming long term solitary confinement. Also known as control units this isolation in and of itself is very harmful to people. As this comrade reports, Georgia is taking the repression further by restricting food and carrying out other abuses, and then denying prisoners the ability to grieve these violations of law. Georgia does not yet have a grievance campaign, but we hope that one of the many active comrades in that state will soon take up the challenge to create a grievance petition specific to this state so that we can push that campaign as another tool in our fight in Georgia.