Under Lock & Key

Revolutionary global salutations!

Our actions define us as struggle determines our strength. I applaud you all who’ve taken the steps to stand against the forces that are eager to watch the brave succumb to these oppressive conditions in the belly of the beast. The weak must strengthen up, because struggle will not ignore you, regardless of how hard you try to escape struggle. It’s very important to note, struggle initiates within self. Real talk!

I am a young soulja on this oppressive plantation of Attica corruption facility. I recently came across ULK through a brother held behind enemy lines along with me. I was truly elated to read of the tired souls of you all who’ve decied that enough is indeed enough of the police brutality against the oppressed & the many injustices committed against the poor.

As a proud individual reinforcing unification, I stand alongside my fellow oppressed brothers & sisters determined to achieve better conditions. The principles of the United Front for Peace in Prisons are indeed intune with the principles of the global Piru family, a united mobilized body of global brothers & sisters who’ve pledged to make & keep peace amongst one another; unite the masses on the essentials of love, loyalty, honour, respect & trust; grow to be productive to the community & utilize the growth to internationalize the presence of the global fighters against oppression. Thus, becoming an independent force against the oppressor.

Peace is what the global Piru family embraces amongst its oppressed people. Through this peace, the global Piru family aim to unify our people to stand firmly against oppression in all forms. The unification of the people’s growth establishes its courage not to succumb in the midst of their fight to better their conditions. The growth of the oppressed people to fight against oppression expresses the oppressed’s tiredness of being brutalized, exploited & denied their guarunteed rights under the united snakes constitution. The growth of the oppressed people further estabishes the foundation to internalize the fight to defend the life & liberty of the oppressed. It’s evident that this internationalized fight is a global problem rather than a local issue. Amerikkka is the ugliest snakes to ever exist. Everywhere in Amerikkka, oppression is felt, oppression is observed, oppression is fought, which clearly means this is an internationalized (i.e. global) structure that is to be completely dismantled. There’s no secret who’s the oppressed people fugitive - the great oppressor. Attacking the problem on an internationalized level; We, the oppressed people develop an independent force designed to eradicate the adversaries of the oppressed. It’s very important to know the independent fight starts within self. To obtain independence requires a vision; To pursue independence requires courage; To reach independence requires determination. Vision, courage and determination is a struggle and it’s a struggle to win. This is the aim for the global Piru family.

Brothers & sisters in this struggle globally: The aim is for us (i.e. United Souljahs & United Soulja’ettes) to win & to do so entails unity, which is the epitome of my last name, ‘Umoja’. Weakness can be strengthened with a vision. The courage & determination to revolutionize the pusillanimous mindframe. Though we can point the finger towards others, it’s very imperative to remember, four is pointing back at the pointer. Pointing fingers shall be over, unless the finger is being pointed at self, asking ourself, “what can I do to change me?” Then ask ourself, “what am I gon’ do to change me?”

To bring about unity amongst a whole body we must first unify ourselves to the struggle in which we seek to prevail & not become anymore of a victim [than] we’ve been thus far. I say this, because in order to become a man, we experience two phases before reaching the third phase of ‘manhood’. The first phase is being a fool (i.e. acting in ways a man wouldn’t dare act); The second phase is being a victim (i.e. blaming others for our foolish behaviour); The final phase is becoming a man (i.e. accepting responsibility for words & actions without passing blame or pointing the finger towards others). Unity requires responsibility. It cannot & it will be very difficult to accomplish with small minds involved.

A New Jersey comrade behind enemy lines representing ALKQN [All-Latin Kings/Queens Nation] spoke on Time for Peaceful Revolution (ULK No. 22). Though, I can overstand in part the comrade’s stance, for it can be extremely beneficial considering the circumstances at the moment, it’s imperative to remember, this approach has harmed us continuously – this physical pain may be temporary. The infliction of such brutality whether it be mental, physical, emotional etc. shall be considered more thoroughly, because the effects of such infliction can take years to reach its fruition, which shows through our actions. A peaceful revolution is required under certain circumstances. As the comrade responded, Chairman Mao stated:

“We are advocates of the abolition of war, we do not want war, but war can only be abolished through war, and in order to get rid of the gun it is necessary to take up the gun.”

Change can & will only arrive when we unify ourselves with struggle internally. In the pursuit to unify with self-struggle, we tend to gravitate towards global struggle. This is the root of independent & internationalized unification.

Let’s keep in mind, just because unity has been achieved, the struggle hasn’t been obliterated. International unification was established to srengthen the masses to challenge our global struggle. The weak who chooses not to strengthen their pusillanimous mind, body & soul is to be left alone, for they are stragglers designed to stagnate the progress in unifying the people to change our oppressive conditions globally.

Brothers & sisters we are grown. No more time to waste on blaming others or making excuses for our lack of responsibility. Stand up souljahs, rise up soulja’ettes! Excuses & blame is what these savage ass pilgrims do whenever they feel the need to unjustly fabricate accusations to cover up their sadistic, capricious & arbitrary acts against us (i.e. Untied Souljas & United Soulja’ettes) while in defensive positions (i.e. in restraints, subdued by shackles & handcuffs).

Many of us claim to bang, yet so many of us have no idea what banging is other than physical altercation. Which, at times, amount to nothing. I include myself in this equation, because we’re one. We’re enduring struggle collectively and globally. This is why I include myself. As a man, I take responsibility for my oftentimes mishaps committed when frustrated. so, I’m still disciplining myself to channel my frustrations towards more productive measures. I’m man enough to acknowledge this struggle within myself. Our greatest leaders have acknowledged their obstacles and continued to push themselves forward to overcoming their fear of failure. Their aim was to win. We’re all souljahz & soulja’ettez in this war called struggle. To win is to unite! Unity entails the utilization of the mind – the strongest & most deadliest weapon we possess when used accordingly. Many of us tend to backtrack & temporarily lose focus until pulled back up to reality. To be revolutionary entails being a fighter for betterment. We’re not perfect, nor are we exempt from slipping at times. Keep in mind: To win, we are to get back from our temporary downfall. Stand up, head held high, shoulders firm, mind stronger to prevent future temptations that stagnate our growth for unity. We’re fighters, not quitters.

The global Piru family is here alongside the true and living, fighting to make our conditions better. In solidarity, we will prevail over the obstacles placed before us to stumble & stagnate our growth to overcome the harsh conditions of racism, brutality by law enforcement, protection of our constitutional rights, in particular – the first amendment to have free speech, second amendment to bear arms in self-defence, fourth amendment, stop the unlawful evading of the homes of the poor; fifth amendment, due process to a fair trial; sixth amendment, right to meaningful representation; eighth amendment, to remain free from crual & unusual punishment; fourteenth amendment, the right to life & liberty; equal opportunity in education, better jobs for the poor, housing for the homeless, food for the hungry, clothing for the naked, etc. These are conditions of oppression when deliberately denied. These are issues we are supposed to be protected from enduring. To encounter any of these atrocities is an attack on the basic needs of humanity. When we’re denied these fundamentals, we’re being oppressed & struggle is present & when struggle is present - resistance is employed.

To fight struggle hard is essentially the vision, courage & determination to win. The aim to win, failure is not an option under no circumstances whatsoever within our realm. The global Piru family vow to unite with the oppressed.

Power to the oppressed people! Clenched fist held high.

Lately, due to the continuing of the repressive injustice system, the New Afrikan Maoist Brotherhood (NAMB) has restructured our organizing and networking tactics. We continue our current study group raising New Afrikan and internationalist consciousness. We are working on a peace treaty/alliance between the Vice Lords, Latin Kings, MS-13, Bloods and Black P. Stones. The Euro-Amerikan street organizations of the Cincinnatti Caucasian Cartel and the Cincinnati White Boys have allied against the Aryan Brothers and so, we are working to bring the Triple Cs and the CWBs into the Ohio-wide treaty with the Vice Lords and Latin Kings/MS-13 and Bloods. Our next focus will be to reach out to the “heartless felons” of Northern Ohio (Cleveland based) to radicalize them into revolutionary consciousness. These are uphill battles due to lack of quality leadership, coupled with the terrain of lockdown blocks, controlled movements, and confidential informants. But, the movement must be pushed, no matter how fast/slow, hard/easy it may seem. History is on our side! The NAMB is slowly but surely making headway in spreading unity and revolutionary theory. We look forward to creating an Ohio-wide, Ohio-produced treaty between all LOs inside of prison and outside.

MIM(Prisons) adds: These comrades in Ohio are doing the essential work of education and building peace and unity. Bringing lumpen organizations together into a United Front (UF) is critical, but we must always be clear what we are uniting around. The UF is a vehicle for the oppressed to unite groups against a common and principal enemy. We learn from history that this includes alliances between the proletariat and the national bourgeoisie when the fight is against the imperialist invading army. In Amerikan prisons today, this unity is among lumpen organizations against the criminal injustice system which is used by imperialist Amerika as a tool of social control.

I want to first send an encouraging word to the brother who exposed a glimpse of our struggle here at Georgia State Prison. I can honestly say that the author of the stand up article in the March/April 2014 Under Lock & Key has inspired me to go harder.

As of this moment I am the head representative of the United Nation Against The Machine (UNATM) movement. The UNATM promotes unity, peace, and education amongst the various social groups within the system. The goal is to cease fire against one another and unite in our struggle against the oppressive pigs. We all have a common goal which should be freedom and we all have a common enemy which is the oppressive injustice system. There is no excuse for us to continue laying down when the bully approaches. We still have rights and we still are human beings who deserve better.

I want those in the segregation unit to know that you are not alone and as a fellow comrade/soulja in this struggle I pledge loyalty. I pledge to educate and decrease the illiteracy rate that confines our fellow brothers in an enslaved mind. I pledge to challenge the unchallenged. I pledge to finally put the pig head on the platter for all its wrong doing. We are our own machine that will stop at nothing to obtain true justice. I encourage all the souljas in this struggle to remain strong for we will see better days.

MIM(Prisons) responds: We are encouraged to see the growing activism in Georgia and in particular the conscious comrades building unity and peace in that state. We have reached out to this comrade to suggest that UNATM consider joining the United Front for Peace in Prisons (UFPP) as their goals line up with this effort. Specifically, the first three UFPP principles are peace, unity and growth. Through this United Front we can bring together different groups and individuals to fight our common enemy in the criminal injustice system.

First and foremost let me say this is not a shot to put down any of my fellow comrades, rather this is a plea to you to step up. I am a young comrade who fortunately had the privilege of being around some good brothers who basically educated and raised me into the revolutionary I am today.

But like many, even though they taught me, they too are part of the problem we face as a whole. I say that because they took a chance with me because I stayed with a book in my hand. But I watched them for years doing the same thing I found myself doing until a year ago: Denying fellow brothers in the struggle knowledge due to stereotypical reasons.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some out there who will hurt our movement more than help, but so many times I see brothers come through with so much fight, so much fire, but they lack the knowledge to do anything with it, so it’s useless. And we write them off as a fool, a hothead, and think they’re unteachable. And to that I say this: It’s time for us to start taking a chance and stop making excuses to not help.

We complain that there’s no unity or organization in our movement but we are our own problem. It’s not the brothers’ fault that don’t know any better, it’s our fault for not teaching them. It’s time for us to start taking responsibility and stop making excuses for why we didn’t, and start making a plan for how we can.

This is a call to all my fellow comrades to step up and stop standing down. Stop setting limitations. Oldheads help the young, Blood help the Crip, Black man help the white. Our fight is not each other, it’s those who oppose this movement. So stop focusing on the frivolous things that weaken our strength and let’s truly stand on what we claim to stand for. Then and only then will we ever have a chance.

MIM(Prisons) adds: We print this call as an antidote to all those who write to us complaining about the lack of unity in their prison without stepping up to do anything about it. We know the battle is uphill; the capitalists have all the power and they create a culture that discourages unity and supports violence and strife. But it is our duty as revolutionaries to create opportunities to build unity. The reporting in Under Lock & Key demonstrates that the imprisoned lumpen are united by their common material conditions, even though individuals are at different stages in terms of how they respond to those conditions. It is logical to begin by uniting those who will listen, but we mustn’t stop there if we hope to reach the true potential of unity among the oppressed. Work with the United Front for Peace in Prisons to develop strategies to reach the majority of prisoners and build this on a scale broad enough that we can eventually take down the criminal injustice system as a whole.

Texas prisons are notoriously rough and primitive. Some inmates work in TCI (Texas Correctional Industries) sweatshops making products like t-shirts, shorts and detergent. We work for free and then the state sells us these products at a high cost through the prison commissary. Nonviolent prisoners earn good time and work time which is often not honored. We’re caged in hot boxes with no air conditioning, and prisoners die each summer as a result. In addition to the new limits on correspondence, last September marriage by proxy was eliminated. Inmates can no longer marry their loved ones on the outside, meaning they can’t get contact visits with them, or their own children. The list goes on and on.

The term divide and conquer still holds true today. TDCJ is glad the majority of us are fighting amongst ourselves, and are more consumed with television, radio and gossiping, than unity and change. Texas prisoners, do you like working for free? Do you like being a model inmate who’s changed, but gets their parole denied year after year? Do you enjoy living in a negative repressive environment? If you don’t, then let’s drop the racial and gang nonsense. Let’s quit worshipping the TV, our radios and commissary. Let’s bring Texas prisons out of the dark ages and into the twenty-first century. Make sacrifices for the great good of all prisoners and our families. Oppressors only have control over their captors as long as the oppressed allow them to.

Like in past years, I will begin to plan a few months ahead of time for the revolutionary festival of September 9. This day is a special one which marks the day when the United Front for Peace in Prisons was given its first concrete example in these dungeons. I attempt to have educational study materials available on this day, which usually includes poetry, short stories or articles, and of course some art if possible.

In the past I helped read articles and poetry on the tier which reflected on prisons and what it means to be prisoners. So many times people forget that what we experience is unbridled oppression and instead think that we somehow brought it upon ourselves. This backwards thinking only helps to solidify our own mental captivity! This day helps to refocus our attention of who we are as people and what is the path forward for the next year in our struggle for humyn rights in these dungeons.

I have heard different ways of observing this day, from having an open line on the tier where folks get a certain “air time” to share their ideas on what they feel will move the humyn rights struggle forward. Others talk about creating conscious rap to be performed on the tier. The main thing I hear is folks being ready to promote peace in prison. It is a time to help to heal the people outside of state influence.

MIM(Prisons) adds: September 9 will be the third annual United Front for Peace in Prisons solidarity demonstration. This demonstration coincides with the anniversary of the Attica uprising. On this day prisoners should create ways to work towards greater peace among the prison population. We will cease all prisoner-on-prisoner hostilities regardless of set, race, custody, gender, religion or other division. Some will fast, engage in solidarity organizing, and carry out educational work. Start planning now for your September 9 solidarity day.

The New Afrikan Maoist Brotherhood (NAMB) is a collective committed to the study and propagation of New Afrikan Political Philosophy. We see the lack of political consciousness amongst the masses of New Afrikans, along with the multiple and diverse aims of our semi-colonized nation. Therefore we see it as our duty to take the much-called-for initiative so that the New Afrikan liberation and independence movement’s aims and objectives do not die out in vain in this or the next generation. We, as students to communist thought, understand that the beginning of national liberation starts with mass political education. Hence, our current organizational structure is that of a study group, which we intend to develop and multiply inside and outside of prison. NAMB stands with the United Front for Peace in Prisons (UFPP). The principles of the UFPP are important for the following reasons (but not limited to):

The prison environment can become a violent place to dwell. But our enemies want just that. It is counter-revolutionary for the lumpen proletariat to waste our time, resources and energy fighting our comrades in the struggle. We must transform our thinking and in turn transform our environment. We must make prison a “school of revolution,” where we invest into each other, by using such terms as “Each one Teach one” so that we create in ourselves and for ourselves, leaders of our communities.

Reckless warring and fighting will not aid the lumpen organizations. That’s why the first principle of peace is so important. Unity is the key! The enemy divides the lumpen into smaller and smaller illusionary sections, and we play into it. We internalize divisive thinking, not thinking about the ill-effects this capitalist thinking has. We must unite!

Unity will in turn produce Growth (the third principle) in ourselves and in our collective. And this growth and unity are weapons against the capitalist imperialists who seek to continue their exploitation of the people.

The New Afrikan Maoist Brotherhood supports and stands by these principles of the UFPP. From our Conservative Vice Lord and Mafia Insane Vice Lord upbringing we have come to know of our national liberation struggle, for the nation of New Afrika. And coming to this awareness, we have recognized our national allies in the First Nations, Latino/as and all those who are in the Third World that face the same oppressive enemy as us. We understand that national liberation of our semi-colonized nations will be counter weights in the international war against capitalist-imperialism, and so we support all nations and all fronts and parties to this battle. For this is in the spirit of internationalism.

The long legacy of socialism and communism teaches that in building revolution and nation-building, the people, led by a vanguard party, must develop independent institutions that will “serve the people” - both by providing for their needs and in a form of public teaching of “learning thru practice.” Independence, the last principle of the UFPP, is one of the building blocks of national self-determination, without which an independent nation cannot stand!

These 5 principles can be drawn from by all lumpen organizations inside prison and also even incorporated into the communities where our organizations are based. It’s “nation time” comrades! It’s time for us to think and live outside of our individual selves and dedicate our lives, minds, spirits, energy and resolve to making the world a better place! And that can only happen if we all have a place to live free and openly express ourselves. But, freedom only comes to those willing to die for it.

Almighty!
All power to the people!

Greetings to all revolutionary comrades who are kaptive in the gulags of these United Snakes of a Amurderer (U.$.). I write on behalf of E-NUF, an organization we formed to develop revolutionary consciousness in those held kaptive, and to compel direct action to agitate the enemy.

Here we issue our formal statement of unity with the principles of the United Front for Peace in Prisons. We recognize the importance of all the principles. It is through growth and unity that we can have peace amongst the kaptive lumpen irregardless of nation. And it is through the creation of independent institutions that we can develop internationalism.

We recognize our existence as being a part of the lumpen class. We believe when we unite as a conscious class the contradictions existing between the exploiter class (imperialism) and the oppressed (ourselves) become clear, exposing our true enemy. Through unity we can develop the best strategies to fight our way out of the grip of imperialism.

As kaptives we seek to ignite the spark first within our class. Revolutionary power to the kaptive lumpen.

My fellow comrades and I follow the 5 principles of the United Front for Peace in Prisons, however it is a nonstop struggle to open the eyes of the people here. That was the reason I started the lumpen organization (LO) that I am a part of now. I am being held in Supermax for direct action that I took to stand up to the swine for manhandling my comrade.

I am a comrade who happens to be white, and I started the LO to have multiple races in it. I am looked upon as a different breed because there are no LOs doing that. I base the foundation off of revolutionary communist principles. After studying Marx, Mao, even the Panthers, Huey, G. Jackson and the G. Jackson brigade (most of whom happened to be white), I took the oath to live by as well as die by this. I will hold my fist up till the very end. In fact I intend to die for the cause whenever that day may be, but I try my best to lead by my actions.

Yes I am hated by many. The swine truly hate me, I mean deeply. In fact, I have been told by the top brass, or white shirts as we call them, that they will kill me. They have beat me a few times while I was handcuffed and maced; most of this was at the slave camp in Lucasville. It’s a free-for-all on prisoners there. The pigs harrass us for fun and indeed they get rewarded and get promotions. There have been so many coverups there, including the murders of many prisoners.

The LO I started is Greatness Over Other Desires Fellas Equals Love Loyalty And Solidarity. We are called GF or Goodfellas for short. They are now trying to kill the LO. I was the one who was giving the info and teaching them, and now they got me locked in Supermax. My main aim was and is to bring the indepth race issue to the forefront. It’s a major issue here in Ohio prisons, as I’m sure in all prisons.

MIM(Prisons) adds: The United Front for Peace in Prison principles this comrade mentions are Peace, Unity, Growth, Internationalism and Independence. They are printed on page 2 of every issue of ULK. Below are some basic steps all groups can follow to get involved in this United Front.

1. Study and uphold the five principles of the united front.

2. Send your organization’s name and a statement of unity to MIM(Prisons). Your statement can explain what the united front principles mean to your organization, how they relate to your work, why they are important, etc.

3. Develop peace and unity between factions where you are at on the basis of opposing oppression of all prisoners and oppressed people in general.

4. Send reports on your progress to Under Lock & Key. Did you develop a peace treaty or protocol that is working? Send it in for others to study and possibly use. Is your unity based on actions? Send us reports on the organizing you are doing.

5. Keep educating your members. The more educated your members are, the more unity you can develop, and the stronger your organization can become. Unity comes from the inside out. By uniting internally, we can better unite with others as well. Contact MIM(Prisons)’s Free Political Books for Prisoners Program if you need additional materials to educate your members in history, politics and economics.

Thank you for sending me the essay titled Let’s ‘Gang-Up’ on Oppression by Owusu Yaki Yakubu.(1) Having become a “reformed” gang member, this essay was extremely enlightening and solidified what I already knew: that the government fears the unification of gangs and their unified opposition against oppression. They also fear any gang member or other lumpen street elements developing a socially conscious, politicized, and revolutionary mentality.

I became politicized in the early 90s during my second year of captivity. I took a long and hard look at myself as a so-called “gang” member and I came to realize that I was being manipulated by the powers-that-be, through the process of psychology and socialization, to commit genocide against my own people. So I cut my gang ties and came to embrace Revolutionary New Afrikan Nationalism.

In his essay Owusu speaks about the New Afrikan Independence Movement. The article titled Terminology Debate: Black vs. New Afrikan, in No. 35 issue of Under Lock & Key, also speaks about New Afrikan Nationalism. I am in the process of starting an organization called My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper (MBSK), which embraces Revolutionary New Afrikan Nationalism as its political mass line, or guiding principle. This ideology calls for the establishment of an independent socialist New Afrikan republic in the Southeast (USA), specifically in the Black-belt, the destruction of the North Amerikkkan imperialist state, the liberation and unification of Afrikan nations worldwide, the construction of a New Afrikan society, and the building of a new world order.

A New Afrikan is an Afrikan born in north Amerikkka. The name and concept “New Afrika” reflects our identity, purpose and direction. “New Afrikan” reflects our identity as a nation and a people - a nation and a people desiring self-determination. “New Afrikan” reflects our purpose as we desire freedom, self-determination and independence. By stating we are New Afrikans, we clarify we want to be independent from the Amerikkkan Empire. We want land and national liberation. We no longer want the ruling class of the amerikkkan Empire to determine our political, economic, socio-cultural affairs. MBSK sees that a people who do not control their own affairs is subject to genocide. When we control our own destiny we can determine our political, economic and socio-cultural affairs in the interest of our survival and development. “New Afrikan” also speaks to our identity because that’s what we are. Our nation is primarily a racial, cultural, social fusion of various Afrikan ethnic and national groups - Iwe, Yoruba, Akan, Ashanti, Fante, Hausa, Ibo, Fulani, Congolese and several others - into a unique people. Even though our homeland was in Afrika, our people developed historical, economic, and spiritual ties to the New Afrikan National Territory, which consists of the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Louisiana. These states together are part of the historical Black belt birthplace, and the North Amerikkkan homeland of the New Afrikan nation. The struggle to free this land is called the New Afrikan Independence Movement (NAIM). To state we are New Afrikan recognizes our continuing aspirations to “free the land.” “Free the Land” is the battle cry of the NAIM. When we say “free the land,” the New Afrikan national territory is the land we are talking about freeing.

“New Afrikan” also recognizes our direction to build a new society based on new values. We want to create a revolutionary, progressive, humane society where exploitation of humans by humans is eliminated and all can live in dignity, peace and respect. As conscious New Afrikans, we work now to transform ourselves and our nation from decadent death-style of oppression to lifestyles of liberation.

MSBK embraces and upholds the United Front for Peace in Prisons statement of principles. we oppose any Willie Lynch-style divide and conquer tactics the fascist prison authorities (pigs) use to cause division amongst the revolutionary ranks and amongst the races or oppressed nations.

The essay Let’s Gang-Up on Oppression re-affirms what we already knew: that we need to develop unity within and amongst lumpen street organization and re-direct their aggression and radicalism to wage the real war: revolution.

Again, I thank you for sending me your material. I made copies of the essay and the UFPP statement of principles and passed them out among the younger brothers here affiliated with lumpen street organizations.