It has come to my attention that this facility is not letting in any of the MIM Notes newspapers sent to me by MIM Distributors. No reason has been given to me for the rejection of these newspapers. Indeed, I was not even aware this particular facility was rejecting the MIM Notes until recently.

I have a First Amendment right to receive political oriented publications, even if they speak about revolution or criticize the government or even the prison system. The right to political dissent is fundamental and one upon which the United States of America is supposedly built upon. Although I am a prisoner, I still have certain fundamental rights and the one to receive political material is one of them.

From Great Meadow to Sing Sing to Upstate I have received MIM Notes without difficulty. MIM Notes do not advocate violence in prison or the overthrow of government. Yes, MIM Notes does criticize the government and prison system but this is constitutional protected speech; hence, the rejection or banning of MIM Notes from Attica is also an infringement upon MIM Distributors’ First Amendment [right] to free speech.

This is a formal request that you order the discontinuing of the ban this facility has on MIM Notes and allow them to be evaluated through the appropriate media review procedure. It is illegal and arbitrary to put an outright ban on MIM Notes, and a reason for such is at least warranted. Thank you.

A New York prisoner

MIM adds: Attica Correctional Facility has been returning virtually all material sent by MIM, since the fall of 2001, usually with a message written on the envelope saying “not allowed.” For awhile we could not even communicate with comrades there because simple letters were not permitted. Since then we have been carrying out a postcard campaign to protest this censorship and have sent letters to the superintendent of Attica with no response. We encourage those on the inside and outside to continue to put pressure on Attica to address these concerns and to abide by their own regulations regarding media review. Letters and phone calls of protest can be sent to:

Superintendent Victor Herbert
Box 149
Attica, NY
14011-0149
(716) 591-2000

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