On April 10, the Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League sponsored a Books for Prisoners benefit concert in Western Massachusetts. A significant sum was raised for this program. Bands travelled from as far away as Maine to perform. The bands were Assfaggot, Critical Mass, Corporate Death Squad, Commonwealth, Baracus, Publik Access, einstein, and a Global Threat were mostly punk and hip-hop Bands. At the show, the purpose of the Books for Prisoners Program was explained, and letters from prisoners were read. Samples of music from the show and these prisoner letters will be aired on this program. Behind the stage was a large banner that read "Support Free Books for Prisoners, Educating and Organizing for Revolutionary Change." This banner sums up the purpose of the MIM Books for Prisoners program, and explains how it is different from other programs. The MIM Books for Prisoners program is a tool to not only educate prisoners but to organize to change the society. Many other book programs, while positive, stick to only to a reformist charity agenda. It is a sign of the sickness of the U.$. justice system that it denies educational materials to prisoners. Books are in short supply in prison, libraries contain little beyond bourgeois fiction, mail is censored, and college education programs have been eliminated. As one letter from a Pennsylvania prisoner read the concert explained: [sentenced twice] So sending in more fiction is ok. Sending in political books is better. But the best practice is to not only send political books, but to struggle with the prisoners over the content of the books and their application to revolutionary change. The Books for Prisoners program breaks away from traditional charity-type donation programs and provides books on mainly on Revolutionary History, World Movements, and Black, Latino and First Nation culture and nationalism. MIM and RAIL send free newspapers and books to prisoners to provide them with the knowledge and tools necessary to end the oppression in U$ society and around the world. In other words, MIM and RAIL give prisoners the chance and opportunity to organize themselves and take part in the revolutionary struggle to change society. Between bands, RAIL read letters from prisoners and showed movie clips on the inhumane conditions in Maximum-security control unit cells. This helped keep a revolutionary edge to the show, and pushed the necessity to act on prison injustice. The letters from prisoners made it possible to inject the struggle of prisoners into a student & youth cultural movement. Later, one speaker talked about the case of imprisoned Black Panther Mumia Abu Jamal, and a RAIL activist discussed the struggle against control unit isolation cells. During the concert, Critical Mass played a song about the importance of working to free incarcerated revolutionary leaders: [Free all pp clip] RAIL is always looking for new ways to build support for the MIM Books for Prisoners program. Doing events like the benefit concert are an excellent way to educate and organize people against prison injustice. Historically, the fringe music scenes of punk, hard-core and hip-hop have been our most vocal allies. But fringe music must take on the entire system with an eye to changing it. Culture is one of the most important aspects to building public opinion, and so we should promote progressive cultural works while criticizing pro-imperialist culture. We need a culture that pushes for national self-determination for all nations. Among the achievements of the concert was the way in which it brought together a variety of types of music and political beliefs to support the Books for Prisoners Program. That night, Communists, Anarchists, Libertarians, and people who call themselves non-political all agreed that Books for Prisoners was a good program. For the future, we hope to gain more support from other sectors of culture while further revolutionizing our current allies. For information on how to contact any of the bands, or support the books for prisoners program, contact RAIL Radio. One letter from a New York prisoner read at the concert explained why the Books for Prisoners Program is necessary. It was written several years ago for an anti-prisons rally at the University where the concert took place. [NY pris ltr] One Critical Mass song the audience found popular was "Smash All Prisons". On their cassette, Da Wizard describes the need to struggle against prisons. [Da Wizard clip "I've had people come up to meÉ.. 25sec] [Smash all prisons]Return to Under Lock and Key RAIL Radio Program page